Scott Smart, FIM Technical Director explains – “In 2013 they introduced the EVO Class and it was agreed it would run through 2014 with the regular Superbikes, and again it would continue into 2015 and be the rule for the entire class. However, since that time we’ve made amendments to the rules to allow more manufacturers to be completive. Because as the EVO rules as they currently stand, certain manufacturers are going to stand out with stronger motorcycles.
So the rules haven’t changed a lot…. There’s pretty much going to be the same chassis. Currently the EVOs and the Superbikes run with the same (production) chassis. For next year (2015) it is going to be just one class, all Superbikes.
The big change is going to happen in the engines. The engines are going to be much closer to the road bikes. They’ll represent what you can go into the shops and buy. However, we are going to allow more tuning than the EVO class currently allows. You’ll be able to tune the camshaft, you’ll be able to port the cylinder head, and that will allow all the manufacturers to make about the same horsepower.
The big difference for 2015 is going to be in the electronics. Right now the factory teams have a big advantage with the electronics, because they work very hard to develop them, and that disadvantages the smaller teams in the Paddock. It also means, if you are a smaller team you’re never going to have enough staff and technology (develop your electronics) to be able to compete.
Now for next season, each manufacturer is going to be allowed (required) to provide a “Superbike Kit”. In that Kit you are going to have all the electronics that are going to be needed on the bike. And that kit has to be available, and it’s tightly price capped. So every team in the paddock running the same (brand) machinery will for EU USD8,000 get exactly the same electronics as the factory team. And several times throughout the year the software developed by the factory teams has to be given to the smaller teams. So all the teams in the Paddock are going to know they are going to have the same equipment as the factory guys.
The only other small changes is going to be with the the throttle bodies. The throttle bodies play a very important role with the electronics now days for the control of the bikes. All the teams that don’t currently have a Drive By Wire system will be allowed to modify their bikes to have Drive By Wire on them. Some teams obviously don’t have Drive By Wire yet, so we’ll allow them to have it, and that stands for the next 2 years.
After 2 years, which is the 2017 season, all the manufacturers, irrespective of how their road bike comes, will have to run with homologated standard throttle bodies. So in 2017 the bikes you’ll see on the track are pretty much the bikes you can buy from the dealership (with the exception of the higher end homologated suspensions which will still can be used in Superbike- Ed).
Now by allowing this, this allows the manufacturers still running with throttle cable operated throttle bodies, to be much more competitive. And because they will be racing with it (Ride By Wire), they will now have the technology in place with the ECU. They are not going to have to go backwards in development. So all the work they do in 2015 and 2016 can be continued in 2017.
So its going to be quite and exciting time. What it allows is, its going to make the Championship a bit cheaper, its going to require a few less staff in the garage, but above all its going to allow the smaller teams to be on a much more equal footing with the big factory teams.”
The Revided Rules: FIM Superbike & Supersport World Championships and FIM Superstock 1000cc Cup
Decision of the Superbike Commission
The Superbike Commission, composed of Messrs Javier Alonso (WSBK Executive Director), Ignacio Verneda (FIM Executive Director, Sport) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA Representative), met at Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit on 12 June in the presence of Messrs Daniel Carrera (WSBK Championship Director) and Gregorio Lavilla (WSBK Sporting Director ). The meeting focused on two points:
1. SBK Technical Regulations 2015:
The main pillars of the technical regulation 2015 were approved by majority inside the Superbike Commission. In 2015 the Championship will return to one technical platform. The rules were previously agreed to be as the 2014 EVO regulations and they have formed the basis of the 2015 rules. However amendments have been made to ensure parity of performance across the diverse range of machines in the championship and the regulations are also aimed at both reducing annual costs and making the Championship more accessible to new teams.
Chassis Regulations:
Remain largely unchanged excepting some clarifications to several points. The tolerances applied in measuring frames have been removed.
Engine Regulations:
The previously agreed EVO regulations form the basis of the 2015 rules. However due to the very limited options available to ensure parity of performance between different motorcycles the level of tuning opportunities has been increased.
The notable points are:
• Camshafts are free
• Cylinder head porting is free but no welding
• Valves, pistons and most major engine components must remain standard
• Con-rods may be replaced with similar material but equal weight parts for safety
• Crankcases standard
• One set of racing gearbox ratios allowed for the whole season
• Balancing rules no longer use weight, it will be intake restriction only
Electronic Regulations:
The FIM Superbike World Championship remains the last high level championship open to the manufacturers to develop their electronic control strategies. The manufacturers will therefore be allowed to continue to develop the electronic solutions but these systems must be available to all other teams using the same make of machine and it will be called the ‘’Superbike Kit System’’.
The notable points are:
• Price limited Superbike Kit System available to all teams in World Superbike and other FIM championships
• Only approved ECU’s may be used in these kits – they will be race ECU’s
• The software of the factory team will be available to all other teams at three points during the racing season
• The Superbike Kit System must include all of the electronic parts not fitted to the standard street machine and required for the system to be fully operational (except the wiring harness)
• The selling price for the Superbike Kit System will be €8000
• Alternatively the Superstock Kit ECU may be used as in the 2014 EVO regulations, this is to encourage wildcard participation
Throttle Body Regulations:
For the 2015 and 2016 season the regulations will continue to allow the addition of Ride By Wire (RBW) systems to the throttle bodies. These systems must become available to all the other teams using the same machines. They will work hand in hand with the ‘’Superbike Kit Systems’’. For the 2017 season and onwards the regulations will mandate the use of the standard throttle bodies.
The notable points are:
• Ride by wire kits must be available to all teams in World Superbike and other FIM championships
• Only the machine manufacturer or one appointed supplier will be allowed to provide the kit (for safety)
• The price of the kits will be €2500
• All non RBW machines currently utilise a solution and the control strategies are mature
• Standard road bikes will adopt the use of this technology by 2017 meaning development continuity
*Complete provisional document will be available in the following days at FIM WEBSITE.
2. Additional engine allocation SBK category:
There was an official request from a team to slightly increase the number of engines available for 2014. The Superbike Commission refused this possibility by majority.
