This photo is one of Valentino Rossi's favorites from the '70s era of US racing. That's Barry Sheene astride Carlos Romero's Harley chopper in 1971. image' thanks, Gene Romero

A few years ago I collaborated with Valentino Rossi when he was the guest editor of the Italian version of GQ magazine. Ross and GQ Editor Michele Lupi worked on an issue plan and assigned me to write a story on Barry Sheene and the '70s racing scene in the US.

Rossi is, as you might imagine, a big fan of the colorful 1970s era of racing in the US when everyone drove vans, wore bell-bottoms and long hair. One of the photographs submitted for the story and used in the published piece was his favorite, Rossi told Lupi. It is the attached image of Barry Sheene sitting on a cool Harley chopper, sans front brakes.

For the Italian mega-star his love for the American racing scene begins with Steve McQueen and ends with Kevin Schwantz.

"Not John Wayne," he said. "A little too much before my time. But Steve McQueen for sure, one of my idols when I was growing up and an icon today. Is anyone cooler? For riders, when I was young it was always Rainey and Schwantz. Rainey for the control and Schwantz because, you know, he was fu**ing crazy."