Racetrack Refugee

RACETRACK REFUGEE

American FLYERS

Russell-replica YZF

JEFF SCHWARTZ IS A sick man, a certifiable, bikes-in-the-bedroom, two-wheeled nutcase.

Lord love him. The Illinois resident lays claim to an Aprilia RSV Mille R, a Bimota YB11, a Honda XR200 and the stunning Scott Russell-replica Yamaha YZF750 pictured here.

The Yamaha is an ongoing effort, the type of project that’s never really finished. Schwartz purchased the bike new in 1997. “Number one Fve always been a Yamaha guy,” he explains. “Two, the YZF had a comfortable riding position and really good suspension. The only thing missing was a little horsepower.”

As luck would have it, Schwartz came across a batch of factory hop-up partsbrake lines, 4-into-2-into-l exhaust with carbon-fiber muffler, clutch springs, deep-sump oil pan, digital oil-temperature gauge,

16,000-rpm tachometer and oil pump-oh, and a set of Dymag wheels. He got it all for $1400.

Then, even better luck.

“In ’98, I was down in Daytona, and Yamaha’s (race chief) Tom Halverson asked if I wanted to help out on Russell’s crew with pit stops,” Schwartz says. Russell won the 200, and the crew set a record for fuel and tire change-6.6 seconds! While in Daytona, Schwartz located an ex-Tom Kipp Sharkskinz seat cowl complete with carbon-fiber anti-draft panel and telemetry trapdoor.

“When 1 got home,” Schwartz beams, “I’d been on the pit crew of the winning team, and I had this tailsection. So I decided to commemorate my involvement by making a race replica.”

These days, the everevolving machine (latest add-ons are Brembo brake rotors and a kit swingarm) weighs 411 pounds with a full load of fuel, or about 15 pounds less than a YZFR6. With the race-kit exhaust and jetting changes, the inline-Four makes 110 horsepower at the rear wheel.

Is the end in sight? “I’ve got a YZF 1000 engine,” Schwartz adds, smiling. “That’s the future. A little headwork, a little overbore...”

Sick, really sick.

Matthew miles