2012 Ultralightweight Thunderbike?

[diamond]

Any update on this class?  The mailer said that there may be changes to the class rules/displacement? 

[MAZZ77X]

I hope not. The class is perfect just the way it is. It was intended to provide a cheap and reliable avenue for young racers and also those older guys that dont need 195 HP to have some fun. The Ninja 250 is a great bike!

[Jiggyfly]

its posted in the new ccs rulebook. and AFAIK, its not good. almost every org out there has a Ninja 250 specific class except CCS. sure, they have a class for them..... and other bikes can run it, which is fine..... but there's no cap on performance...... just keep it 250cc's. & thats where the ball gets dropped. the cool thing about all of the other orgs, is that its pretty much a bone stock 250. no worries about rider XX showing up with flatslide carbs, or cams the next race weekend because you out rode him this weekend. now, its a money class, too. will everyone do that? not necessarily, but some will..... $8000 Ninja 250's are right around the corner.


I'm disappointed.

[bruce71198]

WOW...what a let down!! Why cant they leave well enough alone?
A few thoughts; If we can build our bikes , riders from outher organizations aren't going to cross over and run with CCS. This is supposed to be low buck, entry level racing. Can I get flatslides that small ? Better yet can someone from CCS respond?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[bruce71198]

Found this in a news release from 2011
ULTRALIGHT THUNDERBIKE TO BE INTRODUCED AT NEW JERSEY
May 4, 2011 - A new class has been created by the Championship Cup Series and will be introduced for the first time at New Jersey Motorsports Park, May 13-15, 2011. Ultralight Thunderbike, a specialized class, will be offered at limited CCS events this season: all 4 New Jersey events, all 3 Summit Point events and the two events at VIR.
"Ultralight ThunderBike is basically a SuperSport 250s class for bikes such as the Ninja and Honda 250, which aren't as competitive in other classes." said Kevin Elliott, owner of the Championship Cup Series. "Single & Twin cylinder liquid-cooled engines up to 250cc as well as Twin Cylinder air-cooled 350cc machines qualify for this class. Although some restrictions apply, bikes must be completely stock OEM for the most part and run street tires."
Riders can enter the Ultralight ThunderBike class at the track using a special post-entry form.
Interested racers are encouraged to read the Ultralight ThunderBike section in the 2011 Rulebook, Addendum 3, pages 55-56, which includes all of the technical information for the class including which bikes qualify and the modifications allowed.
 
What the hell happened ? Kevin ?

[MAZZ77X]

I to am dissapointed.

Please make this a SPEC class. Keep this class cheap and fun like it was designed to be, like other racing orgs have done and it will continue to grow!

Let it go as is and it will become a free for all, who's got the biggest pocketbook and die off like some other classes have in the past.

CBR & Ninja 250's with stock air box, jets and a pipe, thats IT!!!  Simple enough but..................................

[bruce71198]

How about ultra lightweight super sport?

[Jiggyfly]

^^^^
yes!

[Jiggyfly]

CCS can chime in whenever........as in like, now??? :D

[Eric Kelcher]

FYI I try to check in once a week to review what questions there may be; sometimes more sometimes less depending on calls in the office and paperwork to be processed.
 
On this topic I had seen it but before replying I wanted to be sure of info before commenting with Kevin and check info for the test markets it was run in last year.
 
The finding was there was very limited particiaption with strict rules package. In oder to garner more entries and justify expanding to full event schedule it was neccessary to allow as many eligible bikes for the class as possible. This means a more open format of modifications, if or when the grids justify splitting out a Supersport, or tighter spec class then it will be done.
 

[Jiggyfly]

But of course there was limited participation.......it was a NEW class!!!! NO one even KNEW about it.
I raced it last year for the final BHF round, & there was 5 of us......since then, I know of at least
6-8 more people that ran out & bought Ninja 250's in that region....with an additional 3-4 possible.

[steve p]

And that's the whole problem with CCS.  The answer is just add another class.  I'm all for the 250 class.  I think it's great.  Now you've added two classes this year without taking anything away.  So many redundant classes now, there simply isn't enough time in the day.  All it takes is one snafu and you are over on time.  The schedule needs a complete face lift.

Not ripping on this class, I think it's a great addition.  I agree with the above that it should remain a stock class with as few as possible modifications available.

[MAZZ77X]

This class was introduced in what, April of last year when everyone had already commited there resources elsewere.

Give it time and it will grow, it has in every other region. Open the flood gates and it will just fade away.

My son will be on the grid this season on a spec legal Ninja 250. What better way for him to develop his race craft than racing with other racers on identical equipment.

[twilkinson3]

I was one of the midwest maybes - spec class ninja racing looked like fun...not a money pit in terms of mods to stay competitive etc etc, I'm probably not going to make the grid for the 250s this year (Lightweight bike needed a motor refreshed) so the budget isn't there to build out another race bike in 2012, but I too would much prefer a stock class for the 250s not another builder class arms race one

[majicMARKer]

 am not competing on this class but I am willing to offer my two cents if you want to listen.

1) Why not have a gentleman's agreement not to build the bike beyond supersport rules? Yes, I am sure one person might just do that but would the rest of you stop racing the class?

2) If you can show commitment from potential riders that the class would be bigger than it is currently with a change back to SuperStock type rules, maybe CCS will consider changing the rules back.

Mark