Steve Baker - My Favourite TZ Memory
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- Опубліковано 12 лип 2023
- 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the TZ two-stroke production racer, so we got American legend and 1977 Formula 750 World Champion Steve Baker to tell us what they were like to ride and his favourite memory of the iconic machine 🎥
#YamahaRacing | #YRHC | #TZ | #TwoStrokes | #SundayRideClassic | #TZ750 - Спорт
Watched steve go round Mallory park today . TZ 750 50th celebration . Excellent. Love these bikes and of course Steve is a legend to many if us .
I remember you well, Steve Baker. I used to work on the TZ 350 of Philippe Lelarge, in Canada. So when you defended your Canadian title in Mosport, Philippe raced against you in the 500 cc class. He stayed in your wheel most of the race, and then crashed in turn no 2. Without injuries. Then he said to me: I realized I was going very fast, then decided to slow down a little, and this is when I crashed. Brian Henderson was behind you in the 750 cc class. I came back to Montreal with Brian that evening, and he kept asking me: do you think Steve Baker was going to his maximum in that race, or he could have been faster?
Well, good question. Sing he never took the lead, how could I say if you could go faster?
I remember looking at your 5 TZ lined up like planes on the deck of an aircraft carrier. All prepared by Bob Works. Beautiful, fast racing motorcycles.
We were also at Shubenacadie, when the track was new. This time Philippe crashed in his production race with the RD 350, and was not able to race his TZ in the 500 cc class. And I was mad at him, sot of.
We were at Loudon, had problems with the crankshaft during practice. Anyway, one mechanic said to us: did you see what Steve Baker is doing? So we get close to the racetrack, only to see you exit all curves on one wheel, then brake so hard for the next turn, the rear wheel was in the air. Beautiful style, perfect execution.
In a sense, you raced against other guys, but it was always Steve Baker against Steve Baker. How to go faster, how to improve, lap after lap.
You had some of the best Yamahas to ride weekend after weekend, and you made the most out of it. You are a great champion, and very appreciated and respected in the Canadian paddocks.
Philippe Lelarge went on to be a successful lawyer and now travels to enjoy his passion of kitesurfing. He was the one who acted as ad hoc mediator between Yamaha Canada and Jim Allen, one weekend in Sanair, close to Montreal. Around 1975 or so.
Steve is a class act. Got the see him at Mosport, racing against Duhamel and Hansford on their Kawi's, and Jim Allen who led them all to the hairpin on a beautiful Swiss Egli framed machine. What a day!
I was 16 years old in 77, with a new FS1E-DX in Kenny Roberts colours. I was a big Steve Baker fan however, as our house number was 32 at the time 😁
Happy carefree days, with all my mates on our Fizzies.
Magníficas TZ. Dão um belo capítulo na história das motocicletas e do motociclismo.
Saúde e paz a todos.
Legend
I got a 1980 Yz 80