1982 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

Honda abandoned its NR500 four-stroke in favor of a V3 two-stroke NS500 piloted by American newcomer, Freddie Spencer, defending champion Marco Lucchinelli and veteran Takazumi Katayama.

[1] Kawasaki would continue to campaign its KR500 with rider Kork Ballington but developing a new motorcycle proved to be difficult, and after three years in the 500cc class without being able to recreate the same success they had experienced in the smaller classes, they made the decision to withdraw from world championship competition after the 1982 season leaving Ballington without a job.

[1] Barry Sheene was lying third in the championship, tied on points with Roberts after eight rounds however, his season was brought to a premature end while testing the new Yamaha V4.

He hit the obscured fallen machine of Frenchman Patrick Igoa during practice at Silverstone and badly broke both legs and an arm.

[1] Most of the factory sponsored riders boycotted the French round at Nogaro in protest of the unsafe track conditions.