nitroholic
Joined: 3-14-2007
Posts: 83
V-TWIN BIKES RULE; I THINK IT STINKS
9/25/2007 6:29 PM

Of course I love to see American brands win, but not with the type of concessions as the V-TWINS get. It puts me to recall how America won the Le Mans race with an engine 3 1/2 times as large as the runnerup brand. Does anyone care for sportsmanship?

Pro Stock Motorcycle
1.  Andrew Hines            3,030
2.  Matt Smith                3,020
3.  Chip Ellis                  3,010
4.  Peggy Llewellyn        3,000
 
http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/sections/sports/motorsports/article_453239.php

Westernstar
Joined: 7-21-2006
Posts: 226
Re: V-TWIN BIKES RULE; I THINK IT STINKS
9/26/2007 5:15 PM
I said the same thing adozen years ago when the whole field was comprized of Suzuki's.It was deadly dull and the performance was flat for years.Like it or not the V-twins saved the class.As far as ratings go the V-twin riders have less red lights this so far year.That tree is a b****,just ask Angelle or Antron.
nitroholic
Joined: 3-14-2007
Posts: 83
Re: V-TWIN BIKES RULE; I THINK IT STINKS
10/2/2007 6:37 AM

I agree Westernstar and for years I thought of the BIKE class as more of an annoyance than anything else. Then my interest was aroused simply as a matter of curosity as to how far a sanctioning body will go in causing or allowing concessions solely for the purpose of putting a BRAND in the winners circle.

IMO the tainting effect does not go away long after the curosity and short term excitement effect has disappeared as in the case of the below which is an example of several others. Just the other day I read that WOO is about the only sanctioning body left that has not bowed to brand money.

http://leftfieldsports.com/archives/story14_01.htm

http://www.allamericanracers.com/dino/case.html

Westernstar
Joined: 7-21-2006
Posts: 226
Re: V-TWIN BIKES RULE; I THINK IT STINKS
10/2/2007 11:27 AM
As to sanctioning bodies favoring one brand over another all one has to do is look at Nascar and the Nhra in the 1960s and 70s.The Hemi was mopping the floor with the compitition.Ford stepped up to the plate and was challenging Chrysler.It was shapeing up to be a blood bath.Big block Chevys were falling behind.The promoters looked out in the parking lots and saw a sea of GM cars and figured they needed to do something and they did.They instituted a combination of cubic inch,weight,and body type rules that effectivly pushed out Mopar.(GM was never asked to ramp up performance)While Ford surrvied in Nascar Mopar left for years.In Nhra drag racing Ford is MIA.The Hemi was banned for years and when they were allowed to return the GM teams were not even running GM motors.There are some mountain motored Fords in the Ihra.GM has swallowed up main stream racing.Give me Nostalgia Super Stockers any day.
speedyracer
Joined: 7-21-2006
Posts: 325
Re: V-TWIN BIKES RULE; I THINK IT STINKS
10/4/2007 9:15 PM

Westernstar your starstruck:  NHRA - "The GM teams were not even running GM  motors"    Been to a dragrace lately pal?  Walk thru the pits or look at the winners---80% GM brands (and of course GM motors - mouse or rat, take your pick). 

Westernstar
Joined: 7-21-2006
Posts: 226
Re: V-TWIN BIKES RULE; I THINK IT STINKS
10/5/2007 6:29 AM
speedyracer:

Westernstar your starstruck:  NHRA - "The GM teams were not even running GM  motors"    Been to a dragrace lately pal?  Walk thru the pits or look at the winners---80% GM brands (and of course GM motors - mouse or rat, take your pick). 

Hey boy,in the protock classes the motors are after market clones.
nitroholic
Joined: 3-14-2007
Posts: 83
Re: V-TWIN BIKES RULE; I THINK IT STINKS
10/5/2007 7:27 AM

speedracer wrote "Walk thru the pits or look at the winners---80% GM brands (and of course GM motors - mouse or rat, take your pick)."

I assume you mean winners in the sportsman classes and it is no doubt much greater than 80%, perhaps 90% with Ford about 2-3% and Mopar the rest.

But regarding Harley, IMO they should have built a completely, new sport bike to compete with the imports in PSB as well as sales; 4 cylinder, perhaps V-4 with the crank crossways, 3 or 4 valve pentroof chamber, OHC with desmodromic valve train, variable valve timing and variable length intake tubes. Engine size some 90 to 100 CI.

They could have used the money spent on the V-Rod plus what was probably doled out to NHRA to go a long way in building a "real" winner; plus a sales competitor.