Mr. Opinion -XR1200 and Ninja 250's September 25, 2009 04:40 PM
250 class: A clever way to get more young riders into the great sport we love.

450MX class: Fun to talk about but expensive and illogical from both a promotional aspect and mechanical.

XR1200 Harley Class: Lame..... the sportster class failed in the past and will again. Big bikes that aren't race based or inspired trying to follow each other slowly around the track.... no thanks. It sounds like the coming year could even more of a side show then the rolling starts and ridiculous class names that came out this year. DMG …. are you doing your best to screw American road racing?

Jan -Procyon96 September 23, 2009 07:07 PM
"The European model also boasts a trick looking, blacked out exhaust system that's different from the USA's model. If that's not trickle down race technology to the showroom floor, I don't know what is".

If I paint my bike's exhaust black will it be trick or racy? Is that exhaust a trickle down or just a reworked parts bin special? Different looking doesn’t always mean better or racier. Besides, if anyone does not like the American XR1200’s exhaust there are many after market suppliers that will satisfy that need to replace it. Who leaves the stock exhaust on their Harley anyways?

The European bike comes with adjustable suspension because that is what the European market wants. Until about several years back the XL1200R had adjustable suspension, but most owners did not care for it, know how to use it, or even knew the bikes had it. So Harley stopped putting it on the bike.

Giles -Guys, think about it September 23, 2009 01:07 PM
Nobody would care what DMG does if there was another American road race series to watch. But there isn’t so that is why we are complaining. And there is no reason to see how this “pans out” because AMA had a sportster class before and it failed. History does not need to repeat itself!

I like all types of racing also. But if I want to watch amateurs racing average bikes I will go and catch a club race at the local track. If I am going to travel half way across the US get hotel room pay good money for tickets to see a “professional motorcycle race” then yeah, I want to see the best riders on the most tricked out bikes. Why do some race fans not understand this? Would the NY Yankees sell tickets if their players were all from the minor leagues? Would you go to an NHRA national event if the cars there made the same HP as the car you drove to race in? Would you look at Playboy mag. if it had average women in it…second thought we would all …look at it…but would you pay money for it?

Get my point. AMA is SUPPOSED to have expensive bikes, trick equipment and the most talented riders because it is a PRO series. How did this point get lost on some race fans?

Is it any coincidence that WSBK and MotoGP have the best riders and the best machinery and the largest fan base???

Ted -XR Class September 23, 2009 10:12 AM
I say why do you guys use up so much energy and bandwidth complaining about something that you don't have to watch. Hell, it probably wouldn't even be televised. Edmundson is being creative and trying to get more people involved/interested in American racing. The biggest problem with American Roadracing is that NOBODY CARES about it except a small niche. Even those interested in racing in general aren't very interested - that is until they watch it a few times. You guys already are getting what you want, so let DMG try to attract more people to the sport and quit naysaying everything. Repeat after me: "Hmmmm, interesting. Not my cup o' tea, but let's see how it pans out". Besides, racing is racing. Whether your on a Big Wheel, a rental car or a superbike. Question is, what will it take to get someone on the track and have some fun. Only one thing worse than a Harley snob: a racing snob.

Tim B -Spec Classes September 23, 2009 09:18 AM
Spec classes, as discussed here, are a joke and don't belong in any professional series. They keep costs low and let amatuers compete on an even playing field. But once a manufacturer gets their bikes into a spec class there is no competition and no reason for them to put any R&D into the bikes so they don't update and improve the bikes. Everybody loses.

YZF Aaron -The XR is not a race bike! September 23, 2009 05:55 AM
First AMA/DMG runs off Mladid, then Honda, now they're trying to rid them self's of sport bike enthusiast all together. Well good for them. Hey Roger Edmondson, how about you run the Harley's on ovals so that they can only turn left? That would be great!

Guy -Figuring this out… maybe September 23, 2009 04:42 AM
Wow, I can’t believe what I’m hearing from DMG management. This is incredible… incredibly stupid. But I digress… Lets look at, what we, race fans want. To understand this, we have to know what types of riders there are. In my opinion, there are obviously two major classes or divided types of motorcycle riders. (Does Edmondson even ride? What class would he belong to if he did? Note: I am purposely leaving out many sub-culture classes. Please forgive me.)

There is the cruiser or Harley class, which are interested in form over functionality. They like chrome and a certain style over performance. They will buy anything if the masses think it’s cool. They most likely don’t watch Super-bike racing. They care more about the brand name winning in a race, even if the technology is not what they are riding. (i.e. see the Screaming Eagle Vance & Hines bikes, you will never be able to purchase these at a dealer)

Then there are the sport-bike or performance type riders. They are interested in form follows function. They will purchase only items that make their bikes faster, perform better, or make it more reliable. Are more interested in the latest technology and how it can be applied to motorcycles. Care more about the technology they are riding, not the brand name, and want to be able to purchase that off the show room floor. (They also understand that there is technology that they cannot afford or purchase. See Moto-GP. But also understand that this technology will eventually trickle down to them in the future from the manufactures.)

With the above said. What type of rider are you? What type of racing is most interesting? Is it about the name brand and bragging rights at the bar? Or is it about who has the most technologically advance piece of equipment? What type of bike do you think Edmondson rides? Or more importantly, who is he listening to?

I always thought racing was always about speed, technology, and pushing the limits of man and engineering. It's knowing, through racing, that the motorcycle we purchase tomorrow will be better than the last.

That is what racing is all about to me... Just my two cents.

wow... -simply speechless September 22, 2009 07:38 PM
waiting with bated breath for the announcement of the Buell Ulysses class...

Racephoto -NASBIKE September 22, 2009 06:35 PM
Everyone joked about it a year ago... and it's coming to fruition. Roger Edmondson is the biggest idiot in the world. I wonder how much money they're getting from Buell/Harley to pull this kind of crap, b/c it's painfully obvious the fans have no interest in it. The successful formula is no great mystery: 1000 Superbike, 600 Supersport; support class for the younger racers. Fans want it, riders want it, manufacturers want it, sponsors want it. Who loses? In DMG's mind, themselves, b/c they lose the ability to control who wins races... just like NASCAR and their "competition cautions."

NorCalFilth -Steve... September 22, 2009 05:01 PM
What does "plus they are owned by NASCAR" mean?? Is that code for they got a ton of MONEY? Everyone says NASCAR like its a bad thing. Does anyone remember Sears Point prior to the infusion of the stupid NASCAR money?? Steve did you steal some haterade from someone?

Joe -ideas must be coming from... September 22, 2009 03:12 PM
I have a theory, and am interested in what others think. Roger works in Daytona, right? And probably thinks the Daytona 200 is the best race weekend for the AMA series. My sense, even though I've NEVER been to a Daytona bike week is that the people there are the cruiser crowd, not the sportbike crowd, and perhaps he's getting some of the ideas based on what the cruiser folks are telling him about motorcycle racing (rolling starts, spec fuel/bikes/etc.).

Has Roger ever asked the true sportbike racing crowd what they want to see? Why does he feel he needs to keeping changing stuff, instead of making things that work better?

For me, the AMA season doesn't really start until they're done with Daytona and Fontana... didn't like Pikes Peak either.

Big Pig -Spec Class Racing September 22, 2009 01:44 PM
Please no XR class. If anything make a Buell spec class that features the air-cooled engines. That will give many a club racer the opportunity to compete in the US series at a local event and if the years of blatant self-promotion that Erik Buell has been preaching is true the low cost, rider friendly Firebolt series would be a hit. No gear changes, just run what you brung maybe. After that then the 250 Ninja cup with wide-open modifications would be the next logical choice for the same reaosns the Buell class would work. As faras the 450 singles go, they are as stupid as the DMG so thats probably the series they will pick anyway.