HARRY EVERTS | LEGEND

Harry Everts is a true legend of our sport. Four Motocross World Championships to his name, a son who has 10 Motocross World Championships and now a grandson who has Grand Prix wins. Despite being born with polio and a sever limp, the first famous Everts dominated the 125cc Championship and also claimed a 250cc World Title

Everts senior recalls his racing days, with his most memorable moments being the intense battles he had with Akira Watanabe, the first and only Japanese MX World Champion. These encounters were undoubtedly the highlights of his racing career in Belgium

“Racing Akira Watanabe,” Everts said. “He was also tough. He could ride on your back wheel for 40 minutes, just stay there, and fighting. On hard pack, he was good, in the sand he was good, but after 30 minutes, he wasn’t so strong. Also in the heat, I was strong. You could see on his face before a race that he wanted to kill you on the track but I was the same on the inside. I saw him in Indonesia this year, he is also friendly, and he now teaches riders and tells them how to stand on the bike like I did. We had so many races and so many moments together.”

Everts also remembers one of his favourite races in his career, at the famous Namur circuit in Belgium where he changed classes. Moving up to the 500cc class he battled for victory, but a huge crash saw him fail in his attempt to win on the bigger more powerful machine.

“I didn’t win the GP, but that track was my favourite track as a kid. It was at that place; it was the first time I ever saw a motocross race. I was looking at the big names like Rolf Tibblin, Adolf Weil, Bill Nilsson, all the very top guys. I was a kid, and it was fantastic, and the public was so big back in those days. I was still riding the 125cc World Championship and I had a wild card to do the 500 GP at Namur. As you know the Suzuki 500cc bike of that time wasn’t so good. It was I think 1979. I know everything that happened that day. I had to start on the second line on the grid, and my start wasn’t so bad. I came to the front, and it was Noyce and somebody else battling. I come up on the citadel right behind them, and I caught them easy, and I thought I could win that heat. I didn’t want to mix it with them, because they were fighting for the world title. I finished third or second, and the second heat I was at the front and crashed, a big crash. I started again, and I came through the field, and I got third overall.”

Of course, Harry is also known as one of the master coaches, having taken his son Stefan to World Championships, but also working closely with riders like Pauls Jonass, Liam his grandson and many more. Now, well into his 70s the enthusiasm has no changed and he is one of the most popular figures in the Grand Prix paddock.