From a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A.:

Factory Yamaha Team romps in Daytona tire test

The Factory Yamaha Road Race Team set the standard during the annual Daytona tire test January 3-5, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Not only did 20-year old Jason DiSalvo post the quickest lap in class on his Yamaha YZF-R1 Superstock machine, he also rode his new YZF-R6 to the quickest lap in the Supersport class. Just behind, Damon Buckmaster nabbed the second fastest Supersport time aboard another new R6, with last year’s Daytona Superstock winner and reigning Champion, Aaron Gobert, notched a fifth ranking on his Supersport-class R6. The final Factory Yamaha rider, last year’s second-place Daytona Superstock finisher Jamie Hacking, sat out the tire test to give last season’s collarbone injury more time to heal..

Trap speeds were spectacular, as DiSalvo ‘s YZF-R1 Superstock bike went a ballistic 193.281 mph. That’s within just 1.354 mph of the fastest Superbike-class machine during the tire test – remarkable since the rules allow Superbikes to be more heavily modified than Superstock machines like DiSalvo’s R1.

Damon Buckmaster was impressed with the evolutionary changes that have been made to his Superstock R1. “The team has been doing a lot of work on the R1 in the off season,” he says. “They’ve made the bike more rideable and manageable.”

Team manager Tom Halverson says 600 Supersport team riders also picked up significant top speed. “Last year the R6 would do about 167 or 168 though the traps, and now it’s up at about 171 mph,” he says. “The bigger throttle bodies that come on the new R6 are definitely adding to the top end, but we haven’t sacrificed any of the bottom or mid range.”

DiSalvo found big improvements in the R6 in the infield, thanks to the new the inverted fork and larger brakes. “The R6 is really strong in the infield,” DiSalvo says. “You can take it right up to the limit, and it’s really defined. The feedback is so good, it’s easy to stay right at the limit.”

The strong performance in both the Supersport and Superstock classes during the tire test bodes well for Team Yamaha’s chances in the upcoming racing season, which kicks off at Daytona on March 9-12. Halverson says, “We have a good mix of riders – two seasoned veterans, and two young guys – all with a lot of talent and enthusiasm. I think we have a great chance of winning both the Supersport and Superstock championships in 2005.”



More, from a press release issued by P.R. firm Vreeke & Associates on behalf of Dunlop:

Dunlop concludes tire testing session at Daytona International Speedway

Daytona, FL – Dunlop Motorcycle Tires concluded three days of tire testing Wednesday, January 5 at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in preparation for the 2005 AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) Superbike series. It was a productive session which utilized virtually all of the 1100 tires Dunlop brought to equip the Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha factory and support teams competing in the Superbike series, as well as the Superstock, Supersport and Formula Xtreme support classes.

“The elimination of the west banking—even with the increased number of turns on the infield—has positively impacted tire temperatures,” said Jim Allen, Dunlop’s manager of U.S. road racing, as he took measure of the changes made to DIS since the teams last competed here in March, 2004. “This track has always generated a lot of wear and heat in the left portion of the rear tire tread. With more infield turns, most of them lefts, we are still seeing wear on the left side,” explained Allen. “But tread temperatures are down, due to less time on the banking, and that is a very good sign.”

The unseasonably warm weather was a good barometer of the conditions expected for the AMA Superbike series kickoff in early March. Superbike competitors evaluated a number of Dunlop tires, six front tires and 14 rear tires in all. The variations included multi-compound rear tires and a new-generation rear tire designed to maximize turning and straight-line traction and stability. Superstock riders tested four front and six rear tires and the Supersport teams had various combinations as well.

Another significant change for the teams competing in the 2005 Daytona 200 is the AMA’s decision to run the Formula Xtreme (FX) class instead of the Superbikes. For this reason, Dunlop provided FX teams with four front and six rear tires to assess, including the multiple compounds noted above.

At the conclusion of the three-day test, Allen was pleased with the results. “Overall, the changes that have been made here will make for a better race, and we applaud Daytona’s management for stepping up to do so. We are looking forward to returning in March and the beginning of the AMA series.”

About Dunlop Tires

Dunlop Tires is the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the U.S. and the only manufacturer of motorcycle tires in North America. With North American operations headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Dunlop has been making and selling high-quality tires in the U.S. since 1923. For more information, please contact visit www.dunlopmotorcycle.com.