Help me find a class for my Monster 620

[gkotlin]

I have a 2004 Monster 620.  I want to race the bike and don't know what class it fits into.  This should be a simple thing to figure out by reading the rulebook.  But....    There is always a but.  The bike was crashed and the frame was repaired.  When it was repaired, the rake angle of the front end was changed at the frame head.  Because of this I also have to run Ducati Superbike forks and trees instead of the stock  Monster units.  I've read the rulebook and I have a headache.  Does anyone know what class that would make me eligible for?

With my luck it will be a modified class that most people will have lots more motor and I won't have a chance.

Thanks!

[ccs98]

Because of your forks, I believe that will keep you out of any of the SuperSport classes.   

[George_Linhart]

Not a very common racing platform.

Your most competitive class will be Ultra-lightweight Superbike which allows for twins with Desmo valves of up to 805cc.

The other classes seem to be Lightweight Superbike, Lightwight Grand Prix, GT Lights & Thunderbike.  These classes are dominated by SV650s and Buells.

Just be forewarned, a monster 620 will be at a significant power disadvantage in any of these classes.

Unless you have the monster already tricked out for the track or have an unheathy attachment to it combined with a burning need to race this particular bike it mike make more sense and ultimately be less expensive to just buy a used SV650 to race.

George

[Jeff]

Race that F4 Greg!  That's a solid racebike...

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

The classes George pointed out are fine. If you want to race the monster, I'd say go for it. As long as you are having fun.

[gkotlin]

I'm very green to racing and was hoping to find some smaller starting girds with this bike.  I don't necessarily care if I'm competative on the bike as long as I'm not so slow that I'm a hinderance to others.  I have considered parting with it and finding an SV to start on.

I've also considered racing the F4.  My only concern was that it's old.  I picked it up very cheap for track days and don't know how competative I could be on a bike that age.   I've had the forks resprung for my weight, it has race glass.  I just did a 520 conversion with sprockets.  I've rebuilt the calipers and upgraded to braided lines.  It has a slip on exhaust but does not have a jet kit.  I figured the newer fuel injected bikes would just blow me away.

Again, I'm not concerned about podium finishes, just not being a hinderance on the track.  I've done about 6 or 7 Nesba beginner group track days.  I did take a licensing school in April.  That was actually my first time on a track.  I still was going to take the licensing schools again at one of the events this year and do the mock race to get my feet wet.  I also considered just taking my certificate and applying for my license.  I thought about then doing a practice session and see how it went.  But again, I don' t know how I will compare to other novice racers.

I'll be out at Blackhawk this weekend to see how events go and cheer on my fellow Nesba riders that are racing.


Any info or opinions are appreciated.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Dont worry about being a hinderance. Everyone starts somewhere. As for the F4, we still have people racing F2's. Couple of old Ducs also. And ya dont know if you are going to like it or not until you try it.

You are lucky. You could do track days before starting to race. Never heard of trackdays until after I started racing in CCS. Basically I jumped in with both feet. Got lapped twice in sprint races my first two years. Just kept to the line. Made myself predictible to the experienced racers. I generally never had a problem with the experts railing past me. 95% of the time it didnt even phase me when they passed me so close that I could smack them in the back of the helmet. Alot of that was due to Weeden and Shea purposely making a sandwich out of me in teh carosel at BHF during a practice. 

Its club racing. Its meant to be fun but yet competative.

[George_Linhart]

Greg,

If your F4 is ready to race just take it out and race it - I might suggest you avoid the 600 SS class if you are worried about big grids of aggressive amatuer racers.  At BHF this year I have been running my 1992 F2 in Middleweight GP, GTU and GTO - I have been finishing consistently in the middle of the pack in these races even though I am not pushing that hard - just out there for track time and practicing/figuring out lines for the Thunderbike class.  I have actually had some great racing against the modern 600cc bikes.

The F4 is a huge step up from my way old 1992 model year F2 so you won't be at as much of a disadvantage as you think.  I even ran MiddleWeight GP and GTU at Road America on the F2 and didn't come in last (OK, I did come in something like 2nd or 3rd to last but there were still guys that I was able to keep up with even given the huge HP and weight disadvantage and the speed nature of that track).

With yellow plates it is not that bad to be a bit slower and out of the very aggressive front runners.  Ride clean, ride smart and hold your lines...

George

[gkotlin]

Thanks for the input.  This is something I've wanted to do for 15 yrs.  I've now got the equipment to do it and I want to do it safe.

I did have an open session at Road America in the rain.  It was kind of the same thing.  I had an AMA racer passing me on the inside and and advanced track day rider on the outside.  All I could think in my head, was KEEP UP!  I guess that shows where my mind is at.

Thanks

[gkotlin]

Ok, you've convinced me.

I just have one more question.  The rulebook states that a motorcycle of such a size and type, can run in this class etc.  What is the difference or reasoning for all these classes.  GP, GTO, GTU, whats the difference?  As a newbie this is all confusing. Why would I want to run in one class or another and not a certain one.  Why are so many more people running 600 SS and not these other classes?

Thanks again.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Ok, you've convinced me.

I just have one more question.  The rulebook states that a motorcycle of such a size and type, can run in this class etc.  What is the difference or reasoning for all these classes.  GP, GTO, GTU, whats the difference?  As a newbie this is all confusing. Why would I want to run in one class or another and not a certain one.  Why are so many more people running 600 SS and not these other classes?

Thanks again.

GTU is middleweight bikes and under
GTO is everything that doesnt fit in a middleweight or under class. (IE GSXR750's R1's....)
GP is Gran Prix classes.

Reason theres so many 600SS bikes is most people only use supersport class bikes. You can race a SS bike in a superbike class. Just not the other way around (superbike in a ss class).