1987 Team Olio Fiat Yoshimura Works Suzuki GSX-R750

History

This Olio Fiat Yoshimura works team Suzuki GSX-R750 was the pivotal piece of high drama during the 1987 running of the famous Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance Race. The motorcycle was part of a two motorcycle Yoshimura works effort. This GSX-R750 was raced by Katsuro Takayoshi and Garry Goodfellow. The other Suzuki was raced by Kevin Schwantz and Yukiya Oshima. 

The battle at the front early on was fierce. Unfortunately, Schwantz was out on the 19th lap. Around the midpoint of the race, however, the other Olio Fiat Team Yoshimura GSX-R750, the Takayoshi and Goodfellow bike, took the lead. However, with 10 minutes remaining in the race, the works Yamaha TECH21 YZ750 of Kevin Magee and Martin Wimmer was chasing down Takayoshi at a furious rate. The finish was very much in doubt, and likely to be decided on the final lap after eight grueling hours.

If you would like to watch the highlights of the race before learning the result, you can see it at: 1987 Suzuka 8 Hour Highlights.

At the 7 hour and 55 minute mark, with Magee closing, but not yet within striking distance, Takayoshi came upon a backmarker. As he tried to make the pass, the backmarker came down on the passing Takayoshi, and the two bikes touched. This sent the GSX-R750 sliding across, and then off, the track. Takayoshi chased after his fallen GSX-R750 in the dark, and quickly remounted. However, it was too late. Magee flashed by into the lead to beat Takayoshi to the finish line. Even though this was Yamaha’s first win at the famed Suzuka 8 Hour, the largest ovation at the end was for Takayoshi’s heroic effort.

The GSX-R750 offered here is Takayoshi’s famous Suzuka 8 Hour Olio Fiat Team Yoshimura motorcycle. This is the bike that finished on the podium, and nearly won it overall.

Description

For an excellent photos, an article about the race, and an illustrated explanation of the technical details of this very trick Yoshimura GSX-R750, please go to the following links:

Olio Fiat Yoshimura GSX-R750 Part 1

Olio Fiat Yoshimura GSX-R750 Part 2

For comparison purposes, a 1979 Yamaha TZ750 just sold at the 2024 Mecum Motorcycle auction for $47,000 – Classic.com. Unlike the highly developed Olio Fiat Yoshimura works GSX-R750 offered here, the  Yamaha was not a works racing machine, nor did it have any reported significant results. 

Please contact us about this piece of Japanese racing history. We can get you a domestic, or worldwide shipping quote. Just provide us your address and we will do the rest.

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