Ivy began racing at Brands Hatch in 1959 on a 50 cc Itom. He entered his first Isle of Man TT in 1962 and accumulated experience on a wide variety of machinery — Honda, Bultaco, Yamaha, Norton, Cotton, and Matchless — on UK short circuits before joining the Tom Kirby racing team in May 1965.
His big break came late in 1965 when Yamaha flew him to Japan as a stand-in for the injured Mike Duff at the Japanese Grand Prix. Ivy finished fourth in the 125 cc race and third in the 250 cc class, the highest-placed Yamaha in both events. The ride earned him a regular works Yamaha contract for 1966, and he wasted no time — winning the season opener, the Spanish Grand Prix at Montjuic Park, Barcelona. He took three more wins that year but was edged out of the 125 cc title by Swiss rider Luigi Taveri by just six points.
In 1967 Ivy was dominant in the 125 cc class, winning eight of twelve races to claim the World Championship by 16 points over teammate Phil Read. He added two 250 cc victories, in France and Belgium, to underline his versatility.
The 1968 season brought one of the most notorious episodes in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history. Ivy and Read controlled both the 125 and 250 cc championships for Yamaha, and the factory instructed them to split the titles — Ivy was to take the 250 cc crown, Read the 125 cc title. Ivy set a landmark by becoming the first 125 cc rider to lap the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course at over 100 mph. However, after securing the 125 cc championship, Read defied Yamaha's orders rather than tie with Ivy on points. The title was decided on aggregate race times, and Read took it. Ivy, furious, announced his retirement from motorcycle racing, declaring he would instead race Formula Two cars.
Alongside his racing career, Ivy performed as a motorcycle stunt rider in two major films. He served as a stunt double in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, wearing a blond wig to resemble the character in action sequences. He also appeared in the 1968 film The Girl on a Motorcycle, standing in for actress Marianne Faithfull in medium and long shots.
Despite promising results in Formula Two, Ivy accepted an offer from the Czech manufacturer Jawa in 1969 to race their 350 cc motorcycle — partly to fund his car racing ambitions. The season opened well; he recorded two second places behind Giacomo Agostini. During practice for the fifth round at the Sachsenring in East Germany, however, Ivy's engine seized — caused by the failure of the lower left-hand connecting-rod bearing cage — at the precise moment he was attempting to readjust a loose helmet with one hand. He was thrown from the machine, his helmet came off, and he impacted an unprotected fence post before sliding back to the track edge. He died from a fractured skull, brain haemorrhage, fractured ribs, and severe lung injuries. He was 26 years old.
Bill Ivy remains one of the most celebrated and colourful figures in 1960s Grand Prix motorcycle racing. His 1967 125 cc title, the 100 mph TT lap barrier, and his head-to-head rivalry with Phil Read defined an era of small-capacity racing at its competitive peak. The manner of his death highlighted the dangerous conditions riders faced at the time and contributed to ongoing pressure for improved circuit safety.
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