Most of these were either used by the local distributor race team or sold to racers although a few were bought and not raced. When the YZF-750 was released the remaining new OW01’s were sold to interested Yamaha dealers (4 bikes), one of which was the dealership where I worked as workshop manager.
It sat on the showroom floor for a few years and I must say that I was always telling anyone who would listen that I thought it was a fine looking piece of equipment. I used to check it out (as did everyone else) every time I walked past it.
One day I was told by my boss that he had sold the bike and it was going to someone that he knew would look after it. Imagine the look on my face a few days later (after I helped him to load it into the ute for delivery) when I came home from work to find something foreign in my shed.
You guessed it, my darling wife had bought me the greatest gift I could ever receive, my very own brand new OW01 Yamaha. Sure it was 1995 and it was 6 years old, but still came with the new bike warranty. I rode it on the road for a year (about 4000km) and then started to do track days on it every now and then, promising myself not to wear it out and keeping the engine below about 11,000 rpm.
That worked OK for a while, but as the time rolled by it was getting a bit of 13,000 revs every time it went down a straight. It was time to sort that lot out so I sold a TZ250D I had restored to finance another motor for the OW. The original engine is resting comfortably in storage and in it’s place is a 1996 YZF1000 thunderace motor.
The motor bolted straight into the lower mounts and only needed two new top plates to allow for the 1000’s taller cylinder. I put in a six speed from a YZF750R and used thunderace carbies. The exhaust is FZR1000W headers with a Lazer tail pipe and muffler. It really is that simple and there are only a few fiddly jobs like cables and fuel hoses to sort out.
It went onto the dyno before I took it to the track to make sure it was close jetting wise and made 138HP with too rich main jets and a slipping clutch so I guess its putting out around 140HP now that it's sorted.
I must admit, as a lover of motorcycles, that I do feel honoured every time I get on it and go for a spin. It has proven to be as trouble free as any bike I have owned and I wish I could ride it more.
Thanks for getting to know about my pride and joy and I hope that I haven’t dribbled on too much.
Regards, ’Slak
Before I pulled it apart yesterday for a service/tune. (It hasn't gone for 18 months). Fairing and seat is race glass, painted by a mate for a carton of beer in original paint scheme.
Without fibreglass and fuel tank.
I am happy with the job I did making some new footpegs.
It comes with the little tag
Well you may as well port the cylinder head while your putting in the 6 speed. Insulated heat shield to give the carbs a bit of a chance.
I would like to use FCR Kehin carbs but I haven’t found any at the right price yet.
Here is the new top engine mount. Bike runs without alternator and starter motor.
Catch tank built into lower cowl in case of failures.
Wearing out the knee sliders at Eastern Creek in Sydney.
I can always take the wife's '06 R1 out if I want to keep my eye in!
Thanks for having a look...Cheers, 'Slak
Fantastic,love the story and the pics,the ow 01's rock,they look mean and sexy at the same time,its competitor the rc30 was just sexy,plus it was a h**da.
)