Growing Ultralight Class - Mid Atlantic

[Suprafreak13]

Shane Höeckel here,

Has anyone been noticing the growing Ultralight Thunderbike/ULGT/500SS classes?!?  The little bikes are such a blast!

Beginning this year we had only 3-4 riders per race.  Half way through the season and now we're regularly getting 7-8 riders in each class. There's another newly licensed rider that will be joining us for the Summit Point round hopefully, and we have another friend that is going to get licensed at NJMP next month.  Summit Point is looking like we're going to have 10+ riders!

You can't beat the economical standpoints of racing a smaller bike...  A set of tires will last half a season, not one weekend like the bigger bikes... A 5 gal pail of fuel will last two weekends at least...  brakes last longer, and there's only one set of pads to change.

The racing is tight and competitive! Similarly powered bikes mean it's all up to rider skill.

Here's an awesome race at VIR from last year when I had a nicely tune Ninja 250, keeping up with two Ninja 300.
https://youtu.be/YR7-fgMddms

Here is the first two laps of Sundays 500SS race at Summit Point from this year.  We did well keeping up with the two FZR400's. 
https://youtu.be/V02GJzBSTK4

Here is the 500SS from Saturday at Summit.  I kept up with Mark on his FZR400 and lost the lead on the last lap going into T10.
https://youtu.be/l9usTkTJF-g

It's some good racing!!!!

We have a lot of people interested in the UL classes this year, it's only going to be growing more and more!!!!

Also, a 1-2 year old Ninja 300 is eligible for the Kawasaki Contingency rewards.  I'm not sure if you have to buy a new bike or not, I did, and I've been collecting cash from Kawasaki.

[Zaph]

I'm fully converted to ultralight here in midwest.  My only hope is that the grid becomes large enough so that we don't have to combine expert and amateur.  That way a yellow plate like myself would have more of a chance to finish better.  It's kind weird having faster competition in ultralight than amateur middleweight supersport.  You'd expect ultralight to be a bunch of newbies but it's actually filled with seriously seasoned racers.

It's all good though, us amateurs just have some lofty improvement goals to make.   

[britx303]

I'm fully converted to ultralight here in midwest.  My only hope is that the grid becomes large enough so that we don't have to combine expert and amateur.  That way a yellow plate like myself would have more of a chance to finish better.  It's kind weird having faster competition in ultralight than amateur middleweight supersport.  You'd expect ultralight to be a bunch of newbies but it's actually filled with seriously seasoned racers.

It's all good though, us amateurs just have some lofty improvement goals to make.   

Latch onto the experts....it will make you faster....plus its fun having yellow plates and running with them once the personal pace picks up

[Suprafreak13]

I'm fully converted to ultralight here in midwest.  My only hope is that the grid becomes large enough so that we don't have to combine expert and amateur.  That way a yellow plate like myself would have more of a chance to finish better.  It's kind weird having faster competition in ultralight than amateur middleweight supersport.  You'd expect ultralight to be a bunch of newbies but it's actually filled with seriously seasoned racers.

It's all good though, us amateurs just have some lofty improvement goals to make.   

Those seasoned racers have figured it out. Ultralight racing is the most affordable way to race, and if anything it's MORE fun that racing bigger bikes.

I get more concerned with our ULTB races being gridded with the Unlimited rookies cup. The slowest bikes on course with newbies on 1000's  isn't a good idea in my opinion. Hopefully if we get this UL class big enough we might get our own races one day.

[Zaph]

Oh I agree, and I wouldn't get in rookies cup for that very reason.

I have to say I'm really liking how my tire costs are going this year.  It's almost end of July and I'm still on the set I started with.  If I were still on my 675R, I would have blown through $1200 worth of Pirellis so far.  Also, my bike only sips MR12.  My 675R would glug glug glug the dollars away.

[apriliaman]

Good to see more people out racing the smaller classes now.On my FZR 400 I use 2 front and 1 rear tire  all year and go around 600-700mi for the year.5 gal can last 3 weekends.
This is from Road America video I made,check out how many bikes there was.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BKqAnNJ38M

[Suprafreak13]

I have to say I'm really liking how my tire costs are going this year.  It's almost end of July and I'm still on the set I started with.  If I were still on my 675R, I would have blown through $1200 worth of Pirellis so far.  Also, my bike only sips MR12.  My 675R would glug glug glug the dollars away.

This exactly! I started this season on tires from last year that saw a couple events...Then rode them through 3 race weekends before replacing JUST the rear.. Then 5 race weekends and a double track day later I replaced them both...I expect these to last the next 4 weekends this year and get me started next year.  I race two classes ULTB and 500SS at every Mid Atlantic Round, and all practice sessions. 

[Suprafreak13]

Good to see more people out racing the smaller classes now.On my FZR 400 I use 2 front and 1 rear tire  all year and go around 600-700mi for the year.5 gal can last 3 weekends.
This is from Road America video I made,check out how many bikes there was.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BKqAnNJ38M

That's awesome! Was there like 30 bikes in the ULGT?!  Can't wait until we get our grids up like that.  It's only a matter of time before more and more people see how much fun we're having with such low costs.  Enough people get interested and the class will take off with a snowball effect I think.

[bruce71198]

That's awesome! Was there like 30 bikes in the ULGT?!  Can't wait until we get our grids up like that.  It's only a matter of time before more and more people see how much fun we're having with such low costs.  Enough people get interested and the class will take off with a snowball effect I think.

We've been waiting for this in the MW since the class was introduced. I'm not sure whats keeping people away. There isn't a more competitive class out there!

[Capitalview]

Now if CCS could just figure out to get the RC390 and R3 out of the lightweight class and put them with the rest of the Ultra Lightweights.  Then put the 250s in their own class.

[bruce71198]

Now if CCS could just figure out to get the RC390 and R3 out of the lightweight class and put them with the rest of the Ultra Lightweights.  Then put the 250s in their own class.

I think there is a solution to this. Moto America runs a throttle stop on the KTM's that limits the throttle opening to 80%, this puts the horsepower output at 37-39 HP. Make the 390's run the throttle stop and anything else in the class run Thunderbike rules including the 250's (who's days are limited).
It will be interesting to see if Honda bumps their new 250 to 300cc for the States.

[Suprafreak13]

Now if CCS could just figure out to get the RC390 and R3 out of the lightweight class and put them with the rest of the Ultra Lightweights.  Then put the 250s in their own class.

Splitting the 250's and 300+ bikes would just make each class smaller.  A well tuned 250 and rider can give a 300 a run for it's money. 


We're going to suggest making the Ultralight Superbike class into the superbike class for 250/300's, instead of being an SV class.  It could index in the RC390 and R3 in SS trim.

[Capitalview]

Splitting the 250's and 300+ bikes would just make each class smaller.  A well tuned 250 and rider can give a 300 a run for it's money. 


We're going to suggest making the Ultralight Superbike class into the superbike class for 250/300's, instead of being an SV class.  It could index in the RC390 and R3 in SS trim.

Why do you think the 300 is at such a disadvantage as that it should be allowed to run superbike rules?  I know there are 300s out there making the same HP, in SS form as the R3.  Maybe not the RC390 though.  Still don't think it would need to be able to run a superbike engine though.

[MACOP1104]

VIR is a Yamaha R3 Cup contingency weekend and qualifier for the season finale at the GNF.  I'm sure several R3s will be there racing in 500ss trying to win that cash.   You guys should have a good turnout.

[britx303]

I havent seen any R3s yet,but I am interested in seeing how they do.Shame they have recalls already,it was getting tempting to get one

[Eric Kelcher]

VIR is a Yamaha R3 Cup contingency weekend and qualifier for the season finale at the GNF.  I'm sure several R3s will be there racing in 500ss trying to win that cash.   You guys should have a good turnout.

This is largely incorrect. VIR is the season finale for Mid Atlanta and Southeast regions.
This weekend has zero connection to R3 Cup or GNF.

It is a Yamaha contingency weekend http://ccsracing.us/forms/2016/contingency/2016%20Factory%20OEM%20Schedule%20-%20CCS%20ASRA.pdf

[MACOP1104]

Oops.  My bad.    Yamaha contingency only. 

[Suprafreak13]

Why do you think the 300 is at such a disadvantage as that it should be allowed to run superbike rules?  I know there are 300s out there making the same HP, in SS form as the R3.  Maybe not the RC390 though.  Still don't think it would need to be able to run a superbike engine though.
[/quote


You're right, the R3 probably isn't that much advantage over the EX300...But the RC390 I think is a little much for the 300cc bikes to compete with. 

[bruce71198]

With the simple throttle limiter on the KTM there hasn't been one dynoed over 40hp, most of them in the 37-38 range. How perfect is that for a 300, 320, 390 match up? And the throttle limiter is easy to tech and quickly removed if you want to run the KTM in other classes.

[RacerGuy1962]

Add one more.  I'll be doing my first race on my Ninja 300 at Summit Point this month.  Shane, I watched those vids to learn the track layout, as I haven't been there before.


-Bret Schardein
#885
Richmond VA