Team KTM and Team Roberts acrimonious MotoGP split
from Motorcycles (325 articles)
Team KTM and Team Roberts acrimonious MotoGP split
Image Gallery ( 10 images )August 21, 2005 Sadly, black litigious clouds have formed over the MotoGP paddock, specifically directly over the pits of KTM and Team KR, whose interpretations of what their relationship has been until now differ enormously. KTM announced a dissolution of the relationship on August 12, stating it was no longer intending to provide engines for the team’s grand prix effort and was cancelling all its activities with the team. Though it had been no secret that KTM was on the verge of pulling out for some time, Team Roberts has subsequently issued a statement refuting a number of KTM’s claims and claiming that it had been informed of the decision simultaneously with the public announcement. Read both parties' conflicting statements inside.
Team Roberts is now in its 20th year of Grand Prix racing, formed by one of MotoGP’s most popular and successful riders in history. Roberts broke the mould in Grand Prix racing which had been dominated by European riders from the beginning. He arrived in 1978 as a graduate of the American Dirt Track circuit’s school of hard knocks and immediately set the circuits alight with his spectacular sideways riding style, and can be regarded as the first of the new school of riders to “drift” a motorcycle under power.
Roberts style was aided by years of experience on the mile dirt track ovals of America where riders were accustomed to exiting turns at extreme speeds with the rear wheel searching for traction, plus the extreme power being developed by his Yamaha YZR500. The YZR was an in-line four producing no less than 120 horsepower and with a strong mid-range thanks to Yamaha’s YPVS powervalve system which raised and lowered the height of the two-stroke’s exhaust port and enabled the formerly peaky two-stroke engine to have a controllable and broad enough power surge to be able to control the spinning wheel sufficiently do have the rider purposefully “slide” under power. His sideways riding style was considered beyond radical at the time, but is now a prerequisite for competitiveness at the highest level.
His expertise as a development rider saw him quickly dial in his motorcycle to circuits he had never seen before and to the astonishment of the motorcycle world he won the World’s premier title at his first attempt, then in one of the most remarkable year’s in racing history he backed it up again in 1979 and 1980 despite BREAKING HIS BACK in a pre-season accident in January 1979. But despite winning the AMA’s Grand slam and three world titles, it was his expertise as a development rider and home-taught engineer that seemed likely to take him beyond his riding years as a motorcycle developer. He helped develop the aluminium chassis technology for Yamaha, and worked with Ohlins on the development of sophisticated road racing suspension, having a hand in the development of bikes which won a subsequent six titles after he’d hung up his leathers.
Roberts and his long-term association with Yamaha was terminated when he began Team Roberts and for many years his innovations in chassis design have been waiting for an engine of competitive standing. Sadly, the engine that was expected to be Team KR’s first truly competitive engine was the KTM – with Roberts ability to develop sweet-handling motorcycles and a strong engine, Team KR was expected to become competitive. Now it looks unlikely that the team will be able to meet even the most rudimentary goals of being able to afford tyres and the basic necessities.
KTM’s official statement
KTM’s official statement of August 12 reads as follows:
Austrian motorcycle company KTM has announced that it is no longer in a position to act as engine supplier to Team Roberts in the MotoGP World Championship.
The decision was taken after careful consideration by KTM management but does not impact on KTM’s participation in other FIM Road Racing categories.
