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Yamaha Willow Springs Test NotesYamaha tested at Willow Springs last week for two days it was learned today.
Both Tommy Hayden and Jamie Hacking took part in the test and both put in laps on the R6 Supersport machine and R7 Superbike.
This was Hayden's first Superbike ride since he quit Kawasaki to sign with big blue. Hayden put in a lot of laps on the Superbike and tried to familiarize himself with the new to him machine. "It's a very nice Superbike," Hayden stated, " incredibly precise and different in just about every way from the Kawasaki."
Jamie Hacking fell ill during the test and could only do three lap bursts. "I was sick as hell," Hacking said. "I just rode the 600 a lot; I'd do some laps and pull in. I didn't get anything done." Hacking did find a front suspension set up at the test that aided him in lapping faster on the R6, according to crewchief Tom Houseworth.
"Tommy put in a lot of laps to familiarize himself with the R7, and went fast too," said Houseworth, "we got a lot accomplished with him. I'm happy. Jamie was sick but we found a fork modification that he had not used before that really helped Jamie. It was a good test."
Houseworth stated that he thinks at this time that Yamaha will use 1999 R7 Superbikes in the 2000 season, and perhaps the 1999 R6 Supersport machines as well.
"We'll for sure use 99 R7s at the tire test," he said. "there aren't a great deal of changes to the R7 for 2000 and we only started using them at Atlanta. It's still a new bike for us." There are subtle changes to the chassis and engine of the R6 for 2000 and Houseworth said that he is considering just updating the team's 1999 machines instead of staring over with new bikes. "No decisions have been made. We may just update our 1999s with the new frame and engine mods.
Houseworth stated that the team has surpassed the horsepower readings of the old Daytona winning Yamaha YZF with its new R7, but the new bike still needs attention. "We're past the YZF in terms of horsepower for sure, but it's still a little low on torque and acceleration. All of that will be addressed between now and March with our new engine development program."
YZF Superbikes were said to put out something more than 167 horsepower.
Tom Hayden was sporting a really bitchin' scar on his left hand where Dr. Ting fixed his pre-Colorado dirt bike crash. Hayden was fitted with a cast for five weeks after the Colorado race and admitted yesterday that the hand is still not 100% healed. "It's close," he said. "But it still needs healing time to get my full strength and motion out of it," he said.
All this was gleaned at the annual Yamaha shifter kart media/racer familiarization day at Adams Kart Track in Riverside, California yesterday where the Yamaha motocross and roadrace teams took part in team competition with assorted press nerds.
Highlights of the day were Eddie "Four-time" Lawson blazing to a fast time of the day, Jamie Hacking lapping faster than Jeremy McGrath, and Freelance lensman Blake Conner latching onto the shirt tails of two motocross stars to help them set fastest team time of the day.
We of course tried to make fast laps after the Motocross Fiction magazine guys and were hampered by more dirt on the track than off in one corner. In short: Papa Dean and webmaster Tim sucked huge, with the former ending up near dead last in Superpole after a broadslide run through the final corner. We have sworn vengeance.
From strafing fast to reptilian slow all left the facility with a huge case of perma-grin.
Quote of the event: From Eddie Lawson, "Superpole?! What the hell is that?" -- Dean Adams
Images:
It was a sea of blue uni's
