Long and Short 600s.

[steve-e]

Interesting that the Birchalls have gone at Oschersleben on their long 600 a very similar time to what they would likely do on their F2 600 in qualifying .
A tenth of a second off Tim, so would they have gone quicker on the F2? Who knows but it wouldn't have been a huge difference ( I think, what do you think?)

[sidecarracing]

and there were people here who said a 600 engine in a long bike wouldn't work?
And maybe there's more to come from that package?
I think it's a new constructed combo by/for the Birchalls, who know with some more miles and setting up it could improve?

[steve-e]

I'm sure it will improve. I'd like to see it, see what size wheels/tyres they're using, can it be made lighter than a 1000cc powered chassis as well?

[brino85]

more to come.........

[steve-e]

Good to hear squire Good luck to the boys

[Lockside]

they will still be good, and still use same tyre sizes may need different compounds.

[ada]

still cant see the point , want a 600 get an f2 !!!!

[steve-e]

You're not alone in that thought Ade

[steve-e]

Impressive laptimes from Ben and Tom on the 600 compared to the F2s. Are they running similar spec motor? If so that makes me happy, when it all changes the long bikes still have a reason to exist

[brucecollins]

Was chatting to Ben a while back. He said Louis will make a new chasis to suit the 600. He mention smaller lighter brakes and maybe fewer bulk heads to make it lighter. 2016 will be an interesting year...back to the future?

[SlowPhil]

Where are all the motors coming from? i think this is going to make more problems than it solves. What were the problems again?

[Kickaha]

What were the problems again?

The problem was some muppet decided to fix something that wasn't broken

[steve-e]

I'm impressed we've held off this long. I remember Steve Norbury bringing it up at an FSRA committee meeting in about 2009 saying the FIM were talking about it and how do we stop them (RIP Steve)

[David Stewart]

I'm a little confused.

If the FIM really wanted the F2 World Trophy to be taken seriously, why did they opt to allow 2 machines into it that were patently not eligible?
(The two long bikes). Doing it this way devalues F2 for the competitors in the race and for the spectators.

If this was just to demonstrate the competitiveness of the 600 in a long chassis, why not put them into the race that they were already eligible for? (The Superside Race - the requirement is up to 1000cc not specifically 1000cc because none of them are - most are 998cc).

Now I am a naturally cynical man - I can't help it. But the way it has been done seems to be a cosmetic exercise to make the 600/long bike combo look more attractive than it is. If they had been entered into the correct race, one would perhaps have been 10th and the other one last.
The one that would have been 10th would have been that high up the order purely through the outstanding skill of the driver/passenger not through the competitiveness of the machine.

I'm afraid the way this has been done shows that the FIM have no intention of taking F2 sidecar racing seriously and that they will do whatever they have to do to crush 1000cc F1 Sidecar racing.

Short sighted, overbearing, not listening, bullying, blinkered.......... - add your own comment here ----

It will serve them right if the teams opt to race with their National Championships instead for a season to see how the FIM get on with no teams at all on the grid.

Malcolms suggestion of inlet/outlet size restrictions would have cured all the problems the FIM claim to be trying to solve at a fraction of the cost/disruption. If they really believe that 600cc is the way the teams would choose to go, why not run a season with F1 split into two categories :-
Moto 1 = 1000cc engines with restrictors
Moto 2 = 600cc engines unrestricted

Then you'd really see what was best for the future.

C'mon Malcolm - get stuck into it.

[lang]

I remember Jim Norburys brother Roy, racing a long Shelbourne chassis with a TZ 350 motor for a few seasons.
I also remember Jim racing his ex Rolf Biland long LCR with a TZ 350 engine at Carnaby, I do not think that they had any problems.
I am sure that 600cc motors will be more than capable of powering a long chassis.
The plain fact is,there are not enough people racing sidecars to sustain two separate classes, if the sport returns to one class,
the competitors can decide if they choose to use a long or short chassis.
The availability of motors is easily overcome, for years competitors have been buying a new road bike, using the motor in the sidecar,
racing it until the warranty period on the road bike expires---------- then refiting it to the road bike, selling it, then repeating the
procedure.
That way you can always use the latest most competitive motor.
I know the capital outlay is higher than just buying a used motor, but over a period of time, there is little difference, that apart,
racing at top level never was and never will be cheap, in fact racing at any level competitively will never be cheap.