- Joined
- Jun 30, 2012
- Messages
- 13,912
Daveh,
We have what are known as 'periods' in historic racing. Period 3 ends at 1962, period 4 at 1972, period 5 at 1982, period 6 1992. You find that except in period 3, you are always running in a mixed grid of thunderbikes, superbikes and two strokes. My bike is a thunderbike, but our guys don't identify that as a class. I'd usually get to race in period 4, which is dominated by methanol fuelled 1100cc cb750 Hondas, which effectively kill off most other bikes. We rarely see a commando racing, and the triples never come out to play. There are a couple of ducatis in Period 5 races, none in period 6. For the last few years I've been promoting an agenda to get the 'thunderbikes' from all periods onto the race grid together without the two strokes and superbikes. A class limited to air cooled fourstroke two valve singles, twins and triples, run in capacity classes and heats. The guys are slowly coming around to the idea, but the 'period' concept is stuck in their minds and they find it very difficult to move away from it.
Personally I'd love to have a go against an 80s 851 Ducati Pantah or a 70s Ducati 900, but they way our meetings are run, it cannot happen.
What I am on about is running bikes of similar technology in the same races without regard to age. the differences in development arising from age are much less than they are from totally different technology. I know I can win races with a two stroke, if we were playing for sheep stations, that is what you would race - never a thunderbike. I ride the Seeley because I love it, but the opportunity to show its real potential against similar bikes, is never there. It is extremely frustrating, the racing doesn't justify the expense when you already know the outcome. A good 350cc period 4 two stroke on alcohol can beat anything in our historic racing.
We have what are known as 'periods' in historic racing. Period 3 ends at 1962, period 4 at 1972, period 5 at 1982, period 6 1992. You find that except in period 3, you are always running in a mixed grid of thunderbikes, superbikes and two strokes. My bike is a thunderbike, but our guys don't identify that as a class. I'd usually get to race in period 4, which is dominated by methanol fuelled 1100cc cb750 Hondas, which effectively kill off most other bikes. We rarely see a commando racing, and the triples never come out to play. There are a couple of ducatis in Period 5 races, none in period 6. For the last few years I've been promoting an agenda to get the 'thunderbikes' from all periods onto the race grid together without the two strokes and superbikes. A class limited to air cooled fourstroke two valve singles, twins and triples, run in capacity classes and heats. The guys are slowly coming around to the idea, but the 'period' concept is stuck in their minds and they find it very difficult to move away from it.
Personally I'd love to have a go against an 80s 851 Ducati Pantah or a 70s Ducati 900, but they way our meetings are run, it cannot happen.
What I am on about is running bikes of similar technology in the same races without regard to age. the differences in development arising from age are much less than they are from totally different technology. I know I can win races with a two stroke, if we were playing for sheep stations, that is what you would race - never a thunderbike. I ride the Seeley because I love it, but the opportunity to show its real potential against similar bikes, is never there. It is extremely frustrating, the racing doesn't justify the expense when you already know the outcome. A good 350cc period 4 two stroke on alcohol can beat anything in our historic racing.
