John Kocinski, on the Roberts/Team Nordica No. 80 Yamaha, doing battle with Vance & Hines Honda’s Randy Renfrow (4) and MacLean Racing Honda’s Alan Carter (97) at the Mid-Ohio 250 Grand Prix on August 2, 1987. Kocinski went on to win the race over Donny Greene and Renfrow. Carter finished fifth. (Larry Lawrence photo)

In the mid-1980s Honda released its awesome RS250 racing machine, which nearly made Yamaha’s venerable TZ250 obsolete. Yamaha began making updates to the TZ and by 1987 the Yamaha had improved carburetion, larger reeds and a new exhaust. Yet in spite of these improvements the Honda was still a superior motorcycle.

In AMA 250 Grand Prix competition however, Yamaha had one major weapon to fight back against Honda in the form of young John Kocinski. The 19-year-old Kocinski’s vast skills overcame the deficiencies of the Yamaha and he was able to beat a throng of talented Honda riders to win the 1987 AMA 250 Grand Prix Championship.

This photo shows Kocinski, on the Roberts/Team Nordica No. 80 Yamaha, doing battle with Vance & Hines Honda’s Randy Renfrow (4) and MacLean Racing Honda’s Alan Carter (97) at the Mid-Ohio round. Kocinski went on to win the race over Donny Greene and Renfrow. Carter finished fifth.