Daytona 200 March 11 A.M.

[High_Side]

Stay tuned to speed on sat morning for what USED to be a very significant race. The Daytona 200 featuring the AMA Formula Extreme class. It still is an "event" as it signals the start of the road-race season in North-America, but the days of Lawson and Russell battling it out on the "Big Banking" are long gone. Now we get a neutered track and a class with only 5 riders with a chance in hell of winning. It's still interesting for a variety of reasons so give it a watch.
Interesting Fact:
Outta the 400,000 + bikes in Daytona this week only a handfull will be at the races. The leather tassle crowd down town is almost completely oblivious as to why bikers started heading there for bike week in the first place.

[isnowbrd]

Whats the deal with the controversy with the Buels?

[High_Side]

Whats the deal with the controversy with the Buels?

Formula Extreme rules are set up to allow for a variety of engine configurations and displacements but all of the bikes must be based on a homolgated streetbike. The Buell XBRR was released as a racebike, unencumbered by any design concessions to make it street legal. I would love to see Buells competetive in the class, but only as long as it plays within the rules. Honda resigned it's seat on the AMA due to the unwillingness for the board to enforce any rules against anything Harley Davidson. I think most people would welcome more competition in the class, but it becomes a slap in the face to those who have set up a program based on the rules when others don't have to play that way. Truely the BIG problem with the AMA is the constant changing of the rule-book and the varying class structure. Set out some rules, and stick to 'em. The classes will fill up with more competetive bikes if everyone is confident that the rules won't completely change by next season.

[High_Side]

http://superbikeplanet.com/2006/Mar/060311e.htm

[isnowbrd]

Interesting, thanks.

Seems like a moot point since the Buells finished worse than 50th. Rather lame considering they used a "race" bike instead of a production based motorcycle.

Also, how large is the V-twin on that Buell?

[jmillheiser]

I dont think the Buell is going to be an issue.

Only 1 finished and I think he was the last rider to finish. The rest of the Buells DNFed.

All I can say is GO HONDA. 1-2 honda finish with 3 in the top 5. Also gotta admit that new R6 is fast as hell

[High_Side]

Interesting, thanks.

Seems like a moot point since the Buells finished worse than 50th. Rather lame considering they used a "race" bike instead of a production based motorcycle.

Also, how large is the V-twin on that Buell?

The Buell is a 1200CC air-cooled twin. And nobody thought that it would have a snowballs chance in hell either. Like Erion said however, the rule book is what he has built his race team around. If they chose not to enforce the rules this year what is coming next year????

[jmillheiser]

The engine on the Buell was built to the edge of the rules.

its actually 1339cc.

the issue was not with the engine but the fact that the XB-RR is a purpose built race bike and not a production based machine.

Formula Xtreme rules state that the bike must be based on a homologated production bike.

There will be no roadgoing examples of the XB-RR which is why people are protesting it. The AMA failed to enforce homologation rules on Buell, most likely this was because of pressure from Harley Davidson.

This is also the reason why Honda resigned their position on the AMA board. They cited failure to enforce class rules as a primary reason for their leaving.

[High_Side]

its actually 1339cc.

Doh!

[isnowbrd]

1339cc and they still finished last! How is that possible competing against 600cc machines??

Although, I think one of them was in the top 10 until he had a botched pit stop.