Not too many months ago I suggested motorcycle racing without rules as a way to avoid disqualifying winners because of some arcane technical violation. Quite a few of you liked the idea, those opting for rules of some sort usually focused on a few minimal restrictions related to safety.
Well, over in France they’ve put together a little race series taking the unlimited racing idea to heart, it’s called the Joe Bar One Unlimited Power Race. The rules are pretty brief. Internal combustion engines, 4 strokes of at least 880cc, 2 strokes at least 500cc and aesthetically, it must look different from stock with modifications strongly encouraged. As they say on their site, “Anything not prohibited is allowed.”
The races will be run over a series of weekends, winners of the qualifying races will race in a finale. Winners will not only be judged by lap times or outright wins on the track, there will be points awarded by vote for most original machine, or most beautiful or spectacular, subjective judgements, to be sure, but aimed at recognizing the skill of the builder as well as the rider. This looks like it’s more of a fun amateur series than anything aimed at factory efforts but it might be interesting to see what shows up.
The name Joe Bar One comes from a French motorcycle related comic called Joe Bar Team, which kind of sets the tone for this interesting race series. While I’m not crazy about the points awarded by vote as opposed to outright wins, I understand the reasoning behind it. Looks like it could be fun and any series with the “Anything not prohibited is allowed” mindset is OK by me.
Thanks to Loic from crazymoto.net for the tip!
Link: Joe Bar One
Nathan says
Good ol’ Joe Bar…
Gordo says
This should be a pretty neat series unless the factories get involved with an endless supply of money. It could be like MotoGP for the “more” common man. This could be the resurgance of smaller competition frame builders and original frame concepts.
Dorzok says
I don’t know what liability lawsuits are like in France, but this sounds like an ambulance chaser’s dream in America. Good luck to them.
Nicolas says
Dorzok,
The rules of these series (in french only on this website, sorry) mention that the participants will be selected/approved based on their experience/records as racer (track racer, not open road free rider) , and any non experienced racer will have to pass a test under the supervision of a professional racing instructor. That’s good sense, and will limit the ambulance activity as much as possible.
Good idea, let’s see how this thing works.
todd says
I imagine the voting process would help ensure that no one is putting in too much money. I don’t think a factory Yamaha effort would be very popular with the regulars.
-todd
Azzy says
“I don’t know what liability lawsuits are like in France, but this sounds like an ambulance chaser’s dream in America. Good luck to them.”
Hold it in a weapons friendly state here… with a sign or tagline “Lawyers exercising their profession will be shot on sight”
Sure, some legal and moral holes to jump through……
This looks like motorcycle racing I would watch. The rest of it… mhh, I’ll stick to actually riding a bike. Never did much like watching any sport on TV, but always liked to go out and participate in said sport, even in a friendly backyard manner.
BUSH says
EXTREME DEMOCRACY KILLS NOT MOTORCYCLE RACES
B*A*M*F says
This is wonderful. I’m thinking of moving to France.
JR says
So how do WE watch?
Superdude4agze says
It’s a nice idea, but I don’t think it’ll last. People (including myself) crave numbers, benchmarks, etc. It’s the reason I can’t get into drifting cars (from a fan standpoint). A subjective sport is not a sport. It’s how Olympic figure skating judges get bribed.
Sure the fastest guy on the track was in first for the entire race, has a great rider, and a team that obviously knows what they are doing but that guy in last place used a different idea. No his idea didn’t work, but he tried a new idea, so we will give the win to him.
Make it like normal racing, but without the rules/restrictions. Factory backed teams are banned, have people document their funding source and you’ll be good to go. That is a racing series I’d get behind.
Nicolas says
It won’t probably last, not because the judge system, but because some well-thinking elites will try and suceed to forbid it in the name of the some kind of morale and public protection or any other BS … or because they don’t generate enough cash this season and the sponsors quit.
Next stage : doing this racing series on open road, the winner is the one that doesn’t end up behind the bars ! (don’t start yelling at me because of the riders safety and how you put your head in the curve behind your iridium visor, I’m just kidding)
MadScience says
I would be very interested in watching this. Or rather examining the bikes. Hub-centric steering, front swing arms, electric bikes, feet-forward designs, all kinds of ideas could lend real competitive advantage if they could be refined on a couple generations of race bikes. Is there any way for us to watch this?
Ian says
“Winners will not only be judged by lap times or outright wins on the track, there will be points awarded by vote for most original machine, or most beautiful or spectacular”
Not really racing then is it? Surely to make good racing there needs to be an incentive to get to the end first, not just a moving parade of interesting bikes?
pete says
Does this mean I have to start liking the French? Check out the link but did not get anywhere. Source for further info?
hacksaw says
i lke this idea. bring it to the states and i would actually follow racing again.
the do look like they ripped off the GI JOE logo though.
JOE BAR ONE says
Here is the official ad for Carol
Looking forward hearing from you soon !!
Nathalie
Joe Bar One