From a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.:

Team Yamaha Quickest in Pre-Daytona Test


Factory Yamaha Superstock and Supersport racebikes led the way at Laguna Seca on February 15-16 during the last official track test before Daytona Bike Week. The Factory Yamaha Team and Graves Motorsports, along with several competitors, shared time at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. in order to dial in suspension, engine tuning and tire combinations. Aboard the YZF-R1 prepared by Graves Motorsports, factory rider Damon Buckmaster unofficially set the pace for Superstock bikes. Buckmaster was also unofficially quickest aboard the YZF-R6 Supersport machine once the Yamaha crew set up the suspension to his liking.

New R6 Makes a Great Racer

This year the 2005 R6’s improved power and new inverted fork will pay dividends to all four team riders including Buckmaster, Jason DiSalvo, Aaron Gobert and Jamie Hacking. So will its new radially mounted front calipers, which offer higher braking consistency, less drag and more even pad wear.

“The R6 is so good in stock form that it makes our job easier to dial it in,” said Team Manager Tom Halverson. “The stock geometry, frame and swingarm are good enough right out of the box for a professional rider to win championships on. It’s mostly a matter of dialing in the suspension to the track and to the rider’s individual style.”

Meanwhile the R1 has already benefited from a solid year of development, so the Graves Motorsports crew focused on testing tires, fine-tuning the fuel-injection mapping, and validating improvements made in the second half of 2004.

“The R1 is really pretty dialed in because of its year of development, and they already had a good setup from Laguna last year,” Halverson added.

Tracking What We Learn

During testing, both the R1 and R6 use onboard data-logging systems that allow engine and suspension information to be recorded, then downloaded onto laptop computers after every session. Yamaha records and uses two different kinds of data – analog and digital – to interpret how key motorcycle systems are working around the track. Examples of analog data include throttle position, engine air-to-fuel ratio, front and rear suspension movement, and brake pressure. Recorded digital information includes engine rpm, front and rear wheel speed, and lap times.

New Commercial to Debut

An interesting footnote to the testing was a new Yamaha television commercial that a crew was working on at the track. Rainy weather on the first day of the test allowed downtime for shooting some pit scenes focusing on 2004 AMA Superstock champion Aaron Gobert and his YZF-R1.

After regrouping in Cypress, Calif. this week, the Yamaha transporters will leave for Daytona right after Presidents Day. Stay tuned for an exciting Bike Week on March 9-12 and best of luck to the four factory riders and their crews – and of course to the R1 and new R6!


Editorial Note: The factory Yamaha transporter was seen at Willow Springs International Raceway February 18, but no riders or team members, other than the truck driver, were present.