Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128120
World Superbike Rules To Come can't have one rule change without the other - certainly, as one of their customers in both classes, that's what I would expect." Aprilia doesn't have a Supersport V-twin to worry about - but it hasn't yet won a World Superbike title with its RSV1000, either, so any change in the rules is unlikely to be welcomed by the younger of the Italian manufacturers. "We think it's too soon to introduce such a sudden .change," says Aprilia Superbike boss Giuseppe Bernicchia. "Altering the rules from one year to another without an appropriate period that allows us to plim ahead is not right. This smacks of the period in the 1990s when they played about with the weight limits for twins almost from one race to another, and that was universally criticized for making Superbike look unintelligent, as I think this should be, too. It's true that turning Superbike racing into a Battle of the Twins is in none of our interests - but if this is a way of fastforwarding a 1000cc class, well then let's better sit down and plan it properly. In any case, I don't see the fours as being so disadvantaged - look at for the Supersport class from the present 750cc, up to 800cd With the formerly dominant 748 desmoquattros now languishing toward the back of the World Supersport grid, even with a rider of the caliber of Vitto Guareschi aboard, this may be a good solution - one which NCR Ducati team manager Stefano Caracchi thoroughly approves of. "Our customer V-twin Superbike has a clear advantage over the equivalent four-cylinder bikes which I can't deny should be corrected," he says. "But at the same time there's an equal disadvantage against the Vtwins in the World Supersport class, where we will run a team next year for which we already have sponsors, provided there's an adjustment in the rules to even things up. To have competitive power from the Ducati 748 against the new generation of short-stroke Japanese fours you must ride it like a 250cc GP two-stroke which is why I imagine Casoli came so close to winning the title last season. But this year the horsepower gap has increased a lot, and there's a limit to how high you can rev it all the time. I expect Ducati will insist you the performance of [MatI Mladin and Bostrom's brother [Eric] in America this season!" Alstare's Batta has a response for that, citing Mladin's AMA Superbike performance at Laguna Seca on an identical '01 Suzuki GSX-R750 to his own team's· but running on leaded race fuel good for another 10 hp or so compared to the 'green is good' SBK bikes. In the AMA round run on Saturday over the same 28·lap dis· tance as each of the World rounds the following day, Mladin's average lap time in coming second to winner Eric Bostrom's Kawasaki was 1:28.053 - compared to Corona Suzuki second string Stephane Chambon's average of 1:28.416 in finishing 12th, 10 seconds behind 11 th-place finisher Tadayuki Okada's Honda. Based on these times, Mladin would have been fighting for 10th place, on a more powerful bike, says Batta, indicating that the level of competition in AMA racing is some way short of World Superbike, making comparisons meaningless. Of course, we must also factor in the tire equation. Were Mladin's Dunlops the equal of the World Superbike-spec Dunlops that Chambon was using? In any case, the die has been cast and it seems the new regulations will be implemented from next season onward, irrespective of any objections. Now there's not even an issue of the shelf life of the new rules, as inside sources have revealed that the full 1000cc World Superbike will be introduced in 2004, meaning the new rules will be in affect for just 2002 and 2003. The jury is still out the effect this change is likely to have on Superbike racing at National level especially in AMA Superbike racing, where it seems the last thing the fours need is any extra capacity break. It will for sure, however, have no effect in Britain, though, where in 2002 the British Superbike series moves to a full 1000cc formula, but with restrictions on engine tuning which will effectively parallel those of the 600cc Supersport class - and where a team running Triumph 955i Daytonas is already set to take part. Now all they need to do is to raise the noise limits, so that the twowheeled sound of music can be enjoyed properly. eN dlAt..!riday Night - Springfield ·Short Track r...n Saturday - Hall of Fame Race ...-----,..--, Sunday - Springfield Mile Advance Tickets: $ 20 VIP PACKAGES ONLY $125 217-753-8866 38 SEPTEMBER 5, 2001 • cue I e n e _ s