What is this?....bike makers strategy

[Lazy Boy]

I haven't been hiding under a rock...... BUT!

Brit writer Michael Scott let fly with something I hadn't heard of.

The bike manufacturers have created a "new" (to me) racing association.... with (amongst other things) some ideas for "downgrading" the W Superbike rules.

Verrry interesting.... almost no details though.... but during a meeting of the representatives of the manufacturers.... Honda put forth the appeal that pneumatically activated cyl head valves (like F1 cars have) be banned from the new GP 4 stroke rules...... Aprilia said ...."fine... but lets ban oval pistons too"..... Honda says nothing.

Sounds similar to what I put on this Forum a while ago..... Run a Superbike series with near production rules in effect (600's... or 750's..or ? ..have to think about that).... and I would like to even see them run that with "naked bike" body packages (no full fairings, that way it looks totaly different from GP)....And then go ahead and switch the best tech from Superbike over to GP.... no need for all new expensive engine development.

I can hear WSB's lawyers clearing their throats and sharpening their pencils.

But the manufacturers wield the ultimate power.... unless private teams would/could step up to the plate and run bikes that were purchased out of showrooms.

WSB and World GP might just have to sit back and take what the manufacturers give them.

[angst]

I wondered why the manufacturers didn't get together earlier. They could have downgraded the WSB package to be prod. bikes as near as. They could then have retained 500cc for the premier Grand Prix class, ban 2-strokes and use all the recent innovations in 4-strokes to create very powerful bikes which would be very separate from superbikes.

[Valentinik]

The new Grand Prix Constuctors Association now includes Ducati and Kawasaki who have been two of the three longest supporters of WSB (the other is Honda) which would suggest that WSB will have to change to carry on.
I believe that WSB will become far more production based with less factory support than at present but that it will become the main feeder class for GP. After all if the top class of racing uses 155Kg 200bhp four strokes, the relevance of riding a 96kg 100bhp 2 stroke 250 will decrease. At present the 600cc rules are more restrictive on the modifications allowed to the bike. I think this is the type of thing to expect along with an increase in engine capacity.

[elephino]

It will be very interesting to see how SBK reacts to this change in GP bikes rules because from what I can tell, even if the new GP rules fail, SBK will have to change to keep up popularity.

SBK also have to be very careful with any news regulations that they come up with not to make the bikes any slower than they are. Now I know that without a stop watch, no one can see if a lap is say, 5s slower, especially when the previous time was the year before but it will show on time sheets. Of course you may now think I'm going on about nothing but to keep the audience they will have to stay just that little bit slower than GP bikes (or slightly faster if they can).