As a race team owner on the FUSA circuit, we ran VR1000's with factory leased engines from Gemini, and also as the owner of Anthony Goberts ZX-7RR that we purchased from Muzzy and raced in 1996 & 1997 in conjunction with the VR1000, and as a friend of Erik Buell, Henry Duga, Gary Valine, Marty Brown, and a lot of other people at both Buell and HD, I think that I am reasonably qualified to speak on the VR1000, (and Buell) team.
1. In reference to Aprillia, Rotax, not Aprillia, builds the Aprillia 1000 engine.
2. It took Ducati, with decades of overhead cam engine racing history 5 years to win a superbike race with the 851/888/916/996, and 7 years to win its first championship. And that was done with a very large displacement advantage in a time that the disparity was very noticeable.
3. If HD were to go hire every jap bike engineer available, what would they learn other than competitive hiring practices?
4. As a VR1000 team owner, I had more than my share of complaints about the program. It was essentially 8 guys led by Steve Scheibe and Pete Mohar trying to beat a whole planetfull of GSXR teams out of an underfunded garage. While I personally don't care much for Scheibe, I do beleive in giving credit where credit is due, and they did acomplish a signifigant amount of work, given the resources that they had.
5. Don't knock the riders, Pascal and Mike. I know for a fact that the VR1000 that Miguel raced in 1994 had 107HP at the rear wheel. Yea. Miguel led several nationals, as did Fritz Kling on a bike with 107 HP at the rear wheel.
I think that with Steve Baker at the helm, and with the R&D arm of Ford and Cosworth backing them, that later this year, we will see some substantial gains made. I doubt that many of you are old enough to remeber Enzo pissing off Henry the 2nd and the resulting 427 development program with the GT40 Mk4 that eventually went on to win the FIA world championship against Ferrari in the late 60's.
From that personal slight, Ford know has the attitude of beat it until it breaks, fix it, do it again, until you can beat the hell out of all of them. I only hope that that attitude carries over into the VR program.
Also, don't be too impressed by the VTX 1800 making a 100 HP and 100 ft lb.s of torque from that engine. Granted, it was a brilliant marketing move by Honda, but I have seen 140 HP and 135 ft lbs. out of some of the much hated S&S motors that are of similar displacment.
Lastly, The Buell is a true sportbike, regardless of the engine. Don't forget, Ducati still builds the majority of its bikes without water in the engine either. And if you don't think it's not a real racebike, just ask the second place Ducati that was beaten at willow in the Pro Thunder race by one.
I do expect to see a competitive sport bike in your definition of the word from Buell in the next calander year.
Enough rambling, enjoy!
Mark L.
