Bennetts Suzuki riders Tommy Bridewell and Ryuichi Kiyonari will run special Barry Sheene-inspired colours at this weekend’s Brands Hatch MCE British Superbike round.
Modelled on the famous livery of Sheene’s XR14 Suzuki, which he rode to world championship glory in 1976, the team’s GSX-R1000s will run in the famous Heron Suzuki colours at a circuit that Barry himself enjoyed great success at.
The weekend at Brands Hatch marks 40 years since Sheene won his first world title and the last international Hutch 100 race, which raced anticlockwise around the Kent circuit.
“Like so many, Barry Sheene was a hero of mine and the reason I got into bike racing. I remember lusting after Suzukis through the glass of the dealership in Bolton when I was younger, and I was really keen to come up with a way of doing something special this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his first world title. Having been such a fan, and having watched the bikes race in those colours in the 70s, it’s going to be really special to make this happen and see our bikes race in the same iconic livery,” said team owner Martin Halsall.