Kenny Roberts' 1980 YAMAHA YZR500 OW48R Trifecta Racer Test

Track test at Assen of the reverse-cylinder factory Yamaha with which Kenny Roberts won the last of his three 500cc World Championships in 1980

- Alan Cathcart

Exactly 40 years ago this year, Kenny Roberts Snr. defeated the theoretically more powerful rotary-valve Suzukis to win the third of his hat-trick of 500GP World Championship titles aboard the factory piston port Yamaha YZR500 OW48R. Coincidentally, exactly two decades later, his son Kenny Roberts Jnr. became King Kenny in his own right, by following in Dad’s tyretracks and beating the then much more potent Yamahas and Hondas to win the 2000 500GP title on his Suzuki RGV500. In doing so, he achieved a unique double victory – the first time ever that a father and son had won 500GP World titles on two wheels, exactly 20 years apart.

The chance to test the actual reverse-cylinder OW48R Yamaha which Roberts Snr. rode clinch the last of his trifecta of 500cc World titles came at Assen, the circuit at which this piece of lateral thinking hardware made its debut back in June 1980. Thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of British collector Chris Wilson, and the inspired restoration skills of former factory race mechanic Nigel Everett, the yellow and black Roberts Yamaha represents yet another vital ingredient of the early days of 500GP two-stroke history saved from the scrapheap and returned to the race track as part of the Wilson collection, for a fortunate friend to be allowed to ride it at Assen, in something approaching anger. It’s nice to have mates like Chris.....