you cant compare even semi pro to the casual track rider.

you can put toseland on a 10 year old busa with 2 plugs taken out and he would still whoop ***

most people that are in superbike started in the lower levels and moved up as they got better. that is why the times are better because they have been racing for years and years. i guarantee at the beginning of their career they were the same way and found the smaller bike easier to ride in the twisties than the larger ones.

 

That's my point. It's not that a smaller cc bike is "better" for the track, it's better for the RIDER. The rider is conscious that he has lower power, and also is consious that he has to get in/ stay in gas harder. Fear is reduced and the learning curve increases. Larger cc bikes tend to mask mistakes better.

I went to a track school and one of the students was on an EX-500. He was a FAST and unafraid 16 year old. In the early sessions, I could only pass him using my HP advantage. I improved throughout the day, and he highsided himself, so who knows who would have been faster on the tight circuit.

 

its not the power that causes a lower experienced rider to be faster on the track on a 600
its the weight. my 1000 is only putting down 160 hp at 11K +rpms. on a tight turn its only about half that.
i only see that on the straights, then because of the weight of the bike i have to brake harder and slow down more to negotiate the turn or it will run wider.
my 600 because of the powerband will see 15K on the straight doing almost the same speed but i dont have to slow down as much in the corner because being lighter weight it will carry through going faster.

also because the 600 is lighter it is easier to throw around and put in the positions it needs to be in to go through the corners this fast.

its simple physics really, remember back to high school
the whole objects in motion want to stay in motion until acted up by an outside force.
heavier objects are harder to change direction so they have to be moving slower



and further more, the very main instructor at the tye howard race school
brought up

"all you guys on the big heavy litre bikes, dont feel bad when these 600s blow by you in the corners"

you said you looked at lap times but did you compare corner speed. the bigger bikes get their times back on the straights. i have seen some stats where ama 600 carries more corner speed than superbike on the same track. you cant compare motogp because those bikes have more hp than a litre and weigh close to the same as a 600

 

I agree that corner speed should be higher on the 600 because of the weight, cornering radius, inertia, and all that good stuff. Superbikes make up the time in the straights as you said. But how many novices can really max turn their bike? 600 or 1000? Not many. I'm not saying that you don't know how and you don't have the skill, but riding a 600 and Superbike is different. Karl Muggeridge proves that.

 

oh i agree pros can ride the hell out of what ever they throw their leg over. colin edwards proved that on his pig heavy rc51.

all i am saying is that look at cornerspeed on the smaller vs heavier bikes.
just looking at superstock(stock 600 with minor mods allowed) vs supersport(stock 1000s same mod rules)

the 1000s make up the lap times on the straights

that is why the gsxr750 is considered the ultimate race bike
weight of a 600 power of a 1000

its also why the motogp bikes can corner so well
they weigh less than 400lbs and have ungodly power.

 

Well, I just came back from The Long Beach Bike show and sat on the '08 CBR600 and ZX-6. OMG they felt so like, almost like there was no engine in those things

As I thoroughly enjoy tossing my bike in corners, I couldn't even comprehend how much fun it would be with one of these new 600's on a twisty track. Sounds corny, but I'm almost afraid to think how fast I could go.

I'm getting another bike for sure, just don't know what. Sometimes I get a little to brave in the canyons so I need to start taking it to the track instead of pushing the envelope on the street.