Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Carlton
That's very impressive for an R1200S that has what, 5-6 more hp than stock, right? When Chris estimates the "Bomb" bike would finish 3rd or 4th, where in the grid is it starting? Where does he think the MotoST bike would have finished if it started in the 1st or 2nd row? Any idea where the 1098s finished? Some here think that's the ultimate performance twin. I read an article in one of the mags that said they got better lap times out of a 999S. Admittedly, Brian Parriott is a higher-caliber rider than the AFM guys.
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The R1200S that was run this weekend was essentially stock (no engine mods) and produces less than 118 HP to comply with the MOTO-ST rules. I don't know where in the grid Chris figured for his 3rd or 4th place Formula Pacific estimate, but I can say that Brian could like have started in the same spot as today (24th) and gotten closer to the front. Against bikes like GSXR 1000s, Brian makes up time in turns and on the brakes, rather than in the drag race. In the AFM Open Twins race, the Ducati 1098s finished 2nd, 3rd and would have been 4th as well but one of them crashed near the end of the race. As for Brian being a higher-caliber rider than the AFM guys... it's true that Brian is near the top in skill level, but there are other fast guys. One of the 1098s was ridden by a racer named Tom Montano - there's a small article about Tom in the most recent Road Racer X magazine. So, AFM has it's fair share of fast guys. Don't get me wrong though - I'd choose Brian over the rest any day.