AMA/DMG/Manufacturers 'Sploding

[Tigre13]

Come on Steve........Matt and Scott ran Matt's built 749 in the AFM 4Hr last year with no hitches. Certainly you can get some physical conditioning in and give the MotoST a go with another on your current bike?

I can definitely handle the physical conditioning part, especially riding on my bike. I used to be an endurance athlete and when I'm not dealing with collarbone surgery, I can work out enough to stay in motorcycling shape.

I'm sure my bike could hold up for a single endurance race... but it's more costly, and certainly has implications for how many tear-downs I'd have to do during the season if I want to do multiple endurance races plus the club series.

One of the other challenges is that I honestly don't know who I could interest/trust to race my bike with me. Not saying I wouldn't do it... I just don't have a list of folks I know who want to race my bike with me, and I wouldn't want to just post up in the trackdays section to find a partner. Mebbe that "luk" guy who started the counter-lean thread could join me.

 

[Seesm]

Read about the licenses Craig...none of us could be racing next year!

where do we read abouy this? This is sounding for f*cked that before... Dude I thought the AMA did a bad job wtf?

 

[Holeshot]

We'll have to wait and see what they come up with...

 

[NoQuarter]

the riders are starting to speak up... http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Apr/080419c.htm

 

[Holeshot]

Man, I'm a prophet!

 

[Seesm]

I still fear the AMA series is headed to dark unchartered waters... Here's hoping I am wrong...

 

[TWF]

they said same when WSB went to spec tire.

 

[jrace]

The racers are funny, how they're dropping "hints"....

BBoz at the Supersport press conference today:

Q You're looking great. In between this race and Daytona, did you lose any more weight, gain any more weight?

A No, no. I think if I lose any more I'm going to get sick on you guys. That won't be any good. I'd like to, though. But I have lost a lot of weight. Working on the sponsor thing. It's working out pretty well. The bike's just getting better and better. We've done a lot of testing on it. Big thanks to Graves. The crew's incredible. Honestly.

Q It seems like you've really taken to the 600 class.

A I love this little bike. We rode one in '04 twice, and both times I told Honda I had a really good time riding the bike. But this time it feels like we have the dominant bike. It just makes the racing fun. You go out there, and you know for a fact that if you're not up front, you were sleeping on the job. I haven't been on a bike this competitive in a long time. It's been a really long time. The last couple of years. I've been beating my head against the wall. I know how it feels for most of the riders. You start getting down, and start wondering if it's you, and other problems come along with it. What can I say? The bike's just good. I look forward. Every time I show up for a test, I'm just so excited to ride the thing. It's like a little Superbike. The class structure - I don't know how all the brands have done it, but every brand's built a pretty fine machine. Obviously there's two Yamahas up there, and the Suzuki. I know Rog got hurt today, so that puts the Kawi out of it. It's like, every single brand is represented. You look at, usually, the finishes, and the top five, it's pretty important to have all the factories up there to keep the enthusiasm, and then it'll keep progressing the bike, and that obviously passes on down to the customers. It's a great class.

Q. Clearly, a class we want to get rid of.

A Clearly. Clearly a class you don't want. You'd hate to have this class out there.

ref: http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Apr/080419h.htm

-jim

 

[Zerox]

This is so full of awesome....DMG is telling the factories to STFU and go sit in the corner, there's a new sheriff in town and he will tell you what to do and when to do it.

 

[afmotorsports]

Just to add stuff to the discussion. Here is an interview with Mel Harris about the changes...

And in case some of you "spec tire" fans didn't notice the little comment from Mel, it will be A LOT more expensive for every racer when a series goes to "spec tires". The factory teams get a significant allocation of free tires as part of their "deal" to promote a certain brand, so if those deals disappear they're probably looking at more than a million dollar tire bill in one season for only 3-4 riders. Even privateers at the AMA level get substantial deals, so their additional expense for tires will likely run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Only the series promoter typically benefits because the spec tire manufacturer usually has to write a big fat check to them, but once they're the "spec tire"... good luck getting your "racer discount", nevermind any free tires or contingency or any of that other nice stuff you're used to. Welcome to the world of "monopoly", you're about to find out what "MSRP" is on race tires! ...and the series promoter is laughing all the way to the bank, cashing checks under the pretense of creating "parity" in racing.

"Spec" anything pretty much means that they're putting a "monopoly" out for bid and especially in motorcycle racing, the fastest riders still win. Riders/teams lose, promoters cash in. Gullible people buy it hook, line and sinker... especially some of the delusional WSBK fans that can't quite grasp the chicken/egg argument and think the racing is good because of "spec tires"...

Am I excited about the "new & improved" DMG series? (please, let's not ever call it "AMA Pro" again!) No, not one bit... but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. ...and I just picked up a new german shorthaired pointer puppy we're training for the fall season, so between the black lab (Harley is now 9 months and 90lbs!) and the pointer I should have enough fun in the off-season that I won't really care about the upcoming 2009 roadracing train wreck. Man, what I wouldn't give to be able to fit Edmonson with an e-collar!!

 

[nweaver]

Am I excited about the "new & improved" DMG series? (please, let's not ever call it "AMA Pro" again!) No, not one bit... but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. ...and I just picked up a new german shorthaired pointer puppy we're training for the fall season, so between the black lab (Harley is now 9 months and 90lbs!) and the pointer I should have enough fun in the off-season that I won't really care about the upcoming 2009 roadracing train wreck. Man, what I wouldn't give to be able to fit Edmonson with an e-collar!!

All I know is as someone who makes it to Sears Pt every year for the AMA races:

No 1L beasts? No way.

I like the aspect of racing that its not just the rider, but the manufacturers of bikes and tires.

I could see adding a "MotoST" style as a sattelite race: Superbike and Superstock are too close, as our Supersport and formula extreme. (When its only the "you can't use the same bike" rule that keeps the privateers from using the same bike...)

But ditching the "1L beasts with exotica" superbike, and the "600 supersport: Slap plastics and go" almost true stock-class, and F-them, I'll forget the "AMA" races and just watch the AFM instead.

 

[NoQuarter]

This is so full of awesome....DMG is telling the factories to STFU and go sit in the corner, there's a new sheriff in town and he will tell you what to do and when to do it.

So the factories are the bad guys? What the hell kind of motorsports racing is popular without manufacturer support?

oh yeah, NASCRAP.

"production sedans" which require 3 stock parts: the hood, the roof, and the trunk lid.... and engines that have been behind the technology curve for what, 40 years?

http://nascar.about.com/od/nascar101/f/nascarracecar.htm

 

[Zerox]

So the factories are the bad guys? What the hell kind of motorsports racing is popular without manufacturer support?

Oh they'll support it all right, DMG will *make* them support it or GTFO.

superbikeplanet.com said it best: "AMA Superbike Results---Now Available in Excitement-Free"

 

[afmotorsports]

I thought both Superbike races were bitchin. I don't think it's any longer required to put "spoiler" in any discussion that involves Superbike because everybody knows the top two riders are head and shoulders above the rest. So wasn't the battle for 3rd about as good as it gets?? Of course. So clearly the DMG "solution" is to handicap or boot out the top two riders so the rest of the field can fight for the win. Nice. It's too bad the smartest kids in college weren't required to pound a six pack before every exam just so the rest of the class wasn't humiliated by their results...

Sorry if my diagnosis of Superbike doesn't agree with everybody else's, but I just don't agree with dragging down the best riders just so the rest of the knuckleheads can keep them in sight. Where was the DMG in the days of Doohan domination?? Maybe they would've put him on knobbies just so he didn't smoke the rest of the field... what great racing that would be!

Between NASCRAP and "pro wrestiling", it seems the appetite of the public is not so much for actual COMPETITION, but rather a staged sharade... I wonder if the future DMG riders will be required to learn to do backflips off their bikes and get their crews to fight each other in the pits... yay. :|

 

[plumber]

Between NASCRAP and "pro wrestiling", it seems the appetite of the public is not so much for actual COMPETITION, but rather a staged sharade... I wonder if the future DMG riders will be required to learn to do backflips off their bikes and get their crews to fight each other in the pits... yay. :|

You sir, have hit the nail on the head. It's called pleasing the masses. There's not enough purists to fill the seats. They need to get Billy Bob Budweiser and his friends in the seats. The current Nascar model has proven that Billy Bob Budweiser buys a lot of product.

 

[Zerox]

I don't think it's any longer required to put "spoiler" in any discussion that involves Superbike because everybody knows the top two riders are head and shoulders above the rest.

Are they really head and shoulders above the rest? We'll never know til DMG puts them on equal bikes/tires, and then we will sure as hell find out.

But here's a question...why is it called Daytona Motorsports Group? There are other tracks on the schedule.

 

[clutchslip]

I thought both Superbike races were bitchin. .........
Sorry if my diagnosis of Superbike doesn't agree with everybody else's, but I just don't agree with dragging down the best riders just so the rest of the knuckleheads can keep them in sight. Where was the DMG in the days of Doohan domination?? Maybe they would've put him on knobbies just so he didn't smoke the rest of the field... what great racing that would be!

I really liked Doohan.
Mr. Alex, I must say that I never understood people bad-raping Mat Mladin. The guy is something else. Anyone notice that the bikes are actually moving around more this year? It must be the extra horsepower.

So... sort-of back-on-subject. How does making 600cc the "premier" class help competition? We have 2 Yamahas running away from the field, instead of 2 Suzukis? Well, there's a change of pace.

 

[Seesm]

I do not gte how the premier class will be daytona SB and the liter class will have factory racers... (that sounds like teh liter class will still be premier?) Make snot much sense but SO FAR they are not making nay sense to me yet... Alex is however...

 

[afmotorsports]

Somebody asked me if I thought AMA Pro should just stay as is. NO, absolutely not! It needs to change. It's currently a clusterf#@k. I wanted and expected Edmonson to make changes, I just never dreamed that he would do something so dramatic so soon. I would've preferred a more gradual change. That's why I said "bull in china shop".

It also bugs me that he's shoving MotoSTdown our throats. I have zero interest in that series. Endurance races on SV650s?? C'mon, I ride one, it's a lot of fun, but it's a gutless wonder. Who would want to pay money to watch a bunch of girlie bikes?? It would be like charging to watch Miata's race!

I was thinking about the early years of MotoGP, when they went to the 4-strokes. Honda had absolute domination. You literally couldn't win on anything else. So did Dorna put restrictor plates on their bikes or add weight or any other nonsense?? No. The other manufacturers stepped up: Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and especially Ducati. They didn't want to show up and just get their a$$ handed to them by Honda weekend after weekend. They spent money and hired GREAT riders. And that's exactly what Yosh did with Matt and Ben: they spent money, worked hard and hired GREAT riders. The rest of the field has GOOD (or used-to-be-great) riders and they clearly don't have their $hit together like Matt and Ben. Yet somehow public opinion is that Matt and Ben are "ruining Superbike" and it's somehow their fault that it's "boring" - btw, I loved the first Barber Superbike interview when Mladin said the race was "boring" and the other guys need to "step up"! Talk about calling out the other teams.

My point is simply that in order to have more parity in racing, you really shouldn't be looking to punish the fast teams. Unfortunately that's a shortcut that most series seem to favor these days (i.e. restrictor plates, weight increases, etc.) because it's easier than telling the slower teams to step up to the plate and bring their A-game.

 

[TWF]

It also bugs me that he's shoving MotoSTdown our throats. I have zero interest in that series. Endurance races on SV650s?? C'mon, I ride one, it's a lot of fun, but it's a gutless wonder. Who would want to pay money to watch a bunch of girlie bikes?? It would be like charging to watch Miata's race!

actually I think sv race would be good thing,sprint race(15 laps)not endurance.
it would be more competitive than 125 class.