Boosted for Speed Week Glory
Adam’s YZF-R3 Takes on the Salt Flats
What began as Adam Howe’s major university project quickly became a full-fledged land-speed record attempt. His goal? Take a YZF-R3—Yamaha’s entry-level machine—and push it to the limit. With a tiny VZ21 turbocharger and expert support from Deakin University, Adam has set his sights on setting a new 350cc Modified Partial Streamlined Blown Gas (MPS-BG) Australian class record at Lake Gairdner’s Speed Week.
Starting with a stock standard YZF-R3 producing 27kW (36.1hp) on the dyno, months of work followed, including fabricating a custom aluminium plenum and vital safety modifications. Initial turbo tests failed, with no boost registering, but frustration turned to triumph when a faulty turbo wastegate was pinpointed. Once corrected, power output surged to 44.5kW (59.7)—nearly double the original – with the engine running perfect and still in standard form.
Now, with final tuning complete, Adam is ready to take on Speed Week 2025 at the Lake Gairdner Salt Flats.
What began as an academic exercise has evolved into a serious record chase, proving that even a humble learner bike can achieve greatness. Get the full story at Motor | Life | Passion https://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/about-yamaha/motor-life-passion/2025/yzf-r3-speed-record
Christopher Dobie, Yamaha Motor Australia (YMA)