AMA Superbike: 1200 Twins Legal In '09!

[yooperbikemike]

"proposed" *cough* rules

[yooperbikemike]

ROAD RACING - What the Rules Mean
By Henny Ray Abrams

What and Why

7/11/2007

AMA Racing will allow Ducati and Buell to race their news Superbikes in the 2009 AMA Superbike Championship, but with a set of rules more onerous to twins than in the past. And the issue of whether they can race the new machine in 2008 does not appear to have been addressed in the 2009 rules proposal, which the AMA put out for public comment today. The comment period runs through August 31, 2007.

The proposed 2009 Superbike rules allow for 901-1200cc four-stroke twins. Ducati can race the 1098 S Superbike in the championship they left after the 2006 season and Buell will, for the first time, have a legitimate title contender. But it does so with a number of penalties, including weight. If passed, the rules for four-cylinders remain at 370 pounds without fuel and 375 pounds with fuel. Twins will now weigh 15 lbs. more; 385 pounds unfueled, 390 pounds with fuel. Twins will no longer have more liberal rules for airboxes or fuel injection throttle bodies.

As expected, the rules tighten up engine modifications while continuing to allow liberal chassis changes. Stock crankshafts continue to be mandated, but now “polishing and lightening of the crankshaft is not allowed.”

The 2007 rulebook does not specifically address a number of engine internals, but the new rules do and the move is to standard. Connecting rods must be as homologated with no modifications, including polishing or lightening. Same for pistons, piston rings, pins, and clips. The piston rule will certainly affect twins more than the four-cylinders. Cylinder modifications have been reduced. The head gasket surface can be machined “to allow the adjustment of compression ratio or resurfacing to repair a warped cylinder surface deck.” The previous rule allowed for the machining, welding, and adding of material.

Crankcases cannot be modified and welding and additional material will no longer be added to cylinder heads.

Aftermarket airboxes are no longer allowed in any class.

Changes to the suspension and chassis remain more open. Swingarms, shocks, and forks can be modified or replaced.

Fuel tanks continue to have to look stock and non-metallic fuel tanks are not allowed.

[DogBoy]

Edit: I had this wrong. The claiming rule is apparently unchanged from present. Doh!

Equally significant:
I notice a return of the claiming rules for forks and shocks. Haven't seen that for a while (though I could have missed it).

2.39 Superbike Component Claiming Rules
a. The following Superbike components are subject to claiming by competitors or AMA Pro Racing at the prices listed when used in Superbike competition:
Fork assemblies $9,750.00
Shock absorber assembly $3,250

[Ray of Sunshine]

Very nice price on forks and shocks! I see a fire sale in 2009.

[TTTom]

Originally Posted by Ray of Sunshine

Very nice price on forks and shocks! I see a fire sale in 2009.

Aren't the top end Ohlins superbike forks something like $25K a pop? Would anybody really try to claim a set from one fo the factory teams?

[HarveyMushman]

Originally Posted by TTTom

Aren't the top end Ohlins superbike forks something like $25K a pop? Would anybody really try to claim a set from one fo the factory teams?

Sure. It's been done. It wasn't too long ago that a privateer claimed DuHamel's Daytona-winning 600 Supersport.

[Ray of Sunshine]

I was, of course, joking. So was the AMA. They have had claiming rules on the books for years, but whenever an amateur claims a factory part,the claimant is descended upon by flying monkeys from Ohio and is never seen again.

Claiming rules are the fourth or fifth biggest lie in AMA racing. Off the top of my head, other than Suzuki hasn't cheated to the several championships, I can't recall the others.

[TTTom]

Originally Posted by HarveyMushman

Sure. It's been done. It wasn't too long ago that a privateer claimed DuHamel's Daytona-winning 600 Supersport.

What happened? I bet the guy caught a TON of shit from all sides.

[SCQTT]

What class?

SuperBike
Supermotorcycle
Supersport
Superboring
Supertwins
Superstreet
Superstock
Superbigwheel
Superextreme
Superfast
Superstupid

[DC950]

Originally Posted by SCQTT

What class?

SuperBike
Supermotorcycle
Supersport
Superboring
Supertwins
Superstreet
Superstock
Superbigwheel
Superexreme
Superfast
Superstupid

[HarveyMushman]

Originally Posted by TTTom

What happened? I bet the guy caught a TON of shit from all sides.

He indeed caught a ton of shit. And there were allegations that the bike he received maybe wasn't exactly what DuHamel raced . . . Having the bike didn't improve his results either.

[TTTom]

Originally Posted by HarveyMushman

He indeed caught a ton of shit. And there were allegations that the bike he received maybe wasn't exactly what DuHamel raced . . . Having the bike didn't improve his results either.

Back in the day Honda was VERY good at cheating. Forged magnesium rims with fake DOT markings to look stock

[UngaWunga]

Originally Posted by TTTom

What happened? I bet the guy caught a TON of shit from all sides.

If I recall correctly, the privateer that claimed the forks got the forks, but only after the suspsension guy cranked down on the adjustment screws enough to break the internals.

But he got his forks.

[DogBoy]

Originally Posted by UngaWunga

If I recall correctly, the privateer that claimed the forks got the forks, but only after the suspsension guy cranked down on the adjustment screws enough to break the internals.

But he got his forks.

I believe that was a serparate incident when another privateer claimed some forks from Yoshimura.

[skwidd]

Originally Posted by DogBoy

I believe that was a serparate incident when another privateer claimed some forks from Yoshimura.