Australian Championship shows why the AMA has banned Stark. It ain’t Safety.


Johnny Depp

Well-known member
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Austin TX
With most tracks going full AMA for practice and racing due to insurance the timing couldn't be worse. They won't allow gas and electric at the same time, but there aren't enough e bikes to make a class. Odd bike out. It is commonly blamed on the insurance regulations, without any data to back that up. Pit riding is the problem. Open practice and Open Vet classes was supposed to be where Stark had a home, but that is now being squeezed by the AMA's protectionism.
You certainly have to be aware of your surroundings, not only do you surprise people with no sound, but there's a lot of redneck gas riders hating on e bikes and looking to take them out, and now with the Tesla hate it's getting worse.
Competitive imbalance is the reason the separation started, but it's turned out not to be such a big factor. Still haven't seen any noise making solutions offered as a simple solution. The fire issue isn't ever mentioned anymore. Lot's of interest in tapping into the main battery to run lights and horn.
 

Erwin P

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Netherlands
Those damn backwards ''rednecks''.
I've been hit by the same rider twice in the same CrossCountry race. He explained he did not hear me. Well i was riding slower in FRONT of him the first time and the second time standing still at the entrance of a single track where a crashed bike blocked the way. Both times on a bright red bike with bright red and white clothes.
Seeing him standing in the paddock i took the change to run into his bike standing still and making no noise. He didn't take kindly to the same reasoning though.

Also the no noise shouldn't be the issue. That way 2 stroke Enduro's shouldn't be allowed either. As soon as there is a MX 4 stroke in the same hemisphere as my 300 2 stroke Enduro i can't even hear my own bike run, let alone that that guy on his 4 stroke hears me. If you want those riders to hear you, you need horn the size of the seat so i don't think that's a solution as well.

However when i'm on my 300 i can hear the whistling of the drivetrain of a faster Stark rider behind me.
So just ban the damn 4 stroke MX bikes for being to loud to hear anything else. Get the 2 stroke Enduro's and the E bikes in and enjoy the peace and quiet just a mile from the track.
 

Johnny Depp

Well-known member
Likes
105
Location
Austin TX
Those damn backwards ''rednecks''.
I've been hit by the same rider twice in the same CrossCountry race. He explained he did not hear me. Well i was riding slower in FRONT of him the first time and the second time standing still at the entrance of a single track where a crashed bike blocked the way. Both times on a bright red bike with bright red and white clothes.
Seeing him standing in the paddock i took the change to run into his bike standing still and making no noise. He didn't take kindly to the same reasoning though.

Also the no noise shouldn't be the issue. That way 2 stroke Enduro's shouldn't be allowed either. As soon as there is a MX 4 stroke in the same hemisphere as my 300 2 stroke Enduro i can't even hear my own bike run, let alone that that guy on his 4 stroke hears me. If you want those riders to hear you, you need horn the size of the seat so i don't think that's a solution as well.

However when i'm on my 300 i can hear the whistling of the drivetrain of a faster Stark rider behind me.
So just ban the damn 4 stroke MX bikes for being to loud to hear anything else. Get the 2 stroke Enduro's and the E bikes in and enjoy the peace and quiet just a mile from the track.
My experience trying to race 2t against 4t was the same, I could get a good jump from the gate, but the noise kept me from nailing my shift point and I would lose momentum. I thought about making a shift light it was such a problem. The noise thing is a distraction from the real issue, fear of losing sales.
 
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