1983 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1983 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 35th Road racing World Championship season.

The 1983 battle for 500 cc supremacy between Honda's Freddie Spencer and Yamaha's Kenny Roberts would be one of the most dramatic seasons since the 1967 duel between Giacomo Agostini and Mike Hailwood. As was the case in 1967, the title chase wouldn't be decided until the final race of the season.

1983 would be the last year for the 50cc class as it would be upgraded to 80cc for the 1984 season.Stefan Dörflinger would take the honor of being the last 50cc World Champion.Angel Nieto won the 125 cc crown in dominating fashion, making it his 12th world championship.Carlos Lavado would capture his first 250 cc world championship in a season that saw eight riders share wins over eleven races, Lavado being the only competitor to win more than once. Eighteen-year-old British rider, Alan Carter, created excitement by winning the 250cc French Grand Prix in only his second world championship race, becoming the youngest winner of a 250cc Grand Prix race. Despite the auspicious start to his career, it would be Carter's only Grand Prix victory.

The departure of Kawasaki from the 500cc class left the remaining three Japanese factories to contend for the premier division. Suzuki returned with defending champion, Franco Uncini, Loris Reggiani and Randy Mamola aboard a new version of the RG500 which featured a square tube, welded aluminium frame. The Honda team of Freddie Spencer, Marco Lucchinelli and Takazumi Katayama was made even stronger with the addition of British rider, Ron Haslam, all competing on the three-cylinder NS500. Yamaha team manager Giacomo Agostini had been unable to agree on a contract with rider Graeme Crosby, so AMA Superbike champion Eddie Lawson was brought in as Kenny Roberts' new teammate, both competing with the OW70 YZR500 with a V4 engine. Before the season began, Roberts announced that the 1983 season would be his final year in Grand Prix competition.Cagiva continued to campaign bikes ridden by Jon Ekerold and Virginio Ferrari.

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