Should the GSXR565 (and similar bikes) be outlawed?

[clarustnb]

Wow - good on them.

[LWT Racer]

Smart move. Hopefully CCS follows.

[JWZelibor]

i am all for the cripple triples (450's).....i think a deactivated cylinder inline 4 would be great for LW classes....easy to verify (visually and by sound) and would be in the 80 hp range (but still offer nicer features like better brakes and wider rear rim for tire selection and make for great racing).....but the 565's just offer it being too easy to just enter a 600 and no one is the wiser and the odds of protest are low...i would think that winning on a bimota or a 565 against LW bikes would feel about as rewarding as hitting a home run off a T-ball stand....

[Gino230]

Nonsense. This is racing. Winning on a legal bike is winning. Period.

Besides, how many bikes are we worrying about here? 2? 3? The guys riding them are going to win no matter what they're on....

[ahastings]

The lightweight classes used to be the place for people to race on a budget. Seems like they are more expensive now then racing a 600 or 1000

[jfboothe]

What I don't really understand is the problem with destroking, boring out, changing engines or anything you like in a GT or Grand Prix class. Isn't that supposed to be the point of those classes? Aren't they supposed to be builder's classes so you can spend money and try different things? "Grand Prix machines are unrestricted in all areas" as long as they meet the displacement limits. For Supersport and Superbike it's obviously a whole different story and they should be much more limited.

For MCRA they are a small race organization with a limited number of classes so I can see why it would make sense to limit some of the modifications even though their classes are "GT" classes. "6.2. LIGHTWEIGHT GT – Lightweight GT machines are unrestricted in all areas as long as they meet the standards of Section 5." However now you can't destroke a 600...so it's not really unrestricted in all areas.

Am I understanding the thinking behind the class structure?

[TAlber8]

The lightweight classes used to be the place for people to race on a budget. Seems like they are more expensive now then racing a 600 or 1000

This.


I pitched rule change to go SB rules for Team Challenge, at least for GTL as a way to try and promote it to fill the grids; that 565's didn't fit the spirit.  I know numerous others did too.


It was denied, I inquired why, and got a generic response of 'TC is GP rules'. I was honestly hoping for at least a response with some meat on it, but so be it.


Apparently the idea of not doing twin sprints and a TC on the same weekend (Carolina MP) as well as shuffling the schedule for TC on Saturday to avoid down time and bolster the grids (a great Mazz idea) apparently is also thrown to the side.


I personally feel that club racing needs at least a perceived budget friendly safe haven in order to grow.  Racers are not interested in participation awards and it's hard to recruit new racers if they think the only way to go is spend a lot of dough.   It's also hard to to justify traveling long distances for for 1 12-15 mile long SS sprint race.


I guess the answer is that it is what it is, don't like it race another class or org.


I'm sure it's a fun project to build, but why not do a MW GP and see how you stand up to the 1000's

[backMARKr]

I thought I remembered reading somewhere that CCS had a tool that could slip in the spark plug hole and measure bore and stroke- but that was at a MW race, not sure if they have it in FL. Also only works when the spark plug hole is at the exact center of the head- not offset or angled in any way.

It's my understanding that this is the tool that was presented at Road America in 2014, when a 565 was questioned as to LW legality.

I do not know if CCS has/owns a tool like this or has one available to tech in general.

[Gino230]

There are plenty of budget classes. LWSS, ULSB, even MWSS. We are talking about GT / GP Classes here.

Making the team challenge Superbike rules is a totally different discussion. I don't get why everyone is asking for changes but the formula clearly works....grids are strong and getting stronger.

[LWT Racer]

Your grids in Florida are growing with expensive Ducati's.  Grid growing with expensive bikes isn't good for the majority of the racers. 

I don't race GT or GP classes, but am still going fight that the 565 doesn't fit.  The 120hp duc hybrids fit better than 565s.

I don't have a problem with TC being GP rules.  The problem are the the bikes that fit in the class because of the GP ruling.

[ahastings]

There are plenty of budget classes. LWSS, ULSB, even MWSS. We are talking about GT / GP Classes here.

Making the team challenge Superbike rules is a totally different discussion. I don't get why everyone is asking for changes but the formula clearly works....grids are strong and getting stronger.

I dont think allowing high dollar exotics in endurance helps the gtl grids. for each one you add probably lose as many or more that know they cant be competitive with true lightweight bike. I understand allowing them in gp classes but not endurance.

[MACOP1104]

Nonsense. This is racing. Winning on a legal bike is winning. Period.

Besides, how many bikes are we worrying about here? 2? 3? The guys riding them are going to win no matter what they're on....

Who?  Names please.