STORY 04
Racing looks and technology for the road: the racer-replica culture of the 1980s and 90s, keeping road models and race machines distinct.
Full fairings, aluminium frames, liquid-cooled engines — racer replicas put circuit technology in riders' hands.
Road-going replicas and competition-only machines are always listed separately here.
MACHINES IN THIS STORY
7
YAMAHA
Yamaha YZ250
1974
Motocross
A production replica of the YZM250 (0W12) works machine that won the 1973 Motocross World Championship and All Japan Motocross Championship titles. It was the first production model with Monocross suspension, hence the name YZ250M. A competition-only machine with an air-cooled 246 cm³ two-stroke single and a 5-speed gearbox.
SUZUKI
Suzuki RG500 Grand Prix racer
1974
Race Machine
A road-racing machine developed by Suzuki for the 500 cc Grand Prix world championship. It used the square-four two-stroke layout proven in Suzuki’s 1960s Grand Prix programme and was designed by Makoto Hase. It finished second on its debut at the 1974 French Grand Prix and took its first win at the 1975 Dutch TT.
SUZUKI
Suzuki RG250 Gamma
1983
Racer Replica
A 250 cc liquid-cooled two-stroke parallel-twin sports machine launched in March 1983. With a half fairing, an aluminium square-tube double-cradle frame, Full-Floater rear suspension and a 16-inch front wheel, it weighed 131 kg dry and produced 45 PS. Suzuki regards it as the pioneer of the racer-replica era.
YAMAHA
Yamaha TZR250
1985
Racer Replica
A 1985 racer replica drawing directly on road-racing technology. Its liquid-cooled 249 cm³ two-stroke parallel twin used crankcase reed-valve induction adopted from the YZR500, set in a light, rigid aluminium Deltabox frame with 17-inch wheels front and rear and large floating disc brakes.
SUZUKI
Suzuki RG500 Gamma
1985
Racer Replica
A road model drawing on Suzuki’s RG Gamma 500 cc Grand Prix works racers. Its liquid-cooled two-stroke square-four with rotary-valve induction sat in an aluminium-alloy box-section frame that housed the air cleaner. The Japanese-market version produced 64 PS and weighed 156 kg dry.
SUZUKI
Suzuki GSX-R750 (first generation)
1985
Supersport
A 750 cc sports machine distilling Suzuki’s endurance-racing works machines, clothed in a full aerodynamic fairing and unveiled internationally at the 1984 Cologne show. Its oil-cooled DOHC 16-valve inline four (SACS) and an 8.1 kg aluminium-alloy frame brought dry weight down to 179 kg.
YAMAHA
Yamaha YZR500 (0WF9)
1994
Race Machine
A GP500 factory machine used in 1994 and 1995. A change of frame material optimised rigidity balance, and moving the air intake from the nose to inside the cowl improved aerodynamics; the 1995 version adopted ram-air pressurisation of the airbox. Liquid-cooled 499 cm³ two-stroke V4 with crankcase reed induction and a 6-speed gearbox.