LegendsRacer - Legends & Bandolero Racing Forum

LEGENDS => General => Topic started by: Legends57x on August 22, 2017, 01:16:44 pm

Title: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: Legends57x on August 22, 2017, 01:16:44 pm
For general discussion only...So what's everyone's thoughts on most recent announcement from USLC that sealed engine price has gone up $500 effective immediately? IMO - This is not good for our sport. The #1 comment I hear from people potentially interested in purchasing an INEX Legends car is that once they find out the cost of a new sealed engine, they shy away and move onto a different division. Let's face it, you can purchase a crate engine for Sport or B-mod for let than $5500 and probably receive a higher payout at the end of the night. Car counts everywhere for the most part keep getting less and less and a significant price increase is not good for the sport. I understand periodic adjustments to pricing for inflation, but a $500 increase just makes no sense to me. As said many times before, this is supposed to be INEX-pensive racing...enough said. :-X
Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: justfreaky on August 23, 2017, 01:28:36 am
Hi Mark!

I read that last night. That's a pretty healthy price increase! I agree that it will not likely help The Legends class. Or; Perhaps people will run more open engines than sealed. :/
I think USLC's engine program is suspect anyway. Depends on who you talk to; But I have heard both pro and con on the sealed engine program since it was all brought in-house.

As has been mentioned many time in the past; I would like to see INEX make an engine change.  Something a bit newer, and water cooled. Can stay with the carbs vs fuel injected.
I know the Suzuki GSXR engine has always been popular in the Dwarf Car class. They are plentiful, and can be found for around $2,500 - $3,500 for a complete engine kit. If INEX has a deal with Yamaha; Then why not something like the YZF R1 engine. I think they run about the same on cost as the GSXR.

I guess that all we can do is wait and see what happens.

Steve
Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: Legends16 on August 24, 2017, 04:59:05 pm
This has been a pretty big topic on the Legend forums of the Facebook world.

Something needs to change. This engine program had been talked about for years now as being an issue. I think what's one of the biggest disappointments to me, as there has not been one single thing to improve the situation. Just hike up the price with very little exclamation and its business as usual. IF we are going to pay this much for an engine then something has to be done to improve the package to get more life out of it. Its been my opinion (and a few others around here) that the quality of this engine has taken a turn for the worse. I've seen more 1250 engine failures by good legend car teams, not you average Joe beginner type. Take grip away, make us run a different ignition box, we don't need to go as fast to make these cars enjoyable. I for one think this was to much money years ago before the increase. Dwarf cars prove that other engines can work and last longer and not cost as much.

This engine has gone up $1k or more in the 6 years of me racing these cars. When does it stop? Do something, do anything, business as usual will kill this series. I fear for this series that I love.

Eric
Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: RPM on August 24, 2017, 05:51:18 pm
Its been my opinion (and a few others around here) that the quality of this engine has taken a turn for the worse. I've seen more 1250 engine failures by good legend car teams, not you average Joe beginner type.

Eric

The reason failures are up is because the 600 engine shop "updates" new engines before sending them out. Pinned cams, bigger pistons, better valve springs...

If they just left the stock engine alone I doubt you would see as many problems.

One more thing to keep in mind. The engine was used in European (XJR1300) production motorcycles until 10/2016. I have been told Yamaha has agreed to continue to manufacture the engine for 600 racing. If that's the case, I have no doubt the price went up from Yamaha.

Is there something better out there, maybe. But with today's engines, they are not as stout. I installed an R1 into a Baby Grand for a customer three years ago. We are engine #5 because it keeps breaking the transmissions. The broken prices then damage the rest of the engine based on the higher transmission design.

Randy - RPM

Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: Legends16 on August 25, 2017, 04:52:21 pm
   Yeah no doubt Randy. I have full confidence in this engine doing its job for an extended period of time if its built right,,,, if its built right... wink wink. :)

   A stock 1200 bike motor builds plenty of hp for these cars but someone has to make a buck. I get it. I always thought it was odd that Yamaha took that R1 and made a concept dirt car with it when they have USLC.

    Have a great weekend all!


Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: Jason Treschl Racing on August 28, 2017, 05:33:39 am
   Yeah no doubt Randy. I have full confidence in this engine doing its job for an extended period of time if its built right,,,, if its built right... wink wink. :)

   A stock 1200 bike motor builds plenty of hp for these cars but someone has to make a buck. I get it. I always thought it was odd that Yamaha took that R1 and made a concept dirt car with it when they have USLC.

    Have a great weekend all!

I hadn't heard of the yamaha dirt concept you mentioned so I gave it a google. Seems that the total weight is very close to a legends car as well. I don't think we need 200hp in one of these things though.
Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: Legends16 on September 01, 2017, 12:36:56 pm
Yeah I've seen that. It strikes me as a little odd that Yamaha, that supplies it engines to USLC, would build a concept race car that would directly compete with USLC.

Nice water cooled motor in that car.
Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: RPM on March 11, 2019, 08:03:17 pm
   Yeah no doubt Randy. I have full confidence in this engine doing its job for an extended period of time if its built right,,,, if its built right... wink wink. :)

   A stock 1200 bike motor builds plenty of hp for these cars but someone has to make a buck. I get it. I always thought it was odd that Yamaha took that R1 and made a concept dirt car with it when they have USLC.

    Have a great weekend all!

I hadn't heard of the yamaha dirt concept you mentioned so I gave it a google. Seems that the total weight is very close to a legends car as well. I don't think we need 200hp in one of these things though.

FYI, the Yamaha  dirt racer program is dead...

https://performanceracing.com/news/yamaha-ends-r1dt-dirt-track-program

Randy - RPM
Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: justfreaky on March 12, 2019, 01:40:55 am
True that the dirt racer program didn't gain any momentum. But the R1 engine is still popular with the Dwarf Car racers.

Steve
Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: VMS Motorsports on March 12, 2019, 06:02:23 pm
I of course have no knowledge of the situation, but it seems to me that Yamaha put that concept together as a bargaining tool to force USLC to stay with Yamaha engines. Now that they have bought into the FZ09, Yamaha doesn't have to try to scare USLC anymore, so they ended the "program".
Just my uneducated hillbilly dirt racer opinion...
Title: Re: Latest USLC Engine Price Increase
Post by: Legends57x on March 13, 2019, 10:53:26 am
Jim,

I suspect you are correct regarding the concept being used as a bargaining tool to force USLC to stay with Yamaha engines. INEXpensive just keeps getting more expensive...