1991 Yamaha FZR 750RT OW01, Frame no. 35J-002145 Engine no. to be advised

1991 Yamaha FZR 750RT OW01
Frame no. 35J-002145
Engine no. to be advised
• Believed 74 miles from new
• Rare World Superbike homologation special edition

'Yamaha's FZ750R, code-named OW-01, really is a race bike for the road, not a road bike taken racing. Only 500 were built', so said Performance Bikes (UK), December 2005. It is believed that only 30 examples were imported into the USA.

The increasing popularity of the World Superbike Championship since its inception in 1988 has been responsible for the introduction of over-the-counter road bikes boasting specifications aimed squarely at the racetrack. Many of these wondrous creations did indeed end up being raced, while good original examples are nowadays among those most eagerly sought after by collectors of modern motorcycles. Most famous of these limited edition 'homologation specials' is Honda's iconic RC30, but Yamaha's answer – the FZR 750R, better known as the OW01 – is even rarer and more exotic. The bike's price was nearly that of a small house, and then there was the race kit at another twenty-five percent.

The Deltabox alloy beam frame had already been seen on road-going FZRs, but came minus internal sound deadening for the OW, while the suspension was just about the best available: 43mm front forks and Ohlins rear shock, with ride height, spring pre-load, compression and rebound damping adjustment at both ends. Nissin magnesium-bodied four-pot brake calipers gripped FZR1000-size front discs, while the wheels were 17-inch diameter.

A stressed member of the chassis, the 749cc, 20-valve motor was of shorter stroke than the preceding FZ750 and incorporated two-ring pistons and titanium con-rods, and 38mm flat-slide Mikuni carburetors. The exhaust had Yamaha's EXUP valve downstream of the header pipes ensuring that, even though tuned for 121bhp, the motor possessed adequate tractability for road use. 'Pulling away is still normal; there's no drama, no fuss, not even the high-geared RC30's feeling that you've mistakenly selected third,' reported Bike magazine. The controls too, revealed the OW's race orientation: remote master-cylinder reservoir, QD speedometer and span-adjustable brake lever coming as standard.

In the World Superbike Championship, the OW01 won races in its first season courtesy of Fabrizio Pirovano and Britain's Terry Rymer, and continued to be competitive at world level for the next couple of years.

This bike is untouched and possibly the nicest example available being fresh meaning to the words 'as new' and 'time warp.' It comes with its tool kit, original sales paperwork, warranty card, decals, lapel pin, an original fender in unopened bubble wrap, owners manual, articles, catalog, and a Velcro bar pad with zipper storage pouch.