ROAD RACING - Spies Heads for Japan
By Henny Ray Abrams
Getting Ready 10/3/2007
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies is getting a head start on his MotoGP experience.
The two-time AMA Superbike Champion flew to Japan on Wednesday to get fitted for, then do exploratory laps on, the Suzuki GSV-R800 that he’ll formally test in Sepang on the Monday after the October 21 Malaysian Grand Prix.
Spies, who was flying to Japan for the first time, is to meet the Suzuki brass at the company’s headquarters in Hamamatsu before testing the GSV-R at Suzuki’s Ryuyo Testing Grounds. He returns to Texas on Sunday.
Spies will ride John Hopkins’ bikes in Sepang and work with Hopkins’ crew chief, Stuart Shenton, who guided Kevin Schwantz to his 1993 500cc World Championship, Rizla Suzuki team manager Paul Denning said at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Sepang test may or may not be the only time Spies rides the GSV-R this year. Both Spies and Denning said it was unlikely that he’d ride it again at the tests following the Valencia season finale in early November. The team has a day and a half to test and plenty to accomplish. Loris Capirossi, the newest Rizla Suzuki rider, will be making his debut on the 2008 GSV-R, which Chris Vermeulen will also be anxious to test.
Denning said it “could be difficult, simply because of the crews available. If you’re going to do the job, it has to be done properly. And it’s something we have been looking into, but it may be difficult to facilitate at Valencia.”
By Henny Ray Abrams
Getting Ready 10/3/2007
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies is getting a head start on his MotoGP experience.
The two-time AMA Superbike Champion flew to Japan on Wednesday to get fitted for, then do exploratory laps on, the Suzuki GSV-R800 that he’ll formally test in Sepang on the Monday after the October 21 Malaysian Grand Prix.
Spies, who was flying to Japan for the first time, is to meet the Suzuki brass at the company’s headquarters in Hamamatsu before testing the GSV-R at Suzuki’s Ryuyo Testing Grounds. He returns to Texas on Sunday.
Spies will ride John Hopkins’ bikes in Sepang and work with Hopkins’ crew chief, Stuart Shenton, who guided Kevin Schwantz to his 1993 500cc World Championship, Rizla Suzuki team manager Paul Denning said at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Sepang test may or may not be the only time Spies rides the GSV-R this year. Both Spies and Denning said it was unlikely that he’d ride it again at the tests following the Valencia season finale in early November. The team has a day and a half to test and plenty to accomplish. Loris Capirossi, the newest Rizla Suzuki rider, will be making his debut on the 2008 GSV-R, which Chris Vermeulen will also be anxious to test.
Denning said it “could be difficult, simply because of the crews available. If you’re going to do the job, it has to be done properly. And it’s something we have been looking into, but it may be difficult to facilitate at Valencia.”
