Minimum weight

[john holden]

Would anyone agree that there should be a minimum weight of sidecar Inc driver and passenger at the TT ,and indeed at other race meetings?
This is the ruling at the world championship however it has been set too low in my opinion as only one or two teams need to add any weight and the rest have little chance of being minimum weight.
Yes I am biase as I am a fairly tall and maybe would not be thinking this way if I was 20 kg lighter, but should there be a disadvantage that larger drivers/ passengers should have? I am not making excuses for not winning at the TT but analysing what we could do better and is that within our control?
If Ferrari with its 600 bhp was 20kg lighter than another F1 team would that be fair? And would that be allowed!!

[nicky Dukes]

That's a fair point. There's a rule for everything else. What is the weight at worlds for f2?

[oldbelly]

Totaly agree with you John. A pair of nine stoners on a 600 outfit will always have a big advantage.

[Alan Richardson]

could be an opening for a midget passenger here!! please phone John Holden, just before the TT nex year

[PocketRocket99]

Midget passenger check

Lee cant be all that heavy John?

[Dave Mallon]

I am totally with Nicky and Geoff on this.This is something that should be looked at well before next years TT.

[steve-e]

I heard them saying that someone in moto3 at MotoGP has to carry 7 kilo to get to minimum weight. It doesn't seem right that anyone should benefit from being unhealthily underweight forcing overs to do the same. The sticking point would be where to set the limit? A typical mmachine is the LCR now I guess, so that and 2 x 11.5 stone riders? (I'm 12st10 this week from 14st about 8 weeks ago and aiming for a little bit more to get ready to race again so I don't think that's too light, or is it?)

[dick tapken]

dod'nt think me and our tom come in to this topic ,as we are both18 stone lol

[ChrisWells]

I think it is a good idea as it can limit the affect of unlimited funds (to buy light weight bits or replace lighter bits more often) evening out he field a bit. Unfortunately for me I've returned to crewing on a one-design sailboat which has a MAXIMUM crew weight (forcing me to drop 3.5 stone to remain on the crew of 5).

[Eurocup]

Hi
why do you think about TT rules.
They showed with the engine regulation that they dont care about wold championship or national regulations where we try to go tohether to one technical regulation world wide. This is the idea. I dont find TT officials do respect the rest of world wide racing. We tried it allready. The TT wants new records every year, this is what they are looking for.
Bye Eckart far over the wight limmit, but ir is a very good part of the superside idea.
I

[teamradar]

People care about the TT rules because to a lot of us it is THE premier race for sidecars. The minimum weight idea has some merit as long as the minimum for the outfit stays as is to stop dangerously light chassis design/build.

[Kees Endeveld]

Hi
why do you think about TT rules.
They showed with the engine regulation that they dont care about wold championship or national regulations where we try to go tohether to one technical regulation world wide. This is the idea. I dont find TT officials do respect the rest of world wide racing. We tried it allready. The TT wants new records every year, this is what they are looking for.
Bye Eckart far over the wight limmit, but ir is a very good part of the superside idea.
I

Eckart, You know i love you

But you say you think the TT officials don't do respect the rest of the world wide racing. When the TT officials make the rules they speak to a couple of sidecar teams. And discus the new rules.

And now i want to come to the FIM World championship. 90% of all the teams did not want to go to 600cc. The FIM did not listen to any of the teams. Look what it has done the the World championship. Is that respect? I don't want to go 600cc as i can't afford that. It might finish my racing career before it has even started. I hope to find a sponsor to put a 600cc in my bike. But if i can't find one. Then thats it. And i am blaming the FIM for not listening to us racers from all over the world.

You have showed in the sidecar trophy that 600cc and 1000cc perfectly go together. I have been beaten by Knapton on his F2. That means i need to get my finger out of my ass. And i shouldn't moan about 600 and 1000, big or small bikes. Let us use our bikes and do the sport we love.....

Kees Endeveld.

[dick tapken]

well said kees

[Alun]

On the original subject, be careful what you wish for. There isn’t a maximum height for basketball players or a maximum weight for a sumo wrestler. I’m not aware of a minimum rider weight in MotoGP and size is an advantage among some of the leaders. There is a minimum combined bike and rider weight in moto 3 because my son Joe was close to it, but it was very low and only concerned a 4’6” 13 year old rider on a 69Kg bike made of unobtainium. Oddly I’ve come across F1 outfits where weight has been added. There are advantages to being a big and strong rider or passenger, so it’s not all one way.

If an athlete has a natural advantage that is one thing, but there are lots of financial and technical advantages that our sport doesn’t take control of. We don’t limit the number of engines or tyres that can be used or what teams spend. Some of these are controlled in Moto 2, MotoGP and even in nascar.

On a serious note, if you are concerned about a fellow competitor who may be starving themselves to gain a weight advantage, then send them for a consultation in the bar with me Keith and Andy. We’ll sought them out.

[brino85]

Alun, that is the perfect answer.