This blog under construction since 6Feb07. Thanks for your patience!
Milk and Motorcycles is NOT an official WMRRA site - just chatter from an old racer & writer.
Milk and Motorcycles is NOT an official WMRRA site - just chatter from an old racer & writer.
The Seattle-based club has been debating legality of non-OEM, i.e. cheap aftermarket parts like Suzuki subframes to hold down the cost of club racing. I claim that in the early years of the club, we did just that in the Super Cafe class, while restricting costly engine changes.
----- Original Message -----
From: Bruce Scholten
To: WMRRA members forum for racing discussion and club info
Cc: bruce.scholten@btopenworld.com
Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2007 2:36 PM
Subject: [WMRRA] ISO: 04/05 600/750 GSXR Subframe - Ancient history
Dear WMRRA,
Ancient history, but it's what I offer to help GSXR Subframes beat 'D-clips' for all time stats.
In 1974 or 1975-76 rules were written for 'Super Cafe' as a cheap class (to include Kaw Z1s, Ducati 860s, Laverdas, etc.) allowing lower bars, lighter 4-into-1 pipes & expansion chambers, K & N air filters, new carb jets, rearsets, cheap Girling or Boge-Mullholland rear shocks, S & W fork internals, different brake pads, and fairings (my Z1 had a Tz350 fairing), etc.
These were mostly bolt on modifications that 'cafe racers' of the 1970s made to proddie bikes, which came neekid with handlebars closer to ape-hangers than clip-ons. The noble idea was to tempt street squids to the relative safety of the racetrack. Super cafe was a relatively cheap class because folks kept their cheap bolt-ons, but expensive internal engine mods were banned.
To my mind, if Super Cafe were still alive today, WMRRA might allow cheaper after-market GSXR subframes, and even SharkSkinz fairings; alternators could be removed - but no overbores, special connecting rods or cams. As the manufacturers began to offer machinery ready for club racing, Super Cafe morphed into modified production classes, which were half filled by proddie riders. Memory fades, but Superbike began around 1979 when SIR hosted its first Superbike race (since Dick Mann won in 1971). Blah - blah.
Hope you guys & gals get on the track soon. I'm already having my annual 'it's pre-grid and I can't find my helmet' dreams.
My 2 pence,
Bruce in Blighty
----- Original Message -----
From: Bruce Scholten
To: WMRRA members forum for racing discussion and club info
Cc: bruce.scholten@btopenworld.com
Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2007 2:36 PM
Subject: [WMRRA] ISO: 04/05 600/750 GSXR Subframe - Ancient history
Dear WMRRA,
Ancient history, but it's what I offer to help GSXR Subframes beat 'D-clips' for all time stats.
In 1974 or 1975-76 rules were written for 'Super Cafe' as a cheap class (to include Kaw Z1s, Ducati 860s, Laverdas, etc.) allowing lower bars, lighter 4-into-1 pipes & expansion chambers, K & N air filters, new carb jets, rearsets, cheap Girling or Boge-Mullholland rear shocks, S & W fork internals, different brake pads, and fairings (my Z1 had a Tz350 fairing), etc.
These were mostly bolt on modifications that 'cafe racers' of the 1970s made to proddie bikes, which came neekid with handlebars closer to ape-hangers than clip-ons. The noble idea was to tempt street squids to the relative safety of the racetrack. Super cafe was a relatively cheap class because folks kept their cheap bolt-ons, but expensive internal engine mods were banned.
To my mind, if Super Cafe were still alive today, WMRRA might allow cheaper after-market GSXR subframes, and even SharkSkinz fairings; alternators could be removed - but no overbores, special connecting rods or cams. As the manufacturers began to offer machinery ready for club racing, Super Cafe morphed into modified production classes, which were half filled by proddie riders. Memory fades, but Superbike began around 1979 when SIR hosted its first Superbike race (since Dick Mann won in 1971). Blah - blah.
Hope you guys & gals get on the track soon. I'm already having my annual 'it's pre-grid and I can't find my helmet' dreams.
My 2 pence,
Bruce in Blighty
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