KTM & Skip Barber.... Exciting Stuff....

[Kroe]

http://www.skipbarber.com/landing_superbike.aspx?articleID=1841&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

[hcomp]

I worked for Skip as an instructor, but here is what I don't understand....Skippy is a car racing school..Wouldn't this have been better aligned with a motorcycle school?

[billruiz]

I hope Skip has got a team of lawyers ready when KTM drops their support with no warning.

[Raux]

who knows maybe they'll bring in this too...

http://www.ktm-x-bow.com/Car-Facts.625.0.html

[woodyracing]

seems kinda like they ditched the Rookies cup kids to sponsor a motorcycle school run by car people? 

[TAftonomos]

I hope Skip has got a team of lawyers ready when KTM drops their support with no warning.

please elaborate or post a link that will 

[woodyracing]

please elaborate or post a link that will 

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2005/Aug/050819a.htm
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Jan/090115redbullpullout.htm
http://www.motogpmatters.com/news/2008/10/16/ktm_pull_out_of_250cc_class_for_2009.html

[billruiz]

Thanks Woody!

I used to think KTM was a pretty good company, but I'm kinda old school. I still believe if you say you're going to do something you should do it. Leaving people in the lurch seems to be a regular pattern for KTM.

[flynbulldog]

KTM lost me forever when they didn't support Ewan and Charley...

[billruiz]

I remember seeing that on TV, but didn't get to see the whole thing. Was that The Long Way Round? I remember the rage and frustration...and the tearing up of posters. And to think I was saving up my pennies for a Super Duke...good thing I came to my senses.

[Cider]

From the book and TV series I got the impression that KTM's attitude was "we think you'll fail and we don't want to be part of that," whereas BMW's attitude was "we don't care if you fail, because it's a cool idea, and we want to be part of it."  At least that's the impression that the authors/producers gave.

[spinned]

I took Skip Barbers Performance Racing School last sumer.  That was the biggest kick in the pants I have ever had.  Learning drifting skills at redline in a Porsche and then putting your skills to the test on Laguna Raceway.  If they can do I am all for it.

Here I am throwing the 911 around.  To bad the picture doesn't come with sound effects.

[TAftonomos]

Thanks Woody!

I used to think KTM was a pretty good company, but I'm kinda old school. I still believe if you say you're going to do something you should do it. Leaving people in the lurch seems to be a regular pattern for KTM.

I'm not sure what the other side of the story is with the first article, but based on what you said, you ought to like them.  They told motoGP they would not continue to support a 2 stroke program/development if the class was going to change to 600cc 4 stroke.  MotoGP made the rule change, and KTM did just what they said they would do.

[billruiz]

The way I see it in the MotoGP case, KTM finally did what they said. The other cases, no. I miss the 2 strokes, but it was inevitable. Personally, I won't miss KTM. As long as the other manufacturers are on board with Dorna (who knows how long that'll last), there should still be a big enough grid for the mid class 600's.

[TAftonomos]

I still don't see why the move to 4 stroke.

There is going to be a LOT more money tied up in a high rpm 4 stroke than a 2, and a lot more money spend on routine maintenance keeping those valvetrain bits in place as well.