http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article4778
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Oct/081024e2.htm
In brief, there is no true superbike class, as American SB is dumbed
down notably. It is billed by DMG as the premier class in their
announcement, although it won't run in the D200. It gets two races per
weekend, although they have been shortened from the current 60 miles to
50. Daytona SportBike gets the 200 duty, and it's essentially DSB
without the dyno. SuperSport is an evolution of the Sportbike concept,
an intro class for riders up to 21 years of age, but now it includes the
same machines as DSB, not just 600s.
More specifically, ASB requires stock forks, pistons, rods, crankshafts,
internal gearing. The Eligible Equipment List makes its appearance in
ASB, which probably goes down as an OEM concession; the items so
controlled include fork cartridges and swingarms (!!), but not shocks
and exhausts. ECU is free. Twins get a 15-pound higher minimum weight.
DSB does have differing minimum weights for each machine, although what
those will be isn't stated. There is much more liberal use of the EEL.
SS also has differing minimum weights, and mods are more restrictive.
The hated MOTO-ST has been changed significantly as well, now allowing
600-4s. The dyno/scale ratio thing remains, at the 3-to-1 ratio with hp
between 90 and 130, and there is a second class for bikes under 90 hp
and with a 360lb minimum, no ratio.
Dunlop takes all classes in the spec tire sweepstakes. For ASB and DSB
the framework is one size, three compounds, and 6 fronts and 9 rears
maximum for each rider, plus another set for superpole.
So it seems the OEMs got their 600s into three classes and without dynos
in two, compared to just one dyno-limited class initially. They didn't
get full SB, but also no dyno and limited EEL parts (it appears). There
is no mention of eligible machines for ASB, but one assumes all machines
allowed in the 3000-unit homologation WSB class will be allowed here. If
so, any homologation special will have a material advantage.
DSB gets a dumbed-down literbike class with some parts control, in an
effort to reduce the budget advantage of the factories. To some extent
the weight-power ratio remains in DSB, but now its all based on minimum
weight, which assumedly could/would be juggled to offset power. And the
new SStock-type class now gets the varied equipment, which means three
of the four classes (when MOTO-GT appears) will have a very similar mix
of machines.
So get ready to watch 600s racing bigger twins most of the time,
although under slightly differing rules. Does nothing for the "confusion
problem" supposedly present in the current formula, but it does mean
most of the time DMG's basic formula presented in the original DSB will
be on display.
Not sure what I think. If ASB really is the future of SB worldwide,
maybe that's okay. But the key is homologation - the 1098R would quite
likely dominate the class today (just as the 848 might in DSB, depending
on the weight numbers), but the 1098S wouldn't. Dunlop is definitely
preferable to Pirelli, who have been buying their way to a worldwide
production racing monopoly, but it's still spec tires. There's quite
obviously no clarity on which class is truly the premier class (I assume
DSB will also have two 50-mile races per weekend after Daytona).
Meanwhile, we've already lost Ben Spies to WSB and Eric Bostrom to
farming in So. America (which perhaps speaks to the factory rider
desperation under DMG mismanagement), and both American Honda crew
chiefs have now departed as well. Given the class structure and the
economy, no idea how much factory budget will be put behind their teams.
It seems everything is a compromise, between two parties who see things
quite differently and don't much like each other, which isn't
necessarily the best way to define a race series. And we still haven't
seen everything yet, which means things could get better or worse. These
final classes means there is no continuity at all between the old series
and the new one, so throw the record book out. So after all the crap
that has transpired over the last nine months it's hard to get at all
excited about this, I think. But at least it's one series and not two,
or only half a series.
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