Takazumi Katayama

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Takazumi Katayama ( Japanese 片 山 敬 済 , Katayama Takazumi ; born April 16, 1951 in Kobe ) is a former Japanese motorcycle racer .

In the 1977 season he won the world title in the 350 cm³ class on a Yamaha , making him the first Japanese world champion in the history of the motorcycle world championship .

Career

Katayama made her debut at the Belgian Grand Prix 1974 on a Yamaha in the 250cc class of the Motorcycle World Championship . He celebrated his first victory in his second World Championship race, the Swedish Grand Prix . Although he only took part in five of the ten 250cc races that season, he finished fourth overall. Nevertheless, the Japanese did not start in the World Cup the following season.

In 1976 Katayama started in the classes up to 250, 350 and 500 cm³. With a win of the season in Sweden for the 250cc race, it was enough to make it runner-up in the world championship behind the superior winner, the Harley-Davidson driver Walter Villa from Italy .

In the 1977 season , Katayama became the first Japanese to win a motorcycle world title. He won five of the seven 350 cm³ runs in which he competed and was superior to Tom Herron from Northern Ireland, world champion in this class. Katayama remained the only Japanese 350cc world champion until this displacement category was discontinued in 1982. In the 250s he finished fourth this season.

In 1978 Katayama failed to defend his 350 title; he was runner-up behind the South African Kork Ballington , who won the title superior.

After half a year of abstinence, Katayama started in 1979 for the first time for Honda on the exotic Honda NR 500 with oval pistons in the motorcycle world championship. In the years up to 1985 he competed for Honda in the 500cc class. The only victory in these six years was in Sweden in 1982 , while Katayama achieved his best World Cup result in 1983 with fifth place.

statistics

title

In the motorcycle world championship

season class Result machine Victories
1974 250 cc 4th Yamaha 1
1976 250 cc 2. Yamaha 1
350 cc 7th Yamaha 0
500 cc 26th Yamaha 0
1977 250 cc 4th Yamaha 1
350 cc World Champion Yamaha 5
1978 350 cc 2. Yamaha 2
500 cc 5. Yamaha 0
1980 500 cc 10. Honda 0
1981 500 cc - Honda 0
1982 500 cc 7th Honda 1
1983 500 cc 5. Honda 0
1984 500 cc 13. Honda 0
1985 500 cc 17th Honda 0

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Katayama, Takazumi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES 片 山 敬 済 (Japanese)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Japanese motorcycle racer
DATE OF BIRTH April 16, 1951
PLACE OF BIRTH Kobe