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/126974
n: The trek to Kenny Roberts Yamaha Country ended w ith the Yamaha V-Max getting dusted off for its dirt tracking debut. Motocross-gear-clad Roberts flicks the big beast into t urn two on his short track: "If it gets to the lock. look for a place to jump." 36 We up at Roberts' shop and one 0 his Team Nordica Roberts riders , John Kocinski, is there to meet us . It's the first time Roberts has talked to Kocinski since the 19year-o ld returned from testing Yamaha 's 750cc four-stroke endurance racer in Japan. Robert s gives some racing advice, makes some wisecracks aimed at the poor pupil , and we're ready to pick up what we came for - the V-Max . We'd heard stories about Roberts and his dirt tracking exploi ts on wh ;n many consider the closes t street bike to an F-16, the Yamaha V-Max. So after a few moments of armtwisting after his fifth cup of coffee, he decided to show us, but first we had to pick it up fro m the shop. Upon returning to the Roberts spread (yes, more dust) we venture to the garage to see the habi tual fiddler 's newest creation. Roberts, you see, has been welding an aluminum frame; no, not in an effort to' make Randy Mamola's Yamaha Vfour G Pbike a better handling package, but to make th e fastest YSR50 in the land. Roberts, starting [rom scratch, has constructed an aluminum frame to house a YZSO powerp lant. The who le thing bo lts together (he hopes) into a package that uses stock YSR50 components. "It will probably jus t keep £lipping over backwards," the designer says. Just a nothe r project. Rober ts' garage is filled with his p rojects mos t of th em lying around in ~e three-quarters complete stage, a habit that has earned him the Wayne Rainey-given nickname of Mr. 75%. There's the half-built log doll house he's started for his da ughter, the semi-complete dirt tracker, etc. But hey, it keeps him off the driveway. Before getting to the V-Max, Roberts decides to take a little target practice with a handgun he recently purchased. The seaso ned squirrel hunter blows man y a hol e in the empty P restone bottle located on 'a distant hay bale. " Here," he says while handing me the smoking gun. "No, you go ahead," this weak-kneed visitor replied. "Shoot it or I'll shoot you," he joked. Two qu ick shots later, the unharmed Pres tone bottle stood intact, and Roberts was handed an empty gun . "I think I hit the hay bale," I boasted. V-Max time. When Roberts finally found a helmet that had survived the teeth ing of his dog Buddy, it was down to the short track with the VMax. It was worth the wai t. "I wonder if Freddie Spencer would do th is," I thought to myself as the smaller-than-usual-looking Roberts roosted around the track for our cameras. With that duty taken care of, Roberts returned to his trailer, slipped into his golf clothes and said we were going golfing (Roberts' favorite pastime). As it turned o ut, we didn't have time to play, but we di d witness Ro berts blasting the ball toward the highway at the end of the driving ra nge. Tired from the five hours sleep, . I buck led up while looking out the window as the plane taxied to leave Modesto Airport. Whi le still ch uckli ng from one-too -many of Roberts' -. tales, I looked out th e wi ndow to see a cloud of dust on the horizon. . Nah, he couldn't have made home that quic~ly.