Yamaha's Glorious Grand Prix History The 1960s Factory Teams (PB) - Description
This exciting book details
Yamaha’s Grand Prix history, covering its entry into classic FIM Grand Prix
racing in the 1960s.
Over 255 pages, and with 240
pictures, Yamaha’s Glorious Grand Prix History charts the achievements of the Yamaha
factory through to 1968, an era which put the company on the map and
established its pedigree.
As author Roger Gowenlock
reveals, Yamaha World Championships by Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Wayne
Rainey and Valentino Rossi were built on the foundations laid by the 1960s
pioneers. This is an apt description of those early years because Yamaha were
the front-runners in transforming the simple utilitarian two-stroke pop-pop
into a sophisticated disc-valve racing engine that could challenge and beat the
very technically advanced four-strokes that the mighty Honda Company had
developed using short stroke, high revving engines with four valves per cylinder
operated by double overhead camshafts.
It was also apt because they
raced on public road courses which put the present day, sanitised, Mickey Mouse,
short circuit tracks, well and truly in the shade. Most of the circuits were
between 5 and 6 miles long in mountainous or hilly terrain, a true test of man
and machine, the likes of which will never be seen again.
Each Grand Prix race from 1964 to
1968 that Yamaha participated in during those exciting times is covered in full
with circuit maps, practice times, race reports, race results and championship
positions after each round.
Any one interested in motorcycle
racing, and Yamaha in particular, including the present day GP riders and the
R1 rider on the street, will find something to interest them inside.
It is written to make it as easy
to read as possible, with wit and many amusing anecdotes, plus the inevitable
political shenanigans .
