Just looking for opinions here. Since F40 allows 1000cc twins and 750cc fours, would it make sense to let middleweight bikes prep to superbike rules? As it stands now, middleweight bikes must be supersport legal. Since so many of the F40 guys run 600s, it seems like it would even things out a bit if we could build them to superbike specs.
F40 is an oddity. Originally I think it was to give older guys a place to race with only their peers. A meaningless, for fun class, to razz your buddy. Although F40 is the first class I ran, (with the belief that it would be sane) I don't even sign up for it at bigger tracks anymore. Did you see the Hooters rider at Daytona smoking the tire coming out of the dogleg going into the horseshoe? The front bunch of experts is seriously serious. The back bunch of amatures is there for the thrill and often their 1st racing experience. The difference is dangerous now and I think they should can the big bikes, not make it faster.
Chris, I know you're a bonified fast guy, but wait till you start lapping some of these guys at pace. You may see things a little differently.
In there is issues with fairness to contenders, maybe awards should only be given to MWSS or less riders. That way newbies could ride their R1's and GSXR750's and not get lapped since contenders would all have lower limits slowing them down a little. Just a thought, maybe not a good one.
Thing is, some of the seriously fast guys have 1000 twins and 750 fours. I realise that the class is supposed to be a fun, nothing sort of class for old guys, but nobody told the old guys! Personally, I've been waiting four years to get into this class. Finally, a place where I don't have to race 15 year old prodigies on Daddy's top-of-the-line bikes.
F40 is probably the only class I'll race this year, due to tire, fuel, and equipment costs. I have a 600 because it was already in my posession, and I couldn't find a GSXR 750 in my price range. I intend to race F40 like it's MotoGP, and I know dang well that I won't be alone. If there are trophies, regional and national championships at stake, you can bet that there will be serious competitors involved. Count me as one of them.
I'm just wishing for flatslides, port work and a big bore kit. Road America and Daytona will be rough on the old Ninja. Still, a Gixxer 7 might fall from the sky before the ROC...
Dream on Chris....no bikes from the sky.... ;D
There will be a few of us looking at the same championship.....
Mike
HA, HA <------Sounding like Nelson ;D
RC51, you know what I'm talking about. Yes it's no picnic, never will be. That's why I suggested MWSS for guys that know they are contenders. Even on a ol'Buell I feel like some of the new ol' guys are waiting to get run over with the speed diferential. At the big tracks a GSXR 750 is going to win and it won't be much off HWSS times if it is at all. I guess my concern is for the new ol' guy going out there just to see what he's got, thinking he's safe and having a problem on the last lap or 2. There was a guy wanting to ride a R1 on this board before, heck, why not make it a run what you brung, unlimited times aren't that much different are they? But if F50 comes to be, it should be set up a little differently as believe it or not, like it or not, your reflexes are slowing.
It's more than the reflexes that have slowed down. I was doing great as an amateur back in 2000, and by winning the championship in the midwest got promoted to an expert. First race out as an expert I crashed and haven't been the same since.
Last time I looked at the rule book it was almost a unlimited class. There are very few bikes that don't qualify. Last year near the beginning of the year I was talking to a lot of the F40 participants about making it limited to MWSB, but there were too many against it so I let it drop.
Since then I got the RC, and it hasn't made me any faster. I think it's more rider than bike.
My 0.02 worth.
Mike
QuoteHA, HA <------Sounding like Nelson ;D
You'd best be ready to ride the wheels off it...
QuoteYou'd best be ready to ride the wheels off it...
Why.....and you got is a little 600...... 8)
QuoteWhy.....and you got is a little 600...... 8)
Dooooon't worry about me there, Mr Schock. I'll be so far behind your mighty Honda that I might as well have stayed home. You've got absolutely NOTHING to worry about...
It is absolutly more rider. I bought a fast bike from a fast guy and dropped 2 seconds, ...of the 9 he was kicking my butt by. 2 for bike, 7 for rider, I learned. As we get older we don't bounce as well either and every time we do we tend to think more about it. That's a bad thing that thinking stuff.
K3 welcome to Formula 40
You will thoroughly enjoy racing with everyone in the Midwest and Great Plains division, they are all good folks
Don't let Mike fool you in to thinking he has lost a step, he thrashed me a few times lasy year at Blackhawk.
As far as running the 1000/4 cylinders, I personnally think its a joke, 750 pretty much the same. I have to park the 125 in favor of a 600 on the bigger tracks for this year if I am to stand any chance at a championship in F40. I am in favor of going to 600 S/S limits
Keith Wilson
CCS/USGPRU #54
Now sporting 3 more cylinders
So is the upshot of all this that I should reconsider entering my SV650 in F40 this year? This will be my first year racing, altho I've got a fair few track days in. While I feel like I can hold my own a bit, I was kinda thinking that this old fart's class would be just the place for an aging newbie. Maybe I'm wrong?
I'll see you guys in 9 years. :P I want to be a 40 year old riding a bike that my rich wife bought me!
There are some very fast riders in F40 and a parity in the bikes. Difficult rules to decide upon to say the least. What does Kevin Elliot have to say?
Matt
Tom, go ahead and run the SV. You'll do OK, it's just if you're going to really go for a championship, obviously a GSXR750 is going to go faster. It all depends on who shows up and what track you're on, what number will be on the your wood. F40 is still a good place to begin. Mostly the rockets in refrence are veteran experts.