News feature: Child's play

Over the years, we’ve seen a number of grass roots road racing formulas see the light of day in Australia, based on everything from near standard production bikes to purpose-built grand prix machines.

However, it’s fair to say the execution hasn’t always been seamless, despite the best intentions of the backers.

Sometimes it’s simply been a problem with design rather than function, which is something that Yamaha Motor Australia (YMA) has recognised as it goes about spruiking the benefits of a new one-model race series it’s considering launching, based on the single-cylinder YZF-R125.

That’s a shrewd move to begin with, as the little 125 speaks a similar design language to the YZF-R6 and YZF-R1 – and that sort of connection appeals to starry-eyed young ‘uns.

YMA is still seeking expressions of interest for the series, which is based on the same platform as the Italian R125 Cup. The Italian series is now two years old, but it’s already developed into something of an instant classic because the racing is nothing short of mesmerising – and the main players are also learning a thing or three about racecraft, too. It’s already become one of the hottest junior tickets in town, for both boys and girls.

The YZF-R125 race series in Australia concept is aimed at riders 13 to 15 years old, and the rules and regulations are designed to make the process as seamless and egalitarian as possible. For a start, the Melbourne-based Yamaha Racing Development (YRD) operation will build, support, run, transport and maintain the race bikes, with riders only required to supply their own transport, accommodation, evening meals and a mechanically capable helper.

YRD will also pay entry fees, and provide a crew chief, suspension technician and advisor to guide riders through racecraft and technique.

Everything else required for racing, cluding fuel and one set of control tyres per round,  paid for by each rider at the start of the season. The only extra cost would be crash repairs.

I think what Yamaha’s trying to say is that it’s promoting a one-stop shop, and all in a relaxed and supportive ennvironment. Or if your child is lazy, I suppose you can also call Yamaha a de-facto parent for up to eight weekends a year...

Yep, it’s simply about turning up and riding without the normal ‘hassles’ associated with road racing, especially those who are light on for intellectual property and cash after making the switch from other motorcycle racing disciplines.

A sign-on fee provides the rider with a minimum of a five-round series (up to eight) with one full day of practice, one or two qualifying sessions and six races over three days per round. Just where the YZF-R125 series will find a home is yet to be decided.

Prizes will be provided for each age group, and the ultimate carrot could be a satellite-supported ride on a YZF-R6 the following year.

And here’s the big selling point. To make things as open and democratic as possible, riders will draw keys to each machine before each event. The only adjustments to be made on race day will be gearing, suspension spring preload, ride height and tyre pressures.

And the moolah? The proposed fee for entering the series is $17,000 per rider.

That’s the blueprint but according to Ray Howard, the motorsport manager at YMA, most of the espressions of interest thus far have come from more ‘experienced’ campaigners, at least in relation to the 13 to 15-year-olds the YZF-R125 series is aimed at.

That’s left him a little perplexed, which may simply be a lack of awareness about what’s being offered by YMA, or riders may be choosing to remain in dirt track and motocross into their senior (over 16) years.

YMA hasn’t placed an pre-determined limit on how many riders it will require for the YZF-R125 series to commence in 2011, but the reality is it probably won’t happen if only a small number put their hand up.

“We think the concept is a great one, and we’ll continue to work hard at getting it up,” said Howard. “We’ve seen how successful it’s been in Italy, and there’s no reason why it can’t produce a similar following in Australia.

“But it’s important to note that the series is currently only a concept. If riders are interested in competing, they must contact us straight away, as if there litle or no response, there will be no race series. It’s as simple as that.”

SIBLING RIVALRY
The marketing pitch to lure riders will continue, as will the painstaking process to settle on a final spec bike for the series.

The Bikesales Network recently joined the team from YMA and YRD at Broadford (Vic) as three different configurations of the YZF-R125 were again put under the microscope.

The bikes have all been fitted with an 180cc kit from Malossi, the Italian tuning house which specilises in race kits for both road and racing applications.

Malossi also supplies the kits for the Italian R125 Cup, and the package consists of an ECU, cylinder, piston, exhaust and air filter.

Otherwise, the YZF-R125 racer and the $6999 standard bike are for all intents and purposes identical. The major discrepancy is weight, with the racer weighing about 20kg less than the street bike.

Yamaha’s factory rider Kevin Curtain has been a big part of the testing process for the YZF-R125 race series, but unfortunately he wasn’t available for the latest outing.

But at least we (I was joined at Broadford by fast young gun Jake Laine) had a benchmark time to work with – a 1:16 Kev had set previously on the ‘middle’ spec YZF-R125, which produces about 16.6hp at 8250rpm, and 15.7Nm at 5000rpm.

With showers threatening, the 16hp iteration was the first YZF-R125 I rode, complete with reverse gear linkage and Michelin tyres.

It’s not the most comfortable I’ve ever felt on a motorcycle and, even at my moderate pace, a few times I felt like I was skating on the edge of oblivion thanks to the slick Michelins and under damped and sprung suspension.

The set-up may have been a mismatch, but the experience was enough to crystallise in my mind why Yamaha is sponsoring this endeavour.

On the surface of it, the YZF-R125 doesn’t offer a motorcycle racing feast, and there was plenty to think about as I inched along the front and back straights at Broadford. Had I fed my new puppy his meaty bites before leaving home? Is Pat Rafter a better serve volleyer than Pat Cash?

But that’s missing the point entirely, as the YZF-R125 is a stark reminder that motorcycle racing is not just a playground for thorougbreds. A well-rounded package will do just nicely, thank you.

With its uncomplicated design language, light weight and slender feel, the YZF-R125 is all about stripping away the sideshow to concentrate on the fundamentals of racing: starting, cornering, braking and technique. There’s no need to embellish or exaggerate the argument: what you see is what you get.

In comparison to a standard YZF-R125, the 16.6hp race-kitted machine produces its peak around the same rpm, but maximum torque is at an appreciably lower threshold – 5000rpm as opposed to 7500rpm.

That provides a little more wriggle room when it comes to managing the power flow, but the YZF-R125 with its liquid-cooled, four-stroke, SOHC engine still has to be given a fairly robust handful of throttle to really seize the moment.

There’s no doubt that a laissez-faire attitude with the throttle won’t keep the YZF-R125 in its hot zone, which is what these young boys and girls will find out for themselves when the series is launched.

But then again, it probably won’t be such an acute issue because I guarantee their corner speed will be a quantum leap ahead of mine, as they push to the limits of the skinny 17-inch rubber.

And that was the case with Jake, whose brisk cornering speed enabled him to produce consistent lap times in the 1:14 bracket – with a fastest lap in the 12s.

To put that into perspective, the lap record for the Metrakit 70cc two-stroke class is 1:10.406.

UP THE ANTE
After some sobering reflection – how could I circulate within a bull’s roar of Jake? – I reloaded and went back out on the same engine spec bike as the first (albeit with some extra tweaking to the cylinder head), but this one featured heavier duty suspension and wider profile Pirelli rubber (150/60 and 110/70).

The changes produced an immediate effect, and the YZF-R125 marked territory with much more dexterity and was a lot more confidence-inspiring. Stability was the big thing, both under brakes and through turns.

If I was given a vote by the YMA top brass, I’d mark this spec bike down as the one to carry the workload in the YZF-R125 race series. While YRD has cobbled together a higher-spec model (21hp, 17Nm and even better suspension again) that is closer to what’s campaigned in Italy, I simply don’t believe the means justifies the end.

The case is compelling enough, expecially when Yamaha is trying to produce a series where the rules of engagement are about simplicity and keeping costs to a minimum. If the series becomes too exorbitant, then it’s a sure-fire way of people becoming -- you guessed it -- disengaged.

Still, we did manage to slip the sticky Pirellis on the 21hp machine, which turned up the heat yet again. There’s no doubt it’s the ‘flagship’ with lots of extra muscle but to get there it’s got  a different ECU, bigger valves and the compresion ratio is higher.

That’s the bike Jake uncorked his fastest lap on, and he was fair pushing, too. Perhaps he can be the designated mentor for the series?

Can the YZF-R125 series leave an endelible mark in Australia, just as it has in Italy? That one’s a “watch this space” scenario, but I think Yamaha has put together a pretty tasty recipe to make it happen.

But Yamaha can only do some much promoting, so if any riders are interested in competing in the YZF-R125 race series, email YRD at yrd@bigpond.com.

THE YZF-R125 RACE SERIES IN A NUTSHELL

Yamaha isn’t throwing any curve balls with the YZF-R125 race series, and here’s a precis of what it’s on about:

YZF-R125 SPECS
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, four-valve, SOHC single-cylinder
Capacity: 182.58cc
Bore x stroke: 63mm x 58.6mm
Compression ratio: 10.6:1
Fuel system: fuel injection

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Steel Deltabox
Front suspension: Telescopic forks, 130mm travel
Rear suspension: Monocross, 125mm travel
Front brake: 292mm discs with twin-piston caliper
Rear brake: 230mm disc with single-piston caliper
Tyres: Pirelli, front 110/70-17, rear 150/60-17

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 22hp at 8800rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 19.5Nm at 7800rpm

This story also appears in the current issue of Australian Motorcycle News.