2007 YZF-R1 illegal for AMA Superbike

[Warchild]

From Superbikeplant.com this morning:

The '07 R1 that Yamaha debuted this week looks to have all of the hardware and software a speed junkie would include on a list if he were building a machine to race in the Superbike class. The new R1 features titanium intake valves, fly by wire throttle, 178 horsepower, and a back-torque-limiting slipper clutch among other niceties.
It's a Superbike star out of the box. Too bad it's actually illegal for the class.

The 2006 AMA Superbike rule book as published in both paper and digital form specifically excludes variable length intake systems.

Under the section entitled EQUIPMENT STANDARDS BY ROAD RACE CLASS the rulebook states on page nine under the heading Fuel injection throttle body assemblies:

Variable-length fuel injection intake tract devices that function while the engine is operating are prohibited.

Clearly Yamaha's YCCI (Yamaha Chip Controlled-Intake) system is a functioning variable intake system.

Numerous calls to AMA Pro Racing Director of Technical Development Kevin Crowther have not been returned.

Yamaha has stepped into dangerous territory with this system because, unlike traction control which the AMA was never capable of regulating or policing, this system is easily identifiable hard parts that even a cave man technical inspector or bottom-rung dealer mechanic could identify.

And while trying to predict what a sanctioning body will do in the future is like trying to herd 100 cats, it would seem that there stands a decent chance of this Yamaha being allowed to race in Superbike with its variable intake system intact. A rule change might happen and would be based on the most easily-justifiable reason for a rule change: the currently banned equipment is now standard on a production streetbike.

Traction control was cleared for use in AMA Superbike after a decade or more of being banned. And at the time it was made legal, no street models homologated for Superbike featured user-actuated alternative engine mapping. What the Yamaha features in its intake tract used to be very expensive factory race kit material or MotoGP-spec equipment but is now availible to anyone who wants to buy an R1. It should be legal.

[SIZE=14pt]Update:[/SIZE] The AMA's Crowther did phone back after this story was posted to say that a change to the Superbike rules regarding variable intake systems has been approved but not yet communicated. In layman's terms the new rule states that if the variable intake equipment does come on the streetbike, it is legal for the class. Good news as our resident gear-head looked over the loose specs for the '07 R1 and said it will probably roll to the grid with the flatest torque-curve in the Superbike class to date, which should help make it a contender out of the box.

 

[Randy]

Expect good things from Team Blue in Superbike next year. Quite often, the Superstock bikes were qualifying with times that would have put them in the 1st or 2nd row for Superbike. With this new platform, we'll have the arrow, just hope we have the right indians.

 

[slapnpop]

I'd like to know if the rule change was "approved but not communicated" before or after yamaha's design decisions....

 

[Randy]

I'd like to know if the rule change was "approved but not communicated" before or after yamaha's design decisions....

AMA wants as many factorys in the show as possible. They are losing Duc due to their failure to allow a larger displacement or weight reduction. Conversation probably went something like 'if you want us in, you'll make the change'. I'm sure there were super secret discussions conducted with the AMA prior to the release of the bike.

 

[Geezer]

The racing issues aside, that looks like one sweet bike for a reasonable price.

 

[slapnpop]

I'd like to know if the rule change was "approved but not communicated" before or after yamaha's design decisions....

AMA wants as many factorys in the show as possible. They are losing Duc due to their failure to allow a larger displacement or weight reduction. Conversation probably went something like 'if you want us in, you'll make the change'. I'm sure there were super secret discussions conducted with the AMA prior to the release of the bike.

I guess I should have phrased what was in my head better. I wonder if:

a.Yamaha pushed the issue forward at the AMA because they wanted it on the R1 anyway

b. if they figured the AMA would adopt it if they put it on the bike, and none of the other factories would have it yet.

Probably a mixture of both, and I'm sure it was discussed with the AMA before they went forward.

Worse case scenario if the rule hand't been changed is the race team would have to disable or replace it with a stationary intake, keeping the rest of the new bike.