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Yamaha Works teams colours 1970s and 80s


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#1 brands77

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Posted 03 March 2023 - 08:28

My favourite bike has to be the Yamaha 0W31 of 1976.

 

I remember seeing pictures of them at Daytona in '76 in 3 colours and then seeing Roberts and Baker on them at the Transatlantic series just after.

 

The colours were:

 

Yamaha USA - Yellow and Black - I think they called it the bumblebee colour scheme.

Yamaha Canada - Red and Black, the same as above but in a maroony red instead of bright yellow

Yamaha Japan - the standard red horizontal stripe with a thin black outline stripe on white.

 

Three questions:

 

How come Yamaha USA and Canada ran different colours from the official Yamaha, when in Europe all of the national semi works teams ran the official Yamaha colours or something very near to it? I am thinking of Arvidsson (Finland), Mitsui (GB/NL?) and Hosteller (Switzerland) were the same as or very similar colours to the works team and even Venemotos colours were pretty much the Yamaha colours too. Ok, I know Sonauto in France ran in Gauloises colours, but I figure that was the sponsorship arrangement.

 

Where did the Bumblebee colours and black and white block stripe stripe come from, and who had it first, Yamaha USA or Yamaha Canada?

 

I recall seeing a blue version of the bumblebee colour scheme once. I can't remember where now, might have been at a classic meet in UK or NZ. Was this ever an official colour scheme and if so to what team did it belong or was this just a privateer scheme?



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#2 kevins

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Posted 05 March 2023 - 10:29

Hi, unfortunately I can't really help, of the than agree with your love of the OW31 and their iconic liveries. 

 

"Mitsui (GB/NL?)" - not sure about NL but they were the UK importers alright.

 

Since you joined in '21 I guess you have not seen this thread, unfortunately many pics are lost but you will hopefully enjoy anyway.

 

https://forums.autos...amaha-tz700750/


Edited by kevins, 05 March 2023 - 10:29.


#3 tonyed

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Posted 05 March 2023 - 15:08

According to Yamaha:

The chain block design was born in the early 70's in the United States. Yamaha had established its original foothold in the US market through motorcycle race successes at the 1958 Catalina GP and the 1961 Daytona GP. Its US motorcycle business partner was Yamaha International Corporation (YIC), a consolidated subsidiary of Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. (now Yamaha Corporation).
However, as somewhat obscure brand with a short track record, it was not easy for Yamaha to compete in the market against the local US and European motorcycle brands. So, YIC began an aggressive campaign of racing activities to highlight the excellence of Yamaha products. On its race machines, YIC started using a yellow and black color scheme that stood out because of its striking contrast, and a graphic pattern formed by square blocks in a line resembling a chain.
The efforts of riders like Kenny Roberts, winner of back-to-back AMA Grand National Champion titles in 1973 and 1974, Pierre Karsmakers, first winner of the AMA Supercross competition that became a series in 1974, and Karsmakers' successor "Hurricane" Bob Hannah entrenched the image that yellow and black chain blocks equaled Yamaha.

 

As for factory teams from Yamaha's head office in Japan, the YD racer entered in the Catalina GP and the YDS-1 of the 3rd Asama Highlands Race in the 1950's were 100% red, in everything from the fuel tank to the seat. The 1961 World GP machines ― the RD48 (250cc) and the RA41 (125cc) ― featured a very simple color scheme with a black tank and white cowling. From 1964, however, Yamaha adopted a single red line on a white background.