Raj reckons it's 'cheating'

[idleidolidyll]

After giving Raj a ride on the 60HP KTM single Thursday night; Raj tells me that it's kinda like cheating to use it.

After 20km on his Yammy I was already over it: no knocks on Raj, I just don't like modern sport bikes on the road; they don't deliver without doing supersonics on the straights to make up what they lost in the corners. I reckon most would be quicker on twins and singles.

I reckon almost everyone who buys a Yamazukikawondaducrilia 1198GSXR!Z1CBRRRRRRR thinks they're 'cheating' too. They seem to think that these things will give them the 'edge' they need.

That's the hype; the R1, GSXR, 1198 etc etc are the fastest, the lightest and the best handling proddy superbikes out there and, by implication, nothing can touch them.................until a bike with 1/3rd of the HP comes along and 'cheats' them out of the title

Cheating? Nah Raj, just smart

The dumasses in F3 seem to think the same thing: Motards banned because of handlebar height; how farkin ridiculous was that jackass regulation! Dump more than half the entries because a bunch of whiners on gutless old jappa 4's don't like losing to chook chasers.

Lets see, you could buy an old jappa 4, spend an extra 20k on making it go fast and be fragile and still get your ass kicked by the 'cheats' on 16k chook chasers or you could just get smarter and buy one too!

That said, acknowledgement to the few modern road bikes that can win F3: Glen on the Zuki in particular but perhaps the Cagiva 650 Raptor would be even better. Seems to me motards in F3 would be cheaper too. They come standard with better suspension to start with and the next 10-15% HP can be liberated merely with airbox mods and a remap. No, they'll never do it onPuke but who cares?
Hey, maybe someone could spend u[p large and win on Hyosung 650!

[jrandom]

It's true, it's true. Traditional racebike geometry makes a bike harder to ride fast in slow corners. And it makes my legs hurt.

And all of NZ's back roads and about two-thirds of the Taupo Motorsport Park count as 'slow corners'. And my legs hurt enough as it is without riding cramped motorcycles.

What sort of tank range do you get on your KTM, Idle?

[Morcs]

This is why I no longer own a sportsbike, and never will buy another one. Well maybe an NC30 again, but thats about it.

Motards ftw. Idol, my DRZ400 had about 39hp and it would annihililate ANY sportsbike on scenic drive, It was bliss

[koba]

I know you are just out for a fish but...
I don't know if it is across the board but Motards are allowed back in F3 at Vic Club at least.
Its all about the right tool for the job innit?! I commute on an AX100 because it is the right tool for the job.

[slowpoke]

I kind of agree with ya.....and I kind of don't.

You don't realise just how few corners there are under 120kph on the open road and how far apart they are until you've ridden a motard on the road. Sure, they're great over the 'taka's or such like but roads like that are few and far between. I loved my 'berg 650 over the 'taka's but I hated riding there, even from just outside M'boro....then there's having to fill up every 110km's or so, run expensive 5-40w oil and biff it every 500km's etc etc

The problem with motards is that the practical ones are mostly gutless, heavy wannabe's and the really fun ones are totally impractical.

But I reckon they'd be perfect for F3. I'm constantly suprised that no-one has set one up as a dedicated road race bike. 120ish kg's, 60hp, good suspension components, what's not to like?

[onearmedbandit]

Doesn't really matter what you ride or how you ride it, just as long you enjoy yourself. And yes I can see the advantages in a lighter less powerful bike. But I also can see the advantages in a 150hp bike ap well.

[That Guy]

Great post I like these discussions. I've raced both in F3 and motard classes, and currently race a motard. If you are on a non-motard bike in F3, motards are a pain to race with (and vice versa really) cause motard's take such different lines (or at least can). You'll be committed in a corner knee down straining for the exit to get momentum onto the straight, and a motard stops on a dime squares the corner off and cuts you off! You then blitz them on the straight, only to find another one stopped dead in the next corner. Conversly if you are on a motard, you pass this F3 road race bike in the corners, then have 'em blast by on the straight, and you have to pass 'em again in the corner...it can all get a bit hairy and the red mist descends easily.

When I was racing my RGV, motards were allowed in F3.

Fair enough I thought, so I fronted up to race in the motard race too at the same event with my RGV, as at the time motard could race in both their own motard class and F3. I got told to f-off (nicely). So really I don't race administrators have handled to motard growth and accommodated them very well (there are clubs that have though, this is a generalisation).

In the meantime what bike to race in F3 is a disaster. $20k at least to compete on a high maintenance beasty. Great fun if you can afford it. To win you need $30k. It is road racing, but I think F1 and F2 are enough high costs classes for this country...just my opinion.

In the meantime motards grew heaps over the last decade and were going well and then they were banned (not all clubs) from F3 so they have gone and started doing their own thing (e.g. Taupo motard series, cart track racing etc).

The solution? I think, scrap F3, and go do this; www.450moto.com

Still not super cheap but economies of scale would kick in, and in the end motard bikes are ready built race bikes which SV650s, ZXR400s, RGV250s etc etc just aren't.

In the meantime all bikes are cool! If I could I'd have 20 bikes in me garage, from R1 to Goldwing, to Harely to RS250GP bike to ATV.

[Quasievil]

I Have only one thing to say.........MOTARDS RULE

[george formby]

Go the wee bikes! I like to do big miles but I also love twisty roads, wide bars & sitting up. A motard is about the only thing that would pass my TDM on the twisties, thats ok, I will get past at the next petrol station. The sport in "sportsbike" means just that. You need a track to really ride them properly. As for racing, one day, on something cheap & rideable for an old bugger like me.

[slowpoke]

As for racing, one day, on something cheap & rideable for an old bugger like me.

From one ol' bugger to another: have I got a deal for you!

[Crazy Steve]

After giving Raj a ride on the 60HP KTM single Thursday night; Raj tells me that it's kinda like cheating to use it.

After 20km on his Yammy I was already over it: no knocks on Raj, I just don't like modern sport bikes on the road; they don't deliver without doing supersonics on the straights to make up what they lost in the corners. I reckon most would be quicker on twins and singles.

I reckon almost everyone who buys a Yamazukikawondaducrilia 1198GSXR!Z1CBRRRRRRR thinks they're 'cheating' too. They seem to think that these things will give them the 'edge' they need.

That's the hype; the R1, GSXR, 1198 etc etc are the fastest, the lightest and the best handling proddy superbikes out there and, by implication, nothing can touch them.................until a bike with 1/3rd of the HP comes along and 'cheats' them out of the title

Cheating? Nah Raj, just smart

The dumasses in F3 seem to think the same thing: Motards banned because of handlebar height; how farkin ridiculous was that jackass regulation! Dump more than half the entries because a bunch of whiners on gutless old jappa 4's don't like losing to chook chasers.

Lets see, you could buy an old jappa 4, spend an extra 20k on making it go fast and be fragile and still get your ass kicked by the 'cheats' on 16k chook chasers or you could just get smarter and buy one too!

That said, acknowledgement to the few modern road bikes that can win F3: Glen on the Zuki in particular but perhaps the Cagiva 650 Raptor would be even better. Seems to me motards in F3 would be cheaper too. They come standard with better suspension to start with and the next 10-15% HP can be liberated merely with airbox mods and a remap. No, they'll never do it onPuke but who cares?
Hey, maybe someone could spend u[p large and win on Hyosung 650!

Unless your being chased by a Fat guy on a Hayabusa around the loop and you still cant leave him behind on the tight twisite stuff and said Fat guy had super shagged Tyres ! !

Dont agree with you Mr Breen, I think the right rider Cough Cough ! ! Will make you and your motard look stupider than normal....

Crazy Steve.

[Marmoot]

fast in slow corners.

it's some kind of oxymoron, isn't it?

If you can ride it fast then the corner is not a slow corner anymore; It's a fast corner.

[Sidewinder]

I Have only one thing to say.........MOTARDS RULE

they suck! but crash well and alot............

[koba]

I'm constantly suprised that no-one has set one up as a dedicated road race bike.

There are a few out there. The Gilera 125 framed BMW 650 engined one qualifed first at round one, I felt sick watching him as he stalled on the grid and couldn't restart without rollers...

Dont agree with you Mr Breen, I think the right rider Cough Cough ! ! Will make you and your motard look stupider than normal....

The road is not a measure of skill at all because it pretty much comes down to who is prepared to take the biggest risks.

[Gremlin]

it's some kind of oxymoron, isn't it?

If you can ride it fast then the corner is not a slow corner anymore; It's a fast corner.

quit bringing logic into this!

I'm middle of the road... I've had sportsbikes, lost the license, needed to slow down and not take such a casual attitude to 200kph +

Some motards are impractical tho, the SXV550 getting only 80km before reserve, and boy was the seat like 4x2. The 690sm is more like it, but gets disgustingly good fuel economy. Still a bit underpowered for my liking tho, and thought I would get bored on it (a bad thing).

Enter supermotos... vtwin, 115hp ish, wheelstands whenever you want, not so good fuel economy, but I can do the long rides like Grand Challenge etc.