New SS600 GP class... thoughts?

I'd really like to see a rough breakdown of costs for running a 125/250/GP+WSS/WSB 2 rider team for the same race meet (say Assen). I love to know where the lion share of costs are going, because I doubt it is into the bike! (unless the rider bins it) However, I'd imagine the teams keep this stuff pretty close to their chests.

Originally Posted by lukemillar

I'd really like to see a rough breakdown of costs for running a 125/250/GP+WSS/WSB 2 rider team for the same race meet (say Assen). I love to know where the lion share of costs are going, because I doubt it is into the bike! (unless the rider bins it) However, I'd imagine the teams keep this stuff pretty close to their chests.

Indeed that would be interesting!!!

I alwyas believed that a 500cc twin would make a perfect road bike.

80bhp with good torque, light weight, with good handling and plenty cheap.

I would say that 600cc could be supersport copy as I doubt the big companies would spend big on developing something already there. Unless they sleeve down the 800cc bikes.

The whole idea of the GP class is development, and I can't see much happening at 600cc with an in-line 4 as all the manufacturers have already laid out their stall.

400-500cc with 4 pots may be interesting, other than that, 600cc twins would be good. Anything to generate development in what we can do on the road.

[jambo]

GP bikes currently MUST be prototypes (The Harris WCM bike at the start of the 990 era used R1 engine cases and they had to go away until they'd rebuilt it with custom parts). Prototype development is phenomenally expensive. Winning is everything, If a 600 class is born no one is going to try and drop an R6 engine in because they have already developed it, it won't be competitive, legal or suitable. We'll see a new set of bespoke engines from the top 2 or 3 companies, while everyone else does what they can to meet the rules on the budget they've got. In all probability the grid will be decimated to half it's current size.

It's also worth pointing out that the lap times of the SS600's would be mostly limited by the suspension, tyres, and brakes rather than the motor, as all of these would be a much higher spec than on the SS600 race.

Jambo

Technical specifications for the new ‘Moto2' Championship, which replaces the 250's in 2011.
Engine

1.1 4-stroke engines only.
1.2 Engine capacity: maximum 600cc.
1.3 4 cylinders maximum.
1.4 No oval pistons.
1.5 Engines must be normally aspirated. No turbo-charging, no super-charging.
1.6 Engine speed limited to maximum:
16,000 rpm. 4-cylinder engines
15,500 rpm. 3-cylinder engines
15,000 rpm. 2-cylinder engines
An electronic system supplied by the Organisers will be permanently attached to monitor and control
engine speed.
1.7 Pneumatic valve operation is not permitted.
1.8 Inlet and Exhaust valves must be of conventional type (reciprocating poppet valves).
1.9 Variable valve timing or variable valve lift systems are not permitted.
1.10 Only wet-sump type engine lubrication systems are permitted.
1.11 Minimum weight of complete engine with throttle body, dry:
53 kg 4-cylinder
50 kg 3-cylinder
47 kg 2 cylinder


Inlet & Fuel System

2.1 Variable-length inlet tract systems are not permitted.
2.2 Only one throttle control valve per cylinder is permitted. No other moving devices are permitted in the inlet tract before the engine intake valve.
2.3 Throttle bodies will have a maximum internal diameter (must be perfectly circle except for the area of dent or groove to allow the injector to come out) at engine side out-let of:
42 mm for 4-cylinder
48 mm for 3-cylinder
59 mm for 2-cylinder
2.4 Fuel injectors will be restricted to a defined type (tba, based on cost).
2.5 Fuel pressure must not exceed 5.0 bar.
2.6 No artificial cooling of intake air or fuel.
2.7 Only air or air/fuel mixture is permitted in the induction tract and combustion chamber.
2.8 No direct fuel injection into the cylinder/head/combustion chamber.
2.9 Fuel specification will be for standard unleaded fuel (commercially available EU-compliant “pump fuel”).


Exhaust system

3.1 Variable length exhaust systems are not permitted.
3.2 Noise limit will be a maximum of 120 dB/A, measured in a static test.


Transmission

4.1 A maximum of 6 gearbox speeds is permitted.
4.2 A maximum of 3 alternate gear ratios for each gearbox speed, and 2 alternate ratios for the primary drive gear is permitted. Teams will be required to declare the gearbox ratios for each gear used at the beginning of the season.
4.3 Electro-mechanical or electro-hydraulic clutch actuating systems are not permitted.


Ignition, Electronics & Data-Logging

5.1 Data logger system will be supplied by the series Organizer.
5.2 Only the ECU/fuel injection control units supplied by the series Organiser are allowed to be fitted to the motorcycle. Electronic control units include the timing transponder, engine RPM control, and datalogger systems. No other electronic control or datalogging systems will be allowed on the motorcycle. The price of ECU unit made by each engine manufacturer must be equal to or less than JPY75,000 (about Euro650).


Chassis

6.1 Chassis will be a prototype, the design and construction of which is free within the constraints of the FIM Grand Prix Technical Regulations. The frame, swing-arm, fuel tank, seat and cowling are forbidden to use from a non-prototype as series production road-going motorcycle.
6.2 Minimum Total Weight:
135kg for 4-cylinder
130kg for 3-cylinder
125kg for 2-cylinder
6.3 No carbon brake discs.


Wheels & Tyres

7.1 No carbon composite wheels.
7.2 The maximum permitted wheel rim width is:
Front 4.00”
Rear 6.00” or 6.25”
7.3 The only permitted wheel rim diameter is:
Front 17”
Rear 17”
7.4 The number of slick tyres allocated to each rider per event will be controlled.


Materials & Construction

8.1 Construction materials will be limited to exclude expensive “non-conventional” materials and manufacturing methods (a list will be issued).
8.2 The following components must be made from iron-based alloys:
Valve springs, camshafts, crankshafts, connecting rods, piston pins, brake discs.
8.3 Engine crankcases and cylinder heads must be made from cast aluminium alloys.
8.4 Pistons must be made from an aluminium alloy.


General

9.1 Number of machines: the team can scrutineer only one motorcycle per rider.
9.2 Number of engines: a maximum of 2 complete engines per rider is permitted at any event. Teams will be required to register engine serial numbers at Technical Control on the day before the first practice.
9.3 Apart from the above regulations, all other construction criteria, dimensions and specifications are as per the FIM Grand Prix Regulations.

9.4 The engine (excluding exhaust, throttle bodies and ECU) used in a race is available to be purchased by another competitor in the same race for a fixed price of €20,000 (Euro). Such purchase request must be made in writing to Race Direction within the protest period, that is within 60 minutes after the official end of the race. The transaction and delivery will be completed immediately at the end of the 60 minute protest period and will be underwritten by IRTA. Teams refusing to sell when presented with a valid request will be disqualified.

i think it's a real shame to see two strokes fall into the past given the history of it in racing and the obvious power you can get from such a small engine 600's are ok but they'll never be the same in my eyes.

Aye, but with the cash flow issues going on at the moment it only reinforces the fact that the costs are getting too ridiculous.

still strokers will always be far more interesting race bike's too me nothing quite like em.

[Ratty]

Rule 9.4 is clever. Imagine it will keep the cost down. You wouldn’t want to build a 50K Euro engine and then have to sell it at the end of the race for 20K.

Ratty