At the end of 2000, Dorna, a Spanish company which has held the commercial rights to the MotoGP world championship since 1992
after an agreement with the FIM, announces a historic turning point with the planned transition from the 500cc 2-stroke to the 990cc 4-stroke MotoGP. The calendar is defined as follows:
– 2001 500cc 2-stroke
– 2002 500cc 2-stroke or MotoGP 990cc 4-stroke
– 2003 MotoGP 990cc 4-stroke
If this allowed the arrival of new manufacturers in the premier category, like Aprilia with its 3-cylinder Cube (see here) since 2002, Proton (see here), WCM (see here) in 2003, Moriwaki in 2004 (see here) and Sauber Petronas… never (see here), this also led to the end of a few craftsmen appearing in 500cc, such as the Paton in 2001 (see here), the Pulse Muz with Swissauto V4 engine, and the Saber V4 which is the subject of this article.
The British Saber Sport team was formed in 1996 by Keith Newnham in the hope of producing Britain's first world champion in the premier Grand Prix class since Barry Sheene in the 70s.
As you have to start somewhere, Saber Sport entered the British Superbike championship with a Kawasaki ZXR750 to Ray Stringer and a maiden Privateers Superbike rider title repeated the following year.
In 1998, the title slipped from the Essex-based organization following the fall of Max Vincent who was hired as number one driver to compensate for the appointment of Ray Stringer as pilot manager.
But after three years of learning in British Superbike, it was time to get closer to the Grand Prix goal. For this, two-stroke experience was required, and with British Superbike no longer accepting two-stroke motorcycles, two Honda NSR500 V Twins were purchased to enable Ian Lougher to race the Northwest 200 and Isle of Man TT in 1999. Saber Sport thus became the first team since 1989 to place a Grand Prix machine on the podium in the senior TT race.
Other times, other customs, and so in June 1999, Saber Sport was contacted by IRTA and Dorna to offer it a place on the 250 grid for the rest of the season. Scott Smart is then hired to drive the newly purchased Aprilia. The team competed in the remaining 8 Grands Prix, with a best result of 12th at the Spanish GP in Valencia.
It's hard to believe today but at the end of the season IRTA and Dorna invite Saber Sports to move up to the premier 500cc category for 2000!
Shane Norval is hired and two new NSR500 V Twins are purchased from Honda. The season started well, the driver obtained some good results, but unfortunately, at the Qatar GP, he was hit by Max Biaggi and breaks his arm. During the following two Grands Prix, Ron Haslam et Callum Ramsey ride for the team, then Phil Giles short for the rest of the season, with very moderate success.
This does not discourage the small English team which is thinking big and looking for a more powerful V4 machine for 2001! Unable to rent a factory motorcycle, the team set about building their own, based on a 0 Yamaha YZR 9WF1994. During the winter of 2000/2001, the Saber V4 was designed and built in the new team premises in Essex, England.
Under the technical direction of Stuart Nicholls, the team designed a mix between the 1994 Yamaha YZR chassis, considered by many (but not Wayne Rainey) as one of the best from the Iwata firm, and the 1995 ROC manufactured in Annemasse, but builds its own frame and swingarm. YZR crankcases and gearbox are also used while some internal engine components, exhausts and ignition are custom made to produce 175 horsepower with 35mm Keihin carburettors. Basically, it's still very close to a Yamaha...
The Team Manager Martin Newnham commits Johan Stigefelt to pilot the new machine, two examples of which were built. The Saber V4 was used for the first IRTA test in Estoril, Portugal, in April 2001. The bike's performance exceeded the team's expectations. Throughout the 2001 season, the bike enjoyed some success for a private machine, including a 13th place in Portugal, and Johan Stigefelt managed to score a total of 6 points on three occasions (compared to 325 on Valentino Rossi on the Honda).
Unfortunately for the English team, the tide is turning against the two-stroke machines. Plans are being announced to phase out 500cc 2-stroke motorcycles and replace them with 990cc four-stroke machines. Early indications are that the new four-stroke machines are outperforming even the best factory two-stroke machines and the future looks bleak for a small team on a limited budget. In addition, only eleven teams will be accepted for the next five years.
Saber Sport being the last 500cc team to join the world championship, it was not offered a place on the grid for 2002. The story ends there, or almost, but shows to what extent things have become professional in a few years…
In fact, the bike will reappear in 2002 in Macau but especially in 2003 during three MotoGP races under the team's banner. Harris WCM with the Spanish David de Gea on the handlebars, after the bike he started the team's season with was disqualified. But that's another story (visible here).
Find here the history of Paton 500cc, Aprilia Cube 3 cylinders, Proton, WCM, Moriwaki, Kawasaki 500c and MotoGP, Ilmor, Sauber Petronas
Source and photo credits: Saber Sports
