TheKneeslider.com – When we reported on the new Buell XBRR, some of you commented on how it seemed to bend the rules a bit and questioned whether it was actually legal for the class. The AMA recognized quite a few people must have been asking the same thing because they ruled on the Buell’s eligibility and said, yep, it’s legal.
Press release follows:
AMA Pro Racing confirmed today that the Buell XBRR motorcycle, the race-kitted variant of the road-going XB12R, is eligible for competition in the AMA Formula Xtreme Series.
In making the announcement AMA Pro Racing Director of Competition, Merrill Vanderslice noted that AMA Pro Racing technical personnel have inspected the motorcycle and it was determined that Buell has met the requirements for the XBRR to be eligible for AMA Formula Xtreme.
“By design, Formula Xtreme rules are the most liberal of all the classes within the AMA Superbike Championship,†stated Vanderslice. “The class was created with broad equipment parameters and air-cooled V-twins are afforded the most latitude. Buell has based this motorcycle on its XB12R street bike and the modifications made are within the rules allowed in the class.â€
Vanderslice acknowledged that a press release distributed by Buell to announce the motorcycle may have created some confusion as to the bike’s eligibility.
“Regardless of the wording in the release, the bottom line is that Buell has produced a racetrack version of an existing street motorcycle and modified it within the rules,†he noted. “We were aware of Buell’s plans and inspected the motorcycle on Friday, Feb. 3 as part of the approval process.
“The intent of the Formula Xtreme class is to include a diverse group of motorcycles, and we welcome Buell’s increased participation in AMA championship racing. We are confident the company’s inclusion will enhance the sport of motorcycle road racing.â€
via AMA
aaron says
(WARNING – CONSPIRACY THEORY ALERT)
no real suprise here, the ama has done all it can to give harley an extra edge against “those foreign bastards” for quite a while now. (along with the ahrma- amhra amhanana.. whatever that drag racing organization is that limits the sportbikes displacement, ability to run proper fuel, and requires all multi’s to be based on production engines from the stone ages. at the same time pushrod twins are 2500cc prototypes that resemble a harley less than a honda cub resembles the rc211v)
the vr1000 was a joke. what else can you call it when a company that made more off beer and toilet paper and oil sales than ducati’s total revenues loses to the italian team. kinda like if honda’s motogp bike got smoked by the proton kr, morwaki, or blata teams. to make matters worse, the ducati was running a street based 851cc bike against a 1000cc prototype. (today we call 1000cc prototypes “motogp”) harley also had (if my ama history is correct) every top rider from the period on that bike at one time or another. and any claims that the vr1000 was homolagated as a street bike was crap. only sold in a country with emission laws that would allow a race bike on the streets? none of these bikes actually staying in this country? the country where this american dream took place? poland. give me a break. a guy from new zealand could have built a better bike in his shed. (wait – a guy from new zealand DID build a better bike in his shed!)
I find it most interesting that this happens to be the class the ama recently nominated to run the daytona 200, america’s most important race (cause dang it, thems motogp bikes are foreign and stuff. laguna seca is for hippies, jeb.) this race also takes place in the middle of the biggest harley love-in there is…
next thing we know, harley will have hired duhamel or biaggi or haga or a motogp regular to ride the bike. don’t the rules say a bike sold for street use? and isn’t your typical homologation run 200 bikes? the buell had 50 made and a disclaimer in the manual stated that “The Buell XBRR motorcycle does not meet NHTSA or EPA regulations for on road use. This motorcycle may only be used on closed courses”
SO WHY AM I SO BITTER? because the triumph 675 is inelegible. and because if the buell is sucessful, there’s several better aircooled twins on the market. because formula xtreme could become a class of limited production specials that do not resemble what manufacturers sell, a class of $50K bikes based on the engine least suited to track use in the production.
and last of all, because when a 999R with a big bore 1000ds engine (and non production bodywork) starts dominating, with yamaha and honda aircooled twins filling out the top three, the ama will change the rules again to suit the home team.