Oliver Bayliss | MotorCycle News

Oli Bayliss joins the Supersport field for 2019

By Mark Bracks

There will be plenty written about Oli Bayliss this year as he debuts in the 600cc Supersport Championship. As reported in our extensive Supersport wrap, at the end of the recent ASBK two-day test young Bayliss was third fastest. A remarkable effort considering his tender years.

ASBK TBG FebTest PI Oli Bayliss TBG — Oli Bayliss – Image by TBG Sport

So how did those close to him reckon he went? We spoke to his famous father Troy, and also his new Crew Chief, mentor and as he says ‘new Dad’, the vastly experienced Glen Richards.

Richards has been around race tracks and paddocks for decades and brings a wealth of experience with him as a rider, mechanic, crew chief, rider advisor and mentor.

First up Troy Bayliss

MCNews: How do you rate Oli’s first days on the bike.

Troy: Ollie has now had six days on the bikes and he’s been impressive, getting better and better, and he hasn’t scathed one yet. He’s absolutely loving it, so I’m sure he’s going to learn a lot come the first race. No one wants to show him anything on track, he’s done it all by himself.

ASBK Testing SB Phillip Island Rob Mott Troy BAYLISS — Troy Bayliss – Image by Rob Mott

“The only time he’s been with anyone was with me, at Morgan Park to do a few laps. But that’s it, you don’t believe what anyone here in this paddock tells you… You do not. Unless you’re talking to me, I’ll tell you the truth. You have to work it out for yourself, and he’s going to have to work a lot of things out when it comes to the first race. But he’s having a great time, we’re looking forward to seeing how the season goes.”

Glen Richards on Oli Bayliss

MCNews: And Glen can you explain your role with Oli and how it came to be?

Glen Richards: “I’m the new dad now, aren’t I, I’m Oli’s dad! I’m doing quite a few jobs really. I’m looking after Oli, as in a crew chief role, obviously in a small team it’s a hand on job, compared to where I was a crew chief in BSB in the last few years. I’ve got one extra set of hands in Jonno at the track, so there’s two of us. I enjoy that side, I like being hands on, I’m just trying to do the best job I can, in giving Oli as much experience from my point of view, which is obviously always going to be a little bit different to his dad’s.

Oli Bayliss R Glen Richards — Oli Bayliss will work with Glen Richards for ASBK season 2019

“Ben [Henry] back at the workshop has done a fantastic job and got the engines working well, Troy has been flat out helping me build the bikes, we only started building the bikes less than a month ago. We’ve done quite a bit of testing now and Oli has done 37s first time – he did 37.4s and last time he was racing he was doing 49s on the a 300, so he’s having a massive steep learning curve. All credit to him, he’s chipped away at it, bit by bit, got faster and faster, as the testing has gone on, so I’m well impressed with his attitude and his ability to work through a little program of testing. At 15 years of age I think it’s amazing really.

“I helped Alex Lowes with many things, I did three years in WorldSBK and at that stage I had retired from racing, but was still riding the Suzuki as a test rider, and helping Alex at race meetings. After three years of that it was one of those things, he was sort of moving forward with his career, and I wanted to be a bit more hands on, on the bikes, so I became a crew chief in the BSB, where I was working purely on the motorbike with Jake Dixon. Again that was a little team and I really enjoyed that but now I’m back in Australia and I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I spoke to Troy about helping out with Ollie and so far what we’ve done the last month has been a massive job to build two bikes and test, you know in a month, but we’ve done it. Like I said there’s a very good base, with Cube Racing, and the help that Troy has around him, an easy thing to do, to set the 600 team up really.”

Oli Bayliss R Troy Glen — Oli Bayliss, Glen Richards and Troy Bayliss

Supersport Combined Practice Times

2019 ASBK PI Test

Tom TOPARIS (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:35.295
Nicholas LIMINTON (SA) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:37.273
Oli BAYLISS (QLD) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:37.492
Broc PEARSON (QLD) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:37.588
Reid BATTYE (NSW) Suzuki GSX-R 1:38.134
Sam LAMBERT (NT) MV Agusta F3 1:38.142
Aidan HAYES (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:38.496
Scott NICHOLSON (VIC) Suzuki GSX-R 1:39.013
Ty LYNCH (SA) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:39.136
Ryan TAYLOR (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:39.182
Rhys BELLING (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:39.591
Jack PASSFIELD (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:39.657
Luke MITCHELL (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:39.776
Chris QUINN (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:39.782
Luke SANDERS (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:40.723
Andrew EDSER (NSW) Kawasaki ZX6R 1:40.831
Dallas SKEER (SA) Suzuki GSX-R 1:41.012
Daniel LEONARD (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:44.081

Source: MCNews.com.au

Oli Bayliss to race Australian Supersport

Images by Karlos Neale / Motorcycle Pics

Oli Bayliss will race a Cube Performance Centre prepared Yamaha YZF-R6 in 2019 as the 15-year-old makes his debut in the Australian Supersport Championship. He threw a leg over his newly prepared YZF-R6 race machines for the first time last week at Morgan Park.

Motorcycling Australia made an amendment to the rules in late 2018 to allow racers under the age of 16, who demonstrate the ability to race at a high standard safely, to race in the larger capacity class. This has allowed Oli, who was hampered by his size in the smaller Supersport 300 class, to step up to 600 Supersport and further hone his racing skills in a class more suitable to his frame.

Oli Bayliss R — Oli Bayliss on the Cube Racing Yamaha YZF-R6

I asked him a few questions about his first experience with the bigger machine and the year ahead.

I know you are used to big hits of power Oli, from your time on 450 motocross bikes on the dirt and also on oil tracks, and also used to very litte power from the 300s you have been racing for the last couple of seasons, so what stands out the most in regards to the Supersport machine now you have had some time to get your head around it? It should certainly suit your physical size a lot better.

Oli – “The weight, power, brakes, and having to manhandle the bike compared to the 300.”

Oli Bayliss R Pits Ducati — Cube Racing Yamaha YZF-R6

Glen Richards prepped your bikes and is going to be in your corner for season 2019. Apart from the pommy accent he has picked up after all those years in the UK, how is that working out?

Oli – “Glen is great, I’ve spent a few days in and out of the track and he’s great, and fast.”

You fully recovered and back up to strength after breaking your arm on the mountain bike late last year? You stronger than dad on the bicycle?

“I still have a bit until I’m up to speed with dad on the uphill, but I definitely have him covered on the downhill, jumps and style especially!”

What are your expectations for this coming season? With the likes of Cru Halliday stepped back up to Superbike, and Max Croker heading to Superbike also, who do you see as likely your main opposition?

“Everyone, I could name heaps, I just want to do one thing, and that is win.”

That last statement certainly confirms he is a chip off the old block.

Team Owner, Ben Henry

“Oli has proven that he has the skill to race, and race well, so I’m really glad to see Motorcycling Australia recognise and address the issue facing young racers like Oli, where their age could slow their progression in the sport. I’m excited to see how competitive he can become throughout the season as he learns and adapts to the bigger, more complex style of racing that comes with stepping up in class, and I’m confident that he’ll do well.”

Oli Bayliss R Ben Henry — Oli Bayliss with Ben Henry

Images by Karlos Neale / Motorcycle Pics

The first official test for the 2019 season takes place 2-3 February in Phillip Island where Oli and the Cube Racing team get a chance to shake down the new bike before the first round, alongside the first round of the World Superbike Championship (WSBK).

Oli Bayliss Supersport Graphics — Initial artists impression of the livery the 2019 Cube Racing R6 will be campaigned by Oli Byaliss in ASBK – Underground Designs

2019 ASBK Calendar

Official ASBK Test – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC February 2 – 3
Round 1- WSBK – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC February 21 – 24
Round 2- Wakefield Park Raceway – Goulburn NSW March 22 – 24
Round 3- The Bend Motorsport Park – Tailem Bend, SA April 26 – 28
Round 4- Morgan Park Raceway – Warwick, QLD July 5 – 7
Round 5- Winton Motor Raceway – Benalla, VIC September 6 – 8
Round 6- Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC October 4 – 6
Round 7- Sydney Motorsport Park – Eastern Creek, NSW November 1 – 3

Round	Location	Date	SBK	SSPT	SSP300	R3 Cup	OCE J Cup	Sidecars	Masters
ASBK Test	Phillip Isl	2-3 Feb	X	X	X	X	X
Round 1	Phillip Isl	21-24 Feb	X	X	X
Round 2	Wakefield	22-24 Mar	X	X	X	X	X	X
Round 3	The Bend	26-28 Apr	X	X	X
Round 4	Morgan P	5-7 Jul	X	X	X	X	X		X
Round 5	Winton	6-8 Sep	X	X	X	X	X	X
Round 6	Phillip Isl	4-6 Oct	X	X	X	X	X	X
Round 7	Eastern C	1-3 Nov	X	X	X	X	X		X

Source: MCNews.com.au

MotorCycle News

Tag Archives: Oliver Bayliss

Oli Bayliss and the switch to Supersport 600

Oli Bayliss joins the Supersport field for 2019

First up Troy Bayliss

Glen Richards on Oli Bayliss

Oli Bayliss tests R6 for 2019 ASBK Supersport campaign

Oli Bayliss to race Australian Supersport

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