Had I wanted to win, I would have had to cheat like everybody else.
We are going to have to agree to disagree on this, realizing you are describing a hypothetical situation.
I used to race. I always wanted to win. I never cared if others were cheating (and I knew some were), my challenge was to beat them regardless, and I did. If I couldn't because their cheating advantage was too great to overcome, then I took comfort in the fact that I didn't compromise my ethics because the end justified the means. Yes, it was club racing, but I would have acted the same way if I was a pro. And my sponsors would have known that up front.
One of my best wins was a 600cc race against a guy who admitted he had a 2mm overbore (after the race). Everytime we'd exit T3 at Summit Point he'd wheelie while I was struggling to stay on his back tire. I was only able to take the win with a safe (but desperate) banzai "let off the brakes, then brake again" maneuver into T1 on the last lap, then keeping the guy behind me until I used a lapper as a rolling road block.
I'd much rather remember something like that then cheating with the rest of some members of the pack. Sure, it might be tempting...but I would never do it. Ever.
In some ways, I think cheating is part of the sport, all be it, in very small proportions. Personally, I'm not a cheater, but a lot of people pressured me to do the 848 kit in my 749R and ride it in a class that accepts 750's. Thats total bullshit, but ya know what? Had this been 3 years ago and EVERYBODY was doing that mod, I might not have been a choice. Had I wanted to win, I would have had to cheat like everybody else.
Anyhow, you can follow every rule to a T, but its very hard to. I was going to race superstock, but my bike is far from stock, so I decided not to. Would I have been questioned going on the track? Nope... but to me, thats no fair. I'd be passing everybody like they were standing still (749R against stock 600's) it wouldn't have been fun for me. I like the competition and if there is a class thats setup for my bike (middleweight twins) I'm gonna run it and enjoy myself.
Racing with WERA out here on the east coast is a completely different ball game. Competitors will protest you or pull you aside and warn you if they know or even suspect your bike is not legal (especially when you are winning)...it happens all the time on the club-racer level, especially when people are racing for manufacturer contingency money. I can see it happening a lot this season for the peeps racing the Kawis since their contingency appears to the best so far; therefore, a lot of riders are hinting at moving to the Kawis this season to chase the money.
Lighter non-OEM wheels, forks from a diff. model, double-bouble windscreens, offset tripples, non-OEM brake masters, slippers, head work, etc. The grid marshals even watch for when people show up on the superstock grid with slicks, not DOTs.
As an engineer and motorhead I get why people like to get their bikes as light as possible, even on a street bike...I find some of the wet numbers amazing. Personally as a racer it's easier, more gratifying and less expensive for me to loose body weight instead of running the numbers on each component of my bike Maybe I'm old-school, but fresh rubber and seat time works best for me.
Oh, 998R...I drool over your bike everytime I see it at the shop, that is one beautiful highly detailed ride . If I had the money I'd make you some crazy offer for it The last time I was at the shop it was cool to see a 748RS, 996R, 998R and a 1098R all under the same roof.
Well, the rider is pretty much the biggest thing when it comes to racing. I've been working out my lower and upper body for quite sometime and weigh 150 wet. I'm already on the edge of being too skinny. This is why I'm personally working on lowering the bike's weight...
We are going to have to agree to disagree on this, realizing you are describing a hypothetical situation.
I used to race. I always wanted to win. I never cared if others were cheating (and I knew some were), my challenge was to beat them regardless, and I did. If I couldn't because their cheating advantage was too great to overcome, then I took comfort in the fact that I didn't compromise my ethics because the end justified the means. Yes, it was club racing, but I would have acted the same way if I was a pro. And my sponsors would have known that up front.
One of my best wins was a 600cc race against a guy who admitted he had a 2mm overbore (after the race). Everytime we'd exit T3 at Summit Point he'd wheelie while I was struggling to stay on his back tire. I was only able to take the win with a safe (but desperate) banzai "let off the brakes, then brake again" maneuver into T1 on the last lap, then keeping the guy behind me until I used a lapper as a rolling road block.
I'd much rather remember something like that then cheating with the rest of some members of the pack. Sure, it might be tempting...but I would never do it. Ever.
+1 and totally totally agree
As far as 998R's points, they are again spot on. Unfortunately for me though, I'm 84kg dry (no gear on and around 92kg all geared up, which is around +15-20kg on the average of the rest of the pack Now I'm trying to bring this down 8-9kg
Well, the rider is pretty much the biggest thing when it comes to racing. I've been working out my lower and upper body for quite sometime and weigh 150 wet. I'm already on the edge of being too skinny. This is why I'm personally working on lowering the bike's weight...
150 lbs!!! Tye, I hate you, and I mean that in the nicest way Damn that's an advantage when most peeps on the grid weigh 180 to 220. I'm usually the lightest guy on the twin grid at 165, and that's my racing weight 150..$hit, you and your light-a$$ bike can go somewhere
150 lbs!!! Tye, I hate you, and I mean that in the nicest way Damn that's an advantage when most peeps on the grid weigh 180 to 220. I'm usually the lightest guy on the twin grid at 165, and that's my racing weight 150..$hit, you and your light-a$$ bike can go somewhere
150..165.. Featherweight bastards Last year I was 200 in my birthday suit! Trying to get to 180ish with all my gear on, right now I'm at 178 with all my clothes on at the shipping scale out back.. I figure 10 more lbs. or so should do it.
Maybe I'm old-school, but fresh rubber and seat time works best for me.
. If I had the money I'd make you some crazy offer for it
The last time I was at the shop it was cool to see a 748RS, 996R, 998R and a 1098R all under the same roof.
Now I'm trying to bring this down 8-9kg 
Last year I was 200 in my birthday suit! Trying to get to 180ish with all my gear on, right now I'm at 178 with all my clothes on at the shipping scale out back.. I figure 10 more lbs. or so should do it.
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