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Blake
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 02:19 pm: | 
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What Duc engine gurus?
Just for fun, some theoretical musings... 
A 1080cc (1.08 L) the stock 71.5mm stroke should be able to turn near 10,000 rpm in race form maybe more.
That yields a dynamic displacement of near 10,800 Liter-Revolutions per minute (LRPM)
The XBRR and 600cc FX machines are in the same ballpark are they not?
Some rough estimating...
Bump up peak HP rev by 25% to 9750 RPM; bump compression ratio up 20% to 12:1; bump displacement up 10%; multiplying all three together yields a total potential increase to the power producing parameters of 65%. Multiply that by Ducati's own published 95 HP inertial dyno performance and you have 157 HP.
Check versus Buell XBRR and the 600cc FX bikes...
For XBRR: Displacement is up by 1339/1203=1.113 or 11.3%; compression ratio is up 20%, and peak HP engine speed is up 8000/6800=1.176 or 17.6% for a total of 57%. Factor that against Buell's published 103 crank HP for the XB12R and you have 162 HP at the crank or around 140 RWHP.
Unfortunately other than for displacement which is unchanged, we just don't know the same applicable parameters for the 600cc FX machines. However, we do know that 600cc Supersport machines are putting down 125 SAE RWHP via inertial dyno which translates to around 147 HP at the crankshaft.
Where did I get the 125 RWHP number? Please see the Science Channel documentary Speed on Two Wheels; it shows the Factory Kawasaki team dyno testing one of the Hayden Supersport machines; they show the dyno plot up close, clear as daytime, 125 SEA RWHP at 14,300 RPM versus the stock 103 RWHP at 13,300 RPM.
I don't think it is much of a stretch to imagine that the factory 600cc FX machines are up another 10% in power over their Supersport brethren. If so, then that 147 crank HP rises to 161 HP.
What about the 850cc Ducati 749R? Spinning to just 13K RPM puts them at a dynamic displacement of 11,050 LRPM. Jeff Nash confided to me two years ago that the factory had a track tested 749R racing machine spinning reliably to 15K rpm. His exact words were that "they have (a 749) that will turn 15K RPM all day long." In 850cc form, that would yield a class leading 12,750 LRPM dynamic displacement. The XBRR would need to turn over 9,500 RPM to match that. As is the XBRR is making 10,700 LRPM, maybe 11,400 LRPM if they push it.
And we've not even factored in that the four valve machines have a major advantage over the two valvers.
The successfullness at achieving parity among the different machines in FX will be very interesting to watch and evaluate.
Fun stuff to blather on about anyway. Not as fun as actually riding and/or racing though.
Go Buell!! |
Blake
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 03:52 pm: |
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Just in from AMA Pro Racing...
AMA FORMULA XTREME SERIES RED HOT AT VIR
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (August 16, 2006) – Formula Xtreme series leader Jason DiSalvo may have said it best. “Formula Xtreme is the most entertaining class in the championship this year.” His point is hard to argue. As the AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series rolls into Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 19, a mere four points separate the top three riders. Whoever wins between DiSalvo, Josh Hayes and Eric Bostrom at VIR is likely to grab the series lead.
Each of the three leading riders has blazed different paths to the top of the Formula Xtreme standings and that is part of the reason the series has been particularly entertaining. Yamaha’s DiSalvo started the season on fire with a slew of podium finishes including a victory at Barber Motorsports Park in April. Erion Honda’s Hayes has been steady Eddie in his route to championship contender. Hayes looked early on to be merely a good bet for a podium finish, but that was before he proved himself a potential winner at any given race by putting his Honda on top at the race in Utah in June.
The most spectacular path in his bid for the 2006 Formula Xtreme title has been Yamaha’s Eric Bostrom. After a fourth and 22nd-place finishes in the first two rounds, Bostrom found himself mired in ninth in the standings with little hope of catching DiSalvo and Hayes. In round three at California Speedway things began to click for Bostrom. He was victorious and rapidly made his way up the standings ladder by winning five of the last six Formula Xtreme rounds.
Along the way Bostrom, the 1998 Formula Xtreme titlist, has become the all-time Formula Xtreme wins leader passing two-time series champ Miguel Duhamel.
“I feel really good about our bike,” said Bostrom after winning the most recent round in Lexington, Ohio. “We started the season far from where we are now and we had a lot of ground to make up. Now it seems like everyone in this class is running good. You look at qualifying and it’s just amazing with the top five being within 2-10ths of one another.”
Bostrom was also pleased to become the all-time Formula Xtreme wins leader at Mid-Ohio with 14-career victories.
“Anytime you can pass Miguel Duhamel in anything you’re doing something right,” Bostrom added.
Erion Honda’s Aaron Gobert is the only former VIR Formula Xtreme winner in the field this weekend.
Graves Motorsports Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking has opened a bit of breathing room over AMA Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series rival Aaron Yates. At round five of the 11-race series Yates scored a victory in Elkhart Lake, Wis., and pulled to within nine points of Hacking. It appeared at that juncture that the series would be a battle to the final lap, but with his recent win at Mid-Ohio, Hacking has now won three straight and opened up his lead over Yates to 27 points.
“I hate to see that points gap getting larger,” said Yates, who is the defending and two-time champion of the Superstock class. “I’m riding the best I can and that’s all I can do. We’ll go to VIR and try to back up our win there from last year.”
Hacking is in a position where he doesn’t have to win at VIR, but he still approaches the races with victory in mind.
“It’s nice to be in a position where you can relax a bit,” Hacking admitted. “My crew has given me a bike that makes it comfortable to run up front. Until I get to a point where I don’t feel comfortable on the bike I don’t see any reason to back down.”
Hacking is trying to become only the second rider to win both the AMA Supersport and Superstock titles in the same year. Doug Polen accomplished just that in 1988, the first year of AMA Superstock competition (then called 750 Supersport).
The VIR Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme and Repsol Superstock races will be broadcast nationally on SPEED. The Formula Xtreme/Superstock races will air at 5:00 p.m. eastern on Tuesday, Aug. 22.
This weekend’s Formula Xtreme and Superstock races are part of Virginia International Raceway’s Big Kahuna Nationals presented by Parts Unlimited in Alton, Va., on August 18-20. For additional information call 434.822.7700 or visit the website www.virclub.com. |
Blake
| | Posted on Friday, October 27, 2006 - 03:13 pm: |
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AMA PRO RACING ANNOUNCES 2007 SUPERBIKE SCHEDULE
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 26, 2006) – AMA Pro Racing has announced its schedule for the 2007 AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. For 2007, a second round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has been added.
The 2007 AMA Superbike Championship schedule is as follows:
DATE / LOCATION
March 7-10 / Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, The Daytona 200 by Honda 1.800.PITSTOP
April 20-22 / Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, AL (Superbike Doubleheader), Honda Superbike Classic 1.800.240.2300
April 27-29 / California Speedway, Fontana, CA (Superbike Doubleheader), Suzuki Superbike Challenge 1.800.944.RACE
May 18-20 / Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, CA (Superbike Doubleheader), Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown 1.800.870.RACE
June 1-3 / Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI (Superbike Doubleheader), AMA Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader 1.800.365.RACE
June 22-24 Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, UT (Superbike Doubleheader)
Honda Summit of Speed 1.866.297.2636
July 20-22 / Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA **, The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix 1.800.327.SECA
August 3-5 / Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH, Honda Super Cycle Weekend, presented by Dunlop Tires (Superbike Doubleheader) 1.800.MID.OHIO
August 17-19 / Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA, Suzuki Big Kahuna Nationals, presented by Parts Unlimited (Superbike Doubleheader) 1.800.327.7322
August 31-Sept. 2 / Road Atlanta, Braselton, GA, AMA Suzuki Superbike Showdown, presented by Makita (Superbike Doubleheader) 1.800.849.RACE
Sept. 15-16 / Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA, AMA Superbike Championship 1.800.327.SECA
Sept. 28-30 / Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH, AMA Superbike Championship Shootout 1.800.MID.OHIO
Cool! Two events at Laguna Seca!
Uncool! Four events in California, none in/near Texas!  |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 - 04:02 pm: |
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AMA Racing to get much quieter in coming years. 
From a Press Release by AMA Pro Racing:
AMA PROPOSES NEW SOUND-LEVEL STANDARDS FOR PRO AND AMATEUR RACING EVENTS
As part of the American Motorcyclist Association's long-term commitment to racer and fan safety, as well as improving the overall impression of the sport of motorcycle competition, the AMA is proposing a plan to reduce the sound levels at professional and amateur motorcycle racing events nationwide.
The new rules would apply to AMA-sanctioned Supercross, motocross, and all-terrain vehicle closed-course competition events on both the professional and amateur levels.
"Responsible sound management is an important part of the AMA's strategic planning regarding the safety and health of both our competitors and race fans," said AMA Chief Executive Officer Patricia DiPietro. "These measured reductions in the sound limits for closed-course competition at both the professional and amateur levels will not only make race courses safer and more enjoyable for competitors and fans alike, but they will improve the standing of our events among non-race fans who are nevertheless impacted by our sound policies."
In accordance with the rules-making process for AMA-sanctioned competition, both the Racing and Rights Committees will ask the Rules Committees for all professional AMA racing disciplines to pass these sound level standards this year so race teams and manufacturers have time to prepare for the 2008 season. The committees will also propose the same standards to the AMA Congress, which writes the rules for amateur motorcycle racing.
Currently, motorcycles in closed-course AMA-sanctioned motorcycle competition must meet sound limits of 99 decibels (on the "A" scale), measured at a distance of 20 inches from motorcycle's exhaust outlet. The proposed plan calls for reducing the allowable standard to 98 dB(A) for 2008, 97 dB(A) for 2009 and 96dB(A) for 2010.
The current sound testing procedure uses the SAE J1287 stationary sound test, developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers. Using the SAE J1287, AMA officials and race teams can balance sound testing requirements with the logistical hurdles of testing every motorcycle entered in an event. In this procedure, the motorcycle is brought to a prepared test site. With the engine warm and the transmission in neutral, engine revolutions per minute (rpm) are brought up to the specified test speed (306,000m divided by the stroke in millimeters) and a sound reading is taken. The sound level is measured 20 inches from the exhaust outlet, with the sensor held parallel to the ground and at a 45-degree angle to the exhaust centerline.
"Sound is every motorcyclist's responsibility, because excessive sound impacts every motorcyclist, from competitor to street rider," DiPietro said. "It’s important that we continue to move forward and improve in this important area."
About AMA Racing
AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its professional properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access an on line Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom. For amateur racing information visit www.amadirectlink.com/amrace/amasports.asp. |
Blake
| | Posted on Friday, February 29, 2008 - 03:32 pm: |
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From an AMA Press Release:
67th Daytona 200 by Honda
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The 67th Daytona 200 by Honda takes place on Saturday, March 8 at Daytona International Speedway, with the on-track activities getting underway on Wednesday, March 5.
Illustrious History
The Daytona 200 is the most storied motorcycle race in the United States and has enjoyed a great many legendary performances over the years, starting with the victory of Ed 'Iron Man' Kretz Sr. aboard an Indian Sport Scout on the beach in the inaugural 200-miler back in 1937.
Among the other legends of motorsport to have won the famed race are Nicky Hayden, Mat Mladin, Miguel DuHamel, Scott Russell, Kevin Schwantz, Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, Freddie Spencer, Kenny Roberts, Steve Baker, Dick Mann, Cal Rayborn and Gary Nixon.
One More Lap
Due to a slightly shorter configuration following changes to the infield layout, the 2008 Daytona 200 will be 69 laps, one lap longer than the 2007 race.
66th Daytona 200 Review
Honda and Dunlop, winners of both prior Daytona 200s following the switch from Superbike to Formula Xtreme regulations for the Daytona main event, were the heavy favorites to claim a third straight victory in the contest at last year's season opener.
However, an upset was served when the powerful Honda contingent encountered fuel problems during the race and the Attack Kawasaki duo of Steve Rapp and Ben Attard stepped forward with a tremendous 1-2 performance. Rapp and Attard were joined by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki's Michael Barnes, who gave Pirelli a clean sweep of the podium in addition to their first-ever Daytona 200 win.
Rapp's Back (and with a New Teammate)
Steve Rapp's first-career Daytona 200 victory came in his first outing with Attack Kawasaki. The 36-year-old Californian will be back with the team to defend his 200 crown, but with a new teammate, the talented Welshman Chaz Davies. Davies is a former 250cc World Grand Prix competitor who impressed mightily during his rookie AMA campaign in 2007, which included a fourth-place finish in the Daytona 200.
Out for Redemption
American Honda will be looking to make up for last year's disappointment and is once again boasting an impressive cadre of top-caliber pilots.
Leading the way is American Honda Racing's Miguel Duhamel, who is currently tied for first on the all-time Daytona 200 wins list with five to his credit.
600cc Rookie
Duhamel's new American Honda teammate is the vastly experienced Neil Hodgson. The Englishman is a former World and British Superbike champion, an AMA Superbike race winner, and a former 500GP and MotoGP competitor. However, this year's Daytona 200 will be Hodgson's first ever race aboard a 600cc motorcycle.
Hayes and Zemke Also Favorites
The Erion Honda Racing team must also to be considered a major threat to win the 200.
Mississippian Josh Hayes is the two-time defending Formula Xtreme class champion. A Daytona 200 win is about the only significant accomplishment missing from his impressive FX resume.
His "new" teammate is Jake Zemke, the 2006 Daytona 200 winner. For 2008, Zemke has returned to the Erion Honda team to compete in Formula Xtreme and Supersport following three seasons with the factory Honda Superbike team.
Zemke did not exit the Superbike class with his tail between his legs, however. The Californian finished third in the points last season and was the only man outside of the dominating Suzuki duo of Ben Spies and Mat Mladin to register a race win over the past two seasons.
Coverage on SPEED TV
SPEED plans live coverage of racing from Daytona. The AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei and the AMA Superstock Championship presented by Dynojet will air beginning 3:30 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, March 6. Coverage of AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited begins at 11 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, March 8, with live coverage of the Daytona 200 following at 1:30 p.m.
2007 Daytona 200 Results
1. Steve Rapp (Kawasaki) 68 Laps
2. Ben Attard (Kawasaki) 68 Laps
3. Michael Barnes (Suzuki) 68 Laps
4. Chaz Davies (Yamaha) 68 Laps
5. Jason DiSalvo (Yamaha) 68 Laps
6. Joshua Hayes (Honda) 68 Laps
7. Pascal Picotte (Suzuki) 66 Laps
8. Ryan Elleby (Honda) 65 Laps
9. Joshua Day (Yamaha) 65 Laps
10. Bostjan Pintar (Yamaha) 65 Laps
AMA SUPERBIKE PRESENTED BY PARTS UNLIMITED
Domination
Suzuki has dominated the Daytona Superbike race in recent seasons, winning the last four in succession (including the final Daytona 200 raced on Superbike machinery in 2004). That shouldn't come as much of a surprise, however, as the Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki team has reigned over the Superbike class since 2003, taking every title since the AMA Superbike class began allowing 1000cc four-cylinder motorcycles to compete.
Their dominating position has only been furthered in recent times with Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Ben Spies and Mat Mladin combining to win every single Superbike race in 2007 as Spies edged Mladin to win his second straight AMA Superbike title by a single point.
Spies and Mladin are both back with the team in 2008 and have looked similarly impressive during off season testing.
Numbers
Australian Mladin owns the career AMA Superbike marks for championships (six), race wins (63), and pole positions (52). He also established a new single-season win record last season (12).
Despite having only raced in the AMA Superbike class for three seasons, Spies is racing up the all-time charts as well. The MotoGP prospect is already fourth in both career wins (18) and poles (16) and just one of seven men to win back-to-back AMA Superbike titles. Perhaps most impressively, the Texan's career Superbike podium percentage is above 90 percent.
Despite the duo's gaudy numbers, the one that will likely stand out as most obvious to race fans at Daytona is Mladin's new competition number ('6'), as the Suzuki star will don a number other than '1' or '66' for the first time in his AMA career.
Challengers
Despite Spies and Mladin's success in recent seasons, they won't be without challengers at Daytona. Factory teams from Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki, featuring such talented riders as Miguel DuHamel, Neil Hodgson, Eric Bostrom, Jason DiSalvo, Jamie Hacking, Roger Hayden, and Akira Yanagawa, will do everything in their power to bring a sense of parity back to the series.
Spies and Mladin could also be pressed by their fellow Suzuki-mounted riders, with Rockstar Makita Yoshiumura Suzuki teammate Tommy Hayden and Jordan Suzuki's Aaron Yates counted among the riders most likely to upset the order in 2008.
AMA PRO HONDA OILS SUPERSPORT PRESENTED BY SHOEI
Title Defense
Monster Energy Kawasaki's Roger Hayden carried the momentum he gained by winning last season's AMA Supersport season opener at Daytona on to his career-first AMA Pro title following a tight three-way battle, which also included his teammate, Jamie Hacking, and Erion Honda's Josh Hayes.
While two-time Supersport champion Hacking is focusing on the Superbike class this season, Hayden will be back to defend both his season and Daytona triumphs with his new #1 plate.
Despite Hacking's absence, Hayden knows he'll face stiff competition from Hayes, who won more races than any other rider in the class last season (four).
There's More
The Supersport class looks to be as deep as it's been in recent memory. Two-time Supersport champion Tommy Hayden, the brother of the new class champ, is expected to return to competitiveness following an injury-plagued '07 season, while former Supersport race winner Jake Zemke is back in the class with Erion Honda.
At just 17 years old, Graves Yamaha's Josh Herrin claimed his first Supersport win during the 2007 season finale at Laguna Seca. He's got a new teammate in the class in former AMA Superbike champion and multi-time World Superbike race winner Ben Bostrom.
Others that should be considered potential title contenders include Team M4 EMGO Suzuki's Martin Cardenas, Attack Kawasaki's Chaz Davies and Steve Rapp, and Rockwall Honda's Aaron Gobert.
AMA SUPERSTOCK PRESENTED BY DYNOJET
A Familiar Position but in a Different Sport: Jordan Stands as Title Favorite
The 2008 AMA Superstock season opener at Daytona is expected to be the class' final race at the venue as the class is scheduled to essentially be merged with the Superbike category in 2009 with stricter restrictions planned for the premier class.
With '07 class champion Ben Spies concentrating solely on his Superbike efforts this season, and runner-up Ben Bostrom switching to Supersport, Jordan Suzuki's Aaron Yates is considered the early favorite.
The Georgian has an impressive background in the 'near-stock' categories, having previously claimed titles in Superstock ('05), Supersport ('02), and 750 Supersport ('96).
And in This Corner
Yates' biggest threat may come from his new teammate on NBA legend Michael Jordan's squad, fellow Georgian Geoff May. After years of establishing himself as one of the top Superstock and Supersport riders with Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, May is hoping to enjoy his most successful season yet in his first year with Jordan Suzuki.
Considering the wide-open field (due to the absence of the dominating skills of MotoGP prospect Spies), May should be provided with his best opportunities yet to finally claim his first-ever AMA Superbike Championships race win in 2008.
Other Superstock riders to watch include May's replacement at Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, Blake Young, and the man May replaced at Jordan Suzuki, Corona Honda's Jake Holden, who won the '07 season finale at Laguna Seca.
The Return of Mr. Daytona
A special treat for the fans at Daytona this year is the return of 'Mr. Daytona,' Scott Russell. Russell, a former AMA and World Superbike champion, is a five-time Daytona 200 winner who is coming out of retirement to compete in this year's Superbike and Superstock races on the famed high banks.
Russell will be riding with backing from his former teammate and rival Jamie James aboard a Michelin-shod Yamaha YZF-R1.
About AMA Racing
AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its professional properties include the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross Series, an FIM World Championship, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions more than 4,000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports more than 110,000 active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access an online Press Room . For amateur racing information visit the AMA Sports page at the AMA website. |
Blake
| | Posted on Friday, March 07, 2008 - 09:18 am: |
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NASCAR Takes Over AMA Pro Racing!
WOW! This is HUGE! And can only be very very good for American motorcycle racing! Woohoo!
AMA selects Daytona Motorsports Group to manage professional racing series
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.--The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) announced today that the Association has entered into an agreement in principle to sell the sanctioning, promotional and management rights for its AMA Pro Racing properties to the Daytona Motorsports Group (DMG), based in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Led by Roger Edmondson, the founder of the CCS motorcycle racing series and currently the President of the Grand American Road Race Series LLC, and Jim France, Vice Chairman/Executive Vice President of NASCAR, DMG will assume responsibility for the AMA Superbike Series, the AMA Motocross Series, the AMA Flat Track Series, the AMA Supermoto Series, the AMA Hillclimb Series and ATV Pro Racing. The agreement in principle does not include the AMA Supercross and AMA Arenacross Series, the rights to which are held by Live Nation. Daytona Motorsports Group will license the use of the AMA name and trademarks to promote their motorcycle racing activities.
"For as long as I can remember, the AMA name has been synonymous with professional motorcycle racing in America," said France. Added Edmondson, "Our goal is to guide the sport into the mainstream of American culture and showcase the extraordinary abilities of the competitors and their teams."
"We are honored to be working with the Daytona Motorsports Group," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "This group of individuals has supported the AMA and motorcycle racing for decades. There isn't a better-resourced or more qualified entity in which to entrust the future of AMA Pro Racing."
The agreement between the AMA and DMG came as a result of an RFP (request for proposal) process undertaken by the AMA in September, 2007 to seek promotional partners for its professional racing series. The AMA will continue sanctioning amateur motorcycle racing and club activities.
"Today is a great day for professional motorcycle racing and for the AMA," Dingman said. "By placing AMA Pro Racing in the hands of people with a proven record of excellence in motor sports organization and promotion in a fashion similar to our successful partnership with Live Nation, the AMA will be able to focus its resources on its core mission to be a member advocacy organization."
The American Motorcyclist Association: rights. riding. racing.
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a non-profit organization with 290,000 members. The Association's purpose is to protect and promote the interests of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more information, visit the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com. |
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