Please Note: This factory sprint race kit is a part of the Mark Boeddeker Collection.
The 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. One of the most famous of these limited edition ‘homologation specials’ is Honda’s iconic RC30, but Yamaha’s answer, the 1989 FZR750R (better known as the OW01), is even more exotic and rarer with just 500 built.
Although it was a street-legal machine, the OW01 had a spec sheet that was all about racing. And at $16,000 plus a few thousand more for the race kit, the OW01 was easily one of the most expensive bikes on the market in 1989.
Thanks to the Boedekker Collection, Iconic is offering one of said race kits. These are not well-documented but we have tried to gather as much research as possible and if anyone has additional information we would love to hear it in the Comments tab!
According to Operation Moto, “Mal Pitman ran the official Yamaha factory team in the 1991/92 years of the OW01 and says there were actually three levels of race kit for the OW01.” He explained, “back then Yamaha had production kit, the YEC (Yamaha Engineering Company) kit and the factory race kit,” Pitman says. “But even our factory team we didn’t have access to the entire factory catalogue, things like flat-slide carburettors and other special parts due to the race rules. There was even an Endurance race kit for the bike, designed for the world endurance championship.”
“The new OW01 came in at a distinctively oversquare 72 x 46mm with an 11.2:1 compression ratio (this was increased to upwards of 12.5:1 via race kit head gaskets). Those dimensions allowed the revs to rocket up the scale, with peak claimed power of 121hp coming in at 12,000rpm; torque was measured at a claimed 70Nm at 9000rpm.”
“The OW01 followed the RC30’s lead in using ultra special titanium conrods. These were bolted to a plain bearing crank down the bottom and pumped two-ring forged aluminium pistons up top – and went a way to explaining why this thing cost as much as it did!”
We were lucky enough to get in touch with Mal himself, who confirmed the above and explained that the kit part number of the igniter will tell you the year for the kit: 1990 models had a part number ending in -71.
He added, “for Australia we had Sprint kits that did not carry any spare parts. We had the following tune up parts:
Tune up manual, exhaust muffler, intake funnel set, jetting kit, blank off plate kit, engine gallery blank off kit, wire harness set, igniter unit – these were – 3FV-70, 3FV-71 or 3FV-72 depending on year, clutch springs, alternative countershaft sprockets, 2 camshaft sprockets, inlet cam (longer duration)
exhaust cam (longer duration).
The standard Sprint kit for other countries had the addition of the following maintenance parts:
8 pistons
8 ring sets
3 base gasket
3 head gasket
3 rocker cover gaskets
3 sump gaskets
3 countershaft cover gaskets
3 clutch cover gaskets”
Here is a summary of what is included:
Tune-Up Manual – the sale includes a physical copy but we have scanned this and can also provide a digital copy to the winner for their records. We also have a digital copy in The Archive, which is a feature available to Iconic Members.
Gaskets.
Pistons.
Piston rings.
Sprockets.
Jets.
Valves.
CDI Digital Ignitor.
Clutch packs, and more. Please see the Photos tab up top for more detailed pictures.
OEM exhaust.
Currently located in Panorama City, California, (please make an appointment for an inspection) this race kit is offered on a Bill of Sale only. Have any OW-01 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
