Did you see these other Classic features?
Eminent motorcycle journalist Kevin Cameron
wrote “The two-stroke engine changed every
aspect of motorcycle racing and forced
technological advances in all areas”. The two-
stroke era brought racing to a whole new level
of acceptance, and not only at Grand Prix level.
In New Zealand we had the Marlboro Series,
which in the 1970s, brought internationally
successful riders here from all over the world,
and provided race goers with the exciting
spectacle of hordes of screaming two-strokes.
As the saying goes ‘everything changes, but
nothing changes’. So, in 2002 the rules were
changed in the 500cc MotoGP class to allow
990cc four-stroke engines, compared with the
500cc displacement of the two-strokes. The
Yamaha 350 motor 1973
Changing of the guard.
Yamahas of Ivy and Read
lead the 4-stroke-6 Honda
of Hailwood
SUSPENSION DEVELOPMENT
RISE AND FALL OF THE TRIPLE
authorities also signalled the end of the 250cc
class in favour of a 600cc four-stroke formula.
So the era of the two-stroke in top class
racing can loosely be described as from
1970 when Ginger Molloy placed second to
Agostini’s MV, until 2002 when the authorities
decided four-strokes would once again rule
the roost. Although before that, throughout
the 1960s, Phil Read and Bill Ivy were putting in
some outstanding performances on Yamahas
in the smaller classes, So if we take a period
from Phil Read’s World Championship win
in the 250cc class in 1964 until 2002, that’s
38 years of two-stroke dominance in not
only Grand Prix racing but also international
motorcycle road racing in general.
First successful Yamaha RD56 250 in 1963
Ginger Molloy at the Singapore GP. He
struck the first blow against the MVs
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