New AMA class structure and rules package

It is working extremelly well in the WSB Scene

 

Great news and a great conversation. There are real viable options,we will have to see how the rules shake out to make bike choices, etc. I like the idea of a spec class to develop young racers and to keep costs down. I hope "spec" is limited to weight and power not one specific brand. Maybe that way more manufacturers will come to the party. I do hope that GP chassis bikes are not excluded in support of the manufacturers.
My other concern as Mongo stated is the age requirement. I think we can all agree that a minimum should be set. I am thinking it should be 14 "with" a race resume to support if this is going to be a "pro' ranked class. Perhaps a minimum of two years WERA.. CCS.. etc. as an expert level racer. This could lend more creditability to these organizations as a feeder to the AMA ranks. Not that they really are not now, but I think you get it. The other piece is our legal system and the insurance industry.. This will be a pivotal year for several young guns out there. I will be keeping my ear to the paddock.

 

The GP tech is a nice bike. Had the opportunity to inspect it and talk to you at the GNF and I was impressed by its performance watching Ashton race it. If we could find ways to get it into production and get costs down it would be cool. Why do we need a full blown Moto 3 spec chassis when the RS / Moriwaki and GP Tech are perfectly suitable? Check out the Moriwaki CUP series running out of the UK as a feeder to Moto 3.

 

I'd love to see a true LW entry level class with AMA Pro

 

why don't they just go with a 450 super single class….. oh.. wait

 

Kawasaki should get off their ass and bring back an inline 400/450. Their ZXR400SP race kit made 80Hp in 1993 and probably weighed 325. Not too hard to get them below 300, with wheels and a different tank. Get yamaha and honda in the game and you've got a great beginner class. I know, the bikes will cost as much as a 600, I'd buy one.

 

I agree the Honda CRF 250 four stroke engine is a pain in the arse without careful attention. Pitiful oil capacity and intake valve dropping-exhaust valve guide eating heads.. There are ways to shore up the reliability and longevity of the Honda engine out there but pricey. I would change the engine brand in the Moriwaki chassis in a minute if it was doable by simply adapting mounts without hacking the chassis. There is a Moriwaki md250s / Suzuki 250 four stroke but it never to my knowlwge made it to the USA. Who builds the toughest 250 four stroke single out there now? Why do we need a full blown Moto 3 spec chassis when the RS / Moriwaki and GP Tech are perfectly suitable? Check out the Moriwaki CUP series running out of the UK as a feeder to Moto 3. The RS/Moriwaki bike is around 190lbs, The CBR500 CUP bike weighs in at 310 pounds, the SV650 in street trim is 364lbs. The R6 is around 400 lbs in street trim. I get it but I`m just not warming up to it.

 

The Moriwaki costs more than a 600.

 

If the series takes off and prospers then the manufacturers will come to play and "compete". We can hope. Get the race weight to around 250-260 with 80hp and we have something. I know there are hot-rod 250 Moriwaki`s out there building very close to 50hp now. This potential transition makes much more sense to me.

 

I've been beating the "small bike dead horse" for awhile now.
And:
Aprilia even had plans to create a spec sxv4.5 class. HD won out and got the spec class with the XR1200. I was even contracted to make a working prototype at the time.

 

The moriwaki (and gptech moto 3) is a "race" bike, the 600's are "street" bikes. You pay more for a purpose built race bike.
A 600 requires more money and mechanical effort to add racetrack worthy parts to it. It is still a street bike with parts installed.

 

Don't get me wrong. I would love nothing more than to see a successful Moto3 class here in the US. I have my doubts that it would work at this time. If the initial cost of entry is higher than that of a basically supersport 600 class bike, I think you would be simply dividing the field. Somewhat dependent on age limits, of course. I don't think AMA Racing could survive another failed class.
As far as mechanical effort goes, our Moriwaki makes me nostalgic for our RS125. Perhaps your bike is more reliable. We would welcome the opportunity to do a few laps on it. It looked and sounded nice at the GNF.
What we need is a relatively inexpensive entry class with manufacturer support. We'll just have too see what the AMA comes up with.

 

It really comes down to what type of series are available to move up to. In Spain they have a national Moto2 series, so riders start off on little bikes and can move all the way up to GP with the same basic riding style. If your move-up series are 600cc and 1000cc streetbike based series, then it makes sense to start off on some sort of production based smaller bike.

 

This is very true as the classes are set up now. I guess it depends on your goals if one is serious about competing at the world level or not. There is nothing wrong with a pro-AMA career if that is what you want to do but IMHO if US racers want to compete on the world stage there needs to be a logical transition with classes and bikes to do it on to get there. The path is clear as a bell either way right now anyway. Doesn't make much sense to ride a GP chassis race bike then transition to a production based bike. I have not really checked yet but how close are the vital specs between a US spec 600 at the AMA level and a Euro Moto 2 bike? As for the aprilia 4.5 or similar that was a loss that it didnt light off.. As for XR1200 class that "won out", why? No offense to anyone who races one now at the pro level but what was it supposed to do exactly as a class? School a starry-eyed new guy someone.

 

Don't tell that to:
Cam Beaubier
Josh Herrin
JD Beach
Jason DiSalvo
Jake Gagne
Garrett Gerloff
Hayden Gillim
Jake Lewis
Hayden Bros.
PJ Jacobsen
Taylor Knapp
Stefano Mesa
Elena Myers
Joey Pascarrella
Tomas Puerta
James Rispoli
Joe Roberts
Benny Solis
Etc.....

 

Fair enough and no disrespect but I am thinking the transition to Moto 2 from the AMA would easier?

 

My point being all these riders spent time on the 125/250 GP bikes before moving up. IMHO it being a much better platform to learn on (and more exciting to watch) than the current alternatives. JMO

 

Bring back the two strokes! :up:
(Direct injection?)

More/less realistically a redbull backed 390 Duke spec class would be awesome!

Blackmountain58 the Hardeleys were supposed to recruit outside of the sportbike demographic, but since that hasn't worked they should partner with KTM instead. I bet they'd sell out of those things.

 

Add Danny Eslick to that list. His first road racing ride was on an RS125.

 

I get it, my point is that the GP chassis is what is missing /MIA/gone. All these men raced them. The Ninja, CBR, the new Yamaha R25, etc, is not even in the same league. A super single 450 or the new KTM with at least 50+ hp to off set its weight is in there too. Two strokes? No beating the power to weight ratios in this displacement class but I don't think it will happen unless the EPA blesses them clean enough again for street use. Direct injection cleans things up emission and power wise for sure, but like it or not unless true Euro Moto 3 rules are adopted then this will be a production based bike class, the more the merrier. If this takes off along with the sales of small displacement sport bikes in this market then perhaps competition will drive up the performance specs between manufactures to get on the podium. The trickle down effect is a better performing street offering ..then full circle back to the track.. we know how this works. But unless there is new wave of a younger first time motorcycle buyer generation out there which is what the industry needs now overall anyway and why the brands are offering up small bores things will stay as they are and we will still sell more feet forward bikes then anywhere else on the planet or keep turning left. We are a small niche, this isn't Europe.. yet. If a small AMA displacement spec class is a 300 lb. 35 horse twin, I`ll pass thank you. Think I`m done here. Rant over.