AMA Superbike

[jhansen]

Well Spies is really showing something this year with a 4 victories to 1 edge over Matt Mladin. In the second race of the weekend on Sunday Spies set his fastest lap of the race with 9 laps to go. Something we are used to seeing from Mladin. After the Sunday race Mladin was left to ponder that he was losing time, but wasn't sure where or why.

Great stuff so far. Although it would be nice if it wasn't an all Suzuki affair.

[Dutton]

I came within a button click of starting this thread, but decided not to for some reason.

It is certainly looking like an interesting season in progress.

I loved seeing the bikes going around the banking. Imagine a full-blown oval race, .

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally Posted by Dutton

I loved seeing the bikes going around the banking. Imagine a full-blown oval race, .

Might be a little on the dangerous side. I wonder how many would actually survive a race on a oval? One thing is for sure if there was a accident it woudnt be pretty.

[Dutton]

Oh, for sure, I wasn't suggesting it was actually a good idea.

[SALEEN S7R]

Ah ok, for a minute there I was getting worried.

[chunder]

Very interesting to see thsat Mat is getting beating at long last from someone, really enjoyed watching the races today, they were on Motors tv at about 10ish in the evening, and aparyt from the incessant ad breaks in the US the footage is really good.

Good to see Spies really seeming to out race Mladin but will be even better if Mat can get back in there and show Ban that he still can do it!

Also good to see Hodge rihgt in there too un a bike clearly no match for the two leading Gixxers, though I think Yates poor showing shows how good Mat and Ben really are!

Great stuff from Tommy too, really right up there and pretty much best a ZX10 has shown anywhere yet apart from maybe Nieto in WSB

[Dutton]

Imagine living with those ad-breaks in all TV, all the time.

It took a while to adjust to it, but, tbh, you just get good at picking channels to plug ads with. I have couple of channels that seem to run some of their programmes 5 minutes off-the-hour. It might be strategy: it gives a decent chance of its ad breaks not coinciding with other ones, therefore I will flip to it during adbreaks if something reasonable is on.

I saw a litte bit of what I assume is some lower category of this today? It was called Xtreme something or other? 17 lap race, but could only catch a couple of laps sadly. Hopefully it will be shown again sometime. The leader had a massive lead, and going by the commentators this is a common affair: the guy clearly must have talent to spare.

[jhansen]

That's Formula Xtreme. Basically the 600cc version of super-bike.

[Dutton]

Yeah, I presumed it was the junior category.

Are there any other "levels" of it?

[jhansen]

The four main AMA classes:

The headliner in U.S. motorcycle road racing is the highly competitive AMA Superbike Championship. Superbikes are racing motorcycles that are modified versions of machines originally sold for street use. The concept of Superbike racing is similar to that of championship stock car racing—to have machines that visually resemble production models, while allowing freedom to the tuner to improve the power and handling characteristics of the machine.

Superbike class rules apply to 901-1000cc four-stroke motorcycles.

AMA Superstock, along with AMA Supersport, is the closest motorcycles to showroom stock in the AMA Superbike Championship, and is based on production four-stroke street motorcycles. The motorcycles in this class generally provide some of the closest racing around the racetrack, and use the following engine displacements:

Superstock: 745cc-1000cc multi-cylinders
Supersport: 0-600cc 4-stroke four- and twin-cylinders

AMA Formula Xtreme are allowed the largest displacement engines in the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship and are based on production four-stroke street motorcycles. The motorcycles in this class must have the following engine displacements:

450cc-600cc multi-cylinder
595cc-750cc liquid-cooled twin-cylinder
850cc-1350cc air-cooled twin-cylinder


http://www.amasuperbike.com/article....=1122&aid=2663

[Dutton]

Great, thanks!

[Hazza]

Originally Posted by Dutton

I saw a litte bit of what I assume is some lower category of this today? It was called Xtreme something or other? 17 lap race, but could only catch a couple of laps sadly. Hopefully it will be shown again sometime. The leader had a massive lead, and going by the commentators this is a common affair: the guy clearly must have talent to spare.

Hey, it was Eboz, wicked! Good going on Eric!

Great to see someone not on a Honda win a race there eh?

[jhansen]

It was definitely good to see a non-Honda take a win in FX. Now if only a non-Suzuki can take a win in superbike. It's good to see American Honda stepping it up a bit for superbike and Kawasaki also doing some development.

[chunder]

You might all call it the Junior category but can you believe the biggest race in the States, the Daytona race is actually now run with Extreme bikes! Not the superbikes as was hte case before!

Basically Honda USA had a huge hissy fit about not winning the Superbikes and trying to say that they were unsafe (maybe that fact that they hadnt won for a while eh), so somehow made the AMA put the race for Superbikes down to a support race!

First year there were only two Honda's and the rest were Supersport bikes on slicks! Total farce, but hey what Honda wants Honda tends to get! You only have to see all the advertising and stuff to see how much cash Honda USA put into the series!

Anyway great racing as i say and always enjoy watching the favourites get beat be they Honda or Mladin!!

[Hazza]

I actually just recently watched the '05 race. It's a pretty amazing track.

Hogdson pulled a great move on DuHammel at one point, drafting him down the straight and overtaking him around the outside into turn one - great stuff.

And as a sign of things to come this year, Spies finished 3rd behind Neil and Matt.

Speaking of which did y'all know you say Spies to rhyme with pea and not pie.
Speeeeeeeess!
He's got a bright future that kid.

And IMHO i'd count Extreme as a lesser catagory as it doesn't have the presteige or history of Superbikes, and they normally only run one event, not two like the Supers.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by chunder

You might all call it the Junior category but can you believe the biggest race in the States, the Daytona race is actually now run with Extreme bikes! Not the superbikes as was hte case before!

Basically Honda USA had a huge hissy fit about not winning the Superbikes and trying to say that they were unsafe (maybe that fact that they hadnt won for a while eh), so somehow made the AMA put the race for Superbikes down to a support race!

First year there were only two Honda's and the rest were Supersport bikes on slicks! Total farce, but hey what Honda wants Honda tends to get! You only have to see all the advertising and stuff to see how much cash Honda USA put into the series!

Anyway great racing as i say and always enjoy watching the favourites get beat be they Honda or Mladin!!

With the change last year in machine spec was also a total reconfiguration of the Daytona Infield for the motorcycles, the idea being to keep them off the West banking (Nascar one and two). All aimed at the tires, as there was huge growing concern about the tires on the big bikes in a long race at Daytona (yes, despite stops that allow them to change tires). I think Mladin's tire failure and resulting wild ride down the esses at Road Atlanta helped to start all this.

The surface on the banking is not entirely smooth, there are some undulations amplified at higher speeds. The bikes were spinning the rear out on the banking twice a lap, and the tire makers were growing concerned with being able to come up with anything that would last. Eliminating one high- load run on banking each lap was the chosen option.

A tire failure on the banking on a motorcycle is a really nasty thing, high speed and likey into a wall. (Tire failure in/on anything on the banking is nasty)

I do not like the infield, and it really is messed up for spectators that want to go corner to corner, but if all this keeps the tradition of racing motorcycles ongoing at Daytona, then I guess you choke it all down.

robert

[chunder]

I dont know the whole point of racing at Daytona was the challenge fo the banking, and oyu have to admit that the 600 specials that Honda build are still 170mph bikes round there I should think!

I just think thay have caved to Honda who are clearly bothered abpout the safety aspect which is to be applauded, but to hte outsider it just looks like "do this or Honda dont race AMA anymore"

And if they are bothered about tyres then certainly dont let Superstock bikes which can easily top 180 race arund the same track!

[skycafe]

The entire East banking is still utlized, and the run full speed to the trioval section is intact. So, full acceleration from chicane exit to brake point turn one.

I believe the difference with regards to the bike/tire situation is the bigger, faster, heavier bikes do not run the two hundred mile race length--again, yes, they do pit and change, however even those stints between pit stops are longer then the other races on bike week calendar.

[jhansen]

Well Spies has now bagged six race wins on the trot after Infineon. Mladin is now looking like he has no answer to his teammate's pace. Still some way to go though. Honda bagged a few more podiums as well and Hayden looked alright on the Kawasaki. In fact, Hayden and Duhamel were hanging with Mladin in the early stages of Race 2 at Infineon.

[chunder]

Is certainly interesting to see how Mat copes with this, has he been bad mouthing anyone or just taking it on the chin?
He seems like a decent bloke so I doubt if he has been blaming anyone but himself.

Nice to see Hodge getting in there aswell, he always seems to be coming through the field late on for me though, very frustrating. THink he could have got Miguel in race 2 maybe, was right with him and lapping same as Spies.

[Hazza]

Originally Posted by chunder

Is certainly interesting to see how Mat copes with this, has he been bad mouthing anyone or just taking it on the chin?
He seems like a decent bloke so I doubt if he has been blaming anyone but himself.

Oh c'mon, it's Mat, of course there'll be bad mouthing at some stage, unless sucsess has mellowed him out

By the way, the last guy to beat Mat in a straight fight ended up on a factory Honda in MotoGP, reckon Spies could goto WSBK or MotoGP?

[jhansen]

Actually read a blurb that said as much. Apparently Spies made reference to the fact that there is some interest. I'd say if he bags the title then it would be a strong possibility.

As for Mladin, I haven't heard him bad mouth anyone yet. In one of the post race interviews in Fontana he flat admitted that he didn't have the pace at the moment and would have to see where he can find the time that he's missing.

[Dani Filth]

Originally Posted by Hazza

Oh c'mon, it's Mat, of course there'll be bad mouthing at some stage, unless sucsess has mellowed him out

By the way, the last guy to beat Mat in a straight fight ended up on a factory Honda in MotoGP, reckon Spies could goto WSBK or MotoGP?

MotoGP . unlikely .. there's inflation of top quality riders in there ..
WSBK ,, possible .. who knows how much longer Corser will go ..

[Hazza]

I reckon he could take Yukio "Barros" Kagayama - The one weekend wonder's seat

[chunder]

I also have read in the past that Ben has no intention to leave the US, but that was when he was sitll racing in the ju nior catagories and before he had eally proved himself i think.

Dont think Suz\uki is an potion for him on the world stage really, though might be an option to replace Corser in years to come as cant imagine Troy is gonna stay around for ever.

I actually have a lot of respect for Mladin now after reading a lot about him in the recent past, he only really has a go at people who moan about bikes being slow and stuff. Like Eric Bostrom, Gobert etc..

I think he is quite honorable as being showed now by his decency, whether he would be better if he was getting beat by a Ducati or a Honda remains to be seen. I think its all good though, too many yes men in racing!