| Author | Message | ||
     Dwiggs |
The dust has settled following the dealer meeting, yet I still can't help but feel something's missing (other than the blast, obviously). Perhaps still seeking the punchline to Court's "Sit down, shut up, hold on" build up, I found myself re-reading several articles regarding the proposed AMA 450cc singles class. After all, development of a 450cc road racer seems like the perfect outlet for technologies left over from Buell's dirtbike project given the company's new stance. And how awesome would a Buell super single be, right? Anyhow, the DMG plan calls for a single manufacturer/tuner to supply all of the motorcycles for the series. Interesting. Then it suddenly hit me. Perhaps there's more to the 1125RR story than just Superbike racing. I found it strange at first that Buell wanted to homologize a race kit for Superbike but were told they'd have to offer and support an entire race bike. But now I'm wondering if that wasn't just a prelude for what may be to come; an audition of sorts. Perhaps DMG just wanted to see if Buell was capable of building and supporting complete racebikes for a series (any series) before approving them as the sole manufacturer/tuner for the proposed AMA 450cc Singles class. How crazy would that be? I can see the headlines on Superbike Planet now. Could it happen? Is there any merit to this supposed epiphany? Should I have kept my tinfoil hat on? What say you all? | ||
| Trojan |
Put the tinfoil back on  The proposed 450 series is a bit misguided in my opinion. I have followed the progress of the 450GP class from its inception and have always thought it had the basis of a great club racers class simply because there are millions of base bikes out there ripe for conversion into competitive road racers. The concept has been adopted here in the UK (although take up has been very slow) and in Spain where a whole new series has been started. However, to restrict riders to a single maker supplied and run by the organisers renders the whole concept of affordable racing using existing chassis/engines nul and void, so you might as well race IL4 600's or any other format at AMA level. Running costs on 450 singles will not be as cheap as Gavin Trippe likes to make out, and they are likely to be on around the same level as a competitive club 600 or SV650 longer engine life than an MX based 450 motor. Lap times will be around the same or slower than current 125GP times so there will be a huge gap between jumping from a 450GP bike onto a AMA Superbike/Sportbike, especially as the Supersport class looks ilke being scrapped. Local rides won't be able to enter AMA races with their 450 bikes because they are unlikely to be the right make/model in order to fit into the tight AMA guidelines, so unless bikes are made available to 'wild card' riders on a race by race basis the series will be restricted to riders doing the full national season. Grids will therefore remain pretty low and restricted to those that can afford to run a whole season at the top rather than those with the talent to show through. Yet another poor decision by the AMA  Buell have abandoned their 450MX project so are unlikely to have the facilities or capacity to manufacture and supply bikes for the series (unless they use engines from an outside source of course). Given the recent job losses, stoppage of plants and well publicised drop in profits at H-D I can't see how this would be a profitable venture for them to be interested in. | ||
| Dentguy |
I can see the headlines on Superbike Planet now. Which headline? The one that says DMG changed it's name to BMG?  | ||
| Blake |
>>>... to restrict riders to a single maker supplied and run by the organisers renders the whole concept of affordable racing using existing chassis/engines nul and void... You mean like the Red Buell Rookies Cup and other such classes? Why would you presume that rental machines would not be available to local racers? Have you not been listening to Erik Buell, or do you just not believe that his interest is in supporting privateer racers? It's okay for MotoGP, but not the AMA? | ||
| Jens |
Well, Rotax have an impressive new 450cc single ready as I heared.... We will se who gonna buy it. Jens | ||
| Trojan |
You mean like the Red Buell Rookies Cup and other such classes? Why would you presume that rental machines would not be available to local racers? Have you not been listening to Erik Buell, or do you just not believe that his interest is in supporting privateer racers? It's okay for MotoGP, but not the AMA? You missed my point Blake. There is a growing class for converted 450MX bikes already throughout various US clubs, spearheaded by the USGPRU. In these classes competitors can use whatever 450 MX bike they like provided it fits into the basic rule package, and that is the whole point of the concept - to use existing 450 MX platforms to provide a relatively inexpensive race series. By specifying a 'spec' class at AMA level all of these local runners are denied the chance to use their exisiting 450 bikes in AMA competition. Unlike the Red Bull Rookies cup the 450 class is very unlikely to enjoy the same amount of outside asistance so will cost the competitors more to compete in. The most important aspect though is that it denies plenty of prospective competitors the chance to compete using their own bikes, and will limit grid sizes to the number of available 'rentabikes' supplied by the organisers. The way I read it at present is that riders won't have the opportunity to select which rounds they want to race in. It will be either all in for the season or not at all rather than being able to 'rent' a bike for selected local rounds. We have seen here in the UK in series such as the R6 and R1 cup that such 'rentabike' concepts tend to start off quite well supported, but half way through the season the backmarkers tend to drop out when they realise that they have no chance of winning the title and don't want to commit to the rest of the season renting a bike at the back of the field. By seasons end you are lucky to get 10 riders on the start line Far beter to open up the competition to owner riders who have already committed to building and running a bike for a full season. | ||
| Trojan |
Well, Rotax have an impressive new 450cc single ready as I heared.... We will se who gonna buy it. Is this the same as the BMW 450 motor? For those interested in the 450GP concept, here is the Spanish solution, which is the best I have seen so far I think http://www.450gp.com/EN/index.html | ||
| Blake |
Good points Matt. I assume that any sponsoring factory would be obliged to provide absolutely full support through the entire season. | ||
| Jens |
Matt, as I heared its a new one. Jens |
