MotoAmerica 2021 | Road Atlanta | April 30-May 2

Kawi pays $3000 for a win down to $500 in 5th for each MA race (not just round). Must be on a 20-21 model. And it has to be green. Of course, there’s only like 3 of us with Kawi’s and we only show up to occasional events :shrug:

 

Anyone know why David Anthony didnt race? Did he have an OFF during practice or something?

 

Yeah he went down in the Esses if I am not mistaken... Saw him launch downhill and out of sight... Almost positive it was him...

 

Why does nobody run a Kawasaki in twins? They won a lot of races in flattrack with that engine so is the chassis on the current model junk?

 

I honestly thought Gagne was smoking the rear tire on the kink before turn 10. Bummer it was the motor

 

2nd & 3rd May & Yates, wait til they get those RR-R’s sorted..

 

I was thinking the same thing

 

Word from across the pond was the new bike was really good but Honda’s always seem to do OK in BSB with electronics package they run, guess it finally is that good.

 

But are they going to add a weight penalty for it being too fast?

 

I don't see how they can give basically a completely stock bike like may has a weight penalty, that's just embarrassing.

 

hahahah dead

 

Oh god. Please don't let Gary / G Dawg see this. The thread will be officially highjacked

 

I thought the helicopter was super cool this past weekend, I hope they continue to use it

 

The fast kids will be competitive on anything, as we've seen this weekend. The problem is development. Bob Fisher from Roaring Toyz built a seriously bad ass Kawi motor. But he got bogged down getting Kaleb's and his FZ's ready for the season, (plus trying to run his business) and the project stopped.

The SV made good progress when Robem and M4 started running them last year. That's a platform that's been around how long?

There is still lots left to do with the FZ. It's always the same story- real tuners don't take an interest in LW bikes so the development only goes so far. The development of the FZ completely stopped after Robem got busy with it's SV program and now is on to the Aprilla program. Jackson Blackmon is doing some development on the bike and would have been quite fast on it had he not gotten hurt in a pre season test.

Fortunately the FZ is also used in dirt track, so engine development continues. Seriously, who has used a flowbench to improve the intake since JD Hord built his intake 3 years ago? Superbike Mike is working on it down here. Graves just came out with a real exhaust that is (supposedly) designed for built motors. There's still more left in the tank.

Chassis development is a different story. Even Thermosman has limited experience with the bike, and then a lot of it is with guys like me who are well off the top level pace.

Also, when you're trying stuff, sometimes it doesn't work, that money is blown. Or something breaks and you find out anew what the limit is. Then you try to overcome that. Like pinning the main bearing on the SV motor.

Experimentation is the way most teams are finding stuff out. Last year Kaleb's team spent nearly $300K doing the season. That's Kaleb in the van, and one mechanic meeting at races. Engines, bodywork, spares, 4-5 sets of tires per weekend, etc. I believe we only had one test day as a team, where we brought Thermosman and worked through a bunch of suspension changes. You can imagine what M4 spent on Rocco's season.

It takes someone with big bucks and love of Kawasakis to make that happen. What is the payoff? This ain't Supersport or Superbike- hell, even those classes aren't profitable...

 

You have perfectly highlighted why a class designed to be low cost/stepping stone/ entry level to 600 & 1000 needs to change up the rules to control costs. I don't have the perfect answer but someone like Graves, Attack, Robem etc. could present MA suggestions to reduce costs and then improve the races for everyone. And that 300k number for a LW twin even in 2021 dollars is crazy stupid IMO

 

To be fair with the sv, the new ones people are running are not the same bike as people think of when you mention sv650, hell the master cylinder and calipers on prices robem sv650 cost more than most people's 2nd gen sv650

 

I think this was being discussed in AMA years before the class actually took place- I don't think the intent was a stepping stone class. I think the intent was to draw club racers into the AMA scene, either as fans who can relate because "Hey, I race one of those!" or to actually race and bring in revenue.

The arms race was inevitable, because the bikes aren't designed to any standard like the 600's are. 600's are designed around the class, the starting point for most LW bikes is as a hauler for chicken crates in some other country. So to achieve some kind of parity, they had to open up the rules. Then it's off to the races! (No pun intended).

When you say that number is crazy, do you mean we spent too much, or that the amount it takes to do a season is out of control? I will agree on the latter, but of course you know that a professional pit setup being hauled around the country costs money, (regardless of if it's a 600 or a twin in the trailer) Tire allotment is the same wether you're on a twin or a 600, etc., etc. They did the whole season on 2 engines and 1 bike, with Kaleb sleeping in the van on race weekends.

 

LOL "Chicken Crate Hauler Class!!!! "

 

And STILL spent 300 grand?

 

Two engines, one bike, and no sleeping arrangements for $300k? I may not be good at math, but something isn't adding up