Yamaha YZR500 0WC1
With Phil Aynsley
The 1990 YZR500 0WC1 was the bike that Wayne Rainey won his first 500 cc World Title on.
Compared to the previous year’s 0WA8, the chassis positioned the headstock closer to the rider and a lower castor angle was used. The motor saw an increase in power from 150 to 155 hp.
The 0WC1 also had a much longer “life span” than normal in that it was used as the basis for the Harris and ROC models that entered the championship from 1992 on.
The bike featured here is the 1990 Yamaha YZR500 0WC1 that Niall Mackenzie rode to fifth at Mugello, and sixth in the Malaysian GP in 1991.
He was a late addition to the Sonauto-Yamaha Team and only competed in four of the final five races of the season, finishing in 17th place for the year with 34 points.
