Professional sportbike races are operated by one of several
governing bodies throughout the world. While the competition
in any professional motorcycle race will probably be worth
your time, there are two series that are a must for any American
motorcycle enthusiast.
American Motorcycle Association
(AMA) |
The AMA governs the premier professional
motorcycle racing series in the United States. There
are several classes that makeup the series, all of which
showcase the same production sportbikes you can buy
at the local dealership in one form or another. www.ama-cycle.org
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AMA Superbike Championship
(1000cc 4-stroke)
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Starting in 2003, the AMA Superbike Championship
has been opened to competitors using 1000cc multi-cylinder
machines with specific restrictions on weight and engine
modifications. www.ussuperbike.com
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AMA Supersport Championship
(600cc 4-stroke) |
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AMA Supersport, along with AMA Superstock, races
motorcycles that are the closest to showroom stock in
the AMA Superbike Championship, and is based on production
four-stroke street motorcycles. The motorcycles in this
class generally provide some of the closest racing around
the racetrack, and are 600cc 4-stroke four- and twin-cylinder
bikes. www.ussuperbike.com |
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Other AMA Classes |
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AMA Superstock (745cc-1000cc)
AMA Formula Xtreme (multiple cc) |
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Federation Internationale De
Motocyclisme (FIM) |
The FIM governs all the major world championships.
The World Superbike Championship is basically the international
version of the AMA Superbike Championship. However,
the king of all championships is the FIM Road Racing
World Championship Grand Prix, more popularly referred
to as MotoGP. This series showcases riders who are truly
the best of the best from around the world. www.fim.ch/en/ |
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MotoGP (500cc 2-stroke & 990cc 4-stroke) |
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The FIM MotoGP was originally called the FIM 500
GP showcasing 500cc 2-stroke bikes. The year 2002 saw
the 500cc formula superseded by the new MotoGP class
rules, allowing 990cc four-stroke machinery. The two-stroke
500s remained in use, but it didn’t take long
for the new 990cc four-stroke machines to dominate the
class. The GP format allows manufactures to explore
the boundaries of sportbike design within a framework
for competition. THESE ARE NOT PRODUCTION BIKES! You
can’t go down to your local dealership and buy
a Honda RC211V. These are production bikes on steroids.
www.motogp.com |
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