Sean, can you splain the iron rotor rule change anymore? What iron rotors aren't legal for superstock? Jeez, I was jez gonna be happy iffin youz guys said I could ditch the TL-R's couch in favor of a real seat, but now you go and say that we can use iron rotors? Izn't a non stock seat more superstock than iron rotors? What's the reasoning? What classes will suzuki pay TL money for? Is there no Michelin money this year?
The problem is that cast iron cracks and 99.9% of our riders don't have the money to magnaflux them every race to make sue they don't explode. The reasoning for aftermarket rotors in the first place is hazy but mostly it was the cost of replacement for a part that legitimately wears out over time. The stock seats don't wear out, are damned hard to break in a crash (and if you crash hard enough to break the stock seat base it ain't going back to a street bike anyway), and the bodywork guys have always offered a stock tail because it crosses over into the street market so there is no good reason to not use the stock seat base and bodywork. If you can come up with a good reason (other than the AMA allows it...) let me know! I may be stubborn and obnoxious but I do listen
Almost forgot - the PFM rotors use a different process than your normal cast iron and do not crack any more often than the OEM steel ones. That is why they are legal.
Oy my mind is going.... No idea on the TL money but I'm guessing HW Twins. Yes there will be Michelin money - best guess is same as last year but I won't post it on the web site until I get the official word from Michelin. Don't like guessing on things like that.... I think I'm done now.
The stock rotors on the TL are the same as the GSXR 750/600 and they work fine. Just as good as the EBC and the cost is a matter of 10 bucks or so. On the note of the superbike seat you can change rotors, but you do not have a choice when it comes to your own ass, in terms you can decide what type of rotors you would like cause of the cost which is about 10 bucks and the price of anaftermarket tail section is the same as the superbike section so why cant you choose which one your ass will feel better on. When preparing a bike you need to by plastic for it to race anyway, why would you use a $1000 set of stock plastic when you can spend 350- 750 on plastic in which you get to chhose what seat you would like to run! I vote we chage the rule!
This is my opinion regarding the Superbike tail section and seat or stock seat and tail section issue. There is no performance advantage with one over the other. Some riders prefer the feel of the Superbike seat while others such as Lee Acree prefer the stock seat. It is purely a rider preference. For the most part they look the same, they're shaped the same aerodynamiclly, and cost essentially the same. For those riders who prefer the Superbike seat/tail section and race with other organizations as well as WERA, they must buy one of each or not use the seat/tail section of their choice. In addition, if a stock seat is used and is damaged in a crash it is a hell of a lot more expensive for a rider to go out and purchase a new stock seat and new tail section then it is to purchase a Superbike seat. In fact, the stock seat will cost more than $150 alone. There is really no good reason why they should not be allowed to use the Superbike seat. Let the riders choose the seat of there choice and soon riders and WERA alike will wonder why there was ever a debate.
Chuck hit on the head: some riders butts--mine included--like the feel of an aftermarket pad/seat. it's pretty important to moi. Hell, iffin I can have cf bodywork and iron rotors, again, I don't think a seat choice should be a problem.
<asbestos leathers on> I have to disagree. There is a difference between the stock seat and bodywork designed for it and the superbike seat. With the superbike seat, the seat pan usually sits directly on the sub-frame with not much more than a rubber pad for a seat. This lowers the rider a few inches and gives a corresponding change in the bike's center of gravity. Also there is a (small) weight advantage the "nothing but fiberglass" seat has over the molded plastic, foam, and misc hardware of the stock seat. So a bike with the super's tail section will have a slight (perceaved) advantage between two other wise identical machines. I think in the real world on the track, there really isn't much of a difference (skill over tech), but in the rules and in the interests of fairness, the type of seat allowed makes one of the good deviding lines between superSTOCK and superbike classes. James
Sharkskinz Superbike tail section comes with a seat pan that bolts between the seat rail and tail section to add strength (and weight)and places the rider in the same position as the stock seat. The rider does not sit on the seat rail. In addition, the rule book states that the stock seat base plate must be used but the padding may be changed. This allows a rider to lower or raise his or her relative heigth on the bike anyway. As far as weight savings, the difference is so slight it is not going to effect the outcome of a race. The point that I think is being over-looked here is that most racers replace their existing stock bodywork with after market equipment because they don't want to destroy $2500 worth of stock bodywork in a crash and at one time or another, we will all crash. I've seen case were the stock seat is torn or the mounting points broken off and even the base plate cracked in half. Have you priced a new Honda F4 seat lately? A Suzuki GSXR600/750 seat will set you back $150. I think that racers should be able to use the Superbike seat for no other reason than it will be cheaper in the long run and anything that we can do to make it cheaper to race without jeopardizing safety is in the best interest of the sport.
Chuck's right. When I crashed me old hawk at Road Atlanta, the rear subframe was mangled so badly that a stock seat pan would've been toasted. The sharkskinz seat cowl was torn off and survived, sort of. Just a few dollars of glass repair to fix as opposed to buying a new seat/seatpan from Honda.
I'll agree wih you - Chuck is right but not for the reason you stated, the stock seat base would have been flying around with the tailsection. I have yet to see any seat base get broke and I've seen some seriousl mangled bikes. What Chuck was right about is that it truly makes no difference whether you run one or not, it makes no performance difference, and it makes no difference to us (really - it doesn't, I swear!). Just be patient and let me work on it and we may have you all very happy, very soon. But then what'll you complain about?!?
I'll vent a little. This is my first year racing. I want to race my 98 GSXR600 in C prod. As long as I can remember WERA and Production meant easy, low cost and minimal race prep. Safety wiring and removing lights/turn signals I can understand. This belly pan thing still doesn't make sense to me. I don't care about aftermarket seats, bodywork or rotors. Let me buy a set of case guards, take my lowers off and race. A belly pan on a stock late model bike? This is a minimal safety precaution at best. A guy puked his EX at my riders school and most of his oil was on my visor, front fairing and wind screen. Wind speed will blow any drips down the side of the bike and out the back not in the pan. Any substantial amount of fluid will slosh out under accelleration, braking and cornering. I don't think the belly pan should be an all inclusive rule. I'm finished venting now. It's time to put my expensive OEM lowers back on that are already paid for and shape the ridiculous aluminum flashing I just bought into a belly pan. Can I run my soon to be hideous belly pan without lowers?
I too was skeptical about the bellypan rule until a race last year at Roebling when a 4-cyl big bike grenaded at the end of the straight and dumped all it's oil. The guy had a belly pan and, while it was full of oil, NOTHING was on the track. Convinced me. Anything that works to help keep things on schedule is appreciated. Especially with the classes that I run always scheduled towards the end of the day - you get tired of having your races shortened because of problems (like oil spills) earlier in the day....
