Sabre V4

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Sabre V4
Manufacturer Sabre Sports Ltd
Felsted
Essex
CM6 3LF
UK
Production 2001
Class 500cc
Engine Yamaha YZR500 two-stroke V4 500 cc

Contents

[edit] Sabre V4

The Sabre V4 was a 500cc two stroke motorcycle that competed in the 2001 500cc World Championship. It utilised a Yamaha YZR500 engine which was housed in a custom made frame.

[edit] Background

Sabre Sports had been offered a slot in the 250cc World Championship midway through the 1999 season, to replace the Docshop 250 team. Their performance led to the offer being extended to the 500cc class for 2000. During this year the team ran a Honda NSR500V and while they had respectable results, realised that a V4 was needed to run further up the order.

[edit] Machine development

Unable to lease a V4 from any manufacturer, the team decided to build its own bike around a 1994 YZR500 (OWF9) engine, a version generally regarded as one of the best of the YZR designs. Standard YZR crankcases and gearbox were used and custom engine internals, exhausts and ignition systems were added letting the engine output some 175 BHP. The chassis was designed and manufactured by Sabre Sports Ltd.

[edit] Racing history

Johan Stigefelt was contracted to ride the Sabre during 2001 and put in some good performances, regularly being the best privateer in the field. The machine scored points on three occasions, its best being a 13th at the Portuguese Grand Prix. It finished the Constructors Championship in fifth place on 6 points (3 points ahead of the Pulse team).

Whilst development of the Sabre was ongoing throughout the year, the future of two stroke 500cc racing was in severe doubt with the impending arrival in the class of four stroke 990cc machines, which were to eventually make the two strokes redundant. The FIM also declared that only eleven teams would be allocated grid slots for the next five years. As the Sabre team was the most recent team to join and the class was already fully subscribed, they were not allocated a grid slot for 2002.

The Sabre V4 only raced once more at the Macau Grand Prix in November 2002 where rider Chris Palmer scored 14th position, after qualifying in 20th.

[edit] Specifications

Sabre V4 Specifications
Engine Type: 2 stroke water cooled 500cc V4
Max Power: claimed 175 BHP
Final Drive: Chain
Suspension: Front: Inverted telescopic
Rear: Ohlins mono shock
Tyres: Dunlop
Brake System: Front: Carbon composite disc, Nissin 4 pot calipers
Rear: steel disc

[edit] References

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