Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125974
By John Ulrich When Gene Romero re cently re ceived hi s YZ -powered sho rt tr acker from Yamaha International, he didn't just se t it asi de waiting for Houston. In stead, Burritto eli minat ed pounds of weight by removing unnecessary frame brackets, cutting holes in the rear engine mount assem bly , usin g aircraft nuts and bolts, replacing th e original footpegs with specials which h ave become a Romero trademark, and dis carding t he front nu m ber plate br acket in favor of tri ck airc raft mounts. Hou rs of design and work wen t in to t he improvement of the rear brake sys tem alone, with re locatiqn o f the lever pivot point and reshaping of the leve r itse lf for better fee l and shorter throw, replacem ent of a heavy steel hymes joint wi th an aluminum aircra ft unit , elimina tio n of a bizarre m ast er cylinder vent system , and the us e of braided steel line ro uted along the br ake h u b st ay. Su ch refin e m en ts are evident on eve ry b ike Gene b u ilds or maintains hi mself, m uch t o the am azem en t of fac to ry race depar tments. If everyone else 's Yamaha has rear number plates a ffix ed using b o lts, lockwashers an d nuts, Romero's will h ave th e bolt -o n operation simplified with nuts welded to the frame where otherwise the y would have to be hand hel d during installat ion . He doesn 't have t o do it th at way, an d is q uic k t o point out that many riders j ust race their bikes the way th ey ge t them. " Bu t it m igh t m ake the di ff eren ce between makin g a lo t of money or n ot makin g it ," explains Gene. He is, a bov e all. a busine ssm an . Ke l Carru t hers built Romero's motor, which reads 45 rear -wheel horsepower o n t he Yamah a d yn o an d feels " like a jet " to Gene. All th a t remains t o be di aled-in is su spension , an d Ti m With am is alr ea dy working o n th at . Romero just took delivery on a new Dodge van to haul ar o und h is trackers this season, a n d pointin g t o it, t old a reporter "Nex t y ear th is is go n na have a b ig number one o n th e side !" «or«. 8th Annual De l Webb's MINT 400 Desert Race En tries must b e po s'm .rlf«l belor. M arch 16-19,1975 • Racing Headquarters Marcil 1s l to teeei.,. " • • iack e ts . nd bo nl • . M int Hotel , P.e. Bo .. 2160 Las Veg as . Nev. 89101 ...... _-'---- - -Wri te now for off ic ial rules . - - - - - - AllORfSS _ regul ations.and entry form on W EBB'S CITy MIN" _ STATE HOTEL ANO CAS INO • LAS VE AS · NEVAO G A ". PROPERTY or A DEt E WEBB CO R P O U Tl O ~ SUBSIOI ", ""' .. - . t a ........ _ _ J-t ......... k>I_._Io¥e_ ..... . , - . . . . .. Or ~1 -_ n.258nd _ 'I...cl r-"iN; 1ntDrnwdDn_ ..-. of HOOkE R INDUSTRIES • • • Hook -..obk • _,,--..:I .... ...-.p'-. MurdodI W-. Ski . . . Hook. 8nd Murdach ~wn.."M Hook. . . . . . . . . . 1022W _ ......... SC On__• CA .11CZ. .. COMPLETE MACH INE SHOP AND REPAIR 9ERVIC~. rx: ~,.,._-, \..Jt:,Cycl. En,ln••rlng & Supply 11 4 0 · .... N. .. ............ £ , ... . KR AE c .... 9 f:~ 0 & (7t 4 ) 630 · S720 3