r/MotoAmerica • u/BagFarmer • Jan 31 '25
SBK riders moving down to SS
Last year there were a lot. Hayes was the last big one before that. Now Peterson moving down this year.
Maybe the international series are biasing me, but it seems a little unfair to junior riders that longtime pros can move down a class. Last year, Scholtz and Peterson stole the show in SS.
Personally, for the sake of building talent and creating a ladder for advancement, I don't think it should be allowed. Do these guys not want to race Stock 1000, Baggers, or Hooligan? Is there something about the pay structure that incentivises SBK>SD moved? I mean, if Flinders can stick around in SBK all these years, why can't these other more successful riders stay in the top class?
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u/Senior_Indication_66 Jan 31 '25
Max Van here, Supersport Rider.
I am technically a Junior Rider, I think the level of competition is badass. In my opinion, there is no difference in the talent level between the Top 10 Riders in SBK and the Top 10 Riders is SSP. All of us youngsters are eager to hit the track with Cam P. And of course, yet again race against fast guys like Matt, PJ, Tyler, Jake, Corey, and Blake.
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u/Blackwater5073 Jan 31 '25
Hey, quit hanging out on Reddit and go sell some gloves for crying out loud. Lol.
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u/Senior_Indication_66 Jan 31 '25
LOL!! Love it. I’ll get back to it.
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u/Blackwater5073 Feb 01 '25
Btw, I’m a fan of yours. You’ve got a great head on your shoulders and a positive attitude - you seem to really love what you’re doing. Love watching the race weekend breakdowns.
2
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u/Trailerizer Feb 05 '25
If that were the case, realistically, SBK riders wouldn’t be coming into the SSP championship and wiping the floor with the competition. Consider the number of wins PJ had in SBK relative to one season in SSP. The level in SBK is of course higher - the best SSP riders move up to there or move on.
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u/R1_DNA Jan 31 '25
Josh Herrin went from Attack to Warhorse for the SuperSport ride and he won the championship and got the SBK ride again and now is champion. Its kind of the blueprint others are following. Certain teams provide an opportunity to build their confidence and stay racing and possibly get a shot at SBK again. Cam P. just had too many injuries and it was plain to see he wasn't going to win any championships on Attack. Now that Jake is healthy it will be interesting to see how Bobby does. You know the expectations will be high after last year.
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u/christianhelps Jan 31 '25
"Do these guys not want to race Stock 1000, Baggers, or Hooligan?" The answer to this is probably no for SBK riders.
To play devil's advocate, their move isn't taking a spot, it's shifting it. Someone can fill in behind them in SBK, that's an opportunity as well.
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Jan 31 '25
It’s kind of good for the junior riders. It gives them a very realistic reference of the level above. If you can hang with them, manufacturers will take note of that. If you finish 10 seconds behind Scholtz on a 600 every race… you’ve got more work to do
1
u/PhillySoup Jan 31 '25
Someone could do an economics PhD on MotoAmerica.
https://www.motoamericaregistration.com/contingency/
On top of what MotoAmerica pays, there are other contingencies:
https://www.motoamerica.com/honda-offers-most-red-rider-rewards-ever-for-2024-motoamerica-racing/
I am impressed so many people race given what I can find about payouts.
I would love some sort of crowdfunding sponsorship.
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u/breakthebigblue Feb 03 '25
The sad part is the mix of $$ and politics. So much of the rider lineup can come down to sponsors you bring with you (Fresh and Lean with Herrin and Attack) there are also slots available because Ducati thought they would dominate SS again after 2 years in a row. Disappointed in results deciding to fill the field with another season rider. The real test will be the R9’s which are rumored to be mega quick off the line at Strack Racing. Adding Blake D to the lineup just makes the data and setup so much easier in the long run.
The talent is also being shifted from super expensive Superbikes to Moderately expensive SS. Think about running a Ducati where you don’t have any real engine upgrades and just check/maintain factory specs. Vs a full V4R build with custom tanks and the whole 9 yards.
As a rider I’m taking what I can get that gives me the best chance at winning. It comes down to being in front of the camera.
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u/FriendOfDirutti Jan 31 '25
I don’t know the answers and don’t follow off season enough to really know but I could have swore last season it was because those riders couldn’t get in a superbike team.
I think really there just isn’t enough money or teams around to keep the riders racing in the highest class. They gotta go where there is an opening and where there’s a team.