BMW HP2 Sport

[roadracer162]

Only SV and Ducs being raced? No, there are a couple Kawasaki and a hint of Aprillia hybrid out there but I do relent the SV is the most popular.

The rules have been there for a long time and yes way before the HP2 and that is exactly the point- why not the HP2? The answer lays in maybe it is subjective reasoning based upon objective findings. Do we race based upon horsepower, or horsepower to weight ratio or the cost of the package? None of them and all of them.

The pierobon is allowed like the Bimota is allowed. The pierobon borrows a motor from the Ducati and so does the Bimota. A racer/builder could purchase a Ducati and cut it down to their ideal weight, and then build the motor to the same specs of the pierobon. There is one such Ducati out there with a motor like that.

The FZR 400 was the lightweight bike to have for some time. Then came the twins of Honda hawks and Suzuki SV. Now it has been the day of the Ducati air cooled twin but the SV continues to hold on because they have been that good not because they are that cheap. The SV still wins races against some very fast Ducati  as well.

[Eric Kelcher]

Buell and BMW both indicated the HP2 and XBRR were middleweight class machines.

[Dragon]

I never said "only SV and DUC race" and thank you Eric for reiterating my original reply that the HP2 is a middleweight bike. I'm done with this ridiculous thread. Can't stand trying to state the obvious.

[roadracer162]

Well, there you have the answer. The HP2 and XBRR were meant to be middleweight bikes as intended by the manufacturers. I can only deduce that is the same rationale to answer my request for my age old middleweight 748 racing in LW GP or GT lights.

Maybe a rules request to allow the downsizing of the 748 to fit into LW GP and GT lights as the inline middleweight bikes are I understood this forum to be unofficial and informal conversation of like minded(race) individuals to share their statements whether obvious or vague. That is all my statements are meant to do, stimulate conversation based upon ones own perception.

[apriliaman]

The Buell XBRR engine is 1336CC so it is too big for the LW class.The BMW HP2 engine is 1170CC so it fits in under the 1200CC LW class limit.So that should be allowed but it isn't.Dry weight is listed at 392lbs so it is heavy.Dry weight of the Pierobon X60R is listed at 295lbs dry so it is super light.

[Cowboy 6]

That is an easy one to answer. Because it complies with the rules.

Wow, are you missing the point.......

[LWT Racer]

Just disallow everything except hawk.

[bruce71198]

Buell and BMW both indicated the HP2 and XBRR were middleweight class machines.

And what was Ducatis " Indication" of the 749 ?

[Eric Kelcher]

And what was Ducatis " Indication" of the 749 ?

Middleweight, tho that was not communicated individually to us.
http://www.bevelheaven.com/press/749s-ST/index.htm

[Z-man]

In 2007 I picked up a used SV650 for $4500, back then LW used to be the "poor man's" class my $4500 motorcycle was fairly competitive at that time.  Since then the class has slowly become the exotic class with the most expensive motorcycles on the grid showing up to race.  It started with Ducati SS's and then limited production motorcycles by Pierbon and Bimota became legal.  Grids used to be pretty big in LW classes, now many times it is a challenge to get enough people on the grid to qualify for contingency in expert races.  In my opinion, the loosening up of the class rules is a big part of the reason. When you have guys dropping 40g's for a bimota or 80g's for a Pierbon that put out 120hp, it takes the wind out of the sales of guys racing 75hp SV's.  I'm surprised that the BMW HP2 is singled out for some reason when these other bikes are not but what can you do.  I still have my SV and I'll race it for fun or run track days but I got out of the LW class and am focused on a middleweight bike again.  Lots more just leave the sport all together.

[LWT Racer]

Only other option is to build a SV time bomb. 100-110 hp is easy from SV is easy. But at that point you'll have so much $$ invested might as well buy nice duc.

Lwt SS, ULwt SBK, Lwt SBK, Lwt GP, GT  Lights, Thunderbike, and Lwt F40.

Out of those 6/7 classes, how many are showing up with insanely expensive bikes?
How many classes do you want SV or EX to not be out gunned in?

[apriliaman]

My ducati isnt one of them big bucks bike.My bike is mostly stock except the engine.The engine is worth more then the bike I would think.All I would need is a block to build a stock engine with all the parts I got and I can make it a stock street bike again.The HP2 Sport should be in the class as it is in the rules.I remember when N8 was riding it,he was 1sec a lap faster then the regular model R1200S.