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Court
| | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2014 - 04:18 pm: | 
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. . . . . and your point is? |
Classax
| | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2014 - 04:18 pm: |
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Ducati may be well funded but they are still misguided. The unless a ton of people buy the 899 and spawn a racing class I see that machine as a likely flop, DESPITE all the payola that bought reviews that said "it well may be the most perfect Superbike ever". The new Monster may not prove to be the cash cows the old ones were. The 1199 will come around but it will take much more time, Meanwhile EBR and HERO are releasing what I think will become a cult classic that will be mentioned every race this season. GO EBR |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2014 - 04:20 pm: |
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The old Monsters were gorgeous . . . the new Monsters are ugly.
I'd pay extra to get a good old one . . . I'd trade a new one if I got it free.
Other folks likely have opinions too . . . |
Bads1
| | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2014 - 04:30 pm: |
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My point is I don't think HERO is that large to compare those companies as a whole. If comparing just motorcycle I guess so. I agree Classax. However I hope they do well as fans,press and the like are cruel non the less. Crawl before you walk. I remember BMW didn't do well in the sport right away either. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2014 - 04:47 pm: |
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What on earth does the size of the company as a whole have to do with it?
I can tell you first hand, working for three different global corporations, that each division is pretty much financially independent. Money will be forcibly removed from a profitable one to salvage another in a death spiral... but it is more like a loan than some kind of magic cookie jar. They will get money for a little while until they are propped up long enough to look good and sell off or lay off...
But nobody is going to get something like "lets go racing" funded from another divisions profits. If they are part of a multi-divisional corporation, it's likely to be exactly the opposite... a division could afford to race and have the desire, even need, to race, and some non aligned CEO will say something like "no, that's just Erik funding his race habit" and they will take those profits and use them to bail out the other under performing divisions.
I've thought that is one of the coolest parts of the EBR / Hero alliance in the first place. There isn't anyone with interests that aren't aligned that are positioned to screw it up. That's pretty damn rare. |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2014 - 06:40 pm: |
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>>>>What on earth does the size of the company as a whole have to do with it?
Kinda what I was getting at. Thank goodness I don't have a Ferrari. |
Elvis
| | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2014 - 09:07 pm: |
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It would seem to me that if the goal were to obtain bragging rights: "Look at us! We won a championship!" It would make sense to stay in the AMA.
If the goal is to make the bike as good as it can possibly be and eventually contend to win at the highest level, it makes sense to get into WSBK sooner rather than later.
Which would make EBR more competitive in 2015 WSBK, 2016 WSBK and beyond:
a) Spending another year in AMA racing (Maybe 5 or 6 rounds in 2014 and no practice other than race day under the new format) racing on different tires, racing on US rather than world tracks, racing against a lower level of competition, racing with a different rules package with different race-day procedures, different modifications allowed etc. etc.
or
b) Jumping into the deep end of the pool and going WSBK racing now.
2014 is sure to be tough, but I can't think of a better way to get better at racing WSBK than racing WSBK. |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Thursday, January 02, 2014 - 09:36 pm: |
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Given the present outlook for the 2014 AMA Superbike schedule, it sure looks like EBR made the right move. |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, January 03, 2014 - 11:04 am: |
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EBR made the right move.
And don't . . . for a moment . . . .think this was an idea that just popped up in the last year or was the result of a puffed chest "yeah, well look what I can do?" session.
Be mindful that the U.S.A. has never been "ground zero" for Buell sales. EBR has a deeply vested commercial interest in treating the folks on the various continents to the same amazement that me and Kids-Gallon saw that day in Ohio
This is a big deal and it's going to be done right.
I SUSPECT . . . . there are far bigger fish to be fried (an homage to Friday in Wisconsin) and we're being allowed to view the elements as the plan dictates and as the timing unfolds.
Me?
I know the date I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for and it draws closer by the day . . . .
See you at the races. |
Smoke
| | Posted on Saturday, January 04, 2014 - 09:47 am: |
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yeeha! see you at the us round!
tim |
Guy_glover
| | Posted on Saturday, January 04, 2014 - 10:13 am: |
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Maybe we could get a bridge built from Maine-to-Spain and get in some good rides!!!!!!!!!! |
Buell101
| | Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2014 - 08:30 pm: |
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Miller
Wsbk 2011 ducati 1098r: 1:47.08
Ama 2013 EBR 1190 1:53.57
When iwas on the track I was with in 6 seconds of the track record on my 1125 what I'm getting at is 6 seconds is A LOT not even the same class.
I totally expect fanboys and anal Annies pick this comparison apart |
Classax
| | Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2014 - 11:43 pm: |
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I totally expect fanboys and anal Annies pick this comparison apart
Fanboy is a bit harsh, but I'll bite.
A) A WSBK spec machine is not comparable to an AMA spec machine in the same way that a Winston Cup car is not comparable to an Autocross prepped modded out street car. The similarities stop with the decal headlights and number of tires.
B) How about an example from this year on the same track on the same day.
Laguna Seca
Superpole 3- Fastest - RSV4 1'22.683
1199 Panigale 1'22.824
of course that's on qualifying tires.
Looking at Qualifying with race rubber:
Alstare 1199 Panigale 1'23.938
vs
Geoff May 1190RS 1'25.400
Aaron Yates " " 1'26.020
So its really more like 2-4 seconds which is still HUGE. But tires and gas alone have historically been good for a close to a second when stepping up to WSBK.
C) Testing starts on the 15th so we'll know how far off the podium pace they will be soon enough.
D) I hate it when people funeralize a team before the season even starts because on paper its unlikely they will make the playoffs, instead of just enjoying the fact that they even get to play the games. We have American riders, on American designed and assembled superbikes on the world stage, running within 107% of the fastest laptimes by the best of the best riders and machines the world has to offer. GO EBR! |
46champ
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2014 - 10:15 am: |
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Didn't it come out about 2/3 of the way thru the season that the new for 2013 Dunlop tires were cutting down on the corner speed of the EBR's. In 2012 I can remember the tv announcers making a big deal about EBR's corner speed. In 2013 not so much.
Now we will see what happens on Pirelli's.
(Message edited by 46champ on January 06, 2014) |
M1combat
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2014 - 03:59 pm: |
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Whatever Court...
"I SUSPECT . . . . there are far bigger fish to be fried (an homage to Friday in Wisconsin) and we're being allowed to view the elements as the plan dictates and as the timing unfolds. "
Erik likely doesn't even have a business plan let alone a plan for anything we're seeing now regarding racing at all. I'm sure he's completely just winging it.
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Blake
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2014 - 05:19 pm: |
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That kind of comparison deserves to be torn apart. In addition to what's already been stated (different spec machinery, different days/years, different tires), I think the two series even raced two different track schemes at Miller. If I recall accurately, the AMA ran the longer version of the Miller course.
And for the record, I'm neither fanatical or a boy. I'm just enthusiastic about an American Superbike and supportive of the efforts of friends and acquaintances who design and build them.
Why aren't you? Ignorance or indifference? |
Court
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2014 - 07:18 pm: |
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>>>>Erik likely doesn't even have a business plan let alone a plan for anything we're seeing now regarding racing at all.
Oh good . . . .now I can share something without guessing. That's inaccurate.
You'll recall the hoopla surrounding the 200 year plan.
Erik is a detailed planner and I've copies of the hastily scratched notes and ideas from 2009 for inclusion in future publications . . . . should they be warranted.
In addition . . . .you do not sally forth and strike the tee shot of racing, spending tens of millions of dollars, without a pretty fair idea of where the pin is placed and how the green plays.
EBR is right "on track".
See ya at the races . . . . . |
M1combat
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2014 - 04:14 am: |
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Sorry court...
There isn't a "dripping sarcasm" with a huge heap of "tongue in cheek" along with an "elbow nudge because I'm just kidding" emoticon...
I figured that would do . |
M1combat
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2014 - 04:21 am: |
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"See ya at the races . . . . ."
Been there done that... Got the t-shirt... From you directly... Just outside of a big arsed oval racetrack... in '06...
Brankin took the pic BTW...
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Glitch
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2014 - 01:10 pm: |
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No parts for testing in Australia, might make it to Spain.
Looks like EBR will have to play catch up.
http://www.speedweek.com/sbk/news/50127/Erik-Buell -Racing-(EBR)-Keine-Teile-fuer-Testfahrten.html |
Classax
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2014 - 03:48 pm: |
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No parts for testing in Australia, might make it to Spain.
I think you read that wrong, they are working out the logistics of getting the bikes and parts to the season opener, they will only have a chance to do a short shake down at Jerez(Spain, the designated test track) before having to ship everything down under. |
Fuzzz
| | Posted on Thursday, January 09, 2014 - 06:21 pm: |
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If I were Geoff, I'd be ecstatic that I didn't have to ride on Dunlops anymore...Personal preference 
I hope I can find a way to watch the WSBK races on TV, and I'm hoping to make it to the US round. |
Firstbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, January 09, 2014 - 07:09 pm: |
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BeIN Sports may be streaming their SBK broadcasts again in 2014 |
