Would Hammer be just as fast if he were a lard ass

[AdamandNoahsdad]

I'm starting a new thread on this because the other one is supposed to be about the moral dilemma of cheating.

Hammer has offered to have weight added to him to see how it affects his lap times.
How big of a difference do you think it will make?

[JimWilson29]

You should make this a poll so we can vote. :D

[rybo]

I did a test a couple years back with about 25 lbs on a 600CC bike.


Had some friends just meet me at hot pit with the bike - it would either have a mostly full or mostly empty tank. The difference in weight was about 25lbs.

I would do 5 laps at each condition and my lap times were averaged for the 5 laps -

it made no difference at all. My average lap time was about the same with the bike in either condition.

Now:

That was a 600 cc bike making about 115 HP

The N250 on a good day makes about 30 HP - so the weight SHOULD matter more.

That being said, I'm not sure that I think it will. Rider talent is still the biggest part of the equation in any class, and Hammer has some talent.

S

[AdamandNoahsdad]

How do I make this a poll?

[loujr]

What if there was an open "heavyweight" class for peeps in the 180+ range so that its not an issue...not that we have much room in the schedule for another race but just a thought.

[DOUBLE A]

Ankle moniters are just transponders for 'LIFE' ask hollywood!

[rforsythe]

Actually I think Hammer proved that more weight made him faster this last weekend. He wasn't doing too well with an empty fuel tank, but add a few gallons of liquid weight and he picked up a lot of speed!

[JimWilson29]

How do I make this a poll?

Select the Edit button on your first post and then go to bottom where it you can add a poll question and answers.

[Bartman]

Ok so lets take this a step ferther Rybo, it is pretty common for the fastest laps in GP or SBK to be the last 1/4 of the race and it can't be because the tires are better it is because there is less weight in the tank.
Someone on our level will still brake and turn and accel at the same points more or less regardless of 25lbs more or less but clearly the top level riders will change as the weight does.
Now I am not saying it will make anybig difference as to who finishes where at a club level but if parity is what you want all has to be equal, you all know my feelings on this I do not like parity. If I have the means to build a bike I want to be able to do so to the limit of the rules and play in the grey area if there is one and there always is and that is why we reveiw the rules every year to adjust for technology as it changes.

[rybo]

Ok so lets take this a step ferther Rybo, it is pretty common for the fastest laps in GP or SBK to be the last 1/4 of the race and it can't be because the tires are better it is because there is less weight in the tank.


Bart,

I learned not too long ago that multi compound tires were being used in a very different way at world level racing. The compounds were different left to right on the tire, but also changed as the tire wore, so the last part of the tire was actually the stickiest. I thought to myself "why didn't I think of that". So the riders are getting the best part of the tire when the fuel load is the lightest....cool.

Yup - for those guys it matters. For us guys it probably doesn't.

s

[Corsa]

So let's see do you take the heaviest bike rider weight everyone else and lead them to that? If you don't then what ,go in the
Middle and the heaviest cuts off body parts or adds ti until he makes weight? Just asking.....
Geoff

[rforsythe]

I think it matters in GP racing because you have the top 0.01% of riders in the world -- their skill is so closely matched that little things make big impacts. At the club level, the skill levels are so widely varied that I doubt weight parity is going to do anything except make Bart carry a bike scale around, force riders to add crap to their bikes (when the whole point of the class is NOT to do that), and take a bunch of time out of everyone's day.

Might it matter to an outcome of a race? It's possible. Will a heavy but fast rider still kick the grid's ass compared to a skinny slow dude regardless of parity? You betcha. About all you're going to do is slow down the skinny fast riders somewhat, but I think in the end they're still going to be fast, and the slow people will be slow.

It might be a fun academic experiment, but I doubt it's worth expending real money and significant time on. Want to make your bike lighter? Jenny Craig.

[James W]

So how much does hammer weigh? 140 -150. im sure he is on the edge of corner speed and with only 30 hp fill the tank up slap an extra 50 lb to him it will make a differance with his own lap times. And the extra 50 lbs would not really qualify him ass a lard ass anyway. :) and he is fast regardless.

[AdamandNoahsdad]

Does anyone have one of those sumo wrestler suits from an avalanche game?

[HAMMER]

Bring the weight and ill give it a shot .....

[dave.gallant]

Bring the weight and ill give it a shot .....

Do it.

If Hammer doesn't sand bag it, I will bet a $10 spot that he measurably slower with anything over 20 pounds (albeit, not much).

If Schrammy is having a good day, I bet 20lbs on a RS125 or Ninjette is a full second on his time at a track like Pueblo.

(Yes kids. Some of us have done this experiment in the past. Weight matters. Almost as much as placement of that weight.)

[Clarkie]

Almost as much as placement of that weight.
This is more critical than people think, I knew when the tank was full of fuel on my GSXR1000 as the bike wouldnt tip in or transition any where near as easy. Weight in a back pack, that was secured so the weight would more around, would be even worse. Centre of gravity is key to a well handling bike, although saying that I think Hammer would be within a couple of seconds of his lap times without the weight all things being equal, track, traffic etc.

[cromer611]

What if there was an open "heavyweight" class for peeps in the 180+ range so that its not an issue...not that we have much room in the schedule for another race but just a thought.

so your saying i could race and still eat grandma cookies?!

[loujr]

What if there was an open "heavyweight" class for peeps in the 180+ range so that its not an issue...not that we have much room in the schedule for another race but just a thought.

so your saying i could race and still eat grandma cookies?!

Hell yeah!!

[jmaher]

Here is a physics type question. I know weight will make a difference with speed, but does more weight (within reason) help in getting the bike turned into corners? I really don't know but I would think that some weight would help until a point of diminishing returns was reached.

Joe

ps I have some 5 lb ankle weights

[HAMMER]

I can't even beleive people would think I would be 10 sec slower ... Your smoking crack ... The slower bigger guys are pulling like 2.14 - 2.17 . So your telling me I run a 2.09 and and I would run a 2.19 ??? Ok who wants to BET ..... Ur Fkn high....lol .. id say 1-1.5 sec maybe ... I bet less

[HAMMER]

I have $$$ ... I'll bet I can stay right on pace ...... No issues ... And I will put 10 bucks per second I'm off the "1.5" I think it might change

[loujr]

I would bet that the most people voted 10 seconds to be funny....just a thought because there is no way it would make you 10 seconds slower....I am roughly 9-10 seconds slower than guys like Dan Turner, and Turpin, I am guessing that being 220 lbs :shock: has nothing to do with it.

[Tucky]

Weight is an issue. Same way that a guy who is 6'6" probably wouldnt make the best F-22 pilot, and a 110 lbs guy with short arms probably wouldn't be the best boxer. Can they both do it if they really work for it and have talent? Sure.

That being said, it's part of the sport; natural build and ability. Run what you brung, and if you're on it mentally, the playing field is level. A good heavy guy can beat a bad skinny guy around the track any day of the week. If you look at the upper echelons of the sport of motorbike racing, you'll probably see a lot of smaller guys. It doesn't matter if they are big or not, they just are the ones that win races and progress (albeit some situation and luck come into play to get to that level).

Like I said, run what you brung. If you wanna win, do it.