| Author | Message | ||
     Kcfirebolt |
http://www.pitpassradio.com/podcast/index.php?id=1 135 If you haven't listened to this, Aaron Yates hints that EBR Hero might be racing with WSBK when it comes to Laguna Seca this year. Very cool if it happens! | ||
| Trojan |
I'm sure there are discussions going on at high level, but the EBR bike simply dioesn't meet WSBK regulation at the moment in terms of homologation and numbers sold/manufactured. Unless they get that sorted pretty quickly, and all officially blessed by Dorna/WSBK, it probably won't happen under the current rules. I can't see other WSBK teams being too happy about letting a non homologated model in to a WSBK race, and it could open the door for others to cite a precedent being set by EBR. However, DORNA now holds the reins of power(and purse strings) for WSBK so who knows what they will decide to do! | ||
| Reepicheep |
If people fielding $400,000+ race specials feel threatened by a bike they can buy off the shelf for $40k, I hope the official DORNA response to their complaints are to walk up, slap them, and tell them to man up and stop whining.  | ||
| Kcfirebolt |
Hadn't thought about homologation rules. Good point. I wonder if they'd make an exception due to it being a wildcard entry. Not sure, but it was neat to hear him say "that race is in my contract"! How many bikes would they have to commit to build and how soon would they need to be built? If they announced new models between now and then, I wonder if they could make it happen. | ||
| Davegess |
I think the build number is 3000 and these have to be actually built not planned. I could see Dorna saying "any bike homologated for the home series can be entered as a wild card entery for the home race provided the rider is not a series regular." That wouold open the door for ENR and maybe some other bikes in other countries WITHOUT allowing a manufactuer to build a very trick special for the home country series and then drop a top WBSK rider on it for one round. kinda doubt it would make any sense for big guys to do this as the WBSK bikes are so far beyond anything raced in national series that I can't see what advantage they would get. Also as much as I would love to see an EBR out there at Laguna I have to wonder how far back they might run. Those WSBK bikes are very, very trick and far faster than anything in the AMA. | ||
| Blake |
Hand-wringing sucks. Peak HP means very little at Laguna Seca. | ||
| Davegess |
I still don't seeing EBR running anywhere near the front. Erik gets to give me s*** if this happens and they do  It is a very big step up in every way. | ||
| Blake |
It's always best to setup lofty false goals and then knock them down before even trying to compete. Winter growing long up there old friend? | ||
| Blake |
Biggest challenge would likely be the change in tires. | ||
| Davegess |
I'm just saying that they are not going to be fast enough to run at the front of a WSBK race if they even get let in. I don't think they will get embarrassed but a top ten finish would be amazing. | ||
| Pnw_uly |
Aren't there some significant electronics package issues (or lack thereof) with the EBR bikes competing in WSBK ? ? Not a statement made with a wealth of racing knowledge, but seems something that might be required to be more competitive at that level (and yes, realize EBR/Hero are competitive now in AMA without said electronics). . . | ||
| Fast1075 |
Isn't there a team working on an electronics package for the EBR? | ||
| Trojan |
Isn't there a team working on an electronics package for the EBR? What works and is legal for AMA would not be the same package they would use for WSBK. For instance, Honda are now using the same electronics package for their WSBK machines that they use for the MotoGP bikes. Most WSBK teams have electronics packages made specifically for them based on the GP systems from Marelli. Most domestic superbike series like AMA and BSB now have widely different Electronics rules to WSBK (BSB uses a spec Motec ECU for instance), so making a wild card bike competitive is just going to get harder all the time. I think from 2014 the situation will change markedly and we will see the WSBK machines much closer to Superstock spec, with restriction on electronics and price. That would certainly help EBR and other smaller manufacturers (KTM & MV to name but 2)and teams to compete at world level, although running a team at world level is still a huge step up from domestic racing in both finanacial and competition terms. | ||
| Pnw_uly |
Matt - Thanks for that info, that clears up a lot of confusion (at least for me). Still would like to see it happen, just realize it's more than just showing up with the AMA spec'ed EBR bikes. . . |
