Yamaha TZ750 at Daytona Speedway

The story of the TZ750 is a fascinating one that deserves a lengthier examination than this article will provide, but the facts are these: Yamaha dropped a bomb on the AMA and the FIM F750 class racing internationally in 1974 with the introduction of it's 700cc four cylinder two stroke pure race bike.  Other companies were trying to compete with roadster based racers and really, it was no contest. For the next eight years, no other machine would win the AMA Pro Daytona 200 race except the TZ750.  It created a whole new group of heroes and ended the career of many other riders. It was, as they say, a Game Changer.

These days not many TZ750's are still being raced because of rules that haven't allowed for classes where it could be competitive. Of the 450 or so TZ750's made, many have been crashed, trashed and bashed into oblivion. There is a growing respect and resurgence in interest in this wild ,world beating machine and more are being brought out to play again. To go fast, you need to be confident that the machine is up to the task.

Rusty works his magic on his own TZ750 at Daytona where they still push speeds well over  170 mph....in classic racing. Serious business.

All business cockpit. Tach and temp, kill switch on left.

After winning the lightweight race on a borrowed TZ250 at NJMSP in 2009, Rusty let me try on the 750 for size. I was hooked and a year later had purchased my own TZ750, an ex-Skip Aksland E model, but more on that project later.

Tank off, the long monoshock dominates the space. At speed, the four carbs exhale a mixture of Yamalube and 110 octane race fuel.

Waiting for the final call for practice at Daytona, Larry sits on Rusty's Spondon framed TZ750.

This one features updated suspension and modern wheels too.  

John Long on the TZ and Doug Polen on the Ducati 1098 prepare to put the hammer down at Daytona. To say the TZ750 walked away from the big Duc wouldn't be fair. It ran away from the Ducati once it hit it's stride on the banking leading on to the back straight.

                                                                    TZ 750 at rest

2014 will mark the 40th anniversary of the first Daytona win for the Yamaha TZ750. People are working now to make sure the event does not pass by without some recognition. If you've got a TZ750, start preparing now.  If you haven't ever seen a TZ in full flight at Daytona, make plans to be there.    

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