In OTT’s video the other day Ben Spies revealed that he is riding a Yamaha M1 2009 chassis spec and that the team hasn’t received and upgrades this year and now the two riders have decided to take the situation in hand and are requesting from Yamaha upgrades for their Tech3 motorcycles ahead of their home race at Laguna Seca.
Both riders have cited more or less the same issues, problems with grip and having trouble accelerating out of corners and that their bikes are down on performance compared to the Honda’s.
Speaking to SpeedTV.
com Spies stated :”I’m happy with the way I’m riding but I think we’ve got handcuffs on right now, I feel Colin Edwards and I are riding the package we’ve got the best we can but Yamaha needs to step up for the satellite bikes.
With the Honda satellite bikes there is not a huge difference to the factory bikes, but there is a pretty big gap at Yamaha.
Colin and I are hurting right now that’s for sure.
“We should get something extra; I don’t know what, or even if we can keep it for the rest of the races.
” said Edwards who sent an email to Yamaha’s management requesting the upgrades.
Spies is dead right about the Honda satellite bikes.
LCR’s Randy de Puniet, who has taken off from the front row three times so far this season and finished fourth at Montmelò, according to team manager Lucio Cecchinello, is using a RC212V based on Andrea Dovizioso’s development input, and for the Catalunya GP received a new chassis and for the upcoming Sachsenring round he’ll be getting an electronics upgrade that will make his privateer Honda much closer to the factory bike.
Just to add a little spice to the situation, we wonder what Casey Stoner will have to say about the Yamaha Tech3 duo, after his controversial: “The satellite riders complain so much about the bikes they’ve got these days – their bikes are basically factory.
Freaking three or four per cent off a factory bike and they’ll whinge, complain and whine.
It’s just tiring.
”