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/126401
e • ~ t "Racing at Daytona is a bit like going naked in public" ona By Kevin Cameron Daytona lately lacks the shock of .drama of real factory conflict. Factory interest has shifted to Europe, where Yamaha arid Suzuki are head to head in the prestigious 500cc class and four brands push and shove in the 250. . Daytona, our own premier " ven t , was formerly a mecca for e 26 I • 747-loads of European riders and spectators and the world's greatest showplace for factory strength. Now it is essentially uncontested, a Yamaha factory annex, The mainstay of our races and of Formula 750 worldwide is the wonderfully refined and sophisticated Yamaha TZ·750. In January Mike Baldwin performed 500 miles of Daytona tire testing for Goodyear on his own 1978 Yamaha 750 ·E . On this series-produced machine Baldwin reeled off sub-record laps on a cold track. Its 'm otor was so near stock it ~ould make your eyes water. This kind of excellence is the reason Yamahas have dominated our events so cornpletely. Not only are their factory machines unassailably fast, but they are always closely followed by a flock of well ridden private versions that are faster than the factory entries of other brands. . Racing Daytona is a bit like going naked in public; you have to be really sure you will look good or the whole exercise is a big embarrassment. No factory wants to take "a shot at being beaten by a privateer on a Yamaha production racer , The other brands went home. Our Yamaha YS. Yamaha racing has been very good for the riders, providing close competition and fine racing. but it has received poor press and poorer attendance. To cap all of this, the FIM has decided to drop World. Championship status for Formula 750 . so production of such machines may stop. To restore AMA racing's appeal for the factories. the homologation and claiming rules have now been drop' ped, not just for"Daytona, but for the entire series. In 1980 our main racing class will become the same as in Europe: 500cc. A factory wishing to race can now do so by building as little as a single machine. and this without fear of its being claimed by a competitor at an unrealistically low price, This makes it more likely that large companies will offer racers to the public, for the same machine can be sold to Americans and Europeans. cut·, ting production costs. At present only Suzuki sells a 500cc racer, and that in Europe alone, but with the new AMA rule . Yamaha has announced im minent production of 500cc YZR racers for public sale next year. That's progress. And our riders will be able to use the same machine wherever they ride. 1979 is the transition year. 750cc machines will compete in the 200 'with last year's restricror rule in force, but 500cc machines will be allowed to run with open intakes. Remember that the rule required the Yamahas to sub stitute a " tiny 25mm orifice for the generous 54 or 36mm of their former open intake system, With no homologation or claiming, Suzuki could run their 686cc square four , Kawasaki could run whatever sort of special 750 they have in the back room, and Hon- da could appear with their surprises. Roberts is out for Daytona. Also on the wounded list may be Baker. his leg still weak from months in plaster after his unfortunate crash at Mosport. This massive red uction in star strength leaves Daytona much more open and up for grans than at any recent time. How do the forces stack up? The only remaining Yamaha fac tory regular is Cecouo, and he will surely have the latest titanium/alu minum/magnesium wonder from the most experienced manufacturer in racing. In his first international season he was brilliant and seemed invincible, but recently he has been just another very good rider. Despite his being the reigning 750 World Champion he can be beaten. Who can beat him? All the potent machinery of victory that functioned so smoothly for Roberts last year has now swung around to the assistance of Skip Aksland . Skip's fine finish on his private bike here last year showed that he has the talent to win , and now that he will be subbing for Roberts on the Kel Carruthersprepared factory Yamaha he is the leading threat to Cecotto. This will put the Venezuelan champion's factory prestige solidly on the line in the world's most visible motorcycle race. It will be fascintating to watch. What about the new Yamahas they will be riding? Early season rumors pegged the horsepower level of the latest engines at the ,150 bhp mark , even with restrictors, There were suggestions that factory test ' riders preferred other assignments because of excessive performance. The gains were said to have come from revised primary gearing. re -ported cylinders. and new exhaust pipes, but the new model tested by Roberts in the January Goodyear session was unexceptional. Whatever the figures. this machine and its production cousin are still i.' .1 . miracles of compact power. incredible dense masses of nearly solid machinery crammed into packages little larger than 250's. New Kawasaki teamster Mike Baldwin is absolutely a leading choice to win Daytona in every way but one; what are they going to give him to ride? There is the venerable' three cylinder water- cooled KR -750 for sure, a light, manageable package with good brakes and reliablility that has been ridden into good positions most often by Australian Gregg Hansford . There may be a new fourcylinder .m a chine somewhere, but when Kawasaki had to opportunity to run such a machine at Daytona in January, they did not. Explanation: not ready , Why not? No one on the outside can even know why corpora· tions do the things they do , The old three has received steady improvement, much of it at the hands of Hansford's tuner. Neville Doyle , Now Japan is suddenly pushing much harder, and new parts have arrived in California for evaluation. Mike Bald, win tested the new machine equipped with these late parts two weeks ago at Riverside and w.as pleased with it. con, fident that he could lap Daytona as quickly on it ason his own Yamaha . That iffast indeed; two minutes, three seconds. There has been a large gain in low- and mid-range power and the machine fits the rider well , Baldwin's only reservation was that it might not last at such high power, but they have been durable enough in the past. With Yamaha team strength at a long-time low this is definitely the moment for Kawasaki to strike. Heavy truckers Hansford and Baldwin make the most powerful squad they have ever had at Daytona. It is really up to the machines. Watch them closely in practice. How fast will the Kawasakis be, and for how long? That company's revived interest in J. t J I ~ e J