Yoshimura Suzuki Dominates the MotoAmerica AMA Superbike Track

Toni Elias hopes to get back to winning and regaining the points lead in AMA Superbike.

One of the most dominating teams in recent superbike history is Yoshimura Suzuki. They are off to a strong start for 2016, which marks the second season the team has been working with K&N. The team consists of Roger Hayden and Jake Lewis, and brought in Toni Elias to fill in for Lewis who suffered injuries during training in February. Elias was then added as a full-time team member for the entire season. It’s been a great fit for both. The former Moto2 World Champion, Elias created a sensation when he won his first three MotoAmerica AMA Superbike races on a K&N-equipped Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Veteran Yoshimura Suzuki team member Roger Hayden knows the key to championships is consistency. K&N filters play a huge role in doing so.

The Yoshimura Suzuki team opened the season strong, sweeping both legs of the season-opening doubleheader at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.  Elias and Hayden went one-two in both races, giving Yoshimura Suzuki one of the most memorable season openers in team history. Hayden, a two-time Superbike champion, was leading in both races, only to watch those leads evaporate due to red caution flags.

Being fast is just part of what makes a successful Superbike effort. Starting with a quality machine is vital and then it comes to preparation. That is where Yoshimura Suzuki really shines. Each part is scrutinized, tested, and abused to determine if it has what it takes to compete for the ultimate prize - the championship.

“The K&N filter products have been instrumental to our success with our road race program,” said Don Sakakura, Yoshimura Suzuki Vice President. “Clearly, properly filtered air and oil are extremely important to maintain consistency of engine performance. Oil filtration is extremely important with high operating temperatures; air filtration and flow are keys elements in maintaining engine life and maximizing performance.”

Cold and rainy conditions made the third round in New Jersey difficult for the team, who suffered crashes and, for Elias especially, who struggled to find his rhythm on the new bike in the harsh conditions.

Roger Hayden and Toni Elias make for a powerful one-two punch for K&N-backed Team Yoshimura Suzuki.

“I struggled a lot in wet conditions so in the first race I wasn’t able to get into the points,” Elias said. “We improved a lot for the second race and took home some points, but it’s not what we want, of course. I need more kilometers on the Suzuki in wet conditions to find the right set-ups. We have to accept and continue fighting and the next one we’ll be better for sure.”

The next round, coming up May 13-15. 2016 looks to be just what the team needs, with a 50-percent chance of rain on Friday, followed by sunny skies and warmer temperatures the rest of the weekend.

“Yoshimura superbikes won the first three out of four thus far in 2016,” Sakakura said. “Our goal is to continue racing for wins!”

You don’t have to race on the MotoAmerica superbike circuit to experience the improved performance of K&N and Yoshimura products for your motorcycle. You can buy the same parts the team uses on the track to make your daily commute a little more exhilarating.