WERA Yamaha R3 Cup

They work great, until they don't. There are numerous "stickies" on other forums with first-hand testimonials about those Chinese ebay parts and their failures.

Nobody is "required" to race. I can't imagine skimping on something that is safety critical, just for a hobby. If somebody wants to run a Chinese eBay fender eliminator kit or flush mounted turn signals, eh...go for it. But when it comes to anything that has to do with actually controlling the motorcycle (ESPECIALLY stopping it)...that is absurd in my opinion.

It isn't about buying "name brand stuff", it is about buying from reputable sources, with known materials, and long standing quality control measures.

You won't catch any of that Chinese eBay bullshit on any of my bikes.

 

Imagine if unicorns were real?

 

Just so I can clear something up real quick, I have to say that your post doesnt clear up anything. It is easy to say weight is irrelevant...when you only weigh 155lbs.

With all due respect, you are about as heavy as the average 15 year old.

Consistently win 300cc races at 225+lbs, then you can tell us weight doesn't matter.

I know skill is always a factor. Hell I've ran lap times on The Grom that would put me comfortably near the front of the Intermediate track day group.

But when the bikes and more importantly, talent level, are much more equal...weight can very much be a deciding factor (in regards to little bike racing).

Physics don't lie and the equation never changes. Acceleration=Force/Mass. And assuming everyone is racing legally, the Force is essentially a Constant. Which means the variable in that equation is Mass.

Fortunately for you, you don't weight much more than those "kids", so you really aren't negatively affected by it.

 

With all due respect, I weigh the same as the average 20 year old. Look it up. I weigh the same or likely more than the average professional road racer. If you expect to win races in any class against good talent then you can't weigh 225 pounds, that's nonsense. This is a sport, being in shape is part of the game. I certainly can't go play in the NFL at my size. Similarly, a 225 pound person can't reasonably expect to be a top level rider. And I didn't say weight didn't matter, I said corner speed matters more and it does.

 

Now you've gone and done it... Captain Verbose has probably been typing his rebuttal since you posted that last night. If the beeb crashes this morning, I'll know it was because he tried to post a reply.

 

Josh and Nate are about the same size...and last time I was at the track looked a good bit larger than Jackson. Who they've both beaten. :dunno:

 

Translated from Chaoticese - Don't buy crap.

 

At 6 foot 205 butt naked (mmmm what a thought) I am still hanging with the novice kids though they do pull me up hill and I have to draft them and make a lot up on brakes and turns. But that's the fun of it, it makes me a better rider and unless someone on this board is ready to sponsor an old fat guy, I thought that's why we are racing, for fun and to get better? Bottom line I am having fun and you all can't stop me! Only I can with stupid mistakes.

 

Yep, it's all for fun. I'm bringing a Ninja 300 I've been building to play soon. It's going to be a blast! But yes, weight makes a huge difference on the small bikes. I'm 170lbs (6'4", can't lose anymore weight without losing a limb) and the kids will pull away from me like I'm sitting still. My favorite moment was at Tally on the Grom, trying to chase down this one kid and when I finally caught up, I saw him twist the throttle and away he went like I was out for a Sunday cruise...he wasn't even using all the throttle and he was winning I laughed really hard in my helmet. I'm not even that heavy myself.

Anyways, point being, I know I have 0 chance of getting enough contingency to make squat of difference, so I went with the Kawi because I like Kawi and I'm still going to race for fun! I think it's awesome for the kids though, gets them some experience and hopefully the Yamaha money helps them out.

 

No doubt waiting for rules and class structure until December makes it impossible to plan.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

Gee, what a shock that you (and the guys that sell parts) feel this way. I'm not trying to talk anyone into or out of anything- just giving my own "first-hand testimonial". I raced a LOT of races on my R3 with the cheap parts at around 180 lbs. and they worked great. Same goes for the $150 rotary steering damper and $300 full exhaust. No, they are not as "overbuilt" as Woodcraft stuff, and I've seen plenty that were simply a poor design or fit. If I were on a 600+ and/or weighed much more than I'd want beefier rearsets. On my streetbike the cheapo brake lever didn't work as well as the stocker so I went back to stock. Oh well, there goes $20. As for the "nobody has to race"....well I feel like I do and I'm going to keep doing so whatever it takes.

 

Please explain. Do you somehow impart less of your weight on the rearsets of a 300 than you would a 600?

 

Come run FSS with us, you're just about old enough!

 

I know this is just bait since you've formed your own strong opinions, so this response is more for those with open minds: Yes, the braking and acceleration forces are much more on a big bike therefore all my inputs are a bit more forceful. Same reasons the mfg's can get away with smaller brake rotors and skinnier fork tubes on smaller bikes.

 

I'll avoid posting a selfie on the beeb, but I can assure you I am in great shape. I am fully aware racing is a sport and has to be trained for.

Yes - you can weigh 225lbs and win races. Ever heard of guys named Ethridge and Bemisderfer? However they race Liter bikes (also Bemisderfer did well on a 600 too).

When racing little bikes, the weight disadvantage becomes much more of a factor.

 

Clearly you don't realize that round is a shape!

 

You realize the title of this thread is Yamaha R3, right?

 

Yes. Which is exactly what my original point/post was about.

He said you can't expect to win IN ANY CLASS against good talent if you weigh 225lbs.

I gave examples to the contrary.

But even those guys would struggle on smaller bikes.

 

Back in the early 2000's, racing the 250 Production class with the AFM in NorCal, we would occasionally see 50+ sized grids of Ninja 250's and VTR 250's. THAT was some silly, fun racing.

-jim