KING OF THE SUPERBIKES FORGING SUZUKI ’ S KATANA
Marlboro Series programme 19
YZR750 , which was said to be a standard TZ750 , except for the wheels . In the final F750 World Championship standings the first ten were all riding 750 Yamahas . In all , there were twenty-two Yamahas in the field of twenty-five . The FIM then removed the World Championship status from F750 in 1979 after only seven years . I think it is fair to say that the Yamaha twin and four cylinder two-stroke racers , of the mainly 1970s , opened up a world of opportunities for enthusiastic competitors ; riders who previously had no chance of mixing it with the ‘ works ’ or factory supported riders . The Yamaha story is remarkable , considering the company ’ s history . It started life as a manufacturer of reed organs in the late 1880s , then began making pianos . Aircraft propellers were also made by the company . It wasn ’ t until the 1950s that they turned to making motorcycles . Today Yamaha ’ s MotoGP team is one of the leading competitors in the current World Championship competition .
88 KIWI RIDER