AmHon's awesome superbike

BDA116 · 05-21-2005, 10:58 PM

Alright, so I already vented and voiced my opinion of AmHon's 1000RR superbike in a different thread. In short, it's a POS.
So at the last event, Sears Point, Tommy Hayden out qualified both Zemke and Duhamel's superbikes on his 600 supersport bike. The first two Superstock bikes also out qualified Zemke and Duhamel, including a privateer.
And Honda was a half second slower in qualifying this year than last.
This event, at Pikes Peak, Zemke qualified faster on his 600RR FX bike than Miguel or himself on the superbike. The top three superstock bikes qualified faster than the 1000RR pile of garbage as well. At least the 1000RRs went faster than the 600 supersport machines this time.
We could go over rounds 1-3, but they are equally hideous. It looks like the decision to buy kit bikes and develop them on their own has really payed off. The 1000RR superbike has yet to qualify faster than the superstock bikes this year, and have already been out qualified by both supersport and superstock machinery.
Honda needs to give the 1000RR a serious enema and make a bike that worth racing in the superbike class without HRC. They could at least make it a better bike than their own 600RR.
To be continued at the next event, when the 1000RRs are beat by "support classes" yet again.

ReaperAZ · 05-22-2005, 12:45 AM

Yeah it's kinda disappointing to see the way they are going this year. I think they made a big mistake.

*Mo Noyz* · 05-23-2005, 12:23 AM

Zemke was smoking the hell out of that rear tire today. That bike has truly got problems this year.

JAMI6989 · 05-23-2005, 12:49 AM

WTF is the biggest problem? Is it suspension, down on power, "chatter"?

I say, bring back the RC! At least you know what the problem is then, overweight, underpowered, outdated.

warthog · 05-23-2005, 5:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAMI6989

WTF is the biggest problem? Is it suspension, down on power, "chatter"?

I say, bring back the RC! At least you know what the problem is then, overweight, underpowered, outdated.

Is there something seriously different in the regs btw AMA and WSB,BSB and the Oz supers? In WSB Ten Kate seems to be able to build a machine that is, while second best to the Suzukis, at least competitive at more races than not. In BSB Honda seems to have an edge and a Honda is currently leading over here too. Does the Honda team over in the US just not spend the required $ or are they having a bad year? Or is it like the RC - most of them are 'overweight, underpowered, outdated', but theres a few 'special' ones out there - like Colin used to ride

.....

Will · 05-23-2005, 6:55 AM

I'm with warthog, AMhonda must be doing something very wrong. The 1000rr is super competitive in WSB and leading the pack here in Oz

QuikMike · 05-23-2005, 8:42 AM

let me add this little caveat as well....sometimes, it's not all the bike's problems...sometimes, it's the rider too.....not saying anything about Jake or Miguel, but the rider has to be factored into this equation as well.....my $.02

BDA116 · 05-23-2005, 9:24 AM

Miguel can and has proven time and time again that on eqaully competitive machinery he can beat Mladin. Jake is getting there as well.
Fact is, both were going much faster on last year's HRC bikes (which like the HRC RC51s shared little in common with the street versions) than they are on this year's street versions with AmHon tune.
American Honda is just flat out missing the boat on the setup and development. They could learn a thing or two from Ten Kate, but would be even better off dumping their ideas and going back to HRC. A privateer Honda was the top finisher in Sunday's superbike race. Pathetic, but the RC51 would be even worse.

sheepofblue · 05-23-2005, 9:46 AM

I think American Honda has a team management problem not a bike or rider problem. They obviously under estimated the task. Can they learn and recover or do they give up and go HRC

ReaperAZ · 05-23-2005, 9:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDA116

Miguel can and has proven time and time again that on eqaully competitive machinery he can beat Mladin. Jake is getting there as well.
Fact is, both were going much faster on last year's HRC bikes (which like the HRC RC51s shared little in common with the street versions) than they are on this year's street versions with AmHon tune.
American Honda is just flat out missing the boat on the setup and development. They could learn a thing or two from Ten Kate, but would be even better off dumping their ideas and going back to HRC. A privateer Honda was the top finisher in Sunday's superbike race. Pathetic, but the RC51 would be even worse.

*Mo Noyz* · 05-23-2005, 2:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDA116

American Honda is just flat out missing the boat on the setup and development.

I agree.

Power certainly doesn't seem to be the problem.

luvtolean · 05-23-2005, 3:43 PM

Miguel can beat Mladin at times, but I don't think on even machinery he would week in week out.

I don't know what's going on over there. The Hondas looked like they were handling pretty good from the sections I watched at Sears, I'd say even better than Mladin's actually. That might be because they were going slower.

The exhaust on Miguel's bike sounded a bunch different than Zemke's, kinda like the packing was all blown out of the muffler or something.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge the bike though.