Big news! AHRMA has a new class for the 2019 season, next generation lightweight. In this class the Pantah 650 and Allazzurra 650 will be allowed plus the TT2. The TT2 will be limited to 597 cc’s. This class is meant for bikes from the 80’s. FZR 400’s, RZ’s, TZ’s, and HawkGT’s will be some of the other bikes in the class. Rules are still being hammered out at this point but should be released soon.

Dave

Good News! But, the devil (wheels, forks, carbs, fairings, etc.) will be in the details, I guess. In with the TZs? Yikes.

Good to see you post again Dave. I know you are still racing something, because your named was mentioned in a RRW article recently. How is it going?

MikeV

The TT's beat the TZ's before a few decades ago, why not again ?

ciao
Ducadini

Thats an interesting topic, when you think of the past vs now. In the old days some bikes had various Achilles heels/reliability issues, much of the performance tuning was seat of the pants/expertise of the tuner. With modern oils, modern materials, improvements in electrical/electronics and dynos and computers to tune with. If you were to apply these to the old bikes, would history repeat itself or would the outcome be different. That's ignoring the rider, the weather and a little luck......

Mike,

Yes I’m still racing my Pantah with AHRMA and doing pretty well. I had no idea I was in RRW, if you happen to find what issue the article is in let me know, I’d love to see it. I’d love to build a TT2, so I’m seriously considering this new class. I’m wondering about how the TT2 will stack up. The HawkGT will be allowed a 3mm overbore bringing it close to 700cc’s. And the Pantah and Ally’s will be allowed 650 cc’s, so I’m a little curious how they came to 600 cc’s for the TT2. Maybe they are counting on the TT2’s being lighter than most other bikes. All of the details about wheels, carbs, and brakes are being worked on as we speak.

Dave

I honestly don’t think a 600tt is a match for a 700cc hawk.
The devil is in the details as you say.
A tz 88/89 reversed cylinder can be awfully fast and light!
Does any know the cut off dates?
Paul

The TZ’s I’ve heard are pre aluminum frame, so whatever years that might be. I’ve been in contact with the people making the rules for this class and if I can give evidence of the hawk having too big of an advantage or the TT2 needing a bump in displacement, I might be able to have some rules changed. What type of power can you get out of good 600
TT2 and hawk? Rules are not set in stone at this point.

Dave

As some of you know I've been working on this for a long time with AHRMA. Certainly has been frustrating. There are real reasons few TT or F1s run in AHRMA in the US. There are no period specific classes for them. They are lumped together with modern bikes in BOTT. Following are light weight superbike rules that I proposed to AHRMA for the last three seasons.
Dave and anyone else who is an AHRMA member please message me on this forum.
-Very Cranky Cranky-
My proposed rules


– Machines must be pre 1990 (appearance and modifications) and may have period correct (Pre 1990 model year or identical) replacement racing chassis.


Engines-Naturally aspirated from production bikes sold for street use.

Case, cylinders and heads must be original and period correct. Unlimited modifications within the capacity limits.

Period correct frame and swing arm modifications are allowed. Aftermarket period correct frames and swing arms (or replicas) are allowed

Any conventional forks allowed. No upside down forks (waived for the first year)

Any wheels are allowed (must follow general AHRMA safety equipment rules).

There are no specific tires required .

The exhaust must appear period correct. No under seat exhaust (waived for the first Year)

Brakes must be period correct appearance and type.


Bodywork must be a style used before 1990 (waived for first year)

Single cylinder, unlimited displacement
2 cylinder, 2 stroke, water cooled up to 375cc
2 cylinder, 4 stroke, water cooled up to 670cc
All Kawasaki EX-500/Ninja 500 allowed regardless of age
2 cylinder, 4 stroke, air cooled up to 750cc
2 cylinder, 4 stroke, pushrod to 1000cc (HD Sportster to 1200cc)
4 cylinder, 4 stroke, 2 valve 650 cc
4 cylinder, 4 stroke, 4 valve air cooled 550 cc
4 cylinder, 4 stroke, 4 valve water cooled 413cc (Honda VF-500 Interceptor with stock capacity)
Note: 5% overbore allowed on max size stated.

MOTARD STYLE MACHINES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS CLASS.
All machines are required to meet AHRMA Tech and Safety standards.

Sent you a pm Cranky

Here is the official rules for the new class. For as excited as I was before the rules came out, I’m equally as disappointed now that I have seen them. I think that the Ducati’s will be at a major disadvantage versus the rest of the field. I tried in vain to convince some of the people in charge of the rules that a TT2 with a 600 engine does NOT produce 76hp, but plenty of articles online still quote that bogus number that was released in the early 80’s. Supposedly this class is shooting for 70-75 Hp....which is what a good running and well built 750 will put out, not a 600 or 650. Maybe a rules change can be made for next year, but it always seems like it is harder to increase displacement in a class versus reducing.

https://www.ahrma.org/rules/next-gen-li ... s-writeup/

Dave