The Daytona Short Track double-header, the GNC's traditional season opener, takes place this Thursday and Friday, but the late season signings continue. The latest news is Briar Bauman joining a Memphis Shades-sponsored Yamaha team.
This is big news because Yamaha haven't run a big twin for years. Our friend in the US, Roger reminded us the last big twin Yamaha of any note, was a Vision-based V-twin framer Sammy Halbert put in a few Mains some years back (see below).
Bauman will race a Yamaha 450 at Daytona, but, according to the AMA's website, in the first twins race of the year - in May - he'll be on a Super Tenere-based framer.
The Super Ten is a 1200 parallel twin, with shaft-drive. The shots above are from the pre-launch concept bike, but they show the engine architecture. I want to see exactly how they swap it to chain drive. G
Can't wait to see that in action, this summer.
ReplyDeleteMost shaft drive yamahas have the bevel gears for their shaft drive on the outside of the output shaft, so said shaft rotates anti-clockwise ie the right way for chain drive, so in the case of Babe DeMays XZ Vision it was carve away the casing, new output shaft and some sealed bearings, job done. XS750 and 850's are really easy to convert to chain drive too, for that authentic cafe look.
ReplyDeleteCheers
This very much excites me.
ReplyDeleteThought you might like it, Tom :D
ReplyDelete