We will start with Motorcycles, because every technical change to the vehicle has imposed new physical challenges on braking systems; then we will move on to Champions, central figures in our development, as their unique riding style has always been the spark that drives us to customize every braking maneuver. We will explore the Innovations that Brembo has introduced over these 50 years, to tell you how continuous research and innovation have been our response to increasingly challenging performance demands; finally, we will talk about the Victories, understood as the ultimate proof on the track of our constant commitment.
Each episode will be a dive into the evolution of speed, technique, and performance because behind every limit-pushing braking maneuver lies a world of insights and extreme tests that have allowed riders to thrill us, transforming their braking into steps of an innovative process that extends to street motorcycles.
With the birth of the World Wide Web and the introduction of GSM, the 1990s revolutionized human existence, multiplying the possibilities for direct communication and access to information. However, even the riding experience of today's motorcyclists owes much to that decade, thanks to the great work Brembo did on racing motorcycle brakes.
Brembo brakes made their debut in the 500cc World Championship in 1976, through Roberto Gallina's team, eager to perfect the braking of his Suzukis. Attracted by the reliability and performance guaranteed during that period, in the 1980s, a greater number of teams turned to Brembo, starting with the Agostini team.
The team led by 15-time world champion Giacomo Agostini was the first to benefit from Brembo's unprecedented radial pump. It helped them win 3 500cc Riders' titles with Eddie Lawson riding Yamahas. However, it was only from the 1990s that Brembo became the reference brake for the two most important Japanese manufacturers.
The motorcycles of the 90s
Just as in the 1980s, in the 1990s, the Japanese motorcycles exclusively set the standard: 3 titles for Yamaha at the start of the decade, followed by Suzuki's triumph and then 6 championships for Honda, which became unbeatable by the competition in the second half of the 1990s, winning 22 consecutive GPs in the 1997/1998 biennium.
The first queen is the Yamaha YZR500, world champion in 1990 (model 0WC1), 1991 (model 0WD3), and 1992 (0WE0) with Wayne Rainey: the first model boasts a power of 155 hp, but the second is the true revolutionary thanks to its electronically controlled suspension, to which the third adds 160 hp of power and improved traction at low and medium revs.
In 1993, it was Suzuki's turn with the temperamental RGV500, then Honda took the stage with the NSR 500, which benefited from carburetors with a diameter of over 39 mm. The Screamer V4 engine (with a 112-degree angle) reached 200 hp at 12,000 rpm by the end of the decade, with a weight of just 130 kg, the regulatory minimum. Another innovation introduced by Honda in 1997 was the gearshift that could be used for upshifting without releasing the throttle.
The Champions of the 90s
Four riders were crowned 500cc World Champions in the 1990s, but it took just one Australian to surpass the tally of the USA, which, starting from the mid-decade, ceased to be the invincible force of the 1980s: Mick Doohan clinched five consecutive titles from 1994 to 1998. A feat previously achieved only by Giacomo Agostini and later matched by Valentino Rossi.
The American school suffered from the injury of Wayne Rainey, who reigned over the category from 1990 to 1992. His streak seemed destined to continue in 1993, but at Misano, during the third-to-last round, while holding an 11-point lead over Kevin Schwantz, he crashed and was left paralyzed. The baton passed to the Texan, who fulfilled the dream of a lifetime in a year when he was less dominant.
From 1994, Mick Doohan ascended to the throne, triumphing with three GPs still to go. During the 1994-1998 period, the Honda ace secured 44 wins and 61 podiums in just 71 GPs, showcasing overwhelming dominance: his 1997 season was emblematic, with 10 consecutive victories and 12 wins overall, plus two second places—a streak marred only by a crash in the final round in front of his home crowd.
The decade concluded with the first premier-class world title for a Spanish rider, and the only one ever in the 500cc class: Alex Criville settled for six wins, complemented by 14 finishes in the top six, to claim the coveted title. Meanwhile, Italian riders were left watching from the sidelines, marking the first time in an entire decade that they failed to secure a 500cc title.
Brembo in the 1990s
In 1990, Honda used Brembo brakes for the first time at the insistence of Mick Doohan, who had tested their quality in the Superbike World Championship. This trust was repaid with interest because, two years later, when the Australian rider was injured in Assen, risking the amputation of his right foot, Brembo developed the thumb pump to compensate for the difficulty in operating the rear brake. With this solution, he could control the rear brake through a command located on the handlebar.
In 1998, Brembo introduced the radial-mounted caliper, which many industry experts deemed unfeasible. Despite the skepticism, Brembo engineers remained undeterred, convinced of the greater rigidity offered by the radial coupling, resulting in less deformation. They had the new caliper tested by Aprilia riders in the 250cc class, and the satisfaction was unanimous.
The radial caliper became the standard for Noale's quarter-liter motorcycles, and during 1999, it was also used in the 500cc class on Kenny Roberts Jr.'s Suzuki. He popularized it in the premier class, showcasing its numerous benefits to his fellow riders.
Brembo victories in the 90s
1990 brought Brembo brakes only one satisfaction: Mick Doohan won the Hungarian GP. It would be the first of his 54 victories in the 500cc class, all achieved using Brembo brakes. The following year, for the first time in its history, Brembo reached double digits: securing 10 seasonal victories, and in 1992, it improved further, nearly achieving a clean sweep with 12 wins out of 13 GPs held.
1992 was also the year of the historic first triumph – in Hungary with Eddie Lawson – for Cagiva, the second Italian manufacturer to win in the 500cc class with Brembo brakes after Sanvenero. The Varese-based manufacturer repeated the feat in 1993 at Laguna Seca with John Kocinski, who also won the opening race of the 1994 season, temporarily taking the lead in the standings.
From 1994 onwards, driven by Doohan, Brembo brakes became unbeatable. The exception was represented by Suzuki riders, who claimed 2 GPs in 1994 and another 2 in 1995. The German GP in 1995 marked the last victory in the premier class by a motorcycle without Brembo braking components: since then, the counter has recorded 540 consecutive victories, despite several riders on the grid in the 1990s using brakes from other brands.
The balance sheet of the 90s
In the 1990s, Brembo brakes contributed to winning 115 GPs, more than triple the number of the previous decade. The star performer was Mick Doohan with 54 victories. Further behind were Alex Criville with 14, Wayne Rainey with 13, and Luca Cadalora with 8. However, the greatest gift that competitions gave to the world was the radial-mounted caliper: it would debut on the road only in 2003 with the Aprilia RSV Mille R but is now ubiquitous on supersport bikes and even on naked and touring motorcycles. A component no one wants to give up anymore.
The third episode of our journey ends here. We look forward to seeing you in the next ones.