John Dodds, who competed in motorcycle road racing in the 1960s and 1970s, has passed away. He was Australian and was 80 years old.
His debut in the World Motorcycle Championships in 1966 at the German GP in the 500cc class. In the same year, he also participated in a race in the 250cc class at the Isle of Man TT. Dodds secured his first podium with a third-place finish at the 1968 Spanish GP in the 500cc class, and he achieved his first victory in the 125cc class at the 1970 German GP.
In 1971, Dodds competed for the last time in the premier class, 500cc. In the following years, he accumulated notable results in the smaller displacement categories, with the highlight being his third-place finish in the 1973 250cc World Championship. He retired from racing in 1978 in the 250cc category.
In addition to his participation in the World Championships, Dodds also competed in the inaugural season of the European Formula 750 in 1973, finishing as the runner-up behind Barry Sheene. The following year, he won the championship title in the same series.
Motorcycle Sports extends heartfelt condolences to John Dodds’ grieving family and friends.