VOL. 55 ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY 27, 2018 P97
The cost of admission to the
Graves/Yamaha Support Pro-
gram is $15,000, which buys you
a complete, race-ready YZF-R3
that has been built in-house by
the Graves team. The transforma-
tion of the motorcycle begins with
technicians stripping it down to
the frame before rebuilding it with
all the proper aftermarket parts
required to be competitive in the
MotoAmerica Junior Cup—a class
designed for 14 to 25-year-old
racers competing on 250cc to
500cc lightweight production
machines. From there, the build
list includes top-shelf compo-
nents like fork cartridges and a
rear shock from Ohlins, custom
racing bodywork, brake lines, a
re-flashed Flash Tune ECU, an
HM Quickshifter, an AIM Solo
2 lap timer, adjustable Graves
rearsets and a Graves full-system
exhaust, among other bits.
What is special about the
program, however, isn't neces-
sarily the list of parts that come
equipped to the bike, but rather
the attention to detail and techni-
cal support that comes included
with the purchase of the motor-
cycle.
During the course of each
MotoAmerica race weekend, the
Graves technical staff is fully ac-
cessible to teams for advice and
will provide suggested baseline
settings that are specific to each
racetrack. Those suggestions are
no small assets either, with these
technicians being the same guys
responsible for the Graves' highly
successful 600 supersport pro-
gram. It's the same crew that will
analyze the digital setup sheet
from each rider, before coming
to conclusion of a window of
adjustment to work within. This
eliminates the possibility of a
rider straying too far in the wrong
direction, and will help keep
the youngsters on competitive
equipment. Throw in the fact that
Yamaha has enlisted four-time
AMA Superbike Champion Josh
Hayes to act as a rider coach
for the program, and there's no
denying that amount of support
these young riders will have is
worth every penny.
When it comes down to the
facts, no matter how much expe-
rience you might have either as
a rider or a wrenching on bikes
as a "racer dad," the Graves/Ya-
maha YZF-R3 Support Program
has something to offer you. This
program means business, and is
designed help elevate the level
of our sport in the United States.
Whether I was a kid wanting
to make my splash in the Mo-
toAmerica Junior Cup or a father
wanting the best possible scenar-
io for my kid, I'd be doing what-
ever it takes to join this program.
Chuck Graves and his crew have
Jackson
Blackmon, one
of nine young
riders to be
a part of the
program, spent
his day getting
comfortable
with his new
motorcycle.
These kids are
quick!
