Yamaha's first world champion Phil Read: “They gave me four Geisha girls...”

Phil Read won the most world titles for Yamaha. In 1968 he was the world's best 125 rider and four more titles in the 250 class added up to a total of five. Read also became Yamaha's very first world champion when he beat reigning champ Jim Redman in 1964 riding the RD56 twin. It was the first time the 250 championship was won on a two-stroke.
Sometimes one has to have some luck and sometimes you need to have the gift to find the right way. Phil Read had both. The British rider became friends with Yamaha's Fumio Ito in 1963 and that friendship opened doors for Read.

“The first time I saw a Yamaha was at the 1961 Isle of Man TT and I saw them again two years later”, says 72 year old Read. “

I rode a Gilera for Geoff Duke at the time and I was staying at the same hotel as Fumio and we got talking. He put in a good word for me at Yamaha so I could ride the last race of the year and maybe stop Jim Redman from winning the championship. I was leading that race at Suzuka until a broken spark plug caused me to slip down to third. That was a shame, but the Yamaha people were impressed and they asked me 'Read-san, how much money do you want'. I told them how much I wanted to earn and that sort of surprised them, because they were only planning five races for the 1964 season. Then I suggested they provide me with two bikes and two mechanics for the remaining six grands prix. The next day they said 'Phil-san, we agree to your proposal'.”

The deal worked out brilliantly for both parties, as Read won five grands prix in 1964 and went on to win the championship on the RD56 two-stroke, beating Honda's Redman.

“Four of the five races I won I rode the privately entered Yamaha”, smiles Read. “It became difficult in the end, because Honda introduced their 250 Six, one of the most inpressive sounding racers ever. Then I knew 'I'm in trouble'. I did have two works bikes, but only one English mechanic. The instructions for the carburettor settings were written on the back of a postcard! I sent a telegram to Japan, saying 'send me a Japanese mechanic'. And they did. I won the race at Monza and Mike Duff on the other Yamaha finished second.”

One race before the end of the season the title was secured. It was not just Read's first, it was also Yamaha's first big prize. On top of that the manufacturer from Hammamatsu won the constructor's title, which was highly appreciated in Japan.

“There was a big celebration at Yamaha. They gave me four Geisha girls to show their gratitude”, jokes Read. “I was asked to do a speech at the Hammamatsu town hall and all the people at the factory had a day off. It was the start of something very special. I was an engineer and I brought them up a level and helped them to develop the bikes. In a way we made Honda withdraw from racing after the 1967 season and Suzuki from the 125 class.”

Seven years after his first title Read won his fourth and last 250 championship.

“I'm still convinced that we could have had a shot at the title in 1966 and 1967, but we had mechanical problems. The 1971 title was also very special, because I beat the semi factory riders Rod Gould and Jarno Saarinen on a private bike which we had developed ourselves with the help of Helmuth Fath. Honestly, at the time I did not realize how special that was until people reminded me about it.”

As Yamaha's first world champion Read plays an important part in this year's festivities for Yamaha's 50th anniversary in racing. “I feel very honoured for that”, admits Read. At this year's Bikers' Classics can be seen riding a Yamaha RD05A. The spectacular V4 made its debut in 1965 and became Read's favourite bike. The bike Read will be riding was built by the Yamaha Classic Racing Team of Read's former mechanic Ferry Brouwer, using the original factory drawings.

“Back in the Sixties it was a steep learning curve”, says Read.

“We had to improve the RD56 twin and then also develop the V4. It took a lot of work and we struggled at first, but we made it work. The RD05A is still very nice to ride. It handles brilliantly.”