2004 Wsbk

[SPman]

It was announced today that Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Aprilia and Suzuki will not be entering WSBK in 2004 with works bikes. In addition to this, we have lost Hodgson and Xaus to MotoGP and Alstare Corona Suzuki have also withdrawn from the championship.

With the new Pirelli tyres, it is highly unlikely that any wildcards from national championships will support the WSBK in 2004, with many contracted to Michelin or Dunlop!!

If FPR get their bikes competitive, there may be a hint of a competitive championship. But 2004 will most likely be a repeat of 2003 with Ducati dominating proceedings! Is this the end for WSBK

 

[wari]

Those SBk blokes must be fules ... it WUZ a bluddy good series ...

MotoGP is gonna be a cracker ... again.

[Coldkiwi]

Of course all the manufacturers have pulled out because of the engine layout/air restrictors debarcle. SBK are really going to have to sort that out quickly now.

 

[wkid_one]

Question:  If you are a manufacturer of motorcycles - why would you invest previous dollars in one race (SBK) when your dollars can be better spent on R&D for a less restrictive race (GP).

The Manu's will focus on the GP racing as this is the best spend of their R&D dollars.  This will drive the most innovations in motorcycling and gives them the least restrictive forum in which to develop and test new ideas.

Why do the manu's want to race in SBK?  Previously ONLY because it show cased their bikes - YET the Jap manufacturers have managed significant sales WITHOUT the support of SBK - Ducati was the only company to benefit from SBK coverage in recent years.  How many times has a Jap bike had a podium finish in the last 5 or so years.

Therefore why would the Manu want to invest dollars in a chamionship that has had little impact on their sales - they are better to focus on GP where they can exploit their R&D budgets to the fullest.

You will see satellite teams and sponsored bikes - but I don't think you will see works bikes in SBK - why BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED TO.  People are going to buy the GSXR/R1/Blade/ZX10/CBR6/ZX6/R6 etc regardless because they are the best bikes on the road - not because the factory is racing them.  Supporting GP is about development - same as F1.

My two cents anyway.

[wari]

I actually enjoy the supersport series more than the SBK anyway ... its more interesting racing, the bikes and riders are pretty even really.

[SPman]

Superbike World Championship

2004 Provisional Entry List

Superbike

4 Troy Corser - AUS - Petronas FP1 Foggy - PETRONAS Racing
5 Piergiorgio Bontempi - ITA - Suzuki GSX 1000R - Zongshen Team
6 Mauro Sanchini - ITA - Kawasaki ZX10 - Team Kawasaki Bertocchi
7 Pier Francesco Chili - ITA - Ducati 999R - Team PSG-1
8 Ivan Clementi - ITA - Kawasaki ZX10 - Team Kawasaki Bertocchi
9 Chris Walker - GBR - Petronas FP1 Foggy - PETRONAS Racing
12 Warwick Nowland - AUS - Suzuki GSX 1000R - Zongshen Team
16 Sergio Fuertes - ESP - Suzuki GSX 1000R - MIR Racing
17 Chris Vermeulen - AUS - Honda CBR 1000RR - Ten Kate Honda
TBA - Honda CBR 1000RR - Ten Kate Honda
19 Lucio Pedercini - ITA - Ducati 996R - Team Pedercini
TBA - Ducati 996R - Team Pedercini
20 Marco Borciani - ITA - Ducati 999R - D.F.X. Racing Team
23 Jiri Mrkyvka - CZE - Ducati 996R - JM SBK Team
24 Garry McCoy - AUS Ducati - 999R - Team Caracchi
TBA - ESP - Ducati 999R - Team Caracchi
25 Alessio Velini - ITA - Yamaha YZF R1 - UnionBike GiMotorsport
41 Noriyuki Haga - JPN - Ducati 999R - Team Renegade Ducati
52 James Toseland - GBR - Ducati 999R - Ducati Fila
55 Régis Laconi - FRA - Ducati 999R - Ducati Fila
91 Leon Haslam - GBR - Ducati 999R - Team Renegade Ducati
99 Steve Martin - AUS - Ducati 999R - D.F.X. Racing Team

2004 models homologation procedure in progress

May not be so bad after all, model wise!

[Yamahamaman]

I'll be keeping an eye on Chris V this year.

[wkid_one]

None of them a factory bikes tho are they. They are all sponsors bikes?????

Let's see who is the best and guess the top three finishers?

[Motoracer]

Wooohooo! Go the ZX10!!

[BigB]

Well I'm off to Phillp Island in March so'll see first hand just how good the racing is, it may be a ducati feest but we're not just there for the racing.

Ah pit girls

[svs]

12 from 22 (55%) running Ducati. Wonder which manufacturer will be dominating this year. :spudwhat:

[Gixxer]

Go Nitro, cool team name as well

"Team Renegade Ducati"

i think he will be my pick to mix things up.

are we gona run some sort of virtual WSBK or GP? could be fun.

[James Deuce]

I actually enjoy the supersport series more than the SBK anyway ... its more interesting racing, the bikes and riders are pretty even really.

I had a good laugh when I saw that the 600s were faster at the Malaysian tests than all but one (Steve Martin) SBK bike.

I think SBK ain't going to be around much longer. The 600s will probably replace both the 250GP bikes and SBK, at least in the mind of race fans and punters.

[wkid_one]

I had a good laugh when I saw that the 600s were faster at the Malaysian tests than all but one (Steve Martin) SBK bike.

I think SBK ain't going to be around much longer. The 600s will probably replace both the 250GP bikes and SBK, at least in the mind of race fans and punters.

6 hundies won't replace the 250GP's.

The problem is most of the manufacturers have moved away from putting factory bikes in to the SBK which then reduces the R&D etc and will lead to the demise of SBK

[James Deuce]

6 hundies won't replace the 250GP's.

The problem is most of the manufacturers have moved away from putting factory bikes in to the SBK which then reduces the R&D etc and will lead to the demise of SBK

I wouldn't be counting my chickens

Aprilia's last batch of 250s are going out the door as track only bikes, so I can't see the 250 2-strokes hanging round for long. There aren't any manufacturers producing 250 2-stroke sport bikes anymore, and even the 2-stroke dirt bikes are starting to get rare.

The 600s are the logical choice to replace the the 250GP bikes IMHO.