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LWT superbike @ SOAR - kicking butt ? !
- Thread starter boyoboy
- Start date
His race report from the last round.
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?187852-Rc-390!&p=2326899&viewfull=1#post2326899
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?187852-Rc-390!&p=2326899&viewfull=1#post2326899
boyoboy
Well-known member
wow,and another tip of the hat to jordan and the ktm 390. i thought the sv650 would rule LWT superbike. where are the sv650's?
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boyoboy
Well-known member
i haven't been able to get out to G. bend and watch the racing. i noticed in soar results about ten bikes were running in lwt twins, i assumed most of those bikes would be bumping into lwt superbike. i also assumed, (perhaps wrongly) that most of these bikes were sv650's. would be interesting to know what other bikes are gridding up for lwt superbike.
I hope they don't but I'm biased 
I think the original intent with this class was to give the new generation small sport bikes a place to play. Ninja 300, CBR300, RC390, etc and it also gives the smaller vintage bikes (mine, RZ, EX) another class where they don't get destroyed by the larger displacement bikes. The 650cc twins already have a good primary class ... Lightweight Twins. Allowing those bikes in LW SB means the class becomes Lightweight Twins II.
Anyway, I didn't write the rules, I didn't make the decisions, the rulebook says what it says, and as written, 650cc liquid cooled twins are allowed.
I think the original intent with this class was to give the new generation small sport bikes a place to play. Ninja 300, CBR300, RC390, etc and it also gives the smaller vintage bikes (mine, RZ, EX) another class where they don't get destroyed by the larger displacement bikes. The 650cc twins already have a good primary class ... Lightweight Twins. Allowing those bikes in LW SB means the class becomes Lightweight Twins II.Anyway, I didn't write the rules, I didn't make the decisions, the rulebook says what it says, and as written, 650cc liquid cooled twins are allowed.
I'm confused.
There are 2 classes.
Lightweight Superbike
Lightweight Production
SV650 can't fit in Lightweight Production but does fit Lightweight Superbike.
There are 2 classes.
Lightweight Superbike
Lightweight Production
SV650 can't fit in Lightweight Production but does fit Lightweight Superbike.
I hope they don't but I'm biased
Anyway, I didn't write the rules, I didn't make the decisions, the rulebook says what it says, and as written, 650cc liquid cooled twins are allowed.
Yes the production rules were added for RACE (read you guys) as Chris wanted to make sure lightly modded bikes could race but as of now we have had ZERO entries in the class and dont see any coming anytime soon. I didnt see a need and so far in SOAR that has proved out. As for SVs we really dont have that many coming out in any class to be honest. There are a few but not many certainly not what it once was.
Yep. Thanks Ken. I had managed to drag a couple of racers out of Qc on the small bikes to Shannonville but the #s have remained low. Unfortunately despite all the talk of interest in the low cc bike class, no one seems to want to race them.
And this will be our last year to support low cc bikes as the kids are moving up. I have sold 1 and have the 2 others up for sale.
And this will be our last year to support low cc bikes as the kids are moving up. I have sold 1 and have the 2 others up for sale.
Ken, I would LOVE to race a 300 next year as well as the EX.
I've been keen on the idea for a while now, but I'm not sure how that would picture out.
Would I be the only pro on a 300? How many others would show up?
It truly would be awesome to see that class grow into something big!
I've been keen on the idea for a while now, but I'm not sure how that would picture out.
Would I be the only pro on a 300? How many others would show up?
It truly would be awesome to see that class grow into something big!
boyoboy
Well-known member
I hope they don't but I'm biased
Anyway, I didn't write the rules, I didn't make the decisions, the rulebook says what it says, and as written, 650cc liquid cooled twins are allowed.
geez brian, my head was spinning.... i figured you were smokin at least a few sv's ( i was already thinking that it was lwt twins II) ....as for the class, lwt prod'n/sbk is a great idea, but even the small bikes are climbing up to 400cc - and who knows where it will settle. i hear ya.
KTM RC390 with a skinny rider was well matched with my FZR400 with my fat arse on board the weekend before last. RZ350 is pretty darn close, too. The 650 twins will outrun any of these bikes. The Hawk needs engine work to be able to do that, but the formula seems to be known. Right now the class could use whatever entries we can get, but if folks start turning the 250 - 375cc bikes into race bikes in decent numbers, it might be worth tweaking the formula. (by the way, the 4-cylinder displacement limit is 500cc, presumably to make the Interceptor 500 legal, but I haven't seen one of those on the track for years. Wouldn't trouble me if it were brought back to 400cc liquid cooled and 550cc air cooled for 4 cyl engines, and twins brought back to 500cc to allow the EX500s but not with a big-bore kit ...)
There was one 250 Ninja race bike that weekend. I don't know the rider but that bike seemed well short of the KTM on power.
There was one 250 Ninja race bike that weekend. I don't know the rider but that bike seemed well short of the KTM on power.
gammaguy21
Well-known member
Curious, is it the modern suspension on the KTM RC390 that makes it faster than your FZR400? Or does it get you in the straights?
If it's better in the corners, are you allowed to upgrade/ modify the FZR suspension?
Any ideal what the allowable CC limit is for 2stokes in the LWT classes?
fugue
Well-known member
in stock trim (approx. figures, some from 'wiki' source):
fzr4 - 59hp - 420 lb wet - 200 kph top speed
rc390 - 43-48 hp - 340 lb wet - 170 kph top speed
With equal weight riders, the power to weight is close enough not to matter. On a higher speed / longer straights track like Mosport the fzr might have the slight advantage. Any fzr being raced likely has it's suspension well massaged by now.
2-strokes: from the rulebook...
LW superbike - 500cc street, 250cc gp based
LW production - 400cc Two stroke air cooled street based
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The 14-year-old rider who could hide behind a bean pole AND who has some experience running MotoAmerica with that KTM, versus the other rider (me) who is pushing 50 and is (ahem) not as lightweight as he should be, and who doesn't bounce as well in the event something happens, is why in that race KTM390 beat FZR4.
I beat him down the back straight after getting a better line out of the carousel on the first lap and stayed ahead for some time ... but eventually, the tried and true tactic of waiting for the olde guy to get tired, worked out.
The fizzer's suspension, wheels, tires, and brakes are all not stock ... it works pretty well.
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