Yamaha Factory "WORKS" Bikes

This is the bike that started it all, the DT2-based 250 that Torsten Hallman received from Japan to develop into a World Championship Winning "YZ". Hallman left Husqvarna in 1971 and signed a 3 year contract with Yamaha to develop the machines that were to become the YZ series.

After an injury-plagued season in 1974, Hakan Anderson took this "Works" YZ250B to second place in the 1975 World Championships.

Factory Works "OW27" Yamaha's first water-cooled YZ125. Built and raced the previous year in the 1975 Japanese Championships. This factory machine was handed to Bob Hannah for the 1976 attempt on the 125 title. Hannah easily defeated reigning champion Marty Smith for his and Yamaha's first 125 title. This bike was run in the US during 76, until a close-call with the infamous AMA claiming rule caused Yamaha to restrict its use to Europe.

1974 OW-13 YZ360

This Factory Works model was developed in Japan in 1973 as the second version of the revolutionary "monoshock"Works motocross bike. The price was hefty, the declared value when shipped to th US totalled $16,000. These bikes were totally hand-built. The engine, hubs, and top triple clamp were sand cast magnesium. Billet aluminum was used for the lower triple clamp, fork legs, and mono shock. It also had lots of titanium (kickstart lever, bolts, nuts, etc.). This YZ360 pictured here is one of only two known to exist today (the other in Canada). These machines were campaigned by Pierre Karsmakers, Tim Hart, and Mike Hartwig. Yamaha had a very strict policy on all their Works Bikes, they were to be destroyed by the crusher in the name of "product liability" and protecting technology. How this one escaped who knows?.

Tim Hart aboard his 1974 Works OW250

Tim Hart, Mike Hartwig, and Pierre Karsmakers all rode these machines. Of the trio, Pierre was the fastest. He could be seen at the front of the pack at almost all the big races across the country.

Broc Glover's 1980 Yamaha "Works OW"

This is the last of the Monoshocks. Later, Yamaha would use linkage suspension like everyone else. It also is the ONLY "Air-Cooled" Works bike to have a Powervalve, a configuration that never quite made it to production bikes.

Broc Glover's Factory OW125

This Is A Picture Of Broc Glover's 1979 OW125, Gone Are The Miscellaneous Pieces Of Plumbing Apparatus That Hung From The Previous Year's Machine. The OW125 Uses Extremely Small-Diameter Tubing, And Just The Barest Of Frames To Keep Weight Down. The Aluminum Shock Reservoir Mounts To The Front Downtube. The Six-Speed Motor Is About Two-Thirds The Size Of A Production YZ125 Engine. The Weight Of The Machine Is An Astounding 176 Pounds.

The Yamaha "OW" 125 Engine Had The Broadest Power Of All The 125 "Works" Bikes. The Reed-Valved, Magnesium 123cc Engine Had The Kickstarter Shaft Stacked On Top Of The Transmission Gears. The Cylinder Fins Were Cut Away To Let The Kickstarter Swing Out Of The Way. All The Bolts Were Titanium.

Bob Hannah Aboard His 1979 Factory Works OW250

Here Is A Picture Of The "Hurricane" Bob Hannah Aboard His Factory Works OW250.

Hakan Andersson Aboard His World Championship Winning "Works" OW250

Sweden's Hakan Anderssen in action on Yamaha's First World Championship Winner, the cantilever suspension 250.

Marty Tripes OW250

Here Are A Few Pictures Of Marty Tripes' Works OW250 Factory Racer. This Bike Was Up For Sale A Few Years Back And A Friend Of Mine Obtained These Photos As He Was Interested In Purchasing The Bike. Needless To Say He Waited Too Long And The Bike Was Sold! This Bike Also Came With Marty's Actual Race Jersey. This Bike Has All The "Goodies" That Came On The Factory OW's (Titanium, Magnesium, Billet Aluminum Etc...)This Bike Also Still Has The AMA Sticker In Place On The Front # Plate! (Visible In Photo) I Sure Wish I Had The Money At The Time Cause I Would Have Purchased It In A Heartbeat! What A Rush!!!

Bob "Hurricane" Hannah's 1977 OW125

Bob "Hurricane" Hannah's Refurbished 1977 Works Bike. NOTE: The Oil Line Going From The Monoshock To A Reservoir Inside The Frame Downtube. That Plate Below The Cylinder (Pictured) Is Where The Water Pump Would Have Been Located If It Had Not Been Removed.