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287
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7/22/2011
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Tampa, FL, USA
Edited Date/Time
7/15/2019 5:54pm
Bought the July iissue of MXA couple of weeks ago and just read the Ask the MXPerts. First letter is WHY AREN'T THERE MORE 350s. Great question and MXA's response indicates Steve Whitlock and Giuseppe Luongo were behind the 350 idea. I didn't know the backstory on the 350 issue but in hindsight I think was a great idea.
If the AMA/FIM gave the OEMs four to five years to make 350s then we could finally stop talking about how the 450s are too much. Since there is a general consensus that 450s are too much, especially for SX, why not make a rule change to give us more 350s in the future?
If the AMA/FIM gave the OEMs four to five years to make 350s then we could finally stop talking about how the 450s are too much. Since there is a general consensus that 450s are too much, especially for SX, why not make a rule change to give us more 350s in the future?
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If we want to start slowing down the Pro's, and have unrestricted weekend warriors going faster around a track, we might as well have them race 125's. Why is everyone so worried about tracks holding up? That is just not important IMO in todays world of track prep and building capabilities where they can re work the track 5 times a day if they wanted to.
Even if restrictions on engines was to go forward, the most logical way would be #1, an exhaust restrictor would be easy to verify and allow them to not run high strung expensive smaller bores turning 13k rpm+. I am not for it though. Soon electrics will make all IC engines obsolete anyway with respect to lap times.
Im saying i think tomac on a 250f would put in a faster lap then him on a 450.
And if they were all on 250fs theyd all be faster yet.
But racing a 250f against 450s not sure its a good move. Although there is something to be said for how much less fatigue theyd have and how much harder they could push at the end. 450s wear these guys out even at the top.
Something needs to change in SX. Either give us 350s or reduce the power on 450s and leave 250 class alone. If 350s or reduced power 450s are not coming, then make the existing 250 class the premier class and make a new support class of 250Fs with only suspension and exhaust modifications. No trick ignitions or throttle body mods or replacement throttle bodies to keep the costs down.
they dont need 450 power indoors or out(just makes the speed higher and greatly increases the chance of a big injury. The 2 stroke days people crashed without almost dying most of the time.. )
lites class stays the same
Amateurs cant race full race bikes until A Class where the true talent will shine anyways.. those amateur motor builds are about 10K, including a full race motor, tumbled tranny, vortex/get ECU/ Full Clutch system etc... You have to be Semi-wealthy to be able to compete with those guys...
Its not fair for the kids who have to race the Factory Amateurs...
Pit Row
Got lites every guy making the huge triple out of a corner.. I miss the skill needed in the 125 class
Also, you all are high as fuck if you think there's ANY chance that the Japanese manufacturers are going to develop an entirely new bike for this.
I haven't gone through any statisics but there's been some pretty serious injuries on 250s too. Ferrandis comes immediately to mind. So quit trying to fix what isn't broke for at best dunious reasons and virtually no safety inprovement.
This year's 450 nationals is an anomaly.
In SX, the 250s are more exciting to watch because you can see the effort. We all know it's hard but 450s make it look lazy. Go watch early 2000 SX and see how hard they were working to go fast.
350s would be a baby step.
250effs as the main and 125s as the entry and all amateur would be the right move for the industry on a whole. Even though it'd cost a lot at first.
But as long as you have gate starts 450 will always beat 350 and 250cc. No rider will give up CC in the start.
Cairoli went back to 450 because he did not want to give up anything in the start, plus the 450 are now so easy to ride and handle even deep into a moto.
So if you want to let riders ride with less effect, give them closed ECUs with restrictions on torque and peak power.
250, 350, 450 (or cc) is kind of irrelevant.
That said,
The 250 class should be a stock OEM NON PREMIER class. With 2 and 4 strokes. Not a works bike class with Single cylinder F1 engines with rev limiters set at 19,000 that have a lifespan of 30 mins+1.875 and a hope and prayer it makes it.
I mean, F1 engines have to last 2 full races now. That's better reliablity than MX and SX 250F engines.
And it's cheaper and why F1 made that rule. Cost.
In the 250 class, You can be sponsored by whoever, but you aren't running their stuff, except grips, handlebars and tires and tubes.
Just about like Ponca and LL's stock classes. Joe Blow local pro on a 250 can have the same bike as the factory paid dude. Now it is skill, setup etc. Can't blame the bike.
If McElrath or whoever can't beat Joe Blow, Oh well.
Get techs that know what the hell they are actually looking at also.
The 450 class should be 2 and 4 stroke any displacement as well, aftermarket readily available affordable parts only premier class.
No A kit super expensive shit most non factory dudes can't afford.
Lets be honest here, 99.9% of non pro practice riders and Enthusiasts that never even race can build a better bike with better stuff than a 10th place privateer because they have a decent job AND they can't use or even need that stuff except to say they did.
If the suspension companies want to sell A kit stuff, sell it to me. But it's not going to be on the racetrack. You can run the stickers.
Nothing racing in Nascar, Indy Car or F1 is being sold to the public, and that doesn't stop car sales, shock sales, air filters, tires or anything else. Thats what stickers do. Advertise. You can buy Pirellis, but not buying Pirelli F1 slicks at Tire Rack.
99% of the people driving a Mercedes have no idea who Lewis Hamiton is. So saying that racing sells stuff to people is bullshit.
Look at other motorsports where the Spec classes are filled with participants. And the engines are sealed.
Post a reply to: Time for 350s instead of 450s in SX?