Posts
12
Joined
5/29/2014
Location
AU
Edited Date/Time
5/22/2015 3:23pm
Is there any articles of factory bikes being directly tested back to back with there stock counter parts??.
Was discussing with a mate about our new bikes at the track if you gave RC back in 2003 any one of the big manufacturers 450cc stock bikes from this year, and let him do what the average club racer would do to his bike e.g suspension revalve and springs, upgraded chain and sprockets and handle bars.... maybe a pipe could he have won the mx title??.
Was discussing with a mate about our new bikes at the track if you gave RC back in 2003 any one of the big manufacturers 450cc stock bikes from this year, and let him do what the average club racer would do to his bike e.g suspension revalve and springs, upgraded chain and sprockets and handle bars.... maybe a pipe could he have won the mx title??.
That's 1 lap speed though, that's what most people fail to realize. Factory bikes aren't just "faster", they are built to handle incredible abuse for short periods of time, which is the opposite of what a stock bike is built for. I'm pretty sure RC's 2003 works suspension would outperform any space-age TAC/SFF/AIR suspension over a 35min moto versus a stock 2015 bike, because of the coatings, larger pistons, etc..
I would be amused to see Tomac's 2001 CR250 hammer down Mt St Helens during the second moto after about 20 minutes. I'm pretty sure the mule kicking would slightly alter his laptimes.
The AMA rules keep the motors very stock. There are things that help release usable horsepower. Going through the motor fully cleaning up manufacturing errors, additions. And what is bolted to the motor can be better. Air flow, exhaust flow etc. Balancing the motor adds performance, adjusting the weight of the crank, how the motor is mounted in the cradle. All things that add up to milliseconds here and there and make it easier for the rider. Plus the weight. If anything many top riders run a detuned motor but the power is flawless for the range they need. Then there is the $100K hand made suspension. Yes that helps much more than stock and is probably the largest contributor to his wins.
So to your question. Would RC win the title? I feel he was physically at place where there wasn't much holding him back. I also feel it would have been a lot more work for him, not having the suspension but the motor wouldn't have been the reason.
I would agree, you could add to the list of upgrades the wheels in terms of component durability. The Tomac comparison is a good one, you say a cr 250, did it say to what standard of tune the cr250 was? I was thinking if you went to a track with Tomac and let him ride his current full factory crf450, then in the exact same track condition let him ride the bog standard crf450 I thought a 6-8 second slower lap time would of been in the ball park. if that was a bog standard cr250 then I recon the stock 450 would be closer than that!!.
Tiki, yeah I would agree, about suspension being the limiting factor more than power, I'm by no means a A grade rider never mind pro but I know how much my suspension revalved made to my bikes. I,v heard in an interview with ben townley, that in 06 (pre fuel injection) that he started running a almost stock motor in his bike in the gps and was winning races,
The Shop
I'd imagine he would be within 1.5 seconds of his 450 bike times if that were a fully built factory 250cc 2 stroke. But 1.5 seconds is a lot if you are facing the 450s. If you are racing the 250Fs, well your on point then.
I find it strange that Tomac had a 250 just sitting there, I though these top factory riders were given 2 copys of there full factory race bikes to use as there practice bikes and a few bog standard bikes as back up?.
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