Are the boys at BSB with their "stock" superbikes onto something?

[Edbear]

As I stated earlier,None of the changes suggested on here have even been discussed by the commission at this stage,So its not really even an issue for me yet,

When I got landed with the job of roadrace commissioner,It was put too me by the board that I would be a one man commission and have total control over roadracing,I didn't think it was a job one person could or should handle so I kept the other commission members on as they have between them 120 years of experience and multiple national titles,On top of that I have another group of very experienced ex competitors/Team managers I also confer with as well as the board at MNZ and the distributors,But as you say,If I think something is going to be unworkable or create unecessary conflict i will make a decsion,IE 850 twins in Supersport earlier this year,The decision to defer that to 2014 was mine alone after listening to everybody.

Good to hear. I know it is impossible to please everyone but this makes for confidence in the process.

[codgyoleracer]

Yip and its something we are already looking at for 2014 as you well know "Codgy",Most likely 600s but I have had atleast 1 top level supers competitor suggest the same for the big class as well with the backing of his distributor.

Post No3 - still sounds like a good start to me.

[codgyoleracer]

Will you supply me 20 Greenhouses at 3% margin over your landed cost and free freight? Ill give you naming rights!!!!

Yes I will.

As long as you are an organization that is industry based (I.E a garden centers group or nurserymans organization) , that plans to promote my brand within your own marketing programs.

I will require a business plan submission though.

[codgyoleracer]

James Smith on Honda , the road race commission is still part of MNZ see MNZ website. Just the commissioner is the boss and has the final say.

Cool to see Jimmy there,even it is on an old bike, but hopefully with a hotter engine?, Does that mean that theres no 2nd rider in red's team this year in supers ?, Is that due to cost structures or something else do you know ?. Craig S is hanging in there at the moment as well. (just)

When things like the three of the main dsitributers level of involvement wanes, and when the faster privateers are finding it tough to get a full budget in place - its best to take notice.

As Billy has intimated - the stock(ish) based engine has the support of some key riders and maybe even some distributers, then when you add to that a single bike rule, and a possible tyre rule of brand, tyre use cap or tyre cost cap - then you have the semblence of a good starting point to develop towards.

[Robert Taylor]

Yes I will.

As long as you are an organization that is industry based (I.E a garden centers group or nurserymans organization) , that plans to promote my brand within your own marketing programs.

I will require a business plan submission though.

At 3%, you'd be stark raving mad!

[AllanB]

In the financial climate we are in 'worldwide' why we arn't running stock bikes astounds me.

I and about three other built stock 1000's for the 2010-11 series I ended up running the last two rounds on my lonesome.

Minor mods, pipe, suspenders, piggyback plug and play ecu and a tyre rule and lets go racing

Agree 100%. I would think the starting grid would be full. Heck they may even need to run a couple of elimination races to get numbers down for one final deciding race.

I'd restrict suspenders to a degree too - allow only tweaking and adjusting to stock units (re-valve, shim, oil etc).

[Robert Taylor]

Agree 100%. I would think the starting grid would be full. Heck they may even need to run a couple of elimination races to get numbers down for one final deciding race.

I'd restrict suspenders to a degree too - allow only tweaking and adjusting to stock units (re-valve, shim, oil etc).

In the end event the difference( in cost ) between resprung and revalved stock units and pedigree aftermarket is not huge, and there is also great ongoing residual value with aftermarket units. After the first year or so you are actually saving money with aftermarket.

And to not put too fine a point on it some of the stock stuff is not so good for revalving, the amount of time spent to get working properly can be disproportionate. And how many tyres do you burn up in doing so?

[suzuki21]

In the end event the difference between resprung and revalved stock units and pedigree aftermarket is not huge, and there is also great ongoing residual value with aftermarket units. After the first year or so you are actually saving money with aftermarket.

And to not put too fine a point on it some of the stock stuff is not so good for revalving, the amount of time spent to get working properly can be disproportionate. And how many tyres do you burn up in doing so?

Less than some people think if they learn the following - Suspension adjustments are a waste of time if you are dealing with ignorant dorks that wont even run the correct tyre pressure for their skill level because they have read a magazine or something. Its like watching people swim and they havent filled the pool with water.

[suzuki21]

Agree 100%. I would think the starting grid would be full. Heck they may even need to run a couple of elimination races to get numbers down for one final deciding race.

I'd restrict suspenders to a degree too - allow only tweaking and adjusting to stock units (re-valve, shim, oil etc).

Dont be silly, that would be dangerous! More dangerous than even racing in the pissing rain! People dont want to save a few thousand dollars. Did you know that you could probably run 2 superstock bikes for less than 1 sbk?

[codgyoleracer]

In the end event the difference between resprung and revalved stock units and pedigree aftermarket is not huge, and there is also great ongoing residual value with aftermarket units. After the first year or so you are actually saving money with aftermarket.

And to not put too fine a point on it some of the stock stuff is not so good for revalving, the amount of time spent to get working properly can be disproportionate. And how many tyres do you burn up in doing so?

Yip, tend to agree on the rear shock change-out and fork internals open.

Not because of any sort of safety issue, - but mainly to provide easy adjustability for the average joe-blo from track to track. This sort of gear is also pretty easy to re-sell or transfer between machines + is fairlly durable as well. It also requires only limited skills to install, unlike some other modifications which require some seriously specialist skills.

[Robert Taylor]

Yip, tend to agree on the rear shock change-out and fork internals open.

Not because of any sort of safety issue, - but mainly to provide easy adjustability for the average joe-blo from track to track. This sort of gear is also pretty easy to re-sell or transfer between machines + is fairlly durable as well. It also requires only limited skills to install, unlike some other modifications which require some seriously specialist skills.

Yes, and the time to trackside revalve and bleed ( properly ) an oem shock is considerably longer than the most established pedigree aftermarket shocks, that are designed to be changed quickly.
There also arent a plethora of experienced suspension technicians at each and every track through the year. In part because we also have regular working weeks but also because its not a path to riches!
Its also much more of an equaliser.

[Robert Taylor]

Dont be silly, that would be dangerous! More dangerous than even racing in the pissing rain! People dont want to save a few thousand dollars. Did you know that you could probably run 2 superstock bikes for less than 1 sbk?

So why hasnt Superstock taken off? I think there are many reasons and not all about the cost factors, but it has a lot of merit.

[Robert Taylor]

Less than some people think if they learn the following - Suspension adjustments are a waste of time if you are dealing with ignorant dorks that wont even run the correct tyre pressure for their skill level because they have read a magazine or something. Its like watching people swim and they havent filled the pool with water.

See my edit that clarifies my explanation better. Steve, really you should be a little more charitable to those that enter the sport and are on a sharp learning curve. You could play your part in helping ( as many others do ) rather than acidic comments behind a forum name.
Yes there are always fundamentals that get overlooked, tyre pressures and tyre pressure gauges that are woefully inaccurate. Compressor tanks that are full of moisture etc. Incorrect heat cycling of tyres. Glenn Williams may have covered some of those factors in a magazine article and good on him for making the effort.

[codgyoleracer]

So why hasnt Superstock taken off? I think there are many reasons and not all about the cost factors, but it has a lot of merit.

Post #34 in this thread:

"IMO. It was a mistake to run both classes alongside each other in the first place, but I understand that there were pressures from a number of angles to run them both "side by side" under the guise that we'll let the "competitors decide"

The realistic outcome of that though - is that the competitors will / would rather continue on with whats sitting in their shed already.......... + as you say , if the stock option is presented as a "lesser prestigious class", then thats not gonna help either.

Chearly the two spec machine structure obtained the desired result for those that were batting for the Supersport side of things".

GW

[SWERVE]

Hate to tell you this mate...but we don't pay for our tyres until they arrive.

Neither do i.... but my supplier/distributor does.
Then there is the scenario when the container ordered in August... turns up in Nov, with a shortage.......... and thats the first anybody knows about it. Having been involved in imported goods into NZ..it is not uncommon either.
Also trouble with ordering way in advance is that you get tyres that are sometimes close on 12 months old when they arrive.... in some cases they have already been superseeded by a new design/compound. Thats another can of worms.... oh we didnt have enough of these compounds so we sent these instead..................... our paltry orders of one container arent taken seriously in the big world........ and that goes right across the spectrum of imported goods.
An example.. one of my suppliers from an international company recently attended a sales seminar in Germany.... they saw a order come in from a single company that was more than the whole of NZ sold last year.......... harsh reality.
Know the post is a bit late and has been thrashed already...but been off the grid for a few days................ hiking/tramping/holidaying......no racing