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/128201
2003 Ron Wood Honda/Yamaha flat track chassis Ron Wood sees the light But, as you can see by the two vehicles shown here, Wood is also hedging his bets by expanding his production to include chassis - from bare frame to full roller - which utilize the motocross-bred Yamaha YZF engines that have been pouring steadily into the sport of flat track racing for the past four years, as well as the Honda CRF engines which stormed onto the scene this past season. "I have seen the light," Wood said. "Although I feel that a 500cc Rotax will run right with them, these new engines do have their advantages. They turn a lot of rpm, for one. And I haven't worked on them yet, but I know people who have, and they seem to like what they see inside them." As for the chassis, the 4130 chromoly-piped beauties are available in either the standard twin-shock or Woods' proven horizontal singleshock configuration, and they sport the same wheelbase and rake/trail numbers to provide the classic handling prowess for which Wood-Rotaxes are well known in the flat track community. And they're tough. In fact, Wood said that he has seen chassis with 20 seasons on them come through his Costa Mesa, California, shop, some By SCOTT ROUSSEAU PHOTOS COURTESY OF RON WOOD RACING PRODUCTS n here's no need to panic, because it has been coming for a long time. We're talking about the fact that the venerable air-cooled Rotax, the powerplant which formed the very foundation upon which three-time AMA U.S. Flat Track Champion Chris Carr, Brian and Kevin Atherton, and hundreds of other dirt track racers practically launched their careers, is no longer in production. The Austrian engine manufacturer ran the last unit off its assembly line some nine months ago. But, as 74-year-old Ron Wood himself would attest, if you're a student and you finish the last chapter in a book, then you must close that book and start another one. And just because Ron Wood frames have taught scores of riders how to master the discipline of American dirt track racing, that doesn't mean that the old dog himself is done learning a few new tricks. "We have known for four years that Rotax was going to discontinue the air-cooled engine," Wood said, "but now it has taken place. I do have enough Rotax engines to last me about another two years, and I have been guaranteed parts for another eight to 10 years." J 22 FEBRURY 19. 2003' cue I .. n • _ os needing little more than swingarm bushings to make them race-ready again. Still, these new chassis are evolutionary. "These new ones are a bit more heavy duty," Wood said. "They have a heavier swingarm and single shock arrangement. But the geometry is basically the same. As far as the wheelbase goes, Formula USA rules call for a chassis that is a minimum of 55 inches. Ours can be run from 53 to 55.5 inches, so they comply." And Wood said he plans to be able to provide potential customers more than just his new chassis. "I'm going to be getting into highperformance parts for these engines, too," Wood said. "We already have our exhaust systems, and we're in the development phase on some pistons. We also plan to develop cams, valve springs and headwork. That stuff is down the road, but it is part of our future. 1 love this sport. It has been a great hobby for me, and 1 want to keep at it as long as I can." Wood said that the new Yamaha and Honda chassis are available right now. Made to order, they can be delivered in about two weeks. For more info, give him a call. eN SPECIFICATIONS FaELCAPACITY: OIL CAPACITY: WHEELBASE: 1.75g&l. 2.5 qt. (Yamaha only) 54.25-55.75 in. RAKE/TRAIL: ........................•..••..•.....26°/67.6mm (adjustable) SEAT HEIGHT: 32.0 in. FRO!'IT TIRE: ..............••.••.•.••••.•.•••............27.0 x 7.0-19 in. REAR TIRE: ................•...•...••••••••••.••••......27.5 x 7.0-19 in. 5.25 in. FRO!'IT WHEEL TRAVEL: REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: 5.25 in. FRO!'IT BRAKE: ..........••.•••••.•••.•.....................Optional disc REAR BRAKE: ..........•...••..............................Brembo disc Chain FINAL DRIVE: .....•......•................... " DRY WEIGHT: 201 Ibs. (Yamaha)/196 Ibs. (Honda) Ron Wood Radng Products 755 W. 17th St., Unit 0, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Phone: 949/645-0393 • Fax: 949/645-8692 Web: www.rotax.net