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"Phil Read" NEW!
From the Owen Art Studios' exclusive classic-vintage photo collection, this historic black and white picture of motorcycle racing from the 1960's has been beautifully restored and enhanced.
Phil Read of England was known as "The Prince of Speed" and the first man to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc classes with 51 wins that gave him 7 World Grand Prix Championships. He also raced at the Isle of Man TT. Here he is in 1968 on the famous, or shall we say infamous, Yamaha RD05A -- the motorcycle that was banned from racing because it was "too" fast. (more below)
Only 500 were produced for worldwide sale -- These Limited Edition Fine-Art "Archival" Giclee prints on heavy-weight paper are numbered and titled by Owen Art Studios. They are very easy-to-frame yourself -- no mat is needed and they fit into standard 20x16 inch ready-made frames.
 $100 $49 (20x16in) print
All art is shipped from our Southern California studio. We guarantee it will arrive safe and sound -- worldwide. Please know that if you live outside the USA, you "may" have to pay import charges collected by your country. (Note: This print is recognized as DUTY-FREE in most countries, and many of our international customers report paying "no import charges.")
More -- The Yamaha RD05A with its liquid-cooled rotary disk valve V-4 engine, was ridden by Read to the 250cc World GP rider and manufacturer's titles in 1968. This speed of the bike was one of the reasons the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) changed the rule to end the production of small multiple-cylinder racing engines. The 250cc class was limited to 2-cylinder engines in 1969, and the rule remains to this day. The major Japanese factories all withdrew from Grand Prix racing for the 1969 and 1970 seasons.
The 1968 season was controversial for Read. The Yamaha factory had wanted Read to concentrate on winning the 125cc title and team-mate Bill Ivy to take the 250cc title. After winning the 125cc championship, Read disobeyed team orders and fought Ivy for the 250cc crown. They finished the season tied in points and Read was awarded the championship based on elapsed times. As a result, Yamaha would never offer him another ride. Read came back in 1971 on his own privateer Yamaha with no factory support and claimed his fifth World Championship.
His first Grand Prix race was at the Isle of Man TT in 1961. In 1982 at the age of 43, he returned to the Isle of Man to compete in the last race of his career. The FIM named him a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2002.
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