Supermono class

[Karlos 0 Napisano Jun 7, 2006]

Evo malo informacija i o ovoj klasi...

 

 

The Supermono class is for prototype four stroke, single cylinder racing motorcycles with no restrictions on design, construction and permitted modifications. Just about anything goes so long as its got one cylinder.

We do have a safety requirement, that the bike has a chainguard and an engine undertray capable of retaining the engine fluids.

 

This formula has led to a great many innovative and creative solutions being developed (some successful...others definitely and terminally not!) to the challenge of producing more power in a lightweight frame. It is therefore not without justification that this has been described as an engineer’s class.

 

The light and nimble frames originate from the UK, Germany, Italy, France and Japan and sport famous names such as Tigcraft, Spondon, Harris, BMR, Ducati and Over. They were joined in 2000 by a new name, GRC, designed and built by Gary Cotterell, one of the classes most sucsessful engineers/competitors.

 

There are very few purpose built factory bikes (the exceptions being the Ducati Supermono and the MuZ) and few of the racers is derived from a road bike. The class is therefore a refreshing change from the proliferating production classes aimed at promoting manufacturer’s customer products. This fact however has meant that the class has had to be self- financing through its competitors with limited factory involvement.

 

It is however an excellent training ground for the top four stroke riders of the future and indeed the only class where riders can experiment with four stroke motorcycle chassis set-up outside the confines of restrictive production class rules.

 

Some pretty impressive characters cut their teeth (should that be scuffed their leathers?) in Supermonos. German, Thomas Korner was 1994 European Champion, Vittoriano Guareschi was 1995 Italian Champion, he was preceded in 1994 by Roberto Teneggi and Mauro Lucchiari and Pier Francesco Chilli still hold the Supermono lap records at Misano and Mugello respectively. Last but not least, Britain’s Scott Smart, a former national 250 champion and 500 Grand Prix star won his first international race in Supermonos on a Tigcraft Yamaha.

 

As far as engines go, last year’s form is not a reliable predictor for success. In 1996 and ‘97 Yamaha power and the Japanese Over team ruled the roost, in 1998 Katja Poensgen steered the very trick Suzuki based BMR to victory, but in 1999 Per Olov Ogeborns Rotax powered UNO GDM was unbeatable despit strong challenges from the BMW powered Tigcrafts. In 2000 Britains Spencer Cook took Slipstream Tunings ex-works MuZ to the title and in 2001 it was the GRC Pami-BMW with Steve Marlow on board for Team James.

 

Variety is the spice of life in this class for there are also Ducati 572cc singles ( literally half a vee twin), down on capacity versus the 700 and 800 Japanese based singles but very capable of podium finishes in the right hands. Richard Cutts put his Ducati on the podium in the 1999 Dutch TT Singles race. Perry Goldstein’s KTM in an ultra light frame often figures early on but still struggles for reliability and in the chasing pack there are Husabergs and Rotax’s.