“Supersports are built on racing platforms but modified for the highway and sold to consumers.”
I wish. To bad that’s not true. I’d like to have Ducati’s GP bike for the street......not the $70,000.00 “copy” of one.
“capping the speed of these street-legal racing machines at the factory might be one way to reduce their risk.”
Or not....
All that’s really needed is a tiered licensing system like England.
Same old tired argument here..... remember when the first GSXR’s came out in the mid-late 80’s..... NBC did a few incredibly stooopid TV “specials” on how the Japs were getting back at us for WWII. “They” were killing our kids with Suzuki’s....LOL
Too funny.
I wish. To bad that’s not true. I’d like to have Ducati’s GP bike for the street......not the $70,000.00 “copy” of one.
Actually, it depends on the manufacturer... For instance, this is EXACTLY what Ducati did. Take a look at the Monster 900 some time. That frame is right off the the 888 Superbike. And the 916 frame is no different from the homologated Superbike racer as well. Every manufacturer utilizes technology found on their racers on their "repli-racers" within a few years, sometime the exact parts. Of course, Moto-GP racers are exempted, as it's against the rules to use and "production" parts on them. But when you look at AMA Superbike, Supersport, and Formula X-treme, or World Superbike or Supersport, then you're looking at an awful lot of shared parts.
But regarding putting a "real" racer on the street, trust me, that's something that you don NOT want to do. I've heard nightmare stories about people who have built up one of my "dream bikes," a HD XR750 dirt tracker for the street. Race bikes are designed to go the distance of the race, and you shouldn't be too surprised if it self destructs on the cooldown lap! Now Ducati IS going to release a replica Desmosedici RR for the street, and I have no doubt that it will be more than an E-Ticket ride. So what if it's not exactly the same as the 800cc 200MPH bike that Casey Stoner's riding. I guess for the street bike, they're going to keep it at 1000cc, like last years Moto-GP bike. It should put out about 200HP with the race kit. Besides, $70,000 isn't anywhere near enough to buy a "real" Moto-GP bike, although it will get you close to an AMA Superbike. Almost...
Mark