CLASSICS
W
WORDS & PHOTOS:
Rhys Jones
END OF AN ERA
hen the major factories withdrew
from racing in 1968, several notable
things occurred. As we saw in the
last issue, the future of international
racing appeared to have been shifting to the
United States. It looked as though 750cc would
become the gold standard of international
racing, as manufacturers flocked to Daytona in
an attempt to claim a foot hold in the lucrative
American big bike market. But it didn’t last as it
was mainly the Japanese factories that turned
the tide back to European Grand Prix circuits.
This was also the beginning of a revolution that
would change Grand Prix and international
racing for almost thirty years. A telling signal
occurred when Giacamo Agostini and the
mighty MV Agusta four-strokes, which had
won every race in which he finished in 350 and
500 classes for four years, was beaten by Jarno
New Zealand Marlboro Series poster
Jarno Saarinen at Assen in 1972
Saarinen on a 350 two-stroke Yamaha at the
Nurburgring in 1972.
The big loser in the class war, which officially
began in 1967 when Mike Hailwood and
Honda withdrew from Grand Prix racing, was
the 500cc class. From 1968 Agostini’s factory
MV cruised home ahead of a collection of
Matchless, Norton, and Linto, privately owned
entries. MV then rubbed salt into the wound by
introducing backup riders for Agostini such as
Alberto Pagani, and Franco Bonera. A glimmer
of hope for the class came in 1970 when Ginger
Molloy split the two factory MVs and came
second in the 500 World Championship on
a Kawasaki two-stroke triple. The following
year fellow New Zealander Keith Turner came
second to Agostini, this time on a twin cylinder
two-stroke Suzuki. The message was loud and
clear, the two-strokes were coming.
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Close to the two-stroke smoke
at a European 250 Grand Prix