Suzuki Daytona triple TR750 1972 race
BSA 750 Rocket road bike 1971
with forward slanted engine
BSA 750 triple Daytona 1971 race Sheene Suzuki 750-3 1973
In the early to mid-1970s the Daytona 200
was the premier road race in the world. Two
race bikes that were actually given the name
Daytona were both triples, the 1971 BSA 750
Daytona, and the 1972 Suzuki Daytona TR750.
The BSA was an air-cooled three cylinder
four-stroke, and the Suzuki a water-cooled
three cylinder two-stroke. Ironically, neither
was particularly successful at Daytona, and
both had more success in Britain and Europe.
The Suzuki didn’t score a Daytona victory at
all, and will likely be remembered for Barry
Sheene’s infamous 280km/h crash on the
ultra-fast Daytona banking. Several reasons
for this crash were advanced; engine seizure,
the chain tensioner might have shifted and fouled the tyre, but Sheene himself said “It
was caused by the tyre delaminating, and
anyone who says anything different doesn’t
know what he’s talking about”.
These were early days and the use of Kevlar
in the tyres was new. Many believe that
a 100bhp engine at 8000rpm had been
developed beyond the capabilities of the
tyres available, especially on a banked, tyre
demanding circuit like Daytona. The bike was
successful on the more conventional surfaces
of European circuits, winning the Formula
750 Championship in 1973. The road-going
version of the bike was affectionately known
by several names such as the ‘Water bottle’
and ‘Kettle’.
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