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The '''[[Coke Zero|Coca-Cola Zero]] Suzuka 8 Hours'''  ''(Japanese: 鈴鹿8時間耐久ロードレース  -  Trans: Suzuka hachi-jikan taikyū rōdo rēsu, Literal Translation: Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race)'' is an endurance motorcycle race held at the [[Suzuka Circuit]] in [[Japan]] each year.  As the name implies, the race runs for eight hours consecutively and teams are composed of two riders and one alternate.

==History==
The race began in 1978 as a race for prototype [[Isle of Man TT|Tourist Trophy]] Formula One (TT-F1) motorcycles which meant the big four Japanese companies ([[Honda]], [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.|Kawasaki]], [[Suzuki]] and [[Yamaha Motor Company Ltd.|Yamaha]]), who had unlimited engineering resources, could use them on the track. 

Throughout the years, the race had gone through several rule changes in accordance to the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]], including the restriction to 750cc for F1 bikes

One major change for the race came in 1993.  Due to the high popularity of [[Superbike racing]], which had been a support class in previous 8 Hours races, the race now centered around superbikes.  The Formula One class, which at the time was the pinnacle of the race, would be removed altogether.  Another category included in the race is the Naked class (for motorcycles without fairings - similar to the streetfighter bikes).

At the event's peak during the [[1980s]], the race attracted in excess of 130,000 spectators while presently it attracts a crowd around 85,000. The record attendance figure is 160,000 in 1990. The race is part of the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]] [[Endurance World Championship]] for motorcycles and with the exception of 2005, due to the high importance the big four Japanese manufacturers place on the race, the governing bodies set a race date that avoids conflict with any of the other major championship races.

==Star riders==
A main attraction of the Suzuka 8 Hours race is that it normally features star riders from [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|MotoGP]] and Superbike racing factions from around the world.  It is not uncommon for a rider to have the 8 Hours race written into their contracts when they acquire a factory ride in MotoGP or Superbike.  If the rider has notable success in their respective class during the season, they will usually negotiate to have the requirement of racing future 8 Hours races removed from their contract.  Most high-level riders don't like racing it because it breaks up their mid-season momentum and because it is physically draining.  [[Michael Doohan]] is an example of one such rider who raced the 8 Hours early in his career but had his contractual obligations to the race removed following his significant success in 500cc (now MotoGP).

On the other hand, high-level Japanese riders return for the race annually as it is regarded by the Japanese as one of the biggest motorsport events on the calendar.

==Winners==
{| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:600px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
!Year
!Riders
!Manufacturer
!Motorcycle
!Plate Number
|-
| [[2008 in sports|2008]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Ryuichi Kiyonari]]<br>{{flagiconSpain}} [[Carlos Checa]]
| [[Honda]]
| [[Honda CBR1000RR|CBR1000RRW]]
|align=center| 11
|-
| [[2007 in sports|2007]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Yukio Kagayama]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Kousuke Akiyoshi]]
| [[Suzuki]]
| [[Suzuki GSX-R1000|S-GSX-R1000]]
|align=center| 34
|-
| [[2006 in sports|2006]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Takeshi Tsujimura]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Shinichi Itoh]]
| Honda
| CBR1000RRW
|align=center| 778
|-
| [[2005 in sports|2005]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Tohru Ukawa]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Ryuichi Kiyonari]]
| Honda
| CBR1000RRW
|align=center| 7
|-
| [[2004 in sports|2004]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Tohru Ukawa]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Hitoyasu Izutsu]]
| Honda
| CBR1000RRW
|align=center| 7
|-
| [[2003 in sports|2003]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Yukio Nukumi]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Manabu Kamada]]
| Honda
| [[Honda RC51|VTR1000SPW]]
|align=center| 71
|-
| [[2002 in sports|2002]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Daijiro Kato]]<br>{{flagiconUSA}} [[Colin Edwards]]
| Honda
| VTR1000SPW
|align=center| 11
|-
| [[2001 in sports|2001]]
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Valentino Rossi]]<br>{{flagiconUSA}} [[Colin Edwards]]
| Honda
| VTR1000SPW
|align=center| 11
|-
| [[2000 in sports|2000]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Tohru Ukawa]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Daijiro Kato]]
| Honda
| VTR1000SPW
|align=center| 4
|-
| [[1999 in sports|1999]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Tadayuki Okada]]<br>{{flagiconBRA}} [[Alex Barros]]
| Honda
| [[Honda RC45|RC45]]
|align=center| 4
|-
| [[1998 in sports|1998]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Shinichi Itoh]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Tohru Ukawa]]
| Honda
| RC45
|align=center| 33
|-
| [[1997 in sports|1997]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Shinichi Itoh]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Tohru Ukawa]]
| Honda
| RC45
|align=center| 33
|-
| [[1996 in sports|1996]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Colin Edwards]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Noriyuki Haga]]
| [[Yamaha Motor Company Ltd.|Yamaha]]
| [[Yamaha YZF750|YZF750]]
|align=center| 45
|-
| [[1995 in sports|1995]]
| {{flagiconNZL}} [[Aaron Slight]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Tadayuki Okada]]
| Honda
| RC45
|align=center| 11
|-
| [[1994 in sports|1994]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Doug Polen]]<br>{{flagiconNZL}} [[Aaron Slight]]
| Honda
| RC45
|align=center| 11
|-
| [[1993 in sports|1993]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Scott Russell (motorcyclist)|Scott Russell]]<br>{{flagiconNZL}} [[Aaron Slight]]
| [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.|Kawasaki]]
| [[Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R|ZXR-7]]
|align=center| 1
|-
| [[1992 in sports|1992]]
| {{flagiconAUS}} [[Wayne Gardner]]<br>{{flagiconAUS}} [[Daryl Beattie]]
| Honda
| [[Honda RVF750|RVF750]]
|align=center| 11
|-
| [[1991 in sports|1991]]
| {{flagiconAUS}} [[Wayne Gardner]]<br>{{flagiconAUS}} [[Mick Doohan]]
| Honda
| RVF750
|align=center| 11
|-
| [[1990 in sports|1990]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Tadahiko Taira]]<br>{{flagiconUSA}} [[Eddie Lawson]]
| Yamaha
| [[Yamaha YZF750|YZF750]]
|align=center| 21
|-
| [[1989 in sports|1989]]
| {{flagiconFRA}} [[Dominique Sarron]]<br>{{flagiconFRA}} [[Alex Vieira]]
| Honda
| RVF750
|align=center| 2
|-
| [[1988 in sports|1988]]
| {{flagiconAUS}} [[Kevin Magee]]<br>{{flagiconUSA}} [[Wayne Rainey]]
| Yamaha
| YZF750
|align=center| 3
|-
| [[1987 in sports|1987]]
| {{flagiconGER}} [[Martin Wimmer]]<br>{{flagiconAUS}} [[Kevin Magee]]
| Yamaha
| YZF750
|align=center| 21
|-
| [[1986 in sports|1986]]
| {{flagiconAUS}} [[Wayne Gardner]]<br>{{flagiconFRA}} [[Dominique Sarron]]
| Honda
| RVF750
|align=center| 4
|-
| [[1985 in sports|1985]]
| {{flagiconAUS}} [[Wayne Gardner]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Masaki Tokuno]]
| Honda
| RVF750
|align=center| 3
|-
| [[1984 in sports|1984]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Mike Baldwin (motorcyclist)|Mike Baldwin]]<br>{{flagiconUSA}} [[Fred Merkel]]
| Honda
| [[Honda RS750R|RS750R]]
|align=center| 1
|-
| [[1983 in sports|1983]]
| {{flagiconFRA}} [[Hervé Moineau]]<br>{{flagiconBEL}} [[Richard Hubin]]
| [[Suzuki]]
| [[Suzuki GS series|GS1000R]]
|align=center| 6
|-
| [[1982 in sports|1982]]
| {{flagiconJPN}} [[Shigeo Iijima]]<br>{{flagiconJPN}} [[Shinji Hagiwara]]
| Honda
| [[Honda CB series|CB900F]]
|align=center| 27
|-
| [[1981 in sports|1981]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Mike Baldwin (motorcyclist)|Mike Baldwin]]<br>{{flagiconUSA}} [[David Aldana]]
| Honda
| [[Honda CB series|RS1000]]
|align=center| 1
|-
| [[1980 in sports|1980]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Wes Cooley (motorcyclist)|Wes Cooley]]<br>{{flagiconNZL}} [[Graeme Crosby]]
| [[Suzuki]]
| [[Suzuki GS series|GS1000]]
|align=center| 12
|-
| [[1979 in sports|1979]]
| {{flagiconAUS}} [[Tony Hatton]]<br>{{flagiconAUS}} [[Michael Cole (motorcycle racer)|Michael Cole]]
| Honda
| [[Honda CB series|CB900]]
|align=center| 6
|-
| [[1978 in sports|1978]]
| {{flagiconUSA}} [[Wes Cooley (motorcyclist)|Wes Cooley]]<br>{{flagiconUSA}} [[Mike Baldwin (motorcyclist)|Mike Baldwin]]
| Suzuki
| GS1000
|align=center| 2
|}




==External links==
*[http://www.suzukacircuit.co.jp/8tai/ Suzuka 8 Hours Official Website]
**[http://www.suzukacircuit.com/ Suzuka Circuit Website] - English version
*[http://www.tbs.co.jp/8tai/ Suzuka 8 Hours] - [[Tokyo Broadcasting System|TBS]] Channel site
*[http://suzuka8h.powertag.jp/ Suzuka 8 Hours Site]
*[http://www.motoracing-japan.com/result/index.html Moto Race Japan year by year results]

[[Category: Motorcycle racing]]
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