Spirit Motorcycles GP Sport R

Thoughts? Clubman legal?

The Suter 500, H2R, RC211V-S, Norton, new Superleggra and then this thing.....I find it interesting that as the sportbike market continues to shrink, people keep making more ultra highe-nd sportbikes. Is there really a market for this?

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/spirit-motorcycles-gp-sport/

 

Johnny B to the courtesy phone.........

 

Come to a track day at Circuit of the Americas. You won't have to ask if people are actually buying these anymore. (These in the general sense)

 

"and the company even has plans to race in the British Supersport series"
I like the sound of that, hope they follow through

 

I would love to borrow a clapped out ZX6R-J with ratty hand painted bodywork and cut that crowd up for a session or two.

 

Oh you wouldn't be the only one. The mix of clapped out race bikes and 50k plus bikes is pretty impressive. Lots of expensive bikes in levels 1 and 2, and then there's some that can actually ride them.

 

To me that's just another sign of the extinction of the middle class. But I'll take my ass to the Dungeon before I discuss this further

 

That is really accurate and its quite funny to watch. There are some guys that can really ride their ridiculously expensive bikes in the higher level groups, but there are also a fair few really rough race bikes going just as quick or quicker.

 

I'm amazed people will spend over $82K on a bike that can only run as an exhibition class bike and then you need to really spend 100K to get all the goodies for your bike that doesn't fit properly in any existing class.

This article didn't tell about the cost of the add-ons, another article I read showed them.

 

The ones that I chuckle at are the immaculate full race Pani's in the beginner and intermediate group. And then you see the rider with his Ducati helmet, leathers, boots and gloves with at least 1 Ducati bandanna tied to him somewhere and the ends of hid Ducati do rag hanging out the back of his helmet. They look really sad when their fancy outfit is all scuffed and dirty and their shiny bike is all crumpled 1/2 way thru the day.

 

And they were always taken out by someone else. Its a fun fact that a Pani has never crashed on its own.

 

Ya, there is a significant number of that group that suffers from delusions of adequacy...

 

Lots of jealousy in this thread.

 

Your money = Your purchasing decision. Bikes on track = money to trackside vendors. Financially healthy trackside vendors = race support. Race support = Happy racers. I really can't see the downside to this path.

Also, any "expensive bike" rider I have seen doesn't care about spending money on repair bills as the bike was relatively cheap to them, and replacing crash damaged parts is a chance to spend more money on their pride and joy. Or they now have a "track only bike" and buy another bike for street duty, thereby increasing motorcycle sales (and upgrades, and aftermarket bling, etc.) which feeds the cycle.

The guys crying after a crash are the ones who are paying 22% APR on their street bike, and now they can't afford to fix it (or race prep it), so it goes into a garage for a couple of years until some enterprising individual says "so, what's up with that bike in the corner of your garage?" and race preps it (starting the whole track bike cycle). Or it gets sold "without title" or parted out on CL because the bank holds the lien and they can't free up the title to sell it outright.

Regardless, I think this thing is cool. If it gets rich folks on the track, even better. Supporting a cottage industry is how we all improve the global motorcycle market.

 

Bit hypocritical isn't it?

 

Not really. There are exceptions but it seems like Ducati guys are either hard core racers and decent people or pompous douches with money and a shitty attitude. COTA seems to attract alot of the 2nd group.

 

Yup, pretty much. I wouldn't be running Cota if these rich guys weren't coming, so I have no problem with them. In fact, most of them actually are pretty cool. Ive really only run into 1 real douche, and guess what, he was taken out on his new Pani. Though a good portion of them come from south of the border so I haven't really talked to them, but they bring some of the finest racer chasers Ive ever seen, so, they're ok in my book too.

 

Ah yes, I remember the day I lowsided my street zx10r during my first trackday (Mid-Ohio) and gave up street riding. The guy pitted next to me that helped me unload it said "Well it's a track bike now". I was shitty at the time, but looking back that crash was so significant in shaping my future for the best. Weird how things work out. My next crash wasn't so pleasant...

 

Im amazed how many of you didn't start out at beginner trackdays and went straight from the dealership to expert level.

I wasn't fortunate to have a nice bike starting out, but that 01gsxr600 got me from novice trackday to winning WERA novice races.

If I had the money I would have started in trackdays on nicer bike also...