This is going to be long winded so bear with me. Having come out of the MC industry and with a significant roadracing background I would like to point out a few obvious and some not so obvious things about the new "Rules".

First is the manufacturers were not consulted they were advised and at least one is furious (Suzuki) and for good reason they are having their dominance taken away from them with the stroke of a pen. While I'm not a fan of the Mladin/Spies show I can certainly understand Suzuki's distrss.

Secondly there will be a spec tire rule and spec fuel rule. I have no real objection to the fuel, their has been way to much cheating on that score going back 20 plus years. However the spec tire rule is another story. Granted it is practically a Dunlop show now with a few Pirellis and maybe an odd Michelin. But for those contracted Dunlop riders and Teams there is little guarantee that Dunlop would be the tire, Moto ST is a Pirelli shop and I'm sure the powers that be (read ego maniacal Edmonson) will want to make it all go that way and say "well that's what WSB is doing and look at their success". Well if thats true let some Dunlop guys run the WSB track configuration and compare times I think you'd be surprized.

Third just because we would all love to see new twins especially a new SuperHawk with FI and a real gas tank generating 120 HP there is little incentive for Honda and the other OEMs to move on this and certainly not in time for next year. They already know how many twins they can sell worldwide and the numbers probably won't justify the expense of racing them. Remember the RC51 was a full on Superbike for less restrictive competition in at least 3 major entities AMA,WSB,and BSB.

Fourth, what is being proposed is glorified Club Racing and while there is nothing wrong with club racing it will not generate the kind of business the new powers that be seem to think it will. Having been on a National Championship winning Endurance Racing Team I can tell you first hand I loved it and also that nobody came to watch it. As far as dumbing down Superbike to Literbike you just lost all factory interest. They can club race 600's and still sell but not literbikes. Even though it would help Honda immensely since they haven't been competitive in Superbike in God knows how long I doubt if even Ray Blank is stupid enough to go along with this program.

Fifth, being told that you must field a minimum 4 riders/bikes per team increases costs to the factories by 50-100% in a down market. Don't be surprised if just as in WSB the factories say thanks but no thanks and throw support to "B" Teams like Erion and Jordon similar to Ten Kate and Alstair. There will still be racing but it won't cost the factories half as much and if the little guys like KTM and others step up (they haven't yet) it could be a decent show that I might watch on TV but doubt if I'd buy a ticket to it.

Anyway that's my 2 cents and I'll be paying close attention as things crash/develop!

 

Wow, one of the most informed opinions I've read on the subject, even if my bubble just burst a little! haha I can dream, can't I?

 

Sorry no bubble bursting intended and I for one would start saving right now for a new SH with FI and maybe 1200cc (ala Ducati). Remember Honda's answer to Ducati domininance was the SH/sp1/sp2/rc51 program and it could happen again given the failed development of the last 3 generations of the CBR1000RR. It's just going to have to be based on worldwide considerations not some local (USA) conditions.

A larger story for me is the absolute failure of Honda to build a competetive Superbike in the US, what does Ron Ten Kate know that makes his win races while American Honda races for 5th or 6th or maybe just to stay in the top 10. Hell the Kawasaki's and Yamaha's are faster and their relatively new and less developed so what gives?