AMA Amateur Displacement Equality - Two or Four Now Even-Steven

[JohnN]

From MXA News.....

Here are the class structures for the AMA Amateur races in 2010. While the factory team managers continue to want two-strokes to be at a disadvantage at the AMA Pro Nationals and Supercrosses, in every other form of American motocross two-strokes and four-stroke will compete on an equal displacement level.

Thus the 250 class is open to 122cc to 250cc two- or four-strokes

The Open class is 122cc to whatever cc of two- or four-stroke bikes (which means that 250cc, 300cc and 500cc two-strokes are legal-if they meet the other requirements).

The only class that is limited is the 125 class (which is for two-strokes only).

The question is, how long can the Pro class continue being different than the amateur classes?

[bigbore]

As long as the AMA wants it to be.Common sense has been shipped out of the country as far as they are concerned.I'm going to race AHRMA.I haven't renewed my AMA in 2 years.I've almost stopped racing altogether.I miss the gate.

[JETZcorp]

Actually, before I learned of all this AMA nonsense, I was fairly hard against AHRMA because of the crap they've pulled, too.  Turns out, AHRMA has been trying to convince people that post-1974 bikes don't belong at vintage events.  Since most of the guys who race vintage also like to bring Evo bikes, this has taken their attendance down, as other series' rise.  Here in the Pacific Northwest, the Hammer & Tongs series has almost entirely displaced AHRMA as the dominant vintage force, managing to hold races at tracks where the owners have gotten sick of AHRMA bureaucracy.  Washougal and Eugene - both excellent tracks - spring to mind.  Woodland MX Park, birth-place of H&T, has been a thorn in AHRMA's side for years, because it has been immensely successful at promoting both vintage and evolution races, refuting all the arguments Dick Mann and his crew have made against doing so.

Here's the story as told by Siege:
http://www.siegecraftnw.com/whitepass.htm

[JohnN]

What I mean is that after a while even they will not be able to keep the sham up.

My guess is that Honda (or possibly all of the Big 4) will lose so much money in motocross that they just roll-up and go home. Then the chance for a displacement rule change following the Amateur classes will gain some "traction."

As for vintage racing, I tried it and I prefer the newer machines. Of course that is just my opinion.

Don't they have gates at the AHRMA events?

As for the AHRMA stuff that JETZcorp speaks about, it's prevalent on the east coast as well. There was some serious political battles and the AHRMA guys lost big time. At one event they promised the promoter 300+ riders and only 40 some odd showed up.

The guys that used to ride those pre-1974 bikes are for the most part getting older and the bikes and parts had gone out of this world (well before the economy went into free fall) It just makes sense to provide classes for the bikes that folks can buy.

Besides depending on how old you are you idea of "vintage" can be wildly different. For some that would be a 1960's Triumph and for others it would be a 1984 KX 80.

Of course I think the bike below would qualify as vintage by any standards!



1935 Scott 498cc two-stroke

[JETZcorp]

I just realized something.  A 1970 Maico 501 or Husky 400 is space-age technology, technically.  A brand new YZ would be... uh... texting-age technology.  "Houston, we have a wheelie."

[/silliness]

[AFG]

Man finally some good news. I may come out of retirement if I can ride my 500 in the Open A class at an AMA Pro-Am.

[westyzkx]

I agree with you John, if all Amateur racing adopts these rules it's the next logical step for it to move to the pro's. This is because there will be proof that it works and is a viable way to move the sport forward.

In fact I'd say this 2010 rule is a massive step forward and also a vindication of the efforts, beliefs and stories you have been highlighting on the website for the past few years. It shows we were right - Great news!!!