It’s 50 years since Barry Sheene won the first of his two 500cc World Championships in 1976 and Goodwood will be marking the anniversary year throughout their motorsport festivals from their base in West Sussex. Barry’s son, Freddie, will attend the events and is set to ride a selection of his father’s historic race bikes up the famous Goodwood Hill this July. To mark this iconic occasion, and celebrate his father’s legacy with the legendary Italian brand Dainese, Freddie will debut a one-off Barry Sheene replica leather suit. Freddie recently visited the legendary Italian firm, Dainese, for their specialist team to create a replica Dainese ‘Custom Works’ suit for him. Hand-made in Colceresa, in the same factory that creates suits for Valentino Rossi, Marco Bezzecchi, Franco Morbidelli and Nicolo Bulega the suit will boast state of the art protection systems as well as the most modern D-Air set-up.
For those who wish to experience the Custom Works Service in the UK, it’s available at the Dainese flagship London store and will roll out to dealers nationwide at a later date. These one-off Barry Sheene replica one-piece leathers worn over just four days at Goodwood Festival of Speed are generously being donated to raise funds for Two Wheels for Life by Freddie Sheene and Dainese. The auction will take place on Saturday 8 August at Silverstone on the eve of the British Grand Prix with Freddie on hand to encourage enthusiastic bidding all in aid of a great cause.
“I travelled over to Dainese’s HQ in Italy early April to get measured for the suit. It was so cool to see my father’s old leathers and photos of him everywhere and it was an honour to meet Lino Dainese who my father worked so closely with. It was a very special day! comments Freddie.
“I’ll be wearing this one-off Custom Works suit, I think worth over £5000, at Goodwood riding one of Dad’s bikes and then will donate it to Two Wheels for Life to help them raise funds to help support the amazing work they do in Africa.
“It’ll be fitting to hold the auction at Silverstone as I know the circuit played host to some of my fathers’ most memorable races. Let’s hope the suit finds a good new home, for a great bid!”
Andrea Coleman, CEO, Two Wheels for Life:
“I have just seen a preview of the beautiful leathers that Dainese is making for Freddie Sheene, Barry’s son, to wear at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.
“In a wonderful gesture from Dainese and Freddie the leathers will later star in our Two Wheels for Life auction, on Saturday at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. It seems so fitting that we will all be able to remember and celebrate the glorious race between Barry and Kenny Roberts at that truly iconic circuit. It is still viewed by fans and experts alike as one of the greatest motorcycle races of all time.
“The leathers honour a great rider and whoever wins them at our auction will have a priceless memento of Barry’s life, his courage and his talent. And of course they will also be bringing vital support in helping Riders for Health’s motorcycles to deliver health care to women and children in Africa
“Thank you Freddie, Dainese, Goodwood , Silverstone and, above all, Barry. (On a very personal note, Barry Sheene and I were childhood friends, both junior citizens of the Grand Prix Paddock in those now far-off days. We never stopped fighting. It was fabulous. Thank you, Barry. Miss you.”
