In July 1985 King Kenny Roberts came out of retirement to ride Yamaha’s first serious four-stroke race bike, the YZF750 Genesis. Partnered by Japanese ace Tadahiko Taira, the three-time 500 world champ went head to head with an up-and-coming young Aussie, Wayne Gardner, riding Honda’s first RVF750 with another local star, Masaki Tokuno. espite this being Roberts’ first four-stroke roadrace, the American set pole and took the lead, while Gardner’s heroics were blunted by the slow pace of his team-mate. Honda’s hopes of a dream RVF debut looked over, until the race took a dramatic turn in the final hour.  It was a huge deal for Yamaha and Honda and it was a massive deal for...
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