GODIER & GENOUD KAWASAKI 1000 - Enquring Excellence

Exclusive track test at France's Carole circuit of what's arguably the first motorcycle of the modern era - the title-winning Kawasaki Endurance racer built in 1975 by Frenchmen Georges Godier and Alain Genoud

- Alan Cathcart

CLASSIC TEST

This year marks the 100th birthday of the Bol d’Or 24 Heures, the world’s oldest Endurance race. First held in 1922 on a five-kilometre circuit of dirt roads just outside Paris, the event was originally more a question of survival than an out-and-out race, with only one rider per bike allowed, and no stops except for refuelling! In fact, Tony Zind from Switzerland was the first winner riding a Swiss-made Motosacoche, who covered 1,246 kilometres in a single day at an average speed of 51.9km/h, and ate and drank while riding. I’m not sure if he slept at all, though!

Endurance racing today is very different, but down the years it has acted as a crucible for all aspects of motorcycle development, including tyres, chains and batteries, as well as engines and chassis. This has resulted in a wide variety of different designs appearing on the starting line-up for the Bol d’Or, many of which I have been fortunate to ride and write about.

To celebrate this significant birthday, in the lead-up to the official celebration at the running of this year’s event at Paul Ricard on Sept. 17-18 and beyond, Bike SA will be running a series of articles about some of the most famous bikes taking part in the race during what many consider to have been its golden era in the 1970s and ‘80s. These will include the 1973 Japauto Honda 950, 1975 Laverda 3C 1000 Endurance, 1977 Nessie Kawasaki Z1, 1978 Sonauto Yamaha TZ750, 1978 Fior-Yamaha XS1100, 1979 Laverda V6 and 1983 ELFe.

To begin the series, is an article on the 1975 Bol d’Or-winning Godier & Genoud Kawasaki 1000, one of the most significant motorcycles to have competed in the race, as well as winning it.