The Place

Regarding the proposed changes to the sidecar TT technical regulations, please see my views below in response.

Whilst I believe that the class will benefit from some changes for fairness and the longevity of the sport, these are my areas of concerns regarding the proposals and also I have added some other proposal suggestions for consideration.
 
The introduction of a maximum 900cc 4 stroke, twin cylinder, production based engine is of concern! for the following reasons:

1. The Ducati 899 produces standard 148BHP and 73ftlb of torque, so with some tuning and different electronics this could reach 160 BHP and 80 ftlb of torque. This is in comparison to say a 600cc tuned Honda, where it could only realistically attain about 130 BHP and 50ftlb of torque.
This will undoubtedly give a distinct advantage to the twin engine, due to the gain in torque.
The class was limited to 600cc from 1000cc to try and slow down the class on grounds of safety, so will introducing the twin go against this ethos?!


2. The twin engine is untried round the TT and reliability could be an issue.
This factor could be an additional a safety issue, if there was specifically a spate of twin engine failures, which might result in oil on the course. If the plan is to use these engines they need to be used on numerous short circuits to prove their reliability first and not test them at the TT.
The introduction should be over a longer time scale, to allow the testing and feasibility of these engines, and also to give time for other competitors to develop the engine in a sidecar and establish/ build in the necessary reliability.
I don’t think it is right and fair that a competitor who has already built / in the process of building their sidecar with this engine configuration should be allowed to get the rules changed at such a short notice, without at least giving other teams the chance to try and test this configuration as well!

3. If the technical committee want to allow other sized engines into the sidecar class, then out of fairness and impartiality, should they not also consider other engines?

4. Due to COVID and the cancellation of the TT 2020, most teams who were planning to compete this year will have already have prepared / invested in their equipment for 2020 and 2021, so to change the rules, which may result in such a massive financial impact for some teams who feel that they need to change again in order to remain competitive, is not correct.


I also propose a minimum overall weight regulation:

The current weight regulation goes back to the introduction of the F2 class (twin cylinder 350cc two stroke) and are so out of date!
If the regulations are being updated, then so too should the weight and consideration of the sidecars now being used.
For the class to be fair and to produce close racing, there needs to be a realistic overall minimum weight, that all teams can realistically achieve.
I propose this to be the average weight of a current 600cc F2 sidecar, plus the weight of an average driver and passenger. The average weight of a UK male is 83kg so if you reduce this by 5KG due to us being sports people, then the weight of two competitors should be around 156KG.
From my experience, a current lightweight 600cc sidecar weighs about 205 kgs, so to be fair, the combined, overall minimum weight should be in the region of 360 kgs.

In the World and British F600cc championship there is a minimum weight limit, as it is recognised that a lighweight team has a distinct advantage over the rest of the field.
Because the TT is regarded as the pinnacle event in sidecar racing, then why can't the TT regs also introduce a realistic and sensible combined, overall minimum weight, for fairness and also to produce closer, more exciting racing. I believe the public would want closer, exciting racing and this would a positive step in achieving this!

In most other forms of top level motor sport there is a safe and meaningful minimum weight limit, which also doesn't put the health and wellbeing of the competitors at risk, in their attempts to lose weight. You only need to look at the current F1, BTCC and Supercart regulations!

Please can this weight proposal also be presented to the sidecar teams for their comments / consultation and a vote?

I respectfully request that you please consider my views and give me some feedback regarding my points and proposal.

Kind regards,
John Holden

Engine Sizes & Configuration.
I’m surprised this hasn’t followed the super-sport regs of 600cc 4 cylinder, 675cc 3 cylinder and 750cc twin. Why would want an alternative? There is now a growing choice of twins and triples selling in reasonable numbers. The class needs easily available engines so the rules should reflect what’s in the breakers not the elite and exotic. As John shows, a 900cc twin is hardly fair competition for a the current 600cc fours.

Minimum Combined Weight
A nominal weight for driver and passenger should based on a ‘healthy’ weight from the BMI chart not a national average. For someone of my towering stature this is 54Kg. This brings the combines weight to 313Kg. I agree that there should be a minimum machine weight if not combined weight but it needs lots of thought. A minimum combined weight with kit and a gallon of fuel of 350Kg suits me but will disadvantage someone lighter. The adding of weight in Moto3 and Junior super-sport had caused high-sides. We also have to accept that some people are physically suited to their chosen sport like small MotoGP riders or tall basketball players.

What does everyone else think?

As a spectator at the TT I (and others) would welcome a bit of engine diversity, so 4s,3s and twins would be great, even a few 350 smokers would be great, can`t comment re minimum weight as don`t know enough, but different engines definately almost getting back to the original concept of F2

Agreed, the TT isn't the place to be testing a chassis/engine.

Some advanced notice of the change would allow other teams to start their development, so at least there is a level playing field.

I'm not against change, but like the 675, it isn't an F2, or an F1, thus only eligible for 'open class' races. Decisions made with no consideration of other implications.

With the limited 600 choice, I cant see why you choose another engine that is so restrictive.

I've heard wintec are working on a twin outfit, but more as a budget/introduction class, without the expense, more support for this would be far more beneficial long term, and possibly offer some excellent racing, in the same manner as the BEARS do.

Looks like the TT organisers might have given the FIM an idea?

https://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news ... d-for-2021

Thanks for that Nick. Very interesting! So, wonder who had the idea first (not that it matters)
It could well be from the FIM down.
The 600s are definitely going out, hardly see them on the road. In fact sports bikes are rarer than ever on the road. Every time I pull up at lights on the blackbird it's next to some thing that looks like it should be going to Dakar - although I'm not sure Eltham is exactly on route

Won’t be a 2021 TT

mark_d wrote: Sun Oct 11, 2020 5:40 pm Won’t be a 2021 TT

Won't be new engines or (there) won't be a 2021 TT?

Yes I have`nt seen anything from the IOM saying TT is cancelled

I've heard from 3 different people on the island now that 2021 won't happen. One is very in the know so I would be more surprised if it did happen.

Probably given the current situation the TT might not happen, but if things change who knows, I read somewhere that with the loss of TT< Classic, S100 etc its cost the IOM around £70million, so the question is how long can the IOM suffer that loss of income,also there have been no cases of the disease for quite some time on the Island I have a friend in the village who has got to ask the IOM Government to visit his 93 year old mother, and if allowed he has to quarantine in her house for 7 days,unfortunately if a vaccine/cure is`nt found and if the world wants to continue we will have to live with this, we live with flu which claims is it 17,000 lives a year,breast cancer 30 deaths a day, prostate cancer 25 deaths a day, Covid in England at the minute 1 or 2 a day, we need to get out of this doom and gloom outlook so prevalent in this country, (Just my opinion)

https://www.ukclubsport.com/british-sup ... s-in-2021/

BSB are going down the same route but NEXT year not in 2022.