yamaha-deegan-cheated-at-loretta-it-looks-very-suspicious

Claiming has been around in AMA rules since the '70's, and maybe before, to 'level the playing field.' They eliminated, or greatly restricted it in professional rules after some factory MX bikes were claimed. Pro MX went to 'Production Based' rules many years ago, but appropriately, IMHO, they've kept it in place for amateur racing. AMA Pro Road Racing used to have a 'claiming rule' for specifically listed bike components, though I can't remember what the list was. Carburetors for sure; maybe suspension or other removable components, also? It too became a bit of a news worthy story at Daytona, in 1993:
https://www.superbikeplanet.com/dayona-1993-yamaha-meets-mr-muzzy-2-2-2/

 

I have read and fully comprehend the "rules". What I don't like is that they call it a "claim" or "claiming" without so much as defining what it is to "claim".

Look at the definition(s) thrak410 posted...in one definition, it says "TAKE". Seriously? There's a rule that allows a competitor to "take" your shit? WTF?
That's my problem with the claiming rule. It's rationalized theft, with the full backing of the sanctioning organization. GTFO. Let alone they don't have the balls to spell out what it actually means to Claim. Where does it say what the real world action of claiming is? It doesn't. We are left to infer what it means.

Legitimate documents, laws or rules usually start by defining all the terms. Using a term that is not defined does not make for a legitimate use of the term within the context of that document.

 

I see you suffer from uncertainty with regard to the definition of the word “is”, Mr. Clinton…

 

Interesting story.
My first introduction to claiming was Duhamel's $30K shock at Daytona circa '98-'99? A quick search didn't reveal any articles relating to it.

 

I had forgotten about that 'incident.' Do you remember who claimed it?

 

What? You wanna claim that? It's priceless.

 

Every participant understands that their competitors have a right to claim ownership of their bike by offering a predetermined amount of money. As a participant, you agree to surrender your bike to a competitor if someone decides to claim it. It's one of the conditions under which you are allowed to participate, as are having a license or paying an entry fee. If you don't like it, which is a perfectly legitimate position, you are not required to race with that organization. It's actually fairly straightforward.

 

Nope. I have a vague recollection of some seriously jacked up damper mechanisms when it was delivered...basically useless.

 

That's as close to a definition as I've ever read.

 

If I recall, somebody claimed Mladin’s forks after a race and the team jacked them up before handing them over.

 

It was whole bike, claimed by AMA and sold in drawing.

 

And there we go...theft.

 

Or forced sale by rules

 

Well everyone should follow my lead and only race disposable bikes

 

Dave Dupree (sp?). Bought a GSX400 Bandit off him shortly after that incident. Not that that's relevant.

 

Correct. This was at Loudon.
Going further back, I believe Polen and Shobert's carbs were claimed at Loudon in 1988.

 

Not everyone feels that the effort they've put into their bikes is a throw away proposition.

Having said that, I have bought a bike with the sole intention of it being a throw away.

 

I guess with motox and hare scrambles, you wont expect to completely kill a bike. Road racing and IOM type stuff is the oddity.

 

I've unintentionally tried to kill the throw away bike on a number of occasions. It refuses to succumb.