Still a Triple

Team Roberts will test a mark three KR3 motor early next year, whether or not the team has the backing to contest the 2000 500 world championship.

The current engine has caused handling trouble because the balance shaft included to cure the mark one's vibration and consequent reliability problems makes it too long. Instead of being short and nimble to beat the V4s through the turns, the mark two KR3 has proved unwieldy on the racetrack.

"The motor is one to one and a half inches too long, so the bike doesn't get the results it should get for the performance and speed of the motor," said Kenny Roberts who claims the engine makes close to 175bhp.

"The third generation engine has the balance shaft in a different place and is shorter and smaller to bring back the handling. If we have the performance of the mark two and the mark one bike's handling, we'll be competitive."

The KR3's lack of success has cost GP race director Paul Butler £500 - the former Team Roberts team manager bet Yorkshire-based sponsor Peter Padgett that the machine would win a GP in its first three years.
Since its debut in 1997, the KR3 has scored a best of one sixth-place finish, in Germany last year with current Suzuki rider Kenny Roberts on board.

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