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World Superbike
WSBK: Broke! - In The Trenches
MIST Suzuki Racing team manager Mike Edwards has more than a few ideas on how to make Superbike racing more economical and competitive.
David Anthony on the MIST Suzuki's BSB Evo racer (Photo: MIST Suzuki Racing)
There are few left who disagree that there remains an urgent need to find ways to make Superbike racing more economical. Any hopes that motorcycle racing could simply ride out a global recession and emerge the other end unaltered are long gone at this point, especially with fears of a new recession looming on the horizon.
However, the impetus for change is also widely viewed as an opportunity to not only make racing significantly more affordable but also enhance the standard of competition by leveling the playing field, only fractionally cooling the pace, and generally improving the show.
And with a bit of clever manipulation, these factors can work in alignment.
Broad-brush ideas on how to get there are quite simple to imagine: eliminate exotic materials, ditch or limit electronics, embrace the single-bike rule trend, restrict tuning options, and so on. You've heard them all before.
Determining the exact details on how to make these work effectively in the real world is considerably trickier, however, and where the mass agreement ends.
The debate has spread beyond organizer's backrooms, paddock garages, and the enthusiast media. Last week I went back and forth on the topic 140 characters at a time with Mike Edwards, the team manager of the British-based MIST Suzuki team.
Following our Twitter exchanges, Mike directed me to his team's website where he writes in detail concerning the costs associated with racing, particularly for a team aiming high without substantial factory backing.
As retired JSOC Lt. Col Pete Blaber reminds us, it's crucially important to 'listen to the man on the ground.' And who would understand better than those actually cutting checks and building racebikes where real savings remain possible, where factory teams continue to hold de facto exclusionary advantages, and where well-meaning efforts to rectify these issues are often wasted and sometimes even contradictory?
Edwards' team is definitely in the trenches; since its formation in 2006, MIST Suzuki Racing has competed in European Supersport 600, FIM Superstock 1000, British Superbike (Cup and Evo), and is currently developing a World Superbike racebike.
Mike is also well positioned to speak on this particular issue. The team has the legitimacy earned through winning races and setting lap records with AMA Superbike regular David "Aussie Dave" Anthony during last year's inaugural BSB Evo Championship, but their title ambitions were thwarted due to funding issues after sponsorship fell through just prior to the start of the season.
Edwards argues that in order to create competitive and economical racing, regulations need to be intelligent and selective in the areas modifications are allowed and restricted. He claims that it's not quite as simple as the popular knee-jerk desire to blindly apply Superstock rules to Superbike or blacklist all electronic wizardry.
Edwards has given SPEED.com permission to republish his thoughts on the topic of cost cutting in Superbike. His piece follows:
However, the impetus for change is also widely viewed as an opportunity to not only make racing significantly more affordable but also enhance the standard of competition by leveling the playing field, only fractionally cooling the pace, and generally improving the show.
And with a bit of clever manipulation, these factors can work in alignment.
Broad-brush ideas on how to get there are quite simple to imagine: eliminate exotic materials, ditch or limit electronics, embrace the single-bike rule trend, restrict tuning options, and so on. You've heard them all before.
Determining the exact details on how to make these work effectively in the real world is considerably trickier, however, and where the mass agreement ends.
The debate has spread beyond organizer's backrooms, paddock garages, and the enthusiast media. Last week I went back and forth on the topic 140 characters at a time with Mike Edwards, the team manager of the British-based MIST Suzuki team.
Following our Twitter exchanges, Mike directed me to his team's website where he writes in detail concerning the costs associated with racing, particularly for a team aiming high without substantial factory backing.
As retired JSOC Lt. Col Pete Blaber reminds us, it's crucially important to 'listen to the man on the ground.' And who would understand better than those actually cutting checks and building racebikes where real savings remain possible, where factory teams continue to hold de facto exclusionary advantages, and where well-meaning efforts to rectify these issues are often wasted and sometimes even contradictory?
Edwards' team is definitely in the trenches; since its formation in 2006, MIST Suzuki Racing has competed in European Supersport 600, FIM Superstock 1000, British Superbike (Cup and Evo), and is currently developing a World Superbike racebike.
Mike is also well positioned to speak on this particular issue. The team has the legitimacy earned through winning races and setting lap records with AMA Superbike regular David "Aussie Dave" Anthony during last year's inaugural BSB Evo Championship, but their title ambitions were thwarted due to funding issues after sponsorship fell through just prior to the start of the season.
Edwards argues that in order to create competitive and economical racing, regulations need to be intelligent and selective in the areas modifications are allowed and restricted. He claims that it's not quite as simple as the popular knee-jerk desire to blindly apply Superstock rules to Superbike or blacklist all electronic wizardry.
Edwards has given SPEED.com permission to republish his thoughts on the topic of cost cutting in Superbike. His piece follows:
WSBK: Monza Race 0513
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