BMW Confident Going Into Daytona 200

I predict a top 10 in the 200. If they hit the pit stops right it's possible to get into the top 5. Good luck BMW.

Come for the racing, stay for the shredded final drive chunks all over the track.

I kid, I kid. I hope BMW wins, just to stick it in the now meaningless race's craw. Plus, it appears someone figured out how to paint a race bike and make it look nice. That counts for a lot in my book.

I had read somewhere else they were several seconds off the pace the 600's were achieving. I'd like to see them do well, but I'm not holding my breath.

Isn't everyone confident going into any event? What do people expect them to say? "We are going into Daytona fully expecting to get our asses kicked". That would be a new one, eh?

longride said:

Isn't everyone confident going into any event? What do people expect them to say? "We are going into Daytona fully expecting to get our asses kicked". That would be a new one, eh?

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How about "We had a pretty good year, so we're going to go ahead and throw down a few million Deutchmarks on a race bike for sheets and giggles"...

The 600s put out some 15+hp. It's the ability to be an endurance racer that will allow it to place well. As long as they can keep one of the bikes in the 10 ten at the end of the first hr they should have a legit chance at a decent finish.

bbtowns said:

I had read somewhere else they were several seconds off the pace the 600's were achieving. I'd like to see them do well, but I'm not holding my breath.

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Motorcyclist magazine said they were 4 seconds off. At Daytona, that is meaningless. In all the years I've attended the 200, there was only 1 race that was anywhere near that close, the year Duhamel and Mladin were swapping the lead for 200 miles. 2001 maybe, I forget. It will be fun to see BMW at the event no matter how the do. Wish Buell was in the game too.

Kenneth_Moore said:

Motorcyclist magazine said they were 4 seconds off. At Daytona, that is meaningless. In all the years I've attended the 200, there was only 1 race that was anywhere near that close, the year Duhamel and Mladin were swapping the lead for 200 miles. 2001 maybe, I forget. It will be fun to see BMW at the event no matter how the do. Wish Buell was in the game too.

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I read somewhere that War HD was thinking of running it again. Remeber Jeremy McWilliams rode the XB until he broke something in the transmission a last year? or the year before.

Personally, I'm rootin' for the Daytona 675s, especially the two being fielded by my "local" dealership (www.danddcycles.com).
They'll have some factory support this year!

Is it just me, or does it seem like to y'all that there aren't any "big names" in the race this year? Usually I know at least a few of the contenders, not this year. Also, it seems that M/C racing is increasingly becoming all about the team, and not the individual. I got that impression especially watching Superbike in 07.

Kenneth_Moore said:

Is it just me, or does it seem like to y'all that there aren't any "big names" in the race this year? Usually I know at least a few of the contenders, not this year. Also, it seems that M/C racing is increasingly becoming all about the team, and not the individual. I got that impression especially watching Superbike in 07.

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Duhamel, Hodgeson on Hondas, Eric & Ben Bostrom and Jason DiSalvo on Yamahas, Chaz Davies on Attack Kawasaki, Jake Zemke on the Erion Honda, Roger Lee Hayden on the Kawaski, Larry Pegram on Ducati are just a few.

Fading memory is the first to go. We're not in our 20s anymore and the guys we remember the most have long since retired. The majority of Superbike snobs (Mladin and Spies are 2 that come to mind) will sit it out because they think riding the 600s are beneath them. The real racers will find themselves on bikes. With the list of different machines racing the 200 we should be entertained no matter who wins.

acecycleins said:

Duhamel, Eric & Ben Bostrom, Jason DiSalvo Roger Lee Hayden

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I guess there are a couple of names I recognize. I'll root for Duhamel since he's an old fart like me! He either won or was second in the two best 200 races I ever saw. If I recall correctly, he either won or was second with a broken ankle one year.

How about a MoFo meetup before the race? I used to buy my tickets in advance, but since I'm meeting at least a couple guys at the track I'm going to buy on site this year. Saturday am? Or Friday night for pre-race hangover inducing adult beverages?

Kenneth_Moore said:

I guess there are a couple of names I recognize. I'll root for Duhamel since he's an old fart like me! He either won or was second in the two best 200 races I ever saw. If I recall correctly, he either won or was second with a broken ankle one year.

How about a MoFo meetup before the race? I used to buy my tickets in advance, but since I'm meeting at least a couple guys at the track I'm going to buy on site this year. Saturday am? Or Friday night for pre-race hangover inducing adult beverages?

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Superstock and supersport races are thurs- motocross friday night- superbike and fx sat.

What day do you want to be there again? How many days early can you take off?

acecycleins said:

What day do you want to be there again? How many days early can you take off?

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Looks like I'll ride up Wednesday after work, stay thru Sunday. Still need a place to stay? I can make arrangements for you even if I'm not there yet.

Kenneth_Moore said:

Looks like I'll ride up Wednesday after work, stay thru Sunday. Still need a place to stay? I can make arrangements for you even if I'm not there yet.

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Nah, if I head out Wed morning I should be fine- I'll call you and get your Mom's address again and you tell me the time you will get there and I'll be there soon after. The Editor of the magazine I work for may need a place, however. The place that he was scheduled to stay at has fallen through and I believe he's scrambling. I figured I'd bring my sleeping bag and hang out in some corner if it's alright.....

acecycleins said:

Nah, if I head out Wed morning I should be fine- I'll call you and get your Mom's address again and you tell me the time you will get there and I'll be there soon after. The Editor of the magazine I work for may need a place, however. The place that he was scheduled to stay at has fallen through and I believe he's scrambling. I figured I'd bring my sleeping bag and hang out in some corner if it's alright.....

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No problema, Kirk. There's room for your pal cause Mike decided not to go. (He just bought a brand new 08 Electra Glide Ultra, and then decides he doesn't have money to go to Bike Week!)

There are 5 "bedrooms," but only 3 actually have beds. Bring an airbed and you can stay upstairs in the office or den. I'll bring at least one airbed too.

acecycleins said:

...The majority of Superbike snobs (Mladin and Spies are 2 that come to mind) will sit it out because they think riding the 600s are beneath them...

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That and Yoshimura Suzuki doesn't compete in the FX class and for one race isn't going to spend the $500K or more that it would cost to build 4 competitive bikes.

tomk2 said:

That and Yoshimura Suzuki doesn't compete in the FX class and for one race isn't going to spend the $500K or more that it would cost to build 4 competitive bikes.

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American Honda doesn't compete in FX, either. You see them doing a one-off for the 200, though. Yosh operates the team, but Suzuki gets to pull the strings. They could, absolutely, take a couple of spec supersport bikes and produce an FX contender without breaking the bank. It's the riders that won't do it. H3ll, Get Tommy to ride one. Bet he'd do it. Excuses are for the weak or the lazy. Yosh doesn't want to play in the 200 because they're too worried that the platform they would race can't keep up with Kawi, Yamaha and Ducati. Pity, really.

acecycleins said:

American Honda doesn't compete in FX, either. You see them doing a one-off for the 200, though...

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Maybe the reason moneybags Honda is throwing a million dollars at a support class race is because the best they can do in the premier class is compete for third place.