Italcarguy: Ducatis will most probably have a factory entry in the American Superbike series next year, instead of the various independant teams. From what I know, they stand a very good chance of winning the championship: 1. suzuki will lost about 27 HP, because their advantage, the special fuel injection has been outlawed for the 4 cylinders, while the twins are still allowed to use same, and 2. They are bringing over the full on World Superbike vehicles, not the B bikes they'd been running (customer World Superbike rent-a-racers, which are substantially down on HP), and they've signed or will sign a great rider for the US series. More after 1/1/04. Art
Ducati all the way. Although the 999 is not as race oriented as the 916/996/998. I took my 998 out today for a little spin and I really forgot how fast that thing is. Twisting back the throttle in 2nd and the front wheel is just coming up with no effort. And at the track? It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
My Busa was "fun" but a bit sedate. Then I had a Hahn RaceCraft Turbo Charger installed. 230 RWHP on pump gas now. I'm in my late thirties now, fixing and maintaining Italian bikes is longer fun, never really was. I want light weight, dead nut's reliability, great brakes, awesome handling (Penske Shock), HUGE HP. For me that says Japanese sport bikes, the 04 R1 has 180 hp stock ,will see if that's true. In fact I'm taking my 954RR out in a few minutes and bringing home some canyon cheese.
I'm suppose to get an ex-works GSXR1000 for my play bike this year. Not streetable, just something to run around on track days, when my friends show up with their street bikes. Art
Art355, if you face the facts, very few of the production road Ferraris of the last 30 years or more have performed very well compared to the competition. In the 1980s when Ferrari had the Boxer and later the TR, Porsche had the 930 and other low production models that were faster. The 959 outperformed the F40 and now the new Porsche mid-engined V10 looks like it will smoke the Enzo. Of course the McLaren F1 and other supercars of the last few decades also performed better than the production Ferrari road car of the same era. While Ferraris are unique, look and sound great, they are seldom the #1 performing car at any given time. Same for Harley. So it seems to me Harley and Ferrari are more alike than some would like to admit.... unique but not the top performer.
Frank: I agree that the Ferraris wouldn't perform with the highest level of sports cars, but they did perform better than 90% of them. The problem with the Harleys is that the average Harley (I mean no disrepect for them, they have been clients in the past) performs at a very low level compared to the top performers around. An example would be the average Harley has a quarter time of low 14 seconds, while a Suzuki would run in the low 10s, high 9s. The comparison for sport cars would be Porsche 996TT would be in the low 12s, with the Modena in the high 12s. close but not top performing. That difference would be about the same as the Ducati vs. Suzuki, not Harley v. Suzuki. Cheers, Art
Ferrari is (was) the Ferrari of bikes: http://cmac.smugmug.com/gallery/44/1/894/Large http://cmac.smugmug.com/gallery/44/1/893/Large --Woody
