Couple of question re Ducati race bikes

[Daffyduc]

I've been wondering:

On the WSB broadcasts on Speed, when they show the results/standings they list Checa's bike as a 1098R. Is it? Why not an 1198R? (They built one last year, right?) Is it not eligible?

Similarly, why don't big bore Ducatis show up on the AMA Superbike grid, or am I missing something? Presuming this is rules related?

Sorry for the boring questions, but it's been driving me nuts. I used to be up on this stuff, but I've not followed racing in a long time.

[NSP]

I thought they have been running the 1198R bike since 2009. And 2010 was the year the 1098R was replaced with the 1198R as production bikes.

[ducati2242]

Originally Posted by Daffyduc

I've been wondering:

On the WSB broadcasts on Speed, when they show the results/standings they list Checa's bike as a 1098R. Is it? Why not an 1198R? (They built one last year, right?) Is it not eligible?

Similarly, why don't big bore Ducatis show up on the AMA Superbike grid, or am I missing something? Presuming this is rules related?

Sorry for the boring questions, but it's been driving me nuts. I used to be up on this stuff, but I've not followed racing in a long time.

You do realise that the 1098R was only called that to make it sound like it was the same bike as the 1098/1098s . It was in fact an 1198 engine from day one . Not that the 1198 on the race track bears any resemblance to the R anyway as it is an RS which is a pure race bike built by Ducati.

[NSP]

Originally Posted by ducati2242

You do realise that the 1098R was only called that to make it sound like it was the same bike as the 1098/1098s . It was in fact an 1198 engine from day one . Not that the 1198 on the race track bears any resemblance to the R anyway as it is an RS which is a pure race bike built by Ducati.

maybe this is why it was still listed on the broadcast as a 1098R......that number sounds more impressive when you pit a 2 cylinder against a 1000cc 4 cylinder. Ducati wants to play the "we are not competitive against the 1000cc 4 cylinders" card and 1098cc sounds like it has to fight so much harder than a beatly 1200cc!!

then you watch Checa run with Biaggi all season and collect wins....

The Aprilia is damn fast and Biaggi is a damn good rider.....yet Checa is having no issue so far this season "without" factory help.

[Daffyduc]

Originally Posted by ducati2242

You do realise that the 1098R was only called that to make it sound like it was the same bike as the 1098/1098s . It was in fact an 1198 engine from day one . Not that the 1198 on the race track bears any resemblance to the R anyway as it is an RS which is a pure race bike built by Ducati.

Ah ha, thanks 2242, that explains it. So those road going versions of the 1098R I see for sale from time to time actually displace 1198cc. I think I knew that at one point and forgot.

[Daffyduc]

Originally Posted by NSP

The Aprilia is damn fast and Biaggi is a damn good rider.....yet Checa is having no issue so far this season "without" factory help.

Didn't Ducati also benefit from a rules tweek this year regarding intake or something?

Regardless, it is amazing to watch Checa. They seem to really have it dialed in. And then they're going to chuck it for a new bike next year.

Thanks for the responses.

[DaC]

Originally Posted by NSP

maybe this is why it was still listed on the broadcast as a 1098R......that number sounds more impressive when you pit a 2 cylinder against a 1000cc 4 cylinder. Ducati wants to play the "we are not competitive against the 1000cc 4 cylinders" card and 1098cc sounds like it has to fight so much harder than a beatly 1200cc!!

then you watch Checa run with Biaggi all season and collect wins....

The Aprilia is damn fast and Biaggi is a damn good rider.....yet Checa is having no issue so far this season "without" factory help.

I dunno why people make such a big deal out of the 200cc difference in capacity. It's apples and oranges with the engine design. The 1098R is still low on *peak* power compared to the other bikes (I remember reading that the BMW can put out 240HP?) and it's running restricted now anyhow. I ran across an analogy from another site that likened Ducati's displacement advantage to a poor starving family owning a fat pig but no knife.

I suspect they label it a 1098R because they are working from a 2008 model base, but it's just a guess.

Personally I've never understood the fact that you have an "R" and an "RS" and then the official factory bikes...the latter have extremely high maintenance intervals. In my opinion the race organizations haven't done enough to ensure that the bikes on the grid are more like the bikes on the floor and leave the prototyping to classes like MotoGP.

[Daffyduc]

Originally Posted by DaC

...In my opinion the race organizations haven't done enough to ensure that the bikes on the grid are more like the bikes on the floor and leave the prototyping to classes like MotoGP.

Interesting. In trying to answer the second half of my own question, I was reading on the AMA site and they state, regarding Superbike :

The class began a return to its roots in 2008 and continued to move towards a more stock-like specification in 2009. The bikes now have to maintain a great number of stock/approved parts with the scope for modification limited to areas that do not add significantly to the cost of the motorcycle.

I can't find a rulebook, but these are listed under "quick facts":

Horsepower: 200 hp
Minimum Weights: 370 lbs: 4-Cylinder/4-Stroke 1000cc engines; 390 lbs: 2-Cylinder/4-Stroke engines over 1000cc
Top Speed: Over 195 MPH
0-60 MPH: Under 3 seconds
¼ Mile Acceleration: Low 9 seconds
Tires: Dunlop KR106 (Front: 125/80R-17) and KR108 (195/65R-17)
Race Lengths: 50-mile sprints
Eligible Bikes: Suzuki GSX-R1000, Yamaha R1, Kawasaki ZX-10, Honda CBR1000RR, Aprilia RSV1000R, Buell 1125R, Buell 1125RR

There is probably a lot more "political" drama involved in setting up these classes than I'm aware of. I see the 1098R was raced last year. What happened? Sorry, I know this was probably covered a long time ago, I just want to know why I can't cheer for Ducati in the AMA Superbike class this year.

[pba8634]

[/QUOTE]then you watch Checa run with Biaggi all season and collect wins....

The Aprilia is damn fast and Biaggi is a damn good rider.....yet Checa is having no issue so far this season "without" factory help. [/QUOTE]

The Aprilia is damn fast, and Biaggi is good, but he is making a lot of mistakes this year. Biaggi could have won race 2 this week after the restart, but again he ran a corner way wide and let Checa through. Checa has been riding better than Max, no matter what the bike is.

[Matt_P]

the duc might have 200cc on the competition, but the competition has double the cylinders and double the valve area. Are we forgetting how the Duc was getting destroyed at Monza? It was giving up like 11km/h to the 4 bangers.