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I'd be surprised to see much difference in injury rates between any class - in any era.
Leave the Premier class alone - well, equivalency is the only thing I want to see come about, that, and the return of a 125 class at the highest levels of racing
The Shop
IMO, the racing at the 250 level has been better the past couple of years. It seems that as displacement goes yo, you will see less guys fighting for wins.
Roczen, Tomac, Dungey... they are on another level right now. Barcia is close... I'm not sure if he has dropped off from last summer or if KR/ET progressed more. What I do know is guys like Baggett who were cream of the crop are now fighting just to make the podium. Again, I dont know exactly why, but there are more guys fighting for the win at the 250 level the last few years.
It also seems like we see more injuries that we used to see on 250 2 strokes. That may not be true and I haven't seen any data either way, it's just an observation.
In many other forms of racing LESS HP equals tighter racing. Many of these forms include racecars with roll cages and even RC cars where fear is not an issue. Yet the slower the vehicle the closer the racing.
Excitement can come in many forms, and maybe 68 mph down a hill looks more interesting than 58 mph, but I think 48mph with the body english required in the 1990s and prior, combined with 3 competitors bar to bar would always be the most exciting.
As any racer know the cost of just changing brands is huge - All the spares and rnd one gained is lost and one has to build up new spares and knowledge for the new manufacturer. It not just a simple change brands.
Given that the 450 cc is now the standard size for all - The cost involved in the whim does not make sense given economics and all considered ? 450 is a good size why would they change at all. A better consideration is how to bring back 2 T which made it easier for the consumer to enter into to MX and grow the sport economically speaking. Its all about will it Grow the Sport - Making it more expensive to race does not grow the sport of MX much - Making the premier class 350 will cost more as the engines will be more stressed and more built etc etc - Not a good growth concept. Will the racing be more exiting ? IMO the 450 class is more exiting than the 250 class at the moment - One can argue they are equal in spectacle so no grow on that front.
Moving Dakar to 450 max was a good idea as it has grown the Rally because most manufacturers have a 450 and the standard and so it opened up the Rally for more competition. Messing with the industry standards is big ( Any industry )
Pit Row
You will get more broken motors though.
I lies in the nature of a 450, with the extra weight and power, guys have to be easy on the throttle and in some cases guys have them DEtuned, ala Pourcels and even RC's rmz was rumored to have around 55hp, all in the name of being able to ride harder.
on a 350 or a 250 the bikes can be ridden more aggressively. I actually just got off a 450 for this reason. it had so much power and weight i couldnt ride it hard, so diving to insides or railing outside had to be done with more finess
Just an idea
400cc 4 Stroke
300cc 2 Stroke
250cc 4 Stroke
200cc 2 Stroke
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