08 LW class rules

[Super Dave]

Nah, you're more normal.  In thirty races in a CCS event weekend, there aren't thirty winners of different races.  Most of us are losers, some first place losers (2nd overall...LOL!).  We do this because it's fun, and we like doing this vs planting tulips, softball, or PS2 all day long. 

And I'll add that I think we keep doing it because we enjoy the people we meet so much in racing, even if we hate them and want to beat them.

[123user]

Having raced a Hawk, I know that the only parts available are used!  But seriously, the lightweight class is affordable if you run a bone-stock SV.  I figure you can run a stock SV for a full season for $12000, including the cost of the bike.  After the bike is paid for... maybe $6000.

But how many championships were won on a bone-stock SV?  uhh... none.  You can have fun though.  But then again, you could buy a brand new 125 for $10,000 (with a full spares kit) and spend another $5000 on travel expenses.  If you only ran GT lights and 125 GP you can easily go a full season on a crank and replace 3-4 pistons, maybe one or two clutches.  Now, with the bike paid for, a full rebuild would cost you $1500 (maybe $800 if you did it yourself)  So, for $7000 a year you could race a GP machine, fully capable of winning a championship.  The only thing I don't understand is, why are the 125GP grids so small? 

They're small because most people want to go fast, not win.  This is why racer turnover is so bad.  People of limited means spend too much money on bling (like fairings w/paint jobs), they race too many races in one weekend instead of concentrating a few classes, and they crash too much trying to go fast.  At the end of two years, the average racer has no championships and no trophies...just scars and debt.

[xseal]

Right now, you've got UltraLWSB, LWSS, LWSB, & LWGP.  My idea was to replace all those with LCTwinSS, LCTwinSB, ACTwinSS, ACTwinSB.  Class count would stay the same.  Not a perfect solution by any means, but a clean slate idea.

I think this is a terrible idea. If you have LW SB, you go from having two classes to race in (SB and GP) to one (either AC or WC SB).  This is isn't even good for guys who's bikes are in SS trim, they go from 3 classes to 2.

My LW bike is elligible for LW 5 races (LWSB, LWGP, TB, GTL and LWF40). I race those 5 classes each weekend and don't want to have to ride against 600s just to have enough races in a weekend to make it worth the drive.

[Ridgeway]

You're forgetting Thunderbike, Supertwins, and the GT.  A SB should be reasonably competetive there.  I just don't see an appreciable difference in the grids for LWSB vs. LWGP, other than the the occasional 2-stroke which could be allowed in the merged class.

I don't really have a vested interest anymore.  I bought a 600 two weeks ago, so I can pick from about a dozen classes now...

[xseal]

You're forgetting Thunderbike, Supertwins, and the GT.  A SB should be reasonably competetive there.  I just don't see an appreciable difference in the grids for LWSB vs. LWGP, other than the the occasional 2-stroke which could be allowed in the merged class.

I don't really have a vested interest anymore.  I bought a 600 two weeks ago, so I can pick from about a dozen classes now...

I listed thunder bike ("TB") and the GT ("GTL"). I am forgetting Supertwins, which I occassionally race, but when people show up with 999Rs (or 1098s), its hard to run up front, ... though I did finish 3d once this year and it was worth a couple hundred $$ from Ducati.

[catman]

Guilty 

Me Too!

[Ducmarc]

what kills the 125and the 250 is nobody can or wants to work on them anymore .in the old days everyone started on 2 strokes and learned how to work on them . now the average rider dosen't have a  clue .its everything the can do to change tires.I had sometime to kill at homestead walked around seeing some friends . i noticed my 2 stroke friends were thrashing away while my 4 stroke friends were setting drinking gatorade .I like the 2 strokes because there a dedacated race bike  and can be raced and repaired for years .you seize one you take it apart and fix it you break a four stroke and you put it in the trailer . with all the rule changes where does this leave Roland Sands new wammy singles bikes

[Ridgeway]

I really like the idea of racing a 2 stroke GP bike, but it seems like they're getting hard to find, both bikes and parts, including tires.  When less than a half dozen new ones are brought over each year, it makes me question how long it'll be before the supply completely dries up.

[tzracer]

I have no problems getting parts for my bike (1997 TZ125). I even have WGP (world gp) parts on mine. Try to get those for a 4 stroke. Never had problem getting tires (other than the year Dunlop 'forgot' to order them)9.

You really only have to work on one at the track if you choose. Rejetting is not all that difficult, especially if you only have 1 cylinder.

[Ducmarc]

maybe the 2 stroke guys overmechanicalize (i'm sure that's not a word) by working on them even though they don't have to. I enjoy trying things at the track so I constently work on my bikes although this becomes a problem with the limited time during a race weekend.now I have a friend riding for me while I recover I have a little more time to play with the bike .as the world shifts away from the average guy having some mechanical ability . I think you will see less mechanic racers and more ride and drop off to the mechanic in the next garage. my friend brings 2 mechanics and a helper to the races just to work on bikes. they always have more bikes in the trailer when they leave then when they show up.

[roadracer162]

Lately I have been working on my bikes a little too much (4atr stroke). It is great fun though to take a bike that is built by "oneself" and run with the best of them. Of course we are talking club racing and not National stuff such as AMA.

Mark

[123user]

Does a 125 require more maint. than a 600... yes.  Is it cheaper to race... yes.  Just think about the all the aftermarket crap needed to race.  A 125 or a 250 is already setup.  If your a little fatter than normal, maybe you'd need different springs.  I considered buying a new one last year when I decided to quit the hawk thing... but I weigh 230lbs.  So, I went for the Duc.  For me, working on the bike and trying new parts is 70% of the fun.  Racing is just a "proof of concept" for me.  My duc spent about 7 hours on the dyno this year, had 3 different exhausts, and 2 different set of pistons. 

RS125's don't really require dyno time for club racing... they're so pipey it should be pretty obvious when the main jet is correct + the setup manual (also available of honda's HRC site for free) is pretty accurate.  If your really concerned you could buy a detonation counter for $1000 and have optimal jetting.

A 125 is small and light enough to fit in a hatchback Civic (sideways), hardly ever needs tires, uses very little fuel.  If your less than 170 lbs its great