Biking Legends: Freddie Spencer

Freddie Spencer took the Grand Prix paddock by storm in the 1980s, rocking up as a fresh-faced 20-year-old ready and able to beat the man himself, King Kenny Roberts. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Spencer’s family loved motorsport, so he soon caught the bug too.

“My dad, brother and sister all raced karts in the ’50s, and my dad always liked bikes,” Spencer recalls.

“I have photos of him acting like he’s Marlon Brando in The Wild One, at high school with his leather jacket and his Harley.

“My dad and brother raced on dirt tracks, and I started going too, so I was exposed to it. I had a Briggs & Stratton minibike; you could buy them from the hardware store.”

Spencer rode in his backyard, already working on the technical side of racing, adjusting his style, and analysing his surroundings…