Engine Cases M vs A How about This

[Nortonist 592]

I was talking to Tom Evans at tech at the Nov. El Mirage meet and he was showing me a rough draft of the then proposed rule changes.  I run a Norton wideline with a Weslake speedway engine in it.  Nothing spectacular and I don't hold any records so nobody will be cussin' me, unfortunately.  But Tom said that the engine change rule would move me from modified to special construction.  No big deal at El Mirage as the two classes are combined but should I go to Bonnevile then it becomes a different kettle of fish.  I would still like to know how a bone stock frame becomes special construction?

[JackD]

Making a rule,ignoring history, making problems where none existed, irrational application,unfair and unequal enforcement, and all without input from the victims is not a marketable skill.

****Spelled the way I want it.

[joea]

lets see........

YOU CAN HAVE ANY INTERNAL ENGINE MOD DESIRED (keeping displacement legal) in "PRODUCTION" CLASS.......but in "Modified"
class ya got to have production cases......................and if ya use a
STOCK fairing from a 04 model on a 05 model (suttle differences)
then that STOCK framed STOCK engined bike must run in (MODIFIED EDIT-----2006-)------"ALTERED"
class...........even though you are racing agains bike records
that were set with aftermarket cases, dual engines.. and one off fairings........etc


edit-----modified to altered

[JackD]

"I see" said the blind man. But he didn't see at all.
It is just another example of the blind leading the deaf.
Was it a design that failed or did it fail by design ?

[Nortonist 592]

Joea's post is interesting.  Running an 04' fairing on an 05' bike removes it from the production class.  Its supposed to look like it came from the manufacturer.  Not a pick and mix of parts from one manufacturer.  The rule says 'The motorcycle must be identical in all respects to the production model it represents including the air intake box and exhaust system."  "Any performance modifications must be out of view."  If you want to mix parts from different years then that will put you in modified.  Put a Honda motor in a STOCK Kawasaki frame and that puts you in special construction.  Thats not too hard to figure as the rules are now written.  Do I agree with it?  He** no!!  This is the SCTA.  Formed by hot rodders.  Whats the first thing a hot rodder does?  Change engines.  How many Ford roadsters are running Ford engines?  One, two maybe.  No, its a dumb rule.  To use a Honda engine in a Suzuki frame, to me, does not make a bike special construction.  To take some tubing, bend it, weld it, now thats special construction.  Whether or not the rules can adequately seperate A and M to prevent a bike running in two catagories remains to be seen.

[JackD]

Tell me again why I can't take the body off a Roadster and run as a Lakester.
Well if you need a hint, it would probably be slow.
 But isn't that my problem ?
 If it was fast enough to set a record, that means the rest of them are slow and that is their problem.
The same goes for bikes.
 If you have all the class advantages afforded by class A and get beat by someone that doesn't take
 all those advantages, once again you are slow.
If you make a rule that bumps a sit up bike into A but leaves the record in M for no other reason
 than your sense of what should be right for the World, then you are slow.

[joea]

nortonist........are you sure you understand my post...

OH WAIT I SEE, "I" didnt understand my own, sorry things have
moved so far I didnt go far enough to encompass the frustation...............

if you run an 05 fairing on an 04 bike with stock frame, and stock
engine..........it not only takes you out of production.........IT takes
you out of modified and puts you in ALTERED..............competing
against records set with one off fairings...dual engines...etc.............

Joe

[jprovo]

JoeA,
That's certainly silly... the car guys can swap body panels, but the bike guys can't??

The mixing of body work does not change a Production class car to a Modifed (Altered or Gas Coupe class) car. An F body Camero or Firebird is still an F body for all inclusive years. You can put different year front clips on the same body generation. The addition of fabricated spoilers, air dams, etc will change classes if the other criteria are met, such as engine swap, quickchange, etc.
DW

[JackD]

It kinda makes you wonder what happened before it was discussed in public by the participants.
It was that way even before forums like this.
What happened ? I think I know.
The key is to not be afraid to say it.

[Nortonist 592]

I guess I did miss Joea's point.  Perhaps you could explain how an 04' fairing on an 05' bike moves it to special construction.  I can see how it would move it out of production and into modified.