If WSB and AMA Superbike allow 1000 cc fours to compete with twins, they may attempt to create parity by restricting the performance of the four cylinder machines. Not necessarily with added weight, but with methods designed to decrease horsepower output. “Governors” or “flow restrictors” might be used. This strikes me as asinine.
What incentive would there be to maximize the performance of four cylinder engines? As soon as the fours began to beat the twins, output of the fours would be further restricted (apparently). A constant change in the restriction requirements would frustrate factories participating in the series. Moreover, restrictions inherently deprive the fans from experiencing the machines “at full song”.
If you are going to allow different engine configurations, you need to achieve parity (or, perhaps, forget about achieving parity) some other way. A series that involves machines artificially limited to a specified horsepower level just doesn’t seem interesting, or creative, enough to warrant the Superbike name. Why don’t we just turn Superbike racing into something like IROC — a series involving identically prepared, identical machines — same engine, same chassis, same body . . . same everything. Then you will have true parity, and supreme boredom. In fact, we could call it Superboredom, rather than Superbikes.
We need a different approach. Any suggestions? E-mail us.
