Beschreibung:

The French have always been passionate about endurance racing, be it on two wheels or four, but then that’s hardly surprising given the international status of the Le Mans 24-Hour Race. In long-distance motorcycle racing, French riders have dominated the premier series from its inception as the FIM Coupe d’Endurance in 1975 - won by Georges Godier and Alain Genoud on a Kawasaki - through to the Endurance World Championship of today. Japanese manufacturers have been happy to let French satellite or importer teams fly the flag for them in World Endurance, Kawasaki’s long-term representation in the series being the responsibility of Kawasaki France, a member of the C Itoh group of companies. The machine offered here is one of two that contested the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race, an event of exceptional importance to the Japanese ‘Big Four’. Kawasaki had been absent from the World Endurance Championship since 1983 and the two 1987 Suzuka prototypes represented the first of what would be a lengthy series of ZXR-7 TTF1 machines. Ridden by rider pairings Takahiro Sohwa/Kiyokazu Tada and Kork Ballington/Rob Phillis, the two ZXR-7s did not feature in the results, and at the season’s end this example was sent to Team Kawasaki France for evaluation, although it was never raced again. Finished in Kawasaki France’s classic team livery of green and white, the machine is offered with a detailed and illustrated Rapport d’Expertise (appraisal) prepared in November 2000 by Conseil Auto, of Eaubonne, for Kawasaki Motors France authenticating the machine and its competition record, and stating that it has been rebuilt to original specification by KMF technicians. We are advised that the machine was serviced by Kawasaki Motors France mechanics immediately prior to sale in March 2002. A rare opportunity to acquire an historic ex-works, Suzuka 8 Hours endurance racing prototype.