Tadayuki Okada
Tadayuki 'Taddy' Okada, born 13 February 1967 is the most successful motorcycle racer Japan has yet produced. He was runner-up in the 1994 250cc and 1997 500cc World Championship.
Early career
Okada won the All-Japan 250cc championship in 3 successive years from 1989 to 1991 for Honda, who took him to the 250cc World Championship in 1993. He was runner-up in the series in 1994, and fourth in 1995.
500cc and beyond
Taddy stepped up to 500cc in 1996, helping develop Honda's V-Twin bike and coming 7th overall. Three wins and 2nd to Mick Doohan followed in 1997, but he missed races in 1998 due to a wrist injury. In 1999 he bounced back to finish 3rd, with wins at Assen, Brno and Philip Island [1]. Going into the final round of the season he was 2nd, but lost out to final-race winner Kenny Roberts Jr. After a largely unsuccessful 2000 he switched to World Superbikes for 2001, without winning a race although taking 3 podium finishes and 8th overall, [2]choosing to reire at the end of the year.