Yamaha YZF 750 R7SBK

Hailed as Yamaha’s first serious attempt at winning the World Superbike title, the YZF R7 OW-02 arrived with much fanfare, hype and promise with its SBK debut in 1999. Unfortunately after only two seasons in SBK, Yamaha decided to cancel the R7project. This was a very “curious” decision to say the least as the R7 looked like it would be able to accomplish its goal.

The 99-debut season went about as well as expected for a new motorcycle. Aside from a few (expected) early season gremlins, the R7, in the hands of Nori Haga, showed immediately that the potential for a championship caliber machine was there. Despite lacking power, Haga ran with the front-runners at several rounds, taking a 4th place in the R7’s debut race at Kyalami.

Round 4 at Albacete, saw Haga take the R7 to its first win in Race 1. He looked to be on for a double win, before a mechanical problem took him of out Race 2, while he was leading and pulling away. Race 2 at Misano was another highlight of the 99 season, as only Haga and the R7 were able to challenge the factory Ducati of Carl Fogarty and Troy Corser. Unfortunately that race ended with Haga crashing out after half race distance. The fact that he was still fighting with the Ducati when he went out, spoke highly of the potential of the R7 and the talents of Haga as a rider.

The rest of the season showed, that despite the early promise of the R7, there was still a lot of development work to be done on the bike. Many wondered what that first season would have been like if the team hadn’t switched from Haga’s beloved Dunlops to Michelin tires. While the factory SBK team struggled with development, the national teams in Japan and Germany managed to pilot the R7 to titles in its debut season in the respective Superbike Championships of those countries.

2000 saw a more developed and focused R7/Haga package that lived up to all the goals of the OW-02 project. Taking multiple wins and numerous podiums highlighted by spectacular victories and races at Hockenheim and Assen. However all the hard work and success of the season was lost to a controversy with the FIM’s drug policy.

The revolved around the drug Ephedrine, a naturally occurring drug found in a lot of over the counter medicine. Part of Haga’s pre season program was to drop weight. To assist in this goal he included an herb (which included Ephedrine) to help lose the weight. Because of the nature of Ephedrine it isn’t out and out banned by the FIM from being in the systems of athletes, but limited to certain levels. Apparently at the first round in Kyalami Haga took some cold medicine (which unlnowningly contained Ephedrine). This medicine combined with Haga’s diet program put him over the allowed level of the substance when he was tested after the race.

Then champion Carl Fogarty said he almost suffered the same fate but was lucky enough to have had someone stop him from taking a sports drink before the race that would have put him over the allowed levels also. While rules are rules and have to be upheld, many people questioned the FIM’s handling of Haga’s case. Nobody ever questioned Haga’s talents, abilities and level of sportsmanship. Only the foolish would dare say that he was trying to or needed to cheat to win. Most felt it was an honest mistake and with Haga’s clean record and reputation for being a great ambassador of the sport, a fine would be the best and most appropriate way to handle this situation, while preserving an extremely exciting and competitive 2000 season.

The FIM felt otherwise and handed Haga an extremely harsh punishment (especially when considering the nature of the infraction and being a first time violator), not only stripping him of his points for the win but also banning him from the last round at Brands Hatch. In doing so they not only killed any title hopes Haga and the R7 had, but also robbed the fans of a last round title shoot out which was building between Nori and Colin Edwards. As a direct result of the FIM decision Edwards would go on to win the 2000 SBK title with Haga finishing second..

At the end of the 2000 season Yamaha announced they would no longer have a factory team in the SBK, thus sealing the fate of the R7 project after only two seasons. Despite never getting over the power deficit issue (perhaps a direct result of the canceled factory team), in the hands of very capable riders the R7 showed that it was a very competitive machine.

British Superbike riders Steve Hislop and James Haydon, while never race winners, made the a constant thorn in the sides of the factory Ducati teams. Gaining numerous poles and podiums. The signing of Anthony Gobert by the AMA Superbike factory Yamaha team in 2001 and 2002 saw the R7 not only running at the front but also winning races. Mechanical problems and injuries seemed to be the only thing from making the Gobert/R7 combination a yearlong title threat. We can only wonder “what if” Yamaha hadn’t canceled the factory SBK team.