Is the Heavyweight class obsolete?

[Fast4fun]

Just taking a quick look through the grids for heavyweight I noticed that only 3-4 bikes per expert class actually qualify only in the HW class. Is it fair to say that the industry has passed by the 750 inline fours and 1000 twins?  Most twins now fit into the unlimited class and only Suzuki makes a 750. It's a grid, and podium, dominated by 600's essentially making it another MW class.

Maybe we can expand on the idea of having a 3 tier class of racing if we make the room by bumping the HW classes. Hopefully this will encourage more track day riders to try their hand at racing.

Food for thought.

[benprobst]

Just taking a quick look through the grids for heavyweight I noticed that only 3-4 bikes per expert class actually qualify only in the HW class. Is it fair to say that the industry has passed by the 750 inline fours and 1000 twins?  Most twins now fit into the unlimited class and only Suzuki makes a 750. It's a grid, and podium, dominated by 600's essentially making it another MW class.

Maybe we can expand on the idea of having a 3 tier class of racing if we make the room by bumping the HW classes. Hopefully this will encourage more track day riders to try their hand at racing.

Food for thought.

That three tier thing may have worked 10 years ago when you had 30, 50 and 70 bike grids. Now we can barely get tire money in some races at some venues. Splitting a small group into even smaller groups seems silly. Though eliminating some classes would push more folks into the more general and maybe longer races.

[Super Dave]

Just taking a quick look through the grids for heavyweight I noticed that only 3-4 bikes per expert class actually qualify only in the HW class. Is it fair to say that the industry has passed by the 750 inline fours and 1000 twins?  Most twins now fit into the unlimited class and only Suzuki makes a 750. It's a grid, and podium, dominated by 600's essentially making it another MW class.

Maybe we can expand on the idea of having a 3 tier class of racing if we make the room by bumping the HW classes. Hopefully this will encourage more track day riders to try their hand at racing.

Food for thought.

Some of the track day folks don't get into racing because of the size of grids.  So, eliminating classes with smaller numbers of entries doesn't allow them an opportunity to get involved.

Additionally, Buell and Suzuki have offered substantial manufacturer contingency to experts in HW classes. 

[Peter.BoyWonder]

Please keep the HW. I race a 750.

[danch]

That three tier thing may have worked 10 years ago when you had 30, 50 and 70 bike grids. Now we can barely get tire money in some races at some venues. Splitting a small group into even smaller groups seems silly. Though eliminating some classes would push more folks into the more general and maybe longer races.

If you move people from 'Amatuer' to 'Sportsman' quickly (and provide an incentive to move early) it might actually help the grid sizes in 'Sportsman' - imagine if half of the, say AM MW GP were up in EX. But then I have no idea how many of those Experts would stay in sportsman, and how many would go Pro/Expert. I'd imagine it would depend on the incentives

[truckstop]

Some of the track day folks don't get into racing because of the size of grids.  So, eliminating classes with smaller numbers of entries doesn't allow them an opportunity to get involved.

Ding! If I can drop a couple more seconds at BHF I was thinking about starting to enter the HW classes on my 600 because they seemed pretty light, and I would rather enter classes that aren't completely packed and ridiculous (ie, MW). Unfortunately, the trackday peeps don't know about this.

[skiandclimb]

I ran HWSS (AM) and got my ass handed to me on my Duc 996.  I know this is another topic, but I am so completely limited in classes with this bike- it kinda blows.  Can't run the LW or MW stuff, as CCS hates Desmodromic valves (even the old tired quattro stuff I have) (((BUT BUELLS CAN )))  So, I am limited to HW or Unlimited stuff, where I get my ass handed to me.  Let's be honest- my Duc puts about the same ponies, if not less, to the ground as the current 600's.  I need concessions, dammit!   

[Fast4fun]

Ski, I agree with you. Although your duc can run in the unlimited classes, it probably fits just as well in MW. It weighs more than a 600, puts out marginally more HP and quite a bit more torque, but I don't see them running the front of the pack at any track over a well ridden 600. Therefore, i see the older 1k twins fitting into a MW class. I know this is going to stir up a lot of talk but that's my humble opinion. The new twins, ie the 1098, clearly fits in the unlimited class. Besides, we're only talking about two races per weekend that could be used for a better purpose. I just think it's a redundant class b/c it's mostly MW bikes.

[smoke54]

running my buell in heavyweight and will run a full season next year.
tim

[BowleroftheYear]

no way should a 1098 be in the hw class.

[Super Dave]

I ran HWSS (AM) and got my ass handed to me on my Duc 996.  I know this is another topic, but I am so completely limited in classes with this bike- it kinda blows.  Can't run the LW or MW stuff, as CCS hates Desmodromic valves (even the old tired quattro stuff I have) (((BUT BUELLS CAN )))  So, I am limited to HW or Unlimited stuff, where I get my ass handed to me.  Let's be honest- my Duc puts about the same ponies, if not less, to the ground as the current 600's.  I need concessions, dammit!   

Learn how to do faster laps.

I finished as high as second in HW on an SV1000S and lead races.  Similarly, my SV put about the same power as a good 600, but no ram air and it came with extra weight.

[SV88]

"I finished as high as second in HW on an SV1000S and lead races.  Similarly, my SV put about the same power as a good 600, but no ram air and it came with extra weight. " 
But your SV1k puts out much more torque than a 600 and is easier to ride because you aren't shifting as much.