Big thanks to Jan Burssens for these pictures!
In 2007, Jan was at Assen in the pits and took these photos. He has asked me to share them with you. Many of these pictures are of the Caracchi team and there are a few of other bikes in the pits, including Xerox and some rare pictures of the MDT 749s. (I don't have time to post them immediately, so please check back later).
This pic above is interesting in that it shows the bike very clearly: the tiny battery holder can be seen behind the Samco hoses. The red 'stop' button on the left bar is used in place of a quick-shifter (the proper stop engine switch is above the dash). Also of interest is the rear seat support: it's a shaped strip of aluminium rather than the factory clips. Whether this was because the strips were better than the individual mountings or because the originals were lost in a crash, I don't know, but it does explain why one of my bikes has individual rear mounts from Corse and another doesn't.
These clip-ons are also on the red and silver '06 bike in other posts here. They do give good control and feel right on the bike. This picture (right) is from the 2007 Caracchi 749 I bought from Bursi. It shows the clip-ons in more detail, as well as the improvised quick shifter. Also, all the lovely titanium fasteners.
Here we can see the number 96 Smrz 999RS next to the 749R. Immediately you can see that the rear subframe is radically different to the 749. Where the 749 subframe suspends the exhaust, the 999 surrounds it and the exhaust can has mounts on the sides of the can whereas the 749 can uses a structure on the top of the can. On a Termi or Leo, the can has fittings which bolt into the can. On the Akra, this fixing is in the carbon strap which runs around the can.
Given that this bike is in it's fourth year of racing, it's in excellent condition. A testament to the mechanics and the team.
In 2007, Jan was at Assen in the pits and took these photos. He has asked me to share them with you. Many of these pictures are of the Caracchi team and there are a few of other bikes in the pits, including Xerox and some rare pictures of the MDT 749s. (I don't have time to post them immediately, so please check back later).
This picture clearly shows the blue Gubellini shock. Franco Gubellini supported Caracchi as a suspension consultant for 2007 and equipped two 749Rs with his distinctive shock absorbers. The forks are fitted with cartridges. The 2005 Imola bike has Ohlins superbike cartridges as fitted to the Briel bikes in '04. I'm not sure who made these cartridges, but they look a little like the Mupo units.
The radiator on this bike is from Franco Bursi. He told me that he had developed a radiator that placed the cooling fins at 45degrees to the airflow, significantly increasing cooling on hot circuits. It's too much for March at Brands Hatch tho!
This pic above is interesting in that it shows the bike very clearly: the tiny battery holder can be seen behind the Samco hoses. The red 'stop' button on the left bar is used in place of a quick-shifter (the proper stop engine switch is above the dash). Also of interest is the rear seat support: it's a shaped strip of aluminium rather than the factory clips. Whether this was because the strips were better than the individual mountings or because the originals were lost in a crash, I don't know, but it does explain why one of my bikes has individual rear mounts from Corse and another doesn't.
If you look very closely, you can just make out the lambda sensor in the rear cylinder. Also, this pic is clear enough to see the unusual clip-ons used on Nannellis bikes: they have numbers and are dated 2001 - too early to be from the 749R programme. John Hackett ran very flat, wide bars to help the rider turn the bike - as I've said before, the bars on the Caracchi bikes are very wide and it's possible that these gave Nannelli optimum leverage.
These clip-ons are also on the red and silver '06 bike in other posts here. They do give good control and feel right on the bike. This picture (right) is from the 2007 Caracchi 749 I bought from Bursi. It shows the clip-ons in more detail, as well as the improvised quick shifter. Also, all the lovely titanium fasteners.
Here we can see the number 96 Smrz 999RS next to the 749R. Immediately you can see that the rear subframe is radically different to the 749. Where the 749 subframe suspends the exhaust, the 999 surrounds it and the exhaust can has mounts on the sides of the can whereas the 749 can uses a structure on the top of the can. On a Termi or Leo, the can has fittings which bolt into the can. On the Akra, this fixing is in the carbon strap which runs around the can.
Over to the 999
Looking at the Magnetti Marelli dash and the absence of traction control, this looks like an early, pre '05 999RS, possibly the bike Lanzi rode in '05.
Seeing the 749 and 999 next to each other, it's tough to spot the difference. The frame has a top brace to add stiffness. The forks and the subframe are different, reflecting the different rules in WSS and WSB, but there are many similarities too: even without fairings, it's easy to see the shared DNA.
Please check back. I have some more pictures from Jan to post up.
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