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Non factory teams can’t change bore and stroke. They can’t change transmission ratios. They can’t change frame geometry. They can’t build flex into a swing arm or frame, some factories do all that.
Broad generalizations here, but I think that’s what people are getting at regarding the development cost of factory parts; not that they cost more to develop than normal parts, but that they aren’t for sale so they never get to directly recoup those development costs.
Satellite teams don't have the budget that everybody thinks they do. Sponsors aren't walking in dropping off 500K checks. I have turned down plenty of offers with them because they didn't have the budget for a proper salary.
Can one make a factory bike? If they had the budget, there are plenty of places around Indy that can make anything from gearboxes to pistons. Want a special compression ratio with an offset wrist pin? Not a problem. But to pay for the tooling there is a minimum order. Now you have enough pistons for everyones practice bike and the kid next door. Doesn't work out on the dyno or test track? Throw it out and start over. Or it works great but the wall thickness is .003 too thin and pistons crack. Make one thicker and the rider doesn't like the fact that the new piston doesn't seem to rev the same. Starting to get the picture. Then you have development time vs off season time. Sponsors are never lined up until the last minute. Get all this together and then where do you get the engineers with the actual experience in SX. You ever hear a NASCAR engine on the rev limiter with the wheels off the ground. All that rev limiter in the air(with no load on the engine) to clear the triple puts tremendous loads on the bearings.
I once tested an engine for a team that had built a long rod motor. They didn't tell me anything about it. Just go try it. Well, the rod ratio was ridiculously high and the piston speeds were higher than F1 engines. Had they told me what they did before I wouldn't have even did a lap. It lasted three laps before the rod broke. This is were the factory team with it's decades of R&D can't be matched. They know the design limits of their bikes. If anyone could have I thought for sure JGR would have done it. But it's a business. The owner wants to make money. He isn't going to spend more money on development than the budget allows. This is race team 101. You know, want to make a million in racing? Start with 2 million.
Here are some costs for the team I work for now. I thought some of you might find this interesting.
Average cost the driver pays: million a year
Team spends 350K+ a year just for air fare and hotels
20K a weekend rental fees for furniture and such for hospitality. 5K for the carpet that's left at the track and bought new every weekend. No room in the 5 semis that run to the track.
Car costs
new Lexan windshield $3,500
Fuel injector goes out? $7,500
Bend a rim bumping curbs? $3,500 a rim for the Chinese ones.
Crash off course 30-40k damage usually
Bad crash can be 200K and this is with the engine still attached. Not like that Enzo on Mulholland hwy lol.
This is what Chad Reed has to look forward to racing those Lambos.
Wow sorry for the long post. Shouldn't be drinking margaritas while typing.
Both stated they were game changers once they finally got them.
the purchased blueprints?
Pit Row
Thats why everyone wants that factory ride!!
A lot of the factory bikes will have parts that appear to be just like the ones on stock bikes- however, a micrometer will often tell you differently. And are lot's of options- often per millimeter (or smaller), both directions.
This goes for motor internals, frames, clamps, mounts- just about everything.
It is also common for these parts to made from a different material- or "mix" of materials altogether.
The above mentioned trans. set-ups are insanely expensive, and not all them work on different tracks, conditions, etc...
Electronics and suspension is a whole other witchcraft by themselves- and money talks.
The days of true, raw "unobtanium parts" has largely passed us by, but a closer look will tell you the general principle is still there.
And thank god. That's how shit evolves and winds up on showroom floors eventually.
We could all be watching spec-class Miata Cup races forever...
Allegedly...
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