Bimotas in LW SS...

[MACOP1104]

So now with CCS I have to buy an expensive bike and get it built to be competitive in lightweight.  That's great, pretty much goes against the spirit of the lieghtweight classes. It would be cheaper to race middleweight when you fator in the price of the bike.  I guess I'll spend the majority of my time with WERA in 2011.

[majicMARKer]

You are definitely right about you racing WERA if you choose. I guess you could be right for many others with the same mindset, and I can only conclude that guys with money don't mind racing CCS.

I often wonder about the term, "being compeitive" and I guess it means racing for the win. There are many that race just to race even though a race win is not a probability. I have raced my FZR400 in GT lights with the knowledge that I have no chance at the win. But those races often times are the most fun with nothing to lose. In one of those events I actually got the holeshot in the rain when everyone else was tip toeing around. I led for a couple turns of the race until the bigger bikes blasted past on the straight.

Certainly racing middleweight could be cheaper in some respects but it can also be more in others.

For me racing lightweight offers me the chance to mix it up with what I call "gentlemen racers". Mostly they aren't out there to take you out but instead to have some good old fashion competitive fun. it is a place where a new racer can get his/her feet wet with less chance of an overabundance of power.

[MACOP1104]

I agree.  The 600 (aka meatgrinder) class is not what I'm looking for.  I certainly enjoy the friendlier aspects of the lightweights since my over 40 year old bones don't heal as quickly as young bones! 
I do have a pretty stout SV SBK with HP in the upper 80s but that's not going to cut it at Daytona in the fall. 

[majicMARKer]

Will a 100 hp motor like Ed Key uses work?

[Peter998]

This is a response to Racer880
Actually, the 998 bike was not ridden by Barrett, but yes it is the beautiful #998 black Ducati with the 998 single sided swingarm.

It is a 1080 DS motor with stock hypermotard pistons and cylinders.  The crank has been polished, fared and balanced , it has carillo titanium rods, the heads were done by Bruce Meyers, and it has magnesium engine covers. It is a faily low compression engine about 13:1 and I run 93 Octaine pump gas  It also has brembo 4 pad calipers. I run a stock ohlins 998 shock, and the forks were don by thermosman. The frame was modified to fit the linkage for the 998 shock, but I have cracked it 2 times this year. The frame has been cut and an aluminum sub fitted. I will need to reinforce that area for next year.  I have Marchesini mags on it. The single sided swing arm solves the slow turn in  issues of the SS. Tank that is on the bike is an endurance tank and has extra capacity that I never use. I am looking for a lightweight tank that dosen't cost $1300.  I love the bike and is has proven very competitive this year.  

I enjoy racing in the light weight class because It is very clean compared to middleweight, but at the same time I am there to win not just to participate.

Mark your bike might heavier, but you are definitely much lighter than me LOL.

[MACOP1104]

Will a 100 hp motor like Ed Key uses work?

I'm a cheap SV rider.  I can't afford a 100HP SV motor.  If I wanted to race 100HP bikes I'd buy a 600.

[racer880]

Wow, Nice bike. I thought they were the same bike. What was the bike Barret rode ? that was nice also, and fast. I hear you MACOP. Iam in the same boat.Looks like I have to change my program next season. I hate getting motored .

[majicMARKer]

I hear ya. I have enjoyed racing my Duc 800 against the likes of the big Ducati or Bimota. Yes I do get "motored" on the strights especially at PBIR but it has been rewarding to close the gap in the braking sections. I just don't want to get in the way of the faster guys and I don't think I have.

It was also fun racing/riding Marc Miller's "ebay Ducati 748" and give a rider or two some fits. I would like to try Marc's "clunker" 900(his words) against some of those Bimotas and it might just give them a run for the money.

[Ducmarc]

You ready marc? I'm tired of all the bimota shint. Ill put the good 900 motor back together and grind on the heads some more and see what we. Can do.

[majicMARKer]

Let's throw it on the dyno before our outing.