08 LW class rules

[tjay]

Hello!

This topic has made its way to Minnesota. 

I apologize for being late to topic.  I am one the "unfortunate" few to race a fzr400 in the lightweight (not ultralight) class in the CRA.  Last year it was decided that we would race against buell 1200's, big ducs, etc.

We, hell even the SV guys, were all bit nervous being as we got this real long straight part in the track.  In the end, the SV's still dominated the class, expert and novice.  To point, the best riders were on SV's.  If  the best riders spent a bunch of money to buy newer bikes and parts for it, they would have still won. 

Ironically enough, a bone stock SV (stock engine, stock suspension, stock exhaust) was consistantly in the top 3 expert all year.   Take this observation for what it is worth. 

Perhaps if the SV is ULW legal, maybe 560 fzr's could be ULW as well????

Pleased to meet you,
Tony Legueri
CRA #560
1988 FZR 400
noob expert for 08

[Burt Munro]

Eeky's not elusive, you just need to look further through your turns. 

Don came through Tech one weekend and asked for an exemption - wanted to mount a mirror on his bike. 

Said he'd never seen the front of Ed's bike before and figured his only chance was to catch a glimpse as Ed lapped him!!    

[backMARKr]

Don came through Tech one weekend and asked for an exemption - wanted to mount a mirror on his bike. 

Said he'd never seen the front of Ed's bike before and figured his only chance was to catch a glimpse as Ed lapped him!!   

"Hello...My name is Rick and I am a professional shit disturber ."

[HAWK]

Eeky's not elusive, you just need to look further through your turns. 

ouch...

I generally try to catch a glimpse of him in 5........while I'm on the front straight........a lap down..........

[dylanfan53]

Hello!

This topic has made its way to Minnesota. 

I apologize for being late to topic.  I am one the "unfortunate" few to race a fzr400 in the lightweight (not ultralight) class in the CRA.  Last year it was decided that we would race against buell 1200's, big ducs, etc.

We, hell even the SV guys, were all bit nervous being as we got this real long straight part in the track.  In the end, the SV's still dominated the class, expert and novice.  To point, the best riders were on SV's.  If  the best riders spent a bunch of money to buy newer bikes and parts for it, they would have still won. 

Ironically enough, a bone stock SV (stock engine, stock suspension, stock exhaust) was consistantly in the top 3 expert all year.   Take this observation for what it is worth. 

Perhaps if the SV is ULW legal, maybe 560 fzr's could be ULW as well????

Pleased to meet you,
Tony Legueri
CRA #560
1988 FZR 400
noob expert for 08

Tony,
Welcome.  Please allow me apologize for the adolescent thread jacking by a few attention disordered lugnuts (j/k) who disturbed this thread and welcome you with your first post.    

Here's my attempt to get back on topic.  FWIW, I switched from a mildly Superbike, as in 85 hp, SV650 (700 really) to a stock Buell XB12R that I now race.  In my experience, there wasn't really that much difference in lap times between those two (at short tracks anyway) and anything could happen with two different riders.  I happen to be faster on the Buell.  The stock SV650 before that was a different matter.   

[Eric Kelcher]

Okay official word. sorry I had a rough couple of days and just able to get to posting.

Changes to Ultra-Light Superbike have been delayed until the 2009 season. We will announce the exact wording by mid-season 2008 if not sooner.

[xb9racer]

Good. Glad you see it our way!   
I think you made a few people here pretty happy....at least for another season.
Off topic, anyone know when the "bump up" list and new schedule will be coming out?

[HAWK]

Okay official word. sorry I had a rough couple of days and just able to get to posting.

Changes to Ultra-Light Superbike have been delayed until the 2009 season. We will announce the exact wording by mid-season 2008 if not sooner.

Eric,

Are there any changes to the LW displacememt rules?

[PJ]

Okay official word. sorry I had a rough couple of days and just able to get to posting.

Changes to Ultra-Light Superbike have been delayed until the 2009 season. We will announce the exact wording by mid-season 2008 if not sooner.

Good call CCS. It's great to see your responsiveness to racer concerns.

As a former FZR 400, GS 500 and Honda Hawk racer, I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for them and all the other interesting bikes that populate the lightweight and ultra lightweight grids.

[HAWK]

Way to go Paul,

Kevin, Eric and all the rest of the CCS people who make it possible for us to indulge our passion too often hear the complaints but not the thanks.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Eric had exchanged a few emails with me during this controversy.  I hate to say it, but he had VERY strong arguments.  To paraphrase what his thoughts were, the SV is now a 10 year old bike.  The FZR, EX, CB400, Hawk, ect were ten year old bikes when the SV came along.  To make an SV competitive now with the new machines in Lightweight, you have to spend huge money on it, just as you had to do with the abovementioned bikes when the SV was new.  By letting SS spec SVs into ULW, it gives the low buck guy a place to be competitive.
I hate to admit it, but I think Eric's reasoning is correct.  Breaks my heart due to my emotional connection to the older iron, but the logic is hard to deny.  My guess is that 2008 will be a last hurrah for the old school machines, so anyone who's got one in the garage had best bring it out this summer.

[Ridgeway]

I see the point there, except that the SV is still being made and refined, and Kawasaki just started making the 650 Ninja.  These bike do not compete with the big AC twins on the showroom floor as they're around half the cost and cater to beginner riders, just as IMO, the LW classes should cater to beginner racers.  I guess with the rule change, that would make Ultralight the "starter" class option, but with ultralight only having one race, it's a pretty limited option for someone starting out.  It seems to me that a lot of people have been taking everyone's advice over the last few years and have started out on an SV in LW.  I think this trend will push more beginners back into MW.

Considering that actual bike weight has almost nothing to do with this anymore, maybe they should take a fresh look at all these classes and start from scratch.  LCTwins and ACTwins?  SS and SB for each?  LC can race up into AC, and AC can race up into TB and SuperTwins?