Stauffer testing the all-new big-bang R1 at the Creek

When the new-look Australian Superbike Championship lines up at Phillip Island later this month, one of the title favourites in both the Superbike and the Supersport class will be Yamaha Racing Team rider Jamie Stauffer.

Armed with the revolutionary 2009 model Yamaha YZF-R1 in the Superbikes, two times series champion Stauffer will be eager to reclaim his number one status after losing it to Honda’s Glenn Allerton last season.

Stauffer has already ridden the new ‘big-bang’ R1 in standard trim and is confident that it has the right ingredients to fight back and snatch the title back — a feat which would tie him with Shawn Giles as three times champ.

“As a standard bike the new R1 felt really good, so I’m excited to get on our race bike with some suspension and engine work to see how they go,” said the 29-year-old. “The engine makes the bike a lot of fun to ride and it’s nice to have something different than the usual four-cylinder engine. It would have to be the best sounding bike that I’ve ever heard.

“It’s going to turn some heads out there, so hopefully at the same time while everybody is enjoying the sound of it they can watch it winning races as well.”

Stauffer is confident that he can reclaim the series that he dominated in 2006 and 2007, striving to shrug off the uncharacteristic crashes from last year in order to give himself a better shot at the title.

“I’m looking forward to this season actually,” he said. “Last year was a hard year for me with a few crashes and stuff. This year’s a new year and we’ve got the new bike to play with, so I’m looking forward to getting down to Phillip Island and seeing how it all goes.”

Also a two times Supersport champion, Stauffer will be defending his crown on the largely unchanged YZF-R6.

“I don’t think I’ll have a problem adapting back to the 600 from the R1 with the cross-plane engine, but we’ll see how it all develops and the results will speak for themselves in the end,” he said.

Stauffer is uncertain whether he’ll start the season on the new R1 or if he’ll ride last year’s model, although if he has it his way he’ll be on the new bike from the word go.

“We’re hoping to be on it from the opening round at the Island, but it depends on development and availability of parts and so forth,” he explained. “2008 wasn’t a good year so I’d rather start fresh on the new 2009 model [laughs].”

For some riders, second place in the Australian Superbike Championship plus a Supersport crown would be a dream come true, but it wasn’t up to Jamie Stauffer’s standards and he’s determined to make amends for it this year.