Historic lap times.

[onearmedbandit]

How could I find out lap times for the superbike class from around 2002, ideally around Ruapuna? Reason I ask is from memory I seem to recall they were doing around the 1:32 mark for the full track, whereas today the current record is 1:30.077. It got me thinking, that over 8yrs the lap time hasn't dropped that much, considering that's 8yrs of tyre and suspension development, on top of newer machinery. Which brings me to my point (finally), that if someone was to put new slicks and the latest suspension on an 8yr old equally powered superbike how far back would they be?

Believe me, I'm not asking this entertaining the idea of racing my bike lol, fuck I'd need a new set of titanium bollocks along with a heavy dose of skill to even qualify. But standing in my garage the other night having a ciggie, the thought came to me, just how far have bikes moved on. Yes certainly suspension/chassis/engine improvements have made road bikes lighter and more responsive etc, but at the coal face on the track, 8yrs for only maybe 2sec (incl tyre development etc) doesn't seem like a lot when the magazines scream about how the 2010 model is the bees knees and last years bike is now a worthless piece of trash that you wouldn't let your sister be seen on (I know that's all marketing hype).

Or I could be wrong and the lap times from 2002 were measured by the movement of the sun.

[White trash]

I see your point Fraser, but think of it more like this. 2 seconds is an absolute eternity in road racing. Over a 15 lap race, that's a 30 second gap. Assuming the the bikes run consistantly at their fastet lap time. What's more interesting (for me) is what the difference in lap times for a single rider is over the race period. For example in 2002 the lap record may have been a 32, but the consistency may not have been there for the whole race. This is the area I believe tyres and suspension have made massive gains over the past 8 years. I'd warrant that now days the times are all within 0.5 seconds of each other over race distance. That's impressive.

[onearmedbandit]

Yeah you make a good point, 2 seconds is an eternity, especially over a lap that's only 1:30'ish. I suppose for all the 'hype' that is generated you get led to believe that huge gains should be seen. I was actually considering that as I wrote the initial post, following my own logic in about 20ys a entire race would be over in 1:32, not just one lap.

Your second point was my other consideration, that while the bikes are not necessarily all that faster they would be easier to ride on the limit over a period of time, leading to the consistency you mention. Thanks Jimmy.

[TonyB]

So, in conclusion, yes OAB, your K2 is a worthless piece of trash that you shouldn't let your sister be seen on.

[onearmedbandit]

So, in conclusion, yes OAB, your K2 is a worthless piece of trash that you shouldn't let your sister be seen on.

No no, I said 'last years model'. Everyone knows the K2 is a legend, the likes of which had never been seen before or since. Not the K1 though, that had those 'orrible mirrors.

[Bren_chch]

bro'ster, the track didnt run the dipper back then.

[SWERVE]

well that alone must be another 3+ secs to complete to the same given point.
Also how tuned were the 2002 bikes over standard compared with today where they are resonabely stockish..............

[Kickaha]

bro'ster, the track didnt run the dipper back then.

Yes it did you Womble, the dipper has been there for at least the last 30 years, it would have been in there while you were still shitting your nappies

well that alone must be another 3+ secs to complete to the same given point.

A lot more than 3 seconds I would think

[Bren_chch]

smack face... they never ran it, its logged as 3.34 k with the dipper its 3.44k...

its about 6 seconds

[Kickaha]

smack face... they never ran it, its logged as 3.34 k with the dipper its 3.44k...

its about 6 seconds

I was racing Nationals back then, I can't remember a year when they didn't run the dipper so lick my balls

[Bren_chch]

yeah u was doing the nationals when the track was dirt in 1926

[Bren_chch]

ok kickaha is correct, Stroud did a 1:32.8 in 1996 full track on the britten.

i shall be licking balls next time i see kickaha :O

[Kickaha]

ok kickaha is correct, Stroud did a 1:32.8 in 1996 full track on the britten.

i shall be licking balls next time i see kickaha :O

I thnk that record stood until Stroud beat it again at the John Britten Memorial meeting in 2004?

[gixerracer]

yes but the britten was no production road bike now was it.

I thnk that record stood until Stroud beat it again at the John Britten Memorial meeting in 2004?

[onearmedbandit]

I thnk that record stood until Stroud beat it again at the John Britten Memorial meeting in 2004?

What was he on then?