 | |
| Manufacturer | Yamaha |
|---|---|
| Production | 1966 |
| Class | 125cc |
| Engine | 125 cc, twin-cylinder, 2-stroke |
| Power | 34 bhp (25 kW) @ 13,500 rpm 38 bhp (28 kW) @ 14,000 rpm |
| Transmission | 9-speed |
| Suspension | Telescopic hydraulic fork (front) dual-shock absorbers with adjustable preload (rear) |
| Brakes | Drum brakes |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(November 2022) |
The Yamaha RA97 is a racing motorcycle produced by Yamaha, for the 125cc class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, in 1966. [3]
In 1964, a new model was presented, the RA97, equipped with a twin-cylinder engine which in the first version maintained air cooling, replaced by liquid cooling starting in 1965.
This latest version was initially credited with 34 horsepower, which rose to 38 in the latest evolution in 1966; the rotation speed had also undergone an elevation to 13,500/14,000 rpm.
Compared to the previous single-cylinder versions, this model began to obtain good results also in world competitions: in the 1964 season with Phil Read as top driver, it managed to get a second place in the Dutch GP still in its air-cooled version before its evolution was brought to its debut in the Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix. [4]
In the 1965 world championship, again driven by Phil Read, it won the Tourist Trophy, and the other official riders, Mike Duff and Bill Ivy obtained good results, with the former winning the Dutch GP and finishing in 6th place in the world championship standings. [5]
In 1966, the last year of racing before the definitive replacement with the new model, the bike was equipped with a 9-speed gearbox and obtained various victories (4 with Ivy and 1 with Read) with Ivy finishing second in the general classification, preceded only by Luigi Taveri with a Honda.
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, and other motorized products. The company was established in 1955 upon separation from Yamaha Corporation, and is headquartered in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan. The company conducts development, production and marketing operations through 109 consolidated subsidiaries as of 2012.
Alan Shepherd was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best seasons were in 1962 and 1963, when he rode a Matchless to finish in second place in the 500cc world championship, both times to Mike Hailwood. Shepherd was a three-time winner of the North West 200 race in Northern Ireland and finished on the podium twice at the Isle of Man TT.
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, was a British professional motorcycle racer and racing driver. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle world championships from 1958 to 1967 and in Formula One between 1963 and 1974. Hailwood was known as "Mike The Bike" because of his natural riding ability on motorcycles with a range of engine capacities.
The 1967 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 19th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of thirteen Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 30 April, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on 15 October.
Phillip William Read, was an English professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1961 to 1976. Read is notable for being the first competitor to win world championships in the 125 cc, 250 cc and 500 cc classes. Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary, Mike Hailwood, he won seven FIM Grand Prix road racing world championships.
Ossa was a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer which was active from 1924 to 1982 and from 2010 to 2015. Founded by Manuel Giró, an industrialist from Barcelona, Ossa was best known for lightweight, two-stroke-engined bikes used in observed trials, motocross and enduro. The company was known originally as Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima (O.S.S.A.) and was later renamed Maquinaria Cinematográfica, S.A..
Santiago Herrero was a Spanish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was Spain's most promising international motorcycle racer until he died from injuries sustained while competing in the Isle of Man TT.
The 1966 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 18th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 8 May, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on 17 October.
Dave Simmonds was a British professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competed in the Grand Prix world championships from 1963 to 1972. Simmonds is notable for winning the 1969 125 cc FIM road racing world championship.
William David Ivy was an English professional Grand Prix motorcycle racer from Maidstone, Kent. He died during practice for a race in East Germany.
Mick Grant is an English former professional motorcycle road racer and TT rider. A works-supported rider for Norton, Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki, he is a seven-time winner of the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race on various makes, including 'Slippery Sam', a three-cylinder Triumph Trident. The son of a coal miner, the soft-spoken, down-to-earth Yorkshireman from Wakefield, was a sharp contrast to the brash, playboy image presented by Londoner Barry Sheene during the 1970s.
Charles Mortimer is an English former professional motorcycle short-circuit road racer and race-school instructor. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle road racing world championships from 1969 to 1979. He remains the only competitor to have won FIM Grand Prix races in the 125, 250, 350, 500 and 750 world championship classes.
Tommy Robb is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Northern Ireland.
Alex George is a Scottish former professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in the Grand Prix world championships in 1970 and then from 1973 to 1979. George was a street circuit specialist and was a three-time winner at the Isle of Man TT. His best year in world championship competition came in 1975 when he finished in seventh place in the 500 cc Grand Prix world championship.
Phil Mellor was a Yorkshire-based English motorcycle racer. His career included racing on both road and race circuits. Mellor, from Shelley, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, died after an accident at Doran's Bend during the 1989 TT races on the Isle of Man.
The MV Agusta 500cc road racers were motorcycles that the manufacturer MV Agusta built and which were used to compete in 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing series between 1950 and 1976. 18 500cc world championship titles were achieved with these machines ridden by John Surtees, Gary Hocking, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read between 1958 and 1974.
The MV Agusta 500 four-cylinder (1973–1976) was a racing motorcycle manufactured by the Italian company MV Agusta, for competing in the 500 cc series, the premier class of the FIM World Motorcycle Championship. With this motorcycle MV Agusta won the 1973 constructor's world champion and Phil Read won the 1973 and 1974 500 cc riders world championships.
The MV Agusta 350 cc racers were motorcycles produced by MV Agusta between 1954 and 1976 and raced in the 350 cc motorcycle GP championships. 10 world titles were achieved by riders John Surtees, Gary Hocking and Giacomo Agostini on these machines.
The MV Agusta 250 Bicilindrica was a 250 cc factory racing motorcycle manufactured by the Italian brand MV Agusta from 1957 to 1961. With this machine 11 GPs, 2 Driver Championships and 2 manufacturers World Championships were won.
The Yamaha 125 V4, also known as the RA31A, is a racing motorcycle produced by Yamaha, for the 125cc class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, between 1966 and 1970.