Valentino Rossi rides classic 500cc two-stroke GP bike for first time since 2001

Valentino Rossi and Jonathan Rea shared a track day, bringing classic Yamahas back into action.

Nine-time world champion and MotoGP legend Rossi and six-time World Superbikes champion Rea were joined by three-time champion Luca Cadalora.

Rea’s WSBK Yamaha teammate Andrea Locatelli and two-time WorldSSP champion Dominique Aegerter were also on track.

Yamaha’s FIM Endurance World Champions - Niccolò Canepa, Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz, and Robin Mulhauser - rode alongside the all-star cast.

Classic Yamahas back on track

Yamaha brought some of the most iconic two-stroke bikes of the past two decades to the track day at Jerez.

Eddie Lawson’s YZR500s - 1986 0W81, which he won the title with, and his 1987 0W86 caught the eye.

Cadalora’s 1990 YZR250 0WB9 was also in the garage.

Vintage Max Biaggi bikes were also present. Replicas of Biaggi’s 2001 YZR500 0WL6, one kitted out in Alex Hoffman’s livery, were a hit.

Three YRHC TZ750 replicas were even more vintage. One YZR750 was based on the bike that Giacomo Agostini won a race with for the final time in 1977. Another was based on Christian Sarron’s 1977 Formula 750 Championship, and another was based on Johnny Cecotto’s Formula 750 title win in 1978.

Rossi immediately rode Lawson’s 1986 YZR500, marking his first time riding a 500cc two-stroke GP bike since MotoGP’s four-stroke era began in 2002.

Rea rode Lawson’s 1987 0W86 with Cadalora on a YZR250 - it created a unique and magical moment as three white-and-red Yamaha two-stroke bikes tore around the Jerez circuit.

“Riding around on the YZR500s with Valentino just in front of me was a real ‘pinch yourself’ moment, and something I will never forget,” Rea said.

Rea then rode the TZ750 Agostini replica which brought back memories. He said: “Getting to ride the Giacomo Agostini TZ750 was a special moment for me, as my dad used to have one in his garage and sponsored Joey Dunlop when he rode one, so that was an emotional moment.”

Locatelli’s rode Biaggi’s 0WL6 replica, one of the last two-stroke era bikes.

“To ride that bike was amazing,” Locatelli said. “I grew up watching him race on TV and imagined riding that very bike.

“I wasn’t disappointed. It was really fast, the tyres and brakes were good, and honestly, it was a dream come true to ride it around Jerez.”

Canepa described the Biaggi replica: “The power comes so aggressively, you have to be really careful.

“But when you start to understand the engine character, you can really enjoy it, and the power it delivers is fantastic.

“Plus, of course, the sound is incredible! It is impressive how light and nice it is to ride this bike, even compared to modern bikes, and it was a real dream come true to ride one of the last ever two-stroke 500 GP bikes.”

Locatelli described Agostini’s YZR750 replica: “It is so different from my current bike, but it still has so much power, and you have to ride it with a completely different style, but I really enjoyed it!”