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One Racer's Opinion Regarding The Future Of AMA Superbike

21226 Views 163 Replies 24 Participants Last post by eddyline, Dec 21, 2006

3917

Discussion Starter · Dec 20, 2006

first! AMA Superbike racing is already dead..

1 - 20 of 164 Posts

56599

· #2 · Dec 20, 2006

Na next year will be good. Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, and Kawasaki all in the hunt for the first time in years. Too bad Ducati isn't in there to finish last. Seriously, kpaul expects 1000cc to continue for awhile till we see a move to 800 cc V-4s*. Now that V-Twins are dead in racing 4s can go back down to a sensible size. Remember the move to 1000 cc inline 4s was caused by the RC-51 and Duc 998 dominating WSB. Now that folks have seen the light.. a golden era of V-4s is about to begin. Bikes will be more powerful and agile .. Rejoice...

* God told kpaul via a burning tire..

schizuki

· #3 · Dec 20, 2006

"Seriously, kpaul expects 1000cc to continue for awhile till we see a move to 800 cc V-4s*."

Why 800 cc V-4s? What is so magical about this combination?

"Now that folks have seen the light.. a golden era of V-4s is about to begin."

The V-4 Interceptors came out in - what - 1983? V-Fours have had over twenty years to become the preferred engine configuration. They haven't. Why will that change?

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schizuki

· #4 · Dec 20, 2006

BTW, what folks are you talking about and what light have they seen?

pdad13

· #5 · Dec 20, 2006

Well, the GMP doesn't remember that Honda tried and tried with all its considerable might to make V-4s dominant on track and in the showroom.

Alas, they were too complex, expensive and heavy--oh, and not all that competitive. Sure, technology has improved in the last 25 years but the V-4 is far from the be all end all.

I don't see Yamaha dumping the I-4 in MotoGP (as if MGP bikes have all that much to do with the bikes we buy, anyway). Or any of the Japanese manufacturers dumping their I-4 production bikes.

I do predict more wild speculation coming from KP's ass, though. Of this, I'm certain.

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pdad13

· #6 · Dec 20, 2006

Well, the GMP doesn't remember that Honda tried and tried with all its considerable might to make V-4s dominant on track and in the showroom.

Alas, they were too complex, expensive and heavy--oh, and not all that competitive. Sure, technology has improved in the last 25 years but the V-4 is far from the be all end all.

I don't see Yamaha dumping the I-4 in MotoGP (as if MGP bikes have all that much to do with the bikes we buy, anyway). Or any of the Japanese manufacturers dumping their I-4 production bikes.

I do predict more wild speculation coming from KP's ass, though. Of this, I'm certain.

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longride

· #7 · Dec 20, 2006

I bet in another 20 years they will be running 500cc bikes for the same reason they are going down to 800cc in MotoGP. It isn't to make them go faster, it's to make them go slower. Maybe if the GMP knew how to read, he would have read that the 1000cc bikes are too powerful for most tracks, and are therefore unsafe. The tire explosions at Daytona a few years ago pretty much told us that. It's the same reason NASCAR got restrictor plates for large tracks. They are going too fast and are too powerful for safety. Going to 800cc effectively, and temporarily, slows them down to a controllable level.....for now. It doesn't take a genius, or a GMP, to know that 800cc will only be a temporary level. At some point in the future, they will lower the displacement again, or restrict the intake size, or use other methods to slow the bikes down. Change was around the corner about 3 years ago. I'm glad this guy finally saw it.

seruzawa

· #8 · Dec 20, 2006

I see this as a positive thing. Since the squidlies are followers they'll suddenly "realize" that smaller is better and will be buying 800cc bikes in droves soon. This means the resurrection of the 750-800 class middleweights... the truly divinely inspired displacement for the 4 cylinder. People will be riding 750s again, like God intended.

35244

· #9 · Dec 20, 2006

The Kookmeister Prognosticates

"...bikes will be more powerful and agile"

Wow! What an example of courageous, idiosyncratic, out of the box thinking!

I suggest a collection to buy the Squid some tools: Priest Robes, a HIGH podium, a short lectern & one bullhorn (for the deaf, of course).

Yup, that should suffice.

What would give me a good laugh: Squid gets a guest star role on NCIS as Gibbs' newest newbie. The entire NCIS group gets to slap him on the back of his head every time he dramatically discovers the obvious.

I report - YOU decide!

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35244

· #10 · Dec 20, 2006

I was so busy having a cheap laugh at Kook's expense that I almost - but not quite - forgot my actual point...

The usual suspects above are right. When I read this, my reflexive response was: "who cares? racing is now so esoteric and removed from the reality of day to day riding that it is just irrelevant except as entertainment".

But as usual, my initial reflexive response is wrong. Traction control! Powerband control!! Honda was way out in front with the mid-90s ST11 with ABS & TCS but who bought one? - 10 zillion cruiser riders didn't even bother to yawn. Now suddenly power characteristics can be selected (new 1000 Gixxer) and there was that cryptic blurb in MC Daily about the DTC on the new 1098 - Ducati traction control. Hmmmm...

Yes, the future will be very, very cool and racing will still be improving the breed.

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The_AirHawk

· #11 · Dec 20, 2006

But that's impossible -- Ducati can't have anything like that in the works for the 1098, it's OBSOLETE!

The future is the $60,000.00 Desmocedici and the VFR 800; all other engines are now obsolete (I mean -- didn't you READ the article that KPaul posted whilst sniffing fumes from that burning tire? MY GOD MAN! Listen to the Grating Monomaniacal Pedant!).

The_AirHawk

· #12 · Dec 20, 2006

You know - THEM FOLKS!!

And the light -- didn't you read? The Burning Tyre, Man!

33809

· #13 · Dec 20, 2006

Talking out of your a$$ again?

My 13 month old little girl has more a informed opinion about the future of motorcycles, and all she can say is "Dadda".

Hush now KP and let the adults talk ok?

acecycleins

· #14 · Dec 20, 2006

In-line bikes are not going aywhere. They will rule the racing world for at least 5 more years. V-4's are great race motors but it will take a while for the public to adjust to the retail side of this. The VFR (truly a fun bike) is not a high demand bike and the only other V-4 is a power cruiser that hasn't changed since its introduction. I can see the writing on the wall and accept that 750-800cc bikes will be the "new" Superbike (probably around the '09-'10 seasons and the superstock will remain a racing class but without factory support as to let privateers showchase their talents- as it should be).

SmokeU

· #15 · Dec 20, 2006

In other words I should dust off that RC45 I have on stands in my garage and get back on the track with it?

*disclaimer: I have no RC45*

BrowningBAR

· #16 · Dec 20, 2006

KP, currently, from the grave, H. L. Mencken is taking a shot gun to the theory of "Those who can -- do. Those who can't -- teach."

56599

· #17 · Dec 20, 2006

Well it didn't take long. kpaul's short rebuttal

Well the GPTB responded with their usual opinion which is usually "let's see what kpaul says and then lets say the opposite"

[*]Why 800cc V-4s? (schizuki and pdad the ever clueless ones asked this question) Goto motogp.com and find the answer.

[*]longride and seruzawa never read everything before they start attacking. longride should of read this comment from me "Now that V-Twins are dead in racing 4s can go back down to a sensible size. Remember the move to 1000 cc inline 4s was caused by the RC-51 and Duc 998 dominating WSB. Now that folks have seen the light.. a golden era of V-4s is about to begin."

[*]The first evidence that V-4 are going to dominate superbike comes from THE APRILIA V4 RACE MACHINE ENGINE A CLOSER LOOK

56599

· #18 · Dec 20, 2006

Go to motogp.com (V-4s dominate motogp) and aprilia.com to see Aprilia's new V-4 superbike

56599

· #19 · Dec 20, 2006

And you are clueless

56599

· #20 · Dec 20, 2006

Re: Talking out of your a$$ again?

And you are uninformed i.e. ignorant

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