EBR's First Race Weekend Results (spoilers inside)

[Schneegz]

OK, ladies & gents.  It's time to assess how EBR did in their first weekend of racing the 1190RR in the American Super Bike Series.

American SuperBike Mid Ohio Race 1 Results from Motorcycle USA:

1. Blake Young (Suzuki)
2. Josh Hayes (Yamaha)
3. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki)
4. Roger Hayden (Suzuki)
5. Martin Cardenas (Suzuki)
6. Larry Pegram (BMW)
7. Chris Fillmore (KTM)
8. Steve Rapp (BMW)
9. David Anthony (Suzuki)
10. JD Beach (Kawasaki)
11. Geoff May (Buell)
12. Jeremy Toye (BMW)
13. Chris Clark (Yamaha)
14. Ben Bostrom (Suzuki)
15. Jordan Burgess (Suzuki)


American SuperBike Mid Ohio Race 2 Results from Motorcycle USA:

1. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki)
2. Blake Young (Suzuki)
3. Roger Hayden (Suzuki)
4. Josh Hayes (Yamaha)
5. Martin Cardenas (Suzuki)
6. Ben Bostrom (Suzuki)
7. Larry Pegram (BMW)
8. JD Beach (Kawasaki)
9. Chris Fillmore (KTM)
10. Geoff May (Buell)
11. Jeremy Toye (BMW)
12. Chris Clark (Yamaha)
13. Jason Farrell (Kawasaki)
14. Jordan Burgess (Suzuki)
15. Eric Pinson (Kawasaki)

I highlighted the KTM team and the EBR team for comparison, since they're both running new bikes powered by 1190cc, Austrian made, narrow-angle-V-Twins for the first time in American Super Bike.  So, what do you think?  How did EBR do?  And how do they compare to the other newcomers?  Discuss.

In the mean time, here are some pics.

From BadWeb:

 




That's an itty-bitty muffler!











And from Asphalt and Rubber:

[falconati]

What a pretty bike, and with the muffler I bet it's loud as sin.

At any rate, I think those are pretty respectable postings for the new bike.  They'll want to do better to make a big splash, but I'm sure they're still fiddling with suspension and electronics like any other new team, so I wish them the best of luck.

[Rogue]

Agree.  The bike looks good.

We'll see how they do into the season after they improve.

[Tpoppa]

Understanding that at that level of racing, it takes time to refine the setup and find more speed vs real competition, I'd say the results were 'ok.'

I would imagine that after a few more race weekends both bikes will be more dialed in, and propably more competitive.

I suspect that the EBR team was a bit dissappointed with the results (unofficially of course), their best lap times were about the same as the 1125RR at Mid Ohio last year.  Of course the 1125RR had run a lot more races.

[McHack]

Understanding that at that level of racing, it takes time to refine the setup and find more speed vs real competition, I'd say the results were 'ok.'

I would imagine that after a few more race weekends both bikes will be more dialed in, and propably more competitive.

I suspect that the EBR team was a bit dissappointed with the results (unofficially of course), their best lap times were about the same as the 1125RR at Mid Ohio last year.  Of course the 1125RR had run a lot more races.

With Danny Eslick riding it,  w/ substantial sponsor support.

[Tpoppa]

I was actually referring to the 1125RR that Geoff May rode in SBK last year.

Eslick rode his Buell 2 years ago in DSB trim.

[mugwump58]

What a pretty bike, and with the muffler I bet it's loud as sin.

At any rate, I think those are pretty respectable postings for the new bike.  They'll want to do better to make a big splash, but I'm sure they're still fiddling with suspension and electronics like any other new team, so I wish them the best of luck.

The KTM is louder, a better louder

[Schneegz]

Looks like I wasn't the only one thinking about this.

From Asphalt and Rubber:

Who Had the Better AMA Superbike Racing Debut: The KTM 1190 RC8 R or the Erik Buell Racing 1190RS?

Posted Monday, July 11th, 2011 @ 2:57 pm, by Jensen Beeler


Also making its first racing debut was the Erik Buell Racing 1190RS Superbike, the race version of Erik Buell’s latest street machine (or is it the 1190RS the street bike version of Buell’s latest race bike?). However which way you read that development process, this weekend was the first time Geoff May got to flog the EBR 1190RS in anger on a track with other racers present.

The much anticipated bigger horsepower Superbike was supposed to put Erik Buell Racing on an even playing field with the other manufacturers, as the team had previously been cobbled with its 1125cc homologated Buell 1125R, and accordingly the EBR team tent saw it’s fair share of visitors..

Click on the link for the full article.

[tankhead]

I am not understanding the "extra 25 lbs strapped to the bike" comment.  Somebody?  Keep reading this everywhere but not quite getting it.  I don't think it is in reference to the extra cc's.  

[garry]

I am not understanding the "extra 25 lbs strapped to the bike" comment.  Somebody?  Keep reading this everywhere but not quite getting it.  I don't think it is in reference to the extra cc's.  

I believe the bike is lighter than the minimum weight for a 1200cc twin.

RE: KTM
I hope the KTM does well. The RC8 seems like a good bike that is lacking mind share in the sport bike world. Getting some decent race results should give the bike some visibility and credibility. I am looking forward to riding a bunch of RC8s for a day at Mid-Ohio in a couple weeks (KTM track day). The RC8 is supposed to fit taller guys well and has some ergo adjustments (pegs, bars, ride height) to tweak it further. I know our local KTM shop has an RC8 (the regular, discontinued one) on sale for $12K. While that is a lot of coin, it's getting within reach. Could be an expensive crack, er, track day.

[Schneegz]

I am not understanding the "extra 25 lbs strapped to the bike" comment.  Somebody?  Keep reading this everywhere but not quite getting it.  I don't think it is in reference to the extra cc's.  

The EBR 1190RS is lighter than the standard minimum weight for 1200cc twins in the AMA Super Bike series, therefore, the team has to add ballast to the bike to meet the requirement.  In a way it's a good problem to have, because the crew can place the ballast wherever they think it'll help the bike's handling.

[tankhead]

Is it a block of metal?  Various metal objects around the bike? Or do they actually have to be "functioning" parts?

[McHack]

I was actually referring to the 1125RR that Geoff May rode in SBK last year.

Eslick rode his Buell 2 years ago in DSB trim.

Oh yea, I forgot that I skipped Mid-Ohio last year...

[Schneegz]

Is it a block of metal?  Various metal objects around the bike? Or do they actually have to be "functioning" parts?

I don't know if the rules require one block of metal that weighs 25lb, or if the teams are allowed to use multiple blocks of metal, but I do know there's no requirement that the ballast be made of '"functioning" parts'.  

I think I'd like to place the ballast as far forward as possible to reduce wheelies.  With all that power and torque in such a short wheel base, keeping the front wheel on the ground and controlling the bike would be a major challenge.

[miles]

 I know our local KTM shop has an RC8 (the regular, discontinued one) on sale for $12K. While that is a lot of coin, it's getting within reach. Could be an expensive crack, er, track day.

At $12k they'd sell a ton of them.  At $18k, it's a lot harder to justify.

My main objection to the RC8 is aesthetic.  Why have three different orange colors on the bodywork?  It looks like crap- as if they had the fairing vendor, the tank vendor and the tail section supplier each paint their respective parts with whatever orange they had around the shop.

[tankhead]

Apparently it was a block of metal.  They were working so hard on getting the bike race ready that they seriously underestimated the weight distribution and handling. (taken from bad web and a pic from EBR facebook.

[bomber]

I think it's a pretty damn good first outing for EBR . . . . .

I believe you can split the weight up in more than one chunk, but most go with one lump of metal (most of the few that need to, that is)

[Schneegz]

Geoff May talked to Cycle News about the 1190RS's debut.