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/127128
Power Brokers (Continued from page 45) " Ed d ie Lawson is more easy to satisfy. H e'll tell you what 's wrong, and if you fix it he'll say: 'Okay.' It makes life easier as far as work goes , but as far as improving th ings Kenny's got a better outlook." In 1987, however, Lawson was far from easily satisfied, with a prob lem of an engine stu m ble as he opened th e throttle, that refused to respond to whatever remedy Carruthers managed to find tim e to try. No great beli ever in science (" T he barometer in the pits is good for the records, but none of that stuff really works in practice." ), he was thrown on to his own resources, which were already stretched too thin. "T he racing Yamahas have been getting better and better every year," said Carruthers, "but the more advanced they become, the more work you have to do to keep them good. Setting th e carbs takes much longer than it used to. We used to just look at a pl ug, Engines have become more sensitive, and while you may get one reading from a p iug, you get something different when you lift the head and look at the piston cro wn." There was one advantage in running a 250 team as well as a 500the YZR250 is exac tly h alf th e YZR500, thi s made half th e amount o f work when it ca rne to testing out cylinder modifi cations. " Ma r ti n Wimmer is a very good test rider, very qu ick a t recognizing what changes have been made to th e bike, but also interpreting their value." .However , the single most im porta n t modification Carruthers made to th e 250 was fitting over -th e-counter round-slide Keihin carburetors, with the adjustable pilot jet that the Yamahadesigned Mikunis lacked. He'd have liked to use four of them on the 500, but unfortunatel y th ey were too bulky; but the Keihins (made by a Honda subsidiary company) stayed on the 250s until after Mikuni finally carne up with a n adjustable jet. Honda's Jeremy Burgess said that modification at the track showed despera tion. Carruthers might agree. "Yamaha isn 't very big on sending us new stuff during the season," he said, and he resorted to defini tel y desperate rea r-en d ' surgery in his attempt to improve the shape of th e lower pair of exhausts. "The top pipes (under the seat) have never been a problem - they have lo ts of room. The lower pair have always been a compromise, because of restricted space." Carruthers went at the swingarm with a hacksaw, and damn well "made space, hacking a chunking out and building a cantilever structure to restore strength. But this time it was one-up to th e guys in J apan with the dynamometers. Simultaneously, Yamaha had sent a different set of their own, which achieved much th e same result without resorting to any swingarm modifications. Carruthers was th e prototype for ·the modem team manager. He was one of the first to bring his own motorhome along, a nd to bring his fami ly as well. The GP paddocks are si mfl ly horn e to th e Carruthers famIly during th e season - he spends th e rest of the year in San Diego, Ca lifornia. His was a difficult season, but his position with Yamaha as we ll as his own experien ce mean he knows how to tak e the rough with th e smooth. Thus he will join again the battle of the tuners in 1988. Then we'll see whose turn it is this time to get everything right. • See Dick win $425. Steven Dick's performance in the Vance & Hines.Supersport Series at Daytona gave new meaning to the word go. He diced with five riders in the 750cc class before clinching an impressive 3rd place finish. And because Dick's motor cycle displayed the series logo and'was fitted with a Vance & Hines exhaust system, he ended up clinching much more. A check for a fast $425. . Dick said the Vance & Hines exhaust system definitely made . the difference. Get one on your bike and see how fast you'll go. You can win wilh Vance & Hines, Here's where: 100. May 14-15 Road Atlan ta, Atlanta , GA June 18-19 • Bryar Motor sports Park. Loudon. NH June 25-26 • Road America. 8khart Lake. WI July 9 -10 Laguna Racewa y. Monterey. CA sees August 6 - 7 Mid -Ohio Sports Car Course. Lexington. OH september 10-11 Alabama Motor Speedway•. T alladega. AL October 1-2 Sears Poi t 1 Raceway, n n1'l Sonoma . CA 14010 Marquardl Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 (213) 921-7461 , A TRULY UNIQUE AND VERSATILE RV For on-road or off·road enthusi8au. the Toyhouse by Alta provides not only a safe. sound and clean ride for your race or sportS car. motorcycles dune buggie. ATVs and . ATC's. but also a nice, comfortable place to stay when you get there. Up to 10 yeaf RV financing is availabte through cur dealer network. . Toyhouses afe Ivailable trcrn a Utility Trailer or Fifth Wheel to a fulty self-contained Travel Trailer or Fifth Wheel with all the conveniences of home. 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