Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

An e-mail from Jeff Wilson, who handled American Suzuki’s road racing support teams prior to leaving the company and becoming a Kawasaki/Suzuki dealer in Yuma, Arizona:

An open letter…

Okay, so now I am just a motorcycle dealer and no longer involved in the AMA Superbike series on a day-to-day basis, but I have watched with interest the proposed changes to allegedly help the sport grow and can’t help but wonder who is guiding the future here. In my 3 short years of involvement, I watched the series grow, the classes increase in size, more support teams and “paid” riders being added and the attendance increasing. Wasn’t there record attendance at several of the rounds again this year? They even have eliminated the most unsafe racetracks. Sounds like it is good to me.

Now some misguided individuals are trying to “improve” things by changing the rules for Superbike, turning it into a Super Pro Thunder class. Who is really guiding the mission here? Do the promoters really want a double feature of 4, maybe 5, top-level riders with 20 or 30 obstacles to race through as their main entertainment? The Superbike class, with a few exceptions, is already not the most exciting race of the weekend. Sure, it has all the stars and the fastest lap times, but the Supersport, Superstock and Xtreme classes had the best, closest racing as I recall. Why? Because the bikes are more evenly matched.

The V-Twins have had a 250cc advantage for some time now and technology has improved to allow them to increasingly gain an advantage. No replacement for displacement. Why haven’t they been restricted as their advantage increased to keep parity and close racing? Why is there even a thought of restricting 1000cc 4-cylinder engines, if they are included in Superbike, when even the best built Formula Xtreme race bikes from Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda are still down on lap times from the 1000cc V-Twins? And some of these ridden by ex-Superbike riders. It does invite one to speculate on political involvement from the manufacturers. Look at World Superbike, for example….

Is there an answer? Of course! Same rules for everybody – 1000cc limit, same weight (whatever they determine), same modifications for Superbike. If they want to limit engine parts, limit them for every manufacturer. Bring your best stuff. Will anyone disagree? Of course. Ducati for one, but they don’t even care about the AMA series. I think that is evident. Honda too, but they have a motorcycle already to fit into these rules. They can race their RC51 in the WSB Pro Thunder series with Ducati.

What does this do for the overall AMA series? It improves everything. The Formula Xtreme riders will be allowed in Superbike and will have a better shot at a good finish and should be less likely to be lapped (another problem). The factory stars will stay in the premier classes – Superbike and Supersport. The up and coming future stars will have the Superstock and Xtreme classes to develop in and still have hopes of being picked up. And, best of all, there should be good, close racing. Oh yeah, keep the factory stars out of the Superstock class. This is a pro entry-level class.

There you go. Four classes for your 3-day race events. More track time for everybody. Less work for the AMA because of fewer classes. The factories have their “show your stuff” Superbike class. The other racers competing on motorcycles and equipment readily available to anyone. The fans have an event that has good, close racing all weekend. And with the fans come the sponsors….

Just my opinion,

Jeff Wilson

PS: I have left out the 250 GP guys and I apologize. I know there is a lot of history there and they have been racing longer than the 4-cylinder sleds, but with only 2 maybe 3 manufacturers building motorcycles and supplying them through limited sources….



More, in an e-mail from reader Steve Ryberg, who is obviously not a Honda fan and who sees signs of an evil conspiracy:

Now, let me see if I have this straight. AMA will allow the four-cylinders to expand displacement to 1000cc, but will not allow modifications to take advantage of them.

The FIM has changed the rules to allow four-strokes into the 500cc GP class, re-naming it MotoGP. The brand-new, hadn’t-been-tested-for-very-long V5 Honda smokes the field. Yes, Rossi is driving, but so what? He would be just as fast on a NSR, wouldn’t he? Hmm?

The common denominator to these things, Honda. Honda pulling strings. Honda will next dominate AMA Superbike with no real competition. Ducati!, I hear you cry. Again, so what? You are trying to say that HMC is getting all of the juicy fast stuff? Perhaps Honda is getting the revenge they want after losing Marty Tripes’ RC250 to the AMA’s claiming rule? A rule that was quickly corrected, by Honda and the other three. Ever since, I have seen AMA rules change by the moment, driven by the whims of the factories (Honda, the gang leader). The most I can say about this AMA Superbike change, as a racing fan, is goodbye and good riddance.

As far as the FIM is concerned, if those limp dicks had actually stood up to Honda when threatened. “It will be by our rules or we’re leaving and taking our ball with us,” I wager. I would still tell Honda to stick it and give the fives the same weight penalty as the sixes. The others will not let Honda keep its superiority? They will catch up? Maybe. But it will be many years before it will be allowed, allowed to happen. MotoGP is Honda’s dream, their invention, their monopoly.

Someone more wise than I once said that all glory is fleeting. Honda should know this, F1 should give them a clue. Honda’s current F1 engine is giving the performance I snicker at.

I can only hope I’m not the “raving lunatic” you mention in your letter policy. But when Honda benefits immediately (!) from rule changes, what is one supposed to think? That it is only just a coincidence? Is it really that simple?

Steve Ryberg
Henderson, NV