MCAMS YAMAHA TEAM GETS SEASON READY WITH A LITTLE EVOTECH PERFORMANCE HELP!
Flowers bloom and birds might sing, but to thousands of motorcyclists the first round of the British Superbike Championship signals the arrival of spring. Now in its 30th year, the season start of this premier domestic superbike racing series – arguably the most exciting and respected on planet earth – still commands massive crowds. Donington Park GP race circuit is the venue for the first of 12 rounds that make up BSB 2018. Held over the Good Friday / Easter Monday Bank Holiday weekend of 31st March-2 April, it is sure to be a biggie.
In between manufacturing existing ranges of EP protection systems, we here at Evotech Performance have also been designing /developing new component parts for the latest crop of 2018 models e.g. Ducati Panigale V4. And somewhere in this busy schedule we have also been involved in assisting quite a number of top flight teams in getting ready to compete in BSB. Oh, not forgetting North West 200, IoM TT and many more international and national race series.
One such BSB team that called upon our engineering services (design and manufacture) was McAms Yamaha Team. In early January, we were delighted to once again make a cup of tea for McAms Yamaha’s Chris Anderson, Crew Chief Chassis Development, who called at our Alford factory to drop off one of the team’s Yamaha R1 BSB machines in order to accurately measure and fabricate required key component parts to suit chassis changes made since our work carried out last season.
Chris had a smile on his face. We at first thought it was the warming effect of a strong brew, but no. It turns out Chris is genuinely excited about the season ahead – with riders Josh Brookes and Tarran Mackenzie astride the team’s two Yamaha R1s, Chris and his fellow technicians are looking forward to some great racing.
Last season’s work by us involved carefully fitting the Suter swingarms and designing all of the front and rear speed sensors, wheel spacers, brake disc carriers all-round (inner rotors) and much more. For this season we’ve gone over old ground making small changes, as well as engineering new parts for other areas of the R1 bikes. Two such new components involved a mounting bracket for the ECU unit and a battery box to be retained inside the mid-section of the replica tail-seat unit. It took several hours alone to create a comprehensive 3D scan and subsequent computer work to create the required CAD files ready for the CNC machines and hand fabrication. When racing at the highest level, only the best will suffice and this means, more often than not, machining parts from billet aluminium to precise tolerances… very precise. And there was plenty more to be done.
In order for the team to run with the best equipment, practically all of the fabricated component parts are bespoke engineered for the team’s bikes. Not just for exact fit, but also to be able to cope with the rigours of racing; the vibration, constant hammering from less than smooth surfaces, the effect of G-forces from braking and acceleration and much more. As Chris Anderson said: “The most punishing track is probably Cadwell Park: it’s more like a tarmacked scrambler track.”
To date, the McAms Team R1 bikes will be kitted out with many Evotech Performance parts. Try this little lot for starters…
- EP Radiator Guard – bespoke to suit the MB supplied radiator.
- EP Oil Cooler Guard – as per the rad guard.
- Wheel spacers – front and rear (many sets)
- Speed sensor rings – front and rear
- Speed sensor mounts – front and rear
- Disc carriers – front and rear (many)
- Battery box & ECU holder
- Exhaust hanger (quite a few)
- Fairing brackets (several)
- Transponder bracket
For more information about McAms Yamaha Team and other aspects of British Superbike visit http://www.britishsuperbike.com/