The life of Barry Sheene - one of the world's greatest ever motorcyclists

Any study of the true legends of the motorcycling world wouldn't be complete without a look at Barry Sheene.

The former world champion is the man credited with bringing the sport to the public's attention, inspiring millions to take an interest in biking and in doing so becoming an idol to countless youngsters. His determination to continue racing after suffering serious personal injuries in numerous motorcycle accidents has also endeared him to the public.

Damon Hill once said of the cheeky Cockney, "He was my very first hero and he was very important to me."

This is a sentiment that has been echoed by a myriad of others throughout the years and is the very reason why the great Barry Sheene appears here in BP365's look at the planet's motorbiking greats.

The beginning
Sheene was born in London on September 11th 1950 and, with a Grand Prix motorbike mechanic for a father, it seems he was always destined to ride. Biking was indeed in his blood and he had his first bike at the tender age of five.

His professional debut came at 18 when he tackled Brands Hatch on a 125cc Bultaco and only two years later his superstar prowess began to show through as he claimed the 125cc British Championship.

The following year, 1971, he was unable to retain his title and finished the season as runner-up. The same year he narrowly missed out on winning the World Championship title after being beaten by Angel Nieto in the last race of the season in Spain.

Despite failing to hang on to his British title, he kept on battling in typical Sheene style and moved up to the 500cc class. In 1975 he ended the season in sixth position for the second year in a row and also claimed his first 500cc Grand Prix win.

That same year a horrific motorbike accident at more than 175mph during the Daytona 200 in Florida left him with a sickening range of personal injuries including a broken thigh, a shattered arm, a fractured collar bone and six broken ribs. Although some predicted the crash would end Sheene's career, he refused to give in and was back riding with a steel rod in his leg only six weeks later.

Riding to victory
Coming back from the motorcycle accident stronger than ever, the Cockney won five races and took a second place to win the 1975 500cc world title. The following year, riding a Suzuki, he completed the feat again, this time bettering his previous season's form by claiming six victories from nine starts.

That was the last time Sheene would ever win the coveted title but his fierce rivalry with American rider Kenny Roberts drew enormous crowds and helped to make motorcycle racing hugely popular with the public for the first time. In recognition of his achievements, both on and off the track, he was awarded the MBE in 1978.

In 1981 Sheene was the last ever Brit to win a 500cc Grand Prix and the following year he was lucky to survive a horror smash at Silverstone. During a practice session for the British Grand Prix he was unable to avoid a bike lying in the track and was catapulted through the air.

The motorbike accident could easily have killed him but the surgeons were able to rebuild his shattered body and he shocked the world by making a miraculous recovery and returned to racing not long after.

He was now tearing around the circuit at terrifying speeds with metal plates in both knees, a bolt in his left wrist and 28 screws in his legs. Eventually his injuries proved too much and he retired from the sport in 1985 but the fact that he was prepared to continue for so long after suffering such terrible wounds is testament to his determination and willpower.

The man
Everyone who met Barry will remember his cheeky grin and colourful character that, combined with his good looks, he used to inspire those around him and promote both himself and the sport of motorcycling.

Something of a playboy, he regularly featured on the front pages of the papers as well as the back and his nights out on the town with racing drivers such as James Hunt and Gerhard Berger were always guaranteed to hit the headlines.

Despite his love for women, cigars and booze, Sheene was an intelligent and caring man and was fluent in four languages, including Japanese which he learned so he could communicate with the Suzuki engineers whose bikes helped him reach the top.

The legend
His playboy lifestyle that he was so famous for was dropped when he met and fell in love with wife-to- be, Stephanie, in the 1970s. He later married her and they had two children, Sidonie and Freddie.

In the late 1980s Sheene and his family moved to Australia in the hope that the warmer climate would relieve some of the pain caused by the arthritis that was the result of the horrific personal injuries sustained in numerous motorcycle accidents.

He took up commentating and became as popular behind the microphone as he had been on the track. The viewers loved him because he always revealed exactly what he thought of a rider and his biases were totally transparent. Other pundits might not have got away with the things he said but a cheeky smile and some Jack-the-Lad quip would always get him off the hook.

Barry Sheene died of cancer in March 2003. It seemed such an unfair way for one of history's great motorcycling legends to go, especially after he had cheated death so many times on the track. But he faced his fate with typical bravery and aplomb, describing his cancer as a "pain in the a**e".

He really was one in a million and those who were lucky enough to meet him came away all the better for it.

Murray Walker got it spot on when, paying tribute to the biker, he said, "Barry Sheene was not only one of the most brilliant motor racing cyclists who has ever lived, he was also a lovely man."