Mick Doohan explains the techniques used to tame the famous Honda NSR-500! - Gypsy Tales
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- čas přidán 29. 01. 2022
- The Honda NSR-500 is one of the most fabled motorcycles in the history of two wheeled racing. The king of the 500 MotoGP era, Mick Doohan, explains some of the technique that went into taming these incredible bikes!
Mighty Mick is anything but retired at this point but and is one of the busiest people that I know. Regardless we were still able to snag an hour and a half of epic chat with one of the greatest to ever ride on two wheels! Mick is someone I have looked up to my whole life and I am lucky enough these days to call him a mate. We have never really gone deep on anything to do with racing though, and this podcast was a real treat to be given the freedom to ask Mick all the questions I wanted about one of the most amazing careers in motorsports.
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The fact that he used ‘poofteenth’ as a unit of measurement on a Podcast in 2022 is incredible - what a man hahaha
Haha glad someone said it
or its metric equivalent - the pooftimetre.
Yep ima use that one hahaha
Had a smile when he said it.
Nothing wrong with "poofteenth", it goes with gnat's fart, bee's dick, fanny hair (Oz), etc... All small units of measurement in general use in Oz.
Isn't it nice when your childhood hero turns out to be a really normal, down-to-earth person?
Great post. 👍
Yup, so far away from Evel Knievel
Yeah
Bloody oath mate 👍
His brother Col was my PE teacher in primary school! He was a good bloke too.
Mick used to stay at our hotel while he tested and developed this bike in the 90s. He used to come back pretty worn out but he was always the most down to earth, friendly guy you could meet. Just a champion bloke.
Just a great human. 👍
There has only been a few people in my life I have truly idolised, Mick Doohan was definitely one of them. His mental strength and ability to come back from injury and win will always inspire me.
The strength it woulda took to stand on that leg after the Laguna Seca wreck is unimaginable. You can see him go "ok you gotta get up cause everyones watching" then just man up and use a toothpick of a leg and braced boot to get up
Mick Doohan! My all time favourite rider during the 500cc 2-stroke era. I remember when he had that terrible crash and after recovering, HRC fitted the rear brake as an extra lever on the LH handle bar.
And besides that, he always came across as being a down to earth bloke ☺️👍👍
I was at the Hungoraring in 1990, and witnessed Mick's first GP win. The previous week at the Czech GP, Wayne Rainey wore out Mick's front tyre by attacking him going downhill. Mick did the same thing to Rainey in Hungary, passing him in the closing laps to win.
I was at the bottom of the hill, between turns 5 & 6. Turn 5 was (probably) a 3rd gear right, with a 100 meter straight before a (probably) 2nd gear right/left chicane. On his 'slow down' lap after winning, Mick came down the hill as fast as he did during the race. We were waving a large Aussie flag, and maybe he saw it, because as he came out of turn 5 Mick GASSED it - full opposite lock and smoke just rolling off the rear tyre - and he waved at us while doing that! I remember thinking that this guy is a freak!
Incidentally, I think that that race was Randy Mamola's last GP. I saw him racing a TZ250 at Gracefield street circuit in NZ when he was 14 or 15 years old, and I think I saw his last race. I do remember being passed on the motorway by Randy's motorhome leaving Hungary, and I swear my Kombi van sped up by 20Kph purley in the slipstream!
One of the few immortals of the sport, giant of a man, humble, courageous and forever courteous.
I’ve still got my ‘Doohan’ 🇦🇺 replica helmet from back in the day, one tough focused racer, to come back from that horrendous leg injury and become multiple world champion 🙌🏻
I remember reading about that surgery; didn’t he almost die from that? And his helmet design was far and away the best.
This is the definition of badass! My deepest respect for anyone with the determination to win at all costs. I remember his horrible crash in Spain where the doctors fused both of his legs together to keep his left leg alive with blood. Not even 2 days after they separated his legs he threw on his leathers and raced. And of course his other accident where his legs where so broken up that they rigged hand controls for the shifter and rear brake just so he could continue to race. Any other person would've waited till they healed before starting up again. That's what makes him the man. Let's also not forget that he used to lap other riders. That doesn't happen today.
I didn't know that, wauww, impressive determination !
Incorrect. The crash that almost costs him his leg happened in Assen, 1992.
He’s an Aussie so it’s bad arse
@@cowarddonnie-ji5yz I guess I goofed, must've mixed the place. Thanks.
Oh the good old days of the late 80s early 90s with you mick, Wayne, Kevin, Gardner, and all the rest . Just awesome back then.thanks for the thrills
don.t forget Max Biaggi the clown
I can't believe that Doohan talked about Jean Phillipe Ruggia and his elbow dragging style. I used to have a picture of Ruggia doing the deed on a blue Yamaha France bike.
Same here mate i had pictures of JP « elbow » Ruggia on a 250 Aprilia in my bedroom
I had that on my bedroom wall too just awesome
Me too.
I did not have that, just a Sabrina poster....
I had an uncle who was a mechanical genius . So much so that he never had to have a regular job and was called by factories to fix their equipment . We raced motorcycles at the time and it just happened that a kid was riding his dirtbike and he got a scowl on his face . He asked us why this kid was throttling his bike like the did and then he began educating us on how an engine works and how it should be raced . He told us it should sound like the bike had no gears and shifting should barely be noticeable . He said anytime you are off the throttle you lose power and rpm's . We listened to him and our bikes turned into rockets ! He handbuilt airplanes and flew them , made inboard boats back in the 50's by hand , made handbuilt model plains and even made a mower before anyone else but thought it was too dangerous . Uncle George Phillips of Sand Springs Oklahoma was the smartest man I ever knew ...we miss you George . PK
My uncle drove his tweaked VW in this way. He never used the clutch to change gears. He knew at what revs he could change gears without depressing the clutch at all.
Mighty Mick, man of Steel. One of my hero's. A racing God.
Thanks Mick, a long long time ago I hade the pleasure of cleaning cow and sheep shit off The Phillip Island Racetrack when it was derelict to see whether it could be used again, I had the privilege of doing laps after would. Enter Bob Barnard and the rest is history. I had a blast at the inaugural Swann 500 GP.
The insight, honesty and humbleness.
I could listen to Mick Doohan all day, not only about 500gp bikes and the 90s era but about the mental game as well.
doohan is one of those guys you could listen to talking about any aspect of bikes and bike sport at length. informed, interesting, humble and humorous. a true gent of the sport.
Doohan is a legend 😎👍🇦🇺
I was just watching some 1993 and 1994 500cc GP today. Love it.
Mick, definitely the GOAT! What a rider. Top fella, too.
I was Mick’s pilot for his first two private jets and he flew his own turbine helicopter. Superman in many ways.
My first job as race marshall at Winton in 1987. MD just promoted to A grade was riding a yamaha superbike for the first time. He was different from the start, drifting the front under hard braking and spinning the rear at will. I had spent 3 years in Europe watching the best and he was doing things only the top could emulate. He did not win races that day (burnt tyres) as he was against a strong field but certainly left an impression on me at the time.
As an Englishman, this man is my favourite all time sportsman. Hard as nails on a bike and would rather chew your face off than concede a race position, but off the bike seems to be a nice bloke.
@Peter Alexander I know.
Just imagine the battles if Rainey hadn't had that injury... Doohan and Rainey were the best riders ever.
Eddie wasn't too shabby either :)
Don't forget Schwantz.
My heart bled that day. I watched the next one but never watched any more after that. Very sad.
@@gregsmith7821 Same here.
They would of lost to Doohan because the Honda was far and away the best bike, maybe if they could of been on the same team. I think a very underrated MotoGP Champion was Kenny Roberts ll, when he won the Championship in 2000 the next best Suzuki was his teammate was in 10th and in 1999 he was second and his teammate was 13th, the Suzuki was a crap bike and won a championship on it, don’t think modern rider won a Championship on a bike near as bad as the Suzuki was.
@@gregsmith7821 🤙
The Australians know how to develop great riders, but most importantly great people. I feel like Mick is the kind of guy who would just talk to ya about life at a bar for hours. He seems so laid back and humble, it would be a pleasure to meet him.
What happened with rolf harris then?
@@mattvewfindlay2228 spent too much time in the UK
@@mattvewfindlay2228
Don’t ever ever mention Rolf
In the same sentence
As Mick Doohan
Two different sides of the coin
Omg. Is this really Mick Doohan on the cast? Childhood hero right there people! This channel keeps impressing!
Tomorrow should stoke you out then ha
@@GYPSYTALES cannot wait sir! 🙌
Just a great, great human.
In spanish please
Thanks Mick….bloody legend plain and simple
Ab......so........lutely. 👍
Mick Doohan is the reason I got into MotoGP. The 500cc 2-strokes were from another galaxy. Today's riders, wouldn't make the grade. Just my opinion, those bikes were widow makers. That's why Valentino is so special, he started on a 500cc 2-stroke and transitioned into all the new alterations. A naturally gifted freak. Like Mick Doohan.
Would loved to have seen a peak Marquez on a 500T, could have gone either way
galaxy is a bit dramatic- the past more like.
bikes work better now as stated in this interview!
@@mukinfagic69 I think him and stoner would have both been excellent on them
I think that's BS, I think the great riders can ride any bike from any era. The greats are the greats and they all had the same thing. Put them on any bike and they will still be great, Doohan would win on today's bikes if he was young still and Fabio could win on a 500.
How does the 500 that Rossi rode for 2 years compare to the 500 of that era?
Hahaha
As an American who came late to MotoGp, I'm so sad I didn't witness this legend in his prime. Great interview, I could listen for days.
A very Typical Aussie.
NO BS attitude about how good i am.
Glad we could have some Top Aussie Riders to watch.
Gardner, Doohan, Stoner, really put us on the map of what we are capable of when it came to this level of racing.
Definitely made it that little more interesting to watch, when one of our own was out there doing his best.👍
A true legend.
Good comment i agree with you.
Jack Miller is a top bloke as well …
Troy Corser, Troy Bayliss, Daryl Beattie, Anthony Gobert, Kevin Magee, Chris Vermeulen, Garry McCoy, hell even Chad Reed. We breed some good bike racers.
Without that injury in 1992, Mighty Mick might've now a 6x 500cc World Champion
Probably more!👍
And 99 Jerez Spain
X7 times
Australia produces some incredible riders.
yeah more or less , but Mick are No1 then 9 places empty , after comes others.
correction. PRODUCED. there wont be many more, as we are busy busy closing every track down, turning them into high-rise and housing estates. automatic driving nancies that have no idea what a clutch is, no idea how to control a car or bike, no clue what to do if they find themselves in a situation where SKILLS count.
I have to say the 500 era is still my favourite. Ok I'm sure current GP bikes have more HP and probably lap times are significantly quicker but the sheer rider skill and bravery needed with the 500's really made the racing compelling to watch.. Great days.. Doohan is probably in my top 5 riders..
Yeah, I remember one of the 500 riders saying how temperamental those 2-strokes were: One second everything’s fine; the next, you were on the tarmac.
Much respect to Mick Doohan. I remember when he first got into GP he had a lot of humility. Then he when on to just dominate.
The guy is a genius on a bike and for me a total legend. His curt response to a journalist who asked why he never looked behind while he was leading a race from Okada and he flipped back the track is up front not behind me", it cracked me up so much and still does. Cool as cool.
Legend! one of the greatest of all time
Straight up!
Think Mick’s the Goat , it can’t be Rossi because he got smashed too many times by Stoner & Márquez
Was travelling around Australia back in 1990 and was in Melbourne just before the motogp race on Phillip Island. Got to see this guy come second to another Aussie legend Wayne Gardener that year. Those 500 two strokes were insane machines.
I was learning to ride when Doohan was at his peak and I used to study photos in bike mags to see how to do it but could not make any sense of his style. Confused the hell out of me. I could never drop my arse like that. Abe also had a style similar, over the handlebars, long hair hanging out. I loved Abe, so sad he died.
Have always admired Mick. One of our Top Champions to Show the World How its Done
Absolutely.....
So happy I saw his last win at Phillip, dominated from the first second. Just amazing. ❤
Same. I got heat stroke despite it being so overcast that weekend, but it was worth it. Can still remember chanting "we want mick" over and over. Just an amazing experience!!
Just commenting for the algorithm, this deserves far more views! 🔥 #gypsygang
Mick is a pure legend.I always wanted to ride that Honda Repsol 500 GP bike back in the day. 😎👍
👍👍👍👍
I remember riding our 2 banger 80s around at the quarry near hosham vic in the early 90s. Some bloke went past at about 120 on the back wheel in the scrub and we all stopped. My mate said thats Kevin Mcgee hes a racer. Never forget it.
He was gd to watch, him and Gaz McCoy!!
My favorite bike racer of all time, from when I started watching in late 89 (we started getting it on cable in California on a delayed basis back then). What a unique style he had, as well as nads of steel!
Got to see him race at Laguna Seca a couple of times, not great weekends for him, but to see all the GP racers on those amazing two stroke bikes was a near religious experience.
J-P Ruggia, who gets a mention from Doohan here, was for a while seen as the "next guy" in 250 GPs.
I have a feeling he rode for Sonauto Yamaha (a French team). His "elbow down" cornering was simply a sensation. Some saw it as theatre more than a go-faster technique. I think he was just "at it" 110%.
As I recall (I may be wrong) his dad had a Yamaha dealership and there were all sorts of ugly threats back and forth that stopped him riding for other teams and ultimately slightly derailed his career.
He was never quite the success it was thought he would be.
But when he was on a 250 and it was running well, he was absolute mustard.
One of my favorite riders along with Kevin in that era. Watched him win many a race from there states when ESPN still broadcast all the races I miss the rawness of that era back when riders suggested bike adjustments and not laptop jockeys . Ali respect all of the Aussie riders except for Matt Mladin who wouldn’t even come out his motor home at road Atlanta when ever other rider would let you get a close up view of the bikes and chat with you. Even the mechanics were super nice. I asked the fast by Feracci mechanics what coolant they were putting in the bike.. he said I don’t know. They just give me the jug and I dump in in there. lol
This man actually rode the wheels off a 500 like no human ever had. This man had to keep a wheelburrow handy to haul those huge titanium balls around
Love this channel and this historical look at motorcycle road racing.
The roots of the practice of raising the bike / rider cg by hanging off to the inside of a curve goes back to the’70s. I was doing it on my ‘71 R50/5 BMW to outrun my buddy on his 650 Triumph in the mountains west of Boulder Colorado. Also, roadracing on an RD350 at Aspen and around Denver. Then again at the tracks around California on TD1 (factory 250GP) and RD125 Yamahas.
Lean angles today have certainly reached levels that I would have considered impossible in the’70s running on the best tires I could find, Dunlop K81, also known as the TT100. Check out the unique profile that maximizes contact patch during extreme cornering.
No mention of Eddie Lawson, who gave Mick all the setup sheets and was his mentor, telling him he Could and Would learn to handle the 500 when Mick arrived at the Honda GP team? Damn.
Every Australian should have watched this at least twice.
I have
Every person should watch it twice.
Australians,thrice.
One of my heroes. Just on a different level of ability especially with those bikes.
What lovely fella . My era completely , not taking anything away from the riders of today , but they must've been beasts to try and chuck around back then , and similarly for all previous generations Necessity is the mother of invention . 🏍️🏍️
My legend is getting aged like a fine wine!!!!
Mick was never the greatest test rider, nor the most eloquent spokesman. But he had the biggest balls. And his riding style totally worked for the fat tire 500’s. Mick put it all together perfectly. Even if Wayne and Kev didn’t quit, Mick was beating them on the Honda. Woulda been champ in 1992, if it weren’t for that Assen crash…
Yes, Wayne didn’t quit. He was horrifically injured
@@olivertoeknuckleiii2093Rainey was my hero😳😢
Micky Doohan's generation of racing was the most entertaining ever imo. Anyone of Doohan, Schwanz, Rainey, Gardiner, etc could take the checkered flag on the day. It was really competitive racing unlike Rossi's era, when you knew who was going to win before the race even started.
It's great to see all the positive comments.
I still remember him coming to my local bike shop (Griffin Honda) sometime in the 90s and getting his signature 😁
Great interview with real King of 500cc World Championship.
Greatest rider ever with greatest looking style ever nothing I’ve seen compares.
Yeah he's right up there, and crazy, crazy brave. 👍
A journalist asked joey Dunlop ??? What was it like the first time you got your knee down .....Joey told him I HAVE NEVER HAD MY KNEE DOWN
Saw Mick at Repco at Southport back in the day, he has a huge hole in the back of his leg where his calf muscle used to be, thanks to a Belgium doctor, genuinely nice guy
500s were awesome absolutely legend of a bloke Doohan n Schwantz around Donnington were something else to see
Mick, We are Doohan Fine buddy. I happen to know a mate of yours in Australia. You Mick are sucha fine example for motorbike racing. I have never seen a man drift 2 wheels on a 500 like you. God Speed.
Truly a "Super Human " as were all the riders of the 500 era. Not a fan of computer Nanny's. He raced back when it was absolutely man and machine.
Best comment I've ever heard regarding modern technology. " It allows the mid-pack guys to move up a little. " Spoken without a hint of irony.
Mick smashed 2 legs of the World SBK at Oran Park in 1988 & they had no idea who he was. Faaaaaaaark who is that ? that’s the future GOAT mate.
A year old video, still entertaining! And I just acquired a new word... "a poof-teenth"! Love it!
Mick doohan one of my sporting heros
Fantastic. Thankyou.
Loved mick as a bike rider, but then he took over karting in Australia ...
Love it! I've learnt so much from the champ. Best of all I've learnt a new unit of time: the "poofteenth" (4:20ish). I propose that a poofteenth be recognised by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures team and that it be immediately introduced into Australian classrooms. I estimate it is about 0.4s but further experiments can be done to finalise its value which must be ratified by Dr Doohan himself.
Can't say that anymore,the crybabies will go bezerk
Poofteenth has been a well known unit of measurement in Australia for a VERY long time. No need to try to 'introduce' it
@@sgriffiths1448 It's actually a British measure, I used to use it myself when I was a fitter and turner apprentice in the late 50's.
@@fredfarnackle5455 and because you used it in the 50s that alone makes it British huh?
Great racer, great bloke, true Champion!!
Would love to see Doohan try out the 700 rotary bike
Mr. Doohan is PROOF you can meet your hero!
You need to put some clips of them riding
Interesting insight
That poofteenth makes a huge difference.
I still want to ride one of the 500 GP bikes.
Thats why you have to respect Valentino even he won a title on the 500 bad thing was he just rode on for to long mick you were my favourite rider when you rode another legend
Absolutely 👍 Valentino left the best bike, cause he was bored.
My absolute hero!
And mine.
I am an american love kenny roberts freddie spencer wayne rainey kevin schwantz eddie lawson, But the flying aussie Doohan was just at a different level. Had some great american champs but leave it to a crazy tough ass aussie to just own the series for years. Love the guy was a 500gp god in my book, the absolute best. I know the entire continent of Australia loved him but he had a lot of world wide fans. I think he is the only one ever to actually master the 500cc 2 strokes. What he made those bikes do was just not human. I will stand by this for ever in his day against any rider past or present he would be a champion, they guy just was once in a lifetime rider. In his prime on any type of bike take any other rider in his prime, they would have the same view, his ass. many great riders went to 500cc gp and never won a race again, that was the hardest bike to ride ever. So if he could win on it like he did he would smoke todays best even on a 4 stroke 4 from today. Sorry kids been around bikes 55 yrs riding for for 45 some local racing and have seen many a racers at the top levels, doohan hands down the best there ever was.
Mick is selling himself short you could tell immediately from an overhead shot it was him by his twisted shoulder placement. Nobody else i ever saw placed their upper body like mike.
Absolutely.
Mick was my absolute favorit racer in the 90
The greatest show on asphalt...
With respect, Doohan didn't dominate until the likes of Lawson, Gardner, Rainey Schwantz were done.
Go back & watch his first cpl of starts, on inferior machinery..
I saw an interview with Rainey (after his açcident) he said no-one worked harder at testing & dev than Doohan...
And... with respect Gardiner did alright vs those you mentioned IN their heyday...and wasn't No 1 rider in his team.
Absolute legend.
Mick man handles the bike where most just hung on or just road it.
Haha classic mick talking about his lean style. It was a bit weird that’s for sure when you think about modern way of riding 🇳🇿
Massive fan
I have to agree with Mick re: left turns vs right. I find lefts easier even on the road.
Serving me well on Nightshift
I tip my hat to GP bike racers. The speeds and risk completely freaks me out.
My all time favourite rider...
Your a Legend bro
Don't care what anyone else says, Iv'e yet to see anyone ride so consistantly close to the edge as Mick. Except maybe Casey, must be an Aussie thing.
Like riding a bull. Had turns on rz’s and a rg’s back in the day. The street versions were nasty. I couldn’t imagine the fully unleashed beasts
One hell of a rider thats for sure
GYPSY TALES; Kevin Magee's GP days would be interesting to hear.
Poofteenth 😂 4:23
Riding for Dorna Repsol Honda made his career so easy compared to RGV of Schwantz ...
My hero.