2026 Rules

I formally apologize. Hopefully some type of middle ground will eventually be reached. Until then, I've gotta go swap out some OEM parts for OEM parts for the same bike, and none of which have any consequence on the performance of the bike since its the exact same engine/wheels and more, just stamped wrong. Now where did I put that engraving device...

 

Dude it's no worries at all. The one thing I can say with certainty is that we all have thick skin, Mongo most of all since he hasn't quit us.

Now, if you'd kindly join me in the "everyone runs aftermarket MC's in superstock and just go with it" club

 

I'm gonna have to at this point. You just have to join me in my "I'm not changing my R6 parts because generation somehow means model" club. (I bought like 8 R6's all from 06+ all different years and built 1 R6 with all the functioning parts and somehow even though they are all stock OEM parts it's still not SuperStock? Like wth)

 

No, it's never been personally about you. There's one thing the 3 biggest complaints with WERA rules I've had over the years:

- Slicks in superstock
- Double bubbles!!!
- Aftermarket MC's in super stock

For some strange reason, the first two got adjusted after enough years of people advocating for "WTF are these antiquated rules still in place". The last one is the MC.

So let's pretend your average Joe buys a 600 to go racing, with complete abidance to the rulebook. He can run:

C-SS
C-SB
B-SS
B-SB
A-SS
A-SB

That rider can spend:

-$4k in pressurized cartridges in his OEM forks, any kind of shock that bolts in place
- $2-$5k in internal motor work/tuning as specified by the rule book

But if you bought a $200 master cylinder, he can no longer ride in B-SS or A-SS.

Is a $200 master going to off set the 30+HP difference to a 750 or the 90HP difference in a 1000?

If the rule is of a cost saving method, that's a moot point. An average racer is going to have $1000 invested in a single race weekend to show up - membership fee, gate fee, race entries, and tires. They've likely already spent thousands on their bike to get ready for the weekend.

If the rule is to remain stock as possible, why not ban SS lines? Should be OEM and the same logic should be applied to brake lines as it is for master cylinders.

 

I understand where you're coming from. And, I will be making sure I am compliant for SS this coming season (will be first WERA season for me and my team). However, I do have a big however in this debate, I think not allowing MC might be keeping people away. I have a decent poll in the socials (as I run a motorcycling social media company AND a street to track shop) and one of the number items most people tell their friends to get after good rubber is an RCS19. I think your reasoning here might be having the opposite effect from intended. I'm not arguing safety, I agree with you that stock is more than good enough. But a brembo master is very high on the "first thing to do" list with this new crop of riders I'm trying to push from the street onto the track.

 

Agreed that you certainly don't need it to go racing, I didn't have one when I started. Had stock rear sets too. But how is adjusting the rule going to prohibit a new racer from getting on the grid?

 

Yes that true. It’s also true that SS are some of the most popular classes. Most people running SS are running SB. Usually running against the same exact people.

Imo most people don’t want to spend thousands on Superbike engines builds. I also believe most people want to run aftermarket M/C or don’t care.

It’s more consistent than stock and levels the playing ground for realistically a pretty low cost. Some bikes come with better stock m/c than others. D

A 600 class bike is realistically competitive in 2 maybe 3 classes a day depending. I’m not really interested in driving many hours for 1 15 min race a day.

I could definitely be wrong but I think more people won’t sign up for SS or bother to come all together for a M/C. Or worse go to another club that allows them. Potentially costing the organization a lot of money.

Like said above it’s one of the first things trackday guys upgrade. If the stock one works fine for them I doubt it would stop them racing anyway.

 

Many of your friends making those suggestions are just flat out wrong. I (unfortunately) could gather a large number of people who say the earth is flat too. If you've got reach to that group, and you know that RCS 19 is not a real 'first thing to do', maybe use your pulpit to educate them? Also point out that if they make certain changes to their bike, it blocks it from running a small subset of classes, it's not a 'you did this and you're out' thing.

 

I definitely tell them this exact phrase every time I run into it: "What is your intention with the bike? Trackday or racing? Because there is a difference", and if they remain interested, I educate them on a more proper approach. Also, these aren't friends, they are customers. Hence, the company

 

And, lest anyone think this is the most minor rule to enforce in the rule book, I have to order a new front brake line for my bike, second one. For Hooligans I'm required to bypass the ABS, so new lines. I missed one detail when I ordered my front line though, the rule book actually has a requirement for where the split in the line has to happen, it has to be above the lower clamp. I spec'd up a line to follow the OEM routing and it splits down by the fender, so not legal. I've yet to figure out a why for the rule, can't fathom a performance or safety element, but my bike will be legal come spring so new brake line it is.

 

What suspension upgrades are new racers doing that’s cheaper than a $200 master? Why are SS lines allowed in superstock?

 

You could eliminate this perceived costs issue by making indirect rules that aren’t going to be obvious to a new racer. For example, a rule that says something like an openly visible aftermarket part that replaces an OEM part that is not otherwise legal under the rules is legal if that part has not been protested within the last season or X number of races. Then, once the racers in the class agree that no one cares about aftermarket MCs in SS by no one protesting for X number of races, they become legal. But there is no explicit rule saying they are legal that new racers get caught up on.

 

I get what you're saying but that's convoluted to try and implement.

I truly do appreciate the effort to try and make the barrier into racing cheaper. There's about 10 million other barriers a new would-be racer has to figure out before they make it on the grid, them being worried about having their competition having an aftermarket MC isn't one of them.

 

Can SuperStock not just be stated as: Don't touch the engine. The cost of beefing up a motor is what keeps people wanting to do SuperStock and not Superbike. I think most people don't care about the other mods in regard to competitiveness as half of them are ergos and the other half is suspension (which is actually more of a performance AND safety increase than anything else cost-wise). So if we're already changing nearly everything except internals, then why not just say Superbike can beef the internals, SuperStock cannot. Easy peasy

 

They'd have to make a system where each protest is searchable on the website for that to work(I wouldn't mind a protest database even without any rule changes no real reason other than I like to be nosey and see how creative y'all get)

 

I know it's annoying right now but having a strict rulebook is a good thing. These motorcycle weirdos are nuts and if they get literally any leeway they will use it to build something disgusting.