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Author Message   Jimidan Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 08:21 am:        Blake, No, I am not sure I know their "strategy"...does anyone? In fact, it looks like there is no strategy...from a funding perspective. That is what I have been complaining about all along. The engineers who developed the bike seem to know where they are going but the brass/bean counters do not. Maybe (hopefully) now they are prepared to try and make this work. I can imagine that Buell Racing is a pretty frustrating place to work with this on-again-off-again "strategy", and they really cannot come right out and say it. Here they have this great bike designed for a very competitive class, and they can't get sustainable funding. It must be very frustrating. Or not. I know I already have the TIVO set to record all races on Sunday, which I think is so cool that FX is being shown on Sunday along with MotoGP and Superbike, instead of on Tuesday. It's prime time ba-bee, and the country will be watching! jimi   Daves Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 11:04 am:        What time Sunday?   Blake Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 12:29 am:        All times CDT. SpeedTV Program Schedule for Sunday July 23, 2006 1:00 pm FIM World Superbike Championship Czech Republic - Race 1 (SDD) NR 2:00 pm AMA Superbike Championship Laguna Seca NR 3:00 pm AMA Supersport Laguna Seca (SDD) NR 4:00 pm MotoGP World Championship Laguna Seca (LIVE) NR 5:00 pm AMA Formula Xtreme Laguna Seca 9:00 pm FIM World Superbike Championship Czech Republic - Race ? (SDD) NR Then on Tuesday, July 25, 2006: 11:00 am MotoGP 125 German Grand Prix NR 12:00 pm FIM World Superbike Championship Czech Republic - Race 2 NR 1:00 pm AMA Superbike Championship Laguna Seca NR 2:00 pm AMA Superstock Motorcycles Laguna Seca NR 3:00 pm MotoGP World Championship Laguna Seca NR 4:00 pm FIM World Supersport Czech Republic NR 9:00 pm FIM World Superbike Championship Czech Republic - Race ? (SDD) NR I hope the DVR works as expected!   Blake Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 12:30 am:        Oh yeah, I think SpeedTV is showing the MotoGP Qualifying on Saturday evening at 8 pm CDT. It shows up on my DVR menu, but the SpeedTV web page isn't showing it. DVR is probably correct.   Blake Posted on Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 05:25 pm:        TV schedule just released by AMA Pro Racing: AMA PRO RACING ON TV July 20-27, 2006 (All times Eastern) AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah, Thursday, July 20, 7 p.m. (OLN) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California – AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Sunday, July 23, 3 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York – AMA Motocross Championship, Sunday, July 23, 3 p.m. (OLN) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California – AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship, Sunday, July 23, 4 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California – AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series, Sunday, July 23, 6 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York – AMA Motocross Championship, Monday, July 24, 4 a.m. (OLN) AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah, Monday, July 24, 3 p.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Red Bud Track-n-Trail, Buchanan, Michigan – AMA Motocross Lites, Monday, July 24, 4 p.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York – AMA Motocross Lites, Sunday, July 24, 5 p.m. (OLN) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California – AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Tuesday, July 25, 2 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California – Repsol Lubricants Superstock Series, Tuesday, July 25, 3 p.m. (SPEED) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Red Bud Track-n-Trail, Buchanan, Michigan – AMA Motocross Lites, Wednesday, July 26, 5 a.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York – AMA Motocross Lites, Wednesday, July 26, 5 a.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Red Bud Track-n-Trail, Buchanan, Michigan – AMA Motocross Lites, Wednesday, July 26, 6 p.m. (OLN) AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah, Thursday, July 27, 5 p.m. (OLN) AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, Unadilla Valley Sports Center, New Berlin, New York – AMA Motocross Lites, Thursday, July 27, 6 p.m. (OLN) Check local listings – Subject to Change   Blake Posted on Friday, July 21, 2006 - 04:09 pm:        Interesting. This just in from AMA Pro Racing... AMA PRO RACING AND DORNA COLLABORATE FOR MOTOGP/AMA SUPERBIKE WEEKEND PICKERINGTON, Ohio (July 21, 2006) -- AMA Pro Racing’s Timing and Scoring team is working in collaboration with the Dorna Sports’ Timing and Computing Department at the Red Bull MotoGP this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The two entities are sharing timing and scoring hardware and technology during the biggest motorcycle racing weekend in America. “We are sharing a lot of the timing points around the track,” said Ken Rogers, AMA Pro Racing’s director of timing and scoring. “We are collaborating on using Dorna’s jump start system this year so we don’t have to roll out our system. And Dorna is going to be utilizing our high-speed finish line camera.” Rogers went on to explain that the teamwork with Dorna has been in the planning stages for weeks. “We’ve been in contact with Dorna to determine what their needs would be and that line of communication has resulted in us having a good start to the weekend in terms of timing and scoring.” Both the AMA’s and Dorna’s timing and scoring personnel have been eager to learn from one another on how each team does its job, with each taking away valuable knowledge to help them provide fans, teams and television viewers with ever increasing information. “Dorna has some technology that is really outstanding,” Rogers added. “For example when you watch the races on TV they have real-time bike telemetry on a graphic that provides a lot of information with what the riders are doing on the motorcycle. On our side, one thing their crew noticed this year is that AMA’s timing and scoring staff transports about half of the hardware to the timing and scoring center that it had last year. We’ve developed a way to keep much of the equipment operating from the AMA truck and the Dorna folks were very interested in how we implemented that.” Spaniard Jordi Sais is the director of Timing and Computing for Dorna Sports. Sais is a computer engineer and has a solid background in providing information technology to high profile sporting events, including the 1992 Olympics. Sais is pleased with the technology AMA Pro Racing is using for its national series. “It is very similar to what we are using. Perhaps we have gone a few steps more with information, but much of the hardware we use is the same technology used by the AMA,” said Sais, who has worked with MotoGP since 1998. “The most important thing is the software. Four years ago we began to provide television with telemetry data from the motorcycles such as rpm, speed, braking and position. We are taking it another step by providing information on the rider, such as heart rate, temperature under the racing leathers and also testing systems to show how far the riders are banking the bikes.” Sais said the key for providing such comprehensive information was making the teams understand how this is the top level of motorcycle competition and the information provided must be state-of-the-art as well. “Of course every manufacturer wants to keep some data secret,” Sais explained. “Yet this is MotoGP, every team knows this information for the other teams already, so it is important to provide it to fans. Now we are even providing the teams with data that they previously did not have, so we work very much with them.” You can see this technology at work by visiting www.amasuperbike.com and clicking on “@thewire LIVE!” and www.motogp.com for the MotoGP data. About AMA Pro Racing AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access AMA Pro Racing's online Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom.   Xb9 Posted on Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 11:50 am:        AMA Sunday schedule pushed back July 23, 2006 From a release just issued by the track: In order to defend the integrity of the racing surface and the execution of the Grand Prix, FIM Race Direction has strongly recommended to the promoter that any other racing activity on Sunday, July 23 should be postponed until after the Grand Prix race. The record temperature in combination with the fresh racing surface has created a situation that could potentially deteriorate with heavy usage on Sunday. Therefore, in order to safeguard the racing surface, the decision has been made to postpone the activities of the AMA Superbike series until the conclusion of the Grand Prix race. The Grand Prix program will proceed as scheduled, with a morning warm-up at 10:00am local time. The MotoGP World Championship race will begin at 2:00pm local time. The AMA Supersport and Superstock races will take place immediately following the MotoGP World Championship race. ENDS Note -- a new schedule for the Pro Honda Oils Supersport and Repsol Superstock classes is still pending, including word on if any short practice sessions will precede the actual races.   Jimidan Posted on Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 01:09 pm:        So, does this effect the TV schedule?   Blake Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 09:42 am:        From an AMA Pro Racing press release: AMA NAMES NEW ROAD RACE SERIES DIRECTOR PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 4, 2006) – The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and AMA Pro Racing announced today that Keith Kizer has been appointed to the newly-created position of Road Race Series Director. Kizer who currently oversees the AMA Prostar Drag Racing Series will now direct AMA professional and amateur road race championships and will relocate to AMA’s Pickerington, Ohio headquarters. The appointment is effective immediately. “Keith has done an admirable job in building the AMA Prostar Drag Racing Series and we’re looking forward to bringing his experience and management expertise to road racing,” said Patricia DiPietro, AMA CEO. DiPietro added that the creation of this new position is part of the ongoing organizational changes implemented by the AMA beginning in January. “The AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited is one of our highest profile racing disciplines and one that has the most potential for continued growth,” commented DiPietro. “Similarly, we have some ambitious objectives for amateur road racing including the development of an amateur-to-pro progression plan. The addition of Keith provides us with another valuable resource to work towards the future.” “I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping AMA-sanctioned road racing expand,” said Kizer. “I’ve enjoyed my tenure at Prostar and have developed a wealth of experience that will help me in this new position.” Kizer added that he will remain committed to Prostar until a successor is named. “As a founder and co-owner of Prostar I want to ensure a smooth transition. I will attend the remaining three events on the 2006 calendar and do everything I can to help the organization. I want fans and competitors alike to know that my departure doesn’t mean the end of Prostar.” Kizer will attend this weekend’s AMA Superbike Championship event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. AMA Pro Racing Road Race Series Manager, Ron Barrick will continue to manage race operations.   Blake Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 03:34 pm:        Hopefully we will see some other manufacturers join in on the fun next year! This just in from AMA Pro Racing: AMA FORMULA XTREME TO EXPAND EQUIPMENT ELIGIBILITY PICKERINGTON, Ohio (August 11, 2006) -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and AMA Pro Racing today announced changes to the equipment eligibility list for AMA Formula Xtreme beginning with the 2007 racing season. AMA Formula Xtreme is a support class of the AMA Superbike Championship, the nation’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Beginning next year, production motorcycles featuring engines with the following displacement and specifications will be eligible for competition in the AMA Formula Xtreme class: • 550cc-600cc 4-stroke liquid-cooled 4-valve four cylinders • 650cc-675cc 4-stroke liquid-cooled 4-valve three cylinders • 650cc-850cc 4-stroke liquid-cooled 4-valve twin cylinders • 990cc-1100cc 4-stroke air/oil-cooled 4-valve desmo twin cylinders • 990cc-1200cc 4-stroke air/oil-cooled 4-valve pushrod twin cylinders • 900cc-1350cc 4-stroke air/oil-cooled 2-valve pushrod twin cylinders In making the announcement, AMA Pro Racing Director of Technical Development, Kevin Crowther said the changes were consistent with the intent of the Formula Xtreme class and reflective of the current motorcycle marketplace. “The goal of the Formula Xtreme class is to feature highly-modified machines from the broadest list of models,” said Crowther. “These changes are consistent with that philosophy and should lead to increased brand and rider participation in the class.” Crowther added that emphasis was placed on equipment diversity as well as competitive balance. “If it becomes apparent that a specific model or type of machine gains an unfair performance advantage, AMA Pro Racing reserves the right to implement restrictions including, but not limited to, additional weight to restore competitiveness,” said Crowther. Crowther noted that this stipulation applies to the Formula Xtreme class only. The changes to the eligible model list are the result of actions taken by the newly-formed AMA Racing Committee created earlier this year as part of a re-organization of the AMA and AMA Pro Racing. Equipment standards for the remaining classes (AMA Superbike, AMA Supersport and AMA Superstock) remain unchanged. Rules adding 1000cc motorcycles to AMA Superbike, the premier class of the championship, were announced in 2002 for the 2003 racing season and will continue at least through the 2008 racing season. Current AMA Superbike rules feature 901-1000cc four-stroke engines with two or more cylinders, exclusively. About AMA Pro Racing AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access AMA Pro Racing's online Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom.   Blake Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 04:13 pm:        Why specify lower limits on displacements? Anyone care to match up the current sportbike manufacturer and model with the various displacement limit specifications? Hmmmm... Displ. Limit Engine Coolant # Valves/Cyl Valve Actuation # Cyls. Applicable Model(s) 600cc Water 4 Any 4 All 600cc Repliracers. 675cc Water 4 Any 3 Triumph Daytona 675 850cc Water 4 Any 2 Duc 749R 1100cc Air/Oil 4 Desmodromic 2 ?Duc? 1200cc Air/oil 4 Pushrod 2 BMW R1200S 1350cc Air/Oil 2 Pushrod 2 Buell XB12R/XBRR   Davegess Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 04:27 pm:        This should be interesting!!!   Smoke Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 07:31 pm:        i like it!!! tim   Diablobrian Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 08:11 pm:        Should get some supertwins Ducatis in the mix as well as the 749s. Should make for good racing.   Blake Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 09:16 pm:        I'm wondering if the "4-valve/cyl" allowance for the 1100cc desmo air/oil cooled specification is to allow Ducati to put four valve heads on their air-cooled two-valve/cyl bikes, or ... ? Will be interesting to see what levels of modification the various different machines are allowed. I sure hope that BMW, Ducati, and Triumph all jump into the FX program with enthusiasm.   Blake Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 09:16 pm:        Not to mention Moto Guzzi! Can't forget about them!   Jens Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 03:27 am:        I was wondering from the beginning what the small watercooled Twinclass is established for...... (-:   Blake Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 10:50 am:        Surely a properly developed/tuned 749R bumped up to 800cc's (can they go all the way to 850cc?) would be a serious threat in AMA FX.   Trojan Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 01:01 pm:        So will the Triumph 675.   Blake Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 04:40 pm:        This just in from AMA Pro Racing; they have corrected the above FX displacement limit specification for the 1100cc Desmodromic entry. It is now listed for a 2-valve/cyl configuration. AMA FORMULA XTREME TO EXPAND EQUIPMENT ELIGIBILITY - REVISED In an AMA Pro Racing Press Release dated Aug. 11, 2006, an error was made in the specifications for the 990cc-1100cc 4-stroke/air-cooled machine. Should have read: • 990cc-1100cc 4-stroke air/oil-cooled 2-valve desmo twin cylinders The corrected displacement and specifications are shown below: PICKERINGTON, Ohio (August 14, 2006 Revised) -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and AMA Pro Racing today announced changes to the equipment eligibility list for AMA Formula Xtreme beginning with the 2007 racing season. AMA Formula Xtreme is a support class of the AMA Superbike Championship, the nation’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Beginning next year, production motorcycles featuring engines with the following displacement and specifications will be eligible for competition in the AMA Formula Xtreme class: • 550cc-600cc 4-stroke liquid-cooled 4-valve four cylinders • 650cc-675cc 4-stroke liquid-cooled 4-valve three cylinders • 650cc-850cc 4-stroke liquid-cooled 4-valve twin cylinders • 990cc-1100cc 4-stroke air/oil-cooled 2-valve desmo twin cylinders • 990cc-1200cc 4-stroke air/oil-cooled 4-valve pushrod twin cylinders • 900cc-1350cc 4-stroke air/oil-cooled 2-valve pushrod twin cylinders In making the announcement, AMA Pro Racing Director of Technical Development, Kevin Crowther said the changes were consistent with the intent of the Formula Xtreme class and reflective of the current motorcycle marketplace. “The goal of the Formula Xtreme class is to feature highly-modified machines from the broadest list of models,” said Crowther. “These changes are consistent with that philosophy and should lead to increased brand and rider participation in the class.” Crowther added that emphasis was placed on equipment diversity as well as competitive balance. “If it becomes apparent that a specific model or type of machine gains an unfair performance advantage, AMA Pro Racing reserves the right to implement restrictions including, but not limited to, additional weight to restore competitiveness,” said Crowther. Crowther noted that this stipulation applies to the Formula Xtreme class only. The changes to the eligible model list are the result of actions taken by the newly-formed AMA Racing Committee created earlier this year as part of a re-organization of the AMA and AMA Pro Racing. Equipment standards for the remaining classes (AMA Superbike, AMA Supersport and AMA Superstock) remain unchanged. Rules adding 1000cc motorcycles to AMA Superbike, the premier class of the championship, were announced in 2002 for the 2003 racing season and will continue at least through the 2008 racing season. Current AMA Superbike rules feature 901-1000cc four-stroke engines with two or more cylinders, exclusively.   Blake Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 04:43 pm:        Revised 2007 AMA Pro Racing Formula Xtreme Displacement Limits Displ. Limit Engine Coolant # Valves/Cyl Valve Actuation # Cyls. Applicable Model(s) 600cc Water 4 Any 4 All 600cc Repliracers. 675cc Water 4 Any 3 Triumph Daytona 675 850cc Water 4 Any 2 Duc 749R 1100cc Air/Oil 2 Desmodromic 2 Duc SS1000DS 1200cc Air/oil 4 Pushrod 2 BMW R1200S 1350cc Air/Oil 2 Pushrod 2 Buell XB12R/XBRR   Jens Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 07:48 pm:        Blake, I still dont see the Ducs in the 850 4 V class, this class will be filled not before next year. We race against 1068cc (they say) 2 valve aircooled Ducs in the ThunderBears and it tooks a lot of work to get a hold on them with a 1200cc shortstroke Tubeframer. But the RR will made it. Lets hope that the field in 2007 will look so colorful as it could now with the new specifications. Jens   Blake Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 08:21 pm:        Jens, I thought Ducati folks over here had been griping a few years back when AMA Pro Racing cut back the desmo 4-valve water cooled displacement limit for Pro Thunder from 850cc to 750cc. The 749R can be modified to go to 850cc can it not?   Jens Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 05:09 am:        Blake, I checked it they (Kämna Ducati) bring the 749R to 926cc, what makes 140 HP on the driveshaft. He said 850cc is no problem but it will cost some HP. The 1000cc 2 valves Ducs go up to app 1068, but produce not more than 120-125 HP Kämna said. That fits because our (heavier tubeframes) make 122 HP on the rearwheel. So you are right the 850cc 4 valve Ducati is an serious option. They are weightlimited? Jens   Blake Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 08:27 am:        Currently all FX machines are weight limited to no less than 355 LBs or thereabouts.   Jens Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 09:43 am:        Thats 161 Kg, what means the Ducs had to add 15-20 Kg! Not sure if they like that.   Blake Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 12:55 pm:        That 161 Kg is a post race wet weight. Are you saying that an FIM Supersport 749R weighs in at around 145 Kg (319 LBs)? Good golly! That is impressive! Must be using carbon brake disks, no?   Jens Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 02:00 pm:        Blake, have a look at http://www.kaemna.de/cms_en/index.htm I know there are bikes who scratch a bit over the 145 kg, raceready for short 20 minutes sprintraces. Converted back to carbs to save weight of fuelpump, alternator, ECM, cables etc. is 135 Kg with oil the absolute minimum. We know how hard it is to chase the Ducatis... Jens PS. have a look at the 900/944/985 SS i.e. Superlight -134,8 Kg roadlegal with lamps, indicators, alternator etc. Not much HP and aircooled, but that give an impression what is possible. (Message edited by Jens on August 15, 2006)   José_quiñones Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 02:11 pm:        Are you saying that an FIM Supersport 749R weighs in at around 145 Kg (319 LBs)? No, FIM Supersport minimum weight for twins is 170 kg, 162 kg for IL4's. The rulebook is HERE   Blake Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 06:15 pm:        JQ, Who needs a rulebook when we have you? Thanks amigo.   Jscott Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 12:34 am:        This class has soooo much potential! Could you imagine FACTORY Buells, Ducati's, BMW's and Triumphs taking on the Factory UJM's? It's a serious opportunity for the niche brands, hopefully they'll take advantage of it. (Message edited by JScott on August 16, 2006)   Jimidan Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 09:36 am:        As reported: "AMA FORMULA XTREME TO EXPAND EQUIPMENT ELIGIBILITY - REVISED In an AMA Pro Racing Press Release dated Aug. 11, 2006, an error was made in the specifications for the 990cc-1100cc 4-stroke/air-cooled machine. Should have read: 990cc-1100cc 4-stroke air/oil-cooled 2-valve desmo twin cylinders" It would be extremely difficult to build a Ducati 1000DS engine to make 130 RWHP for FX racing. According to the Duc engine gurus, they think you can get about 110-112 reliable hp (heads, 1080 kit, rods, HC pistons, bigger valves and throttle bodies). Now a built 850cc 749r is another matter entirely. jimidan (Message edited by jimidan on August 16, 2006)