ASRA / CSS : Lightweight rule changes. what you need to know.
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After many stagnant years, Championship Cup Series (CCS) and American Superbike Racing Association (ASRA), have decided to update the rules concerning their lightweight and twins classes. We are going to highlight the changes made to each class that concerns these little twins we love and what bikes you can race in them. Note: not every single line is being discussed so you should still read the rulebook yourself to see if your machine is legal.
#96 Ray Capozucca / #89 Sean Dougherty
Lightweight Supersport
Twin Cylinder – Liquid Cooled has been reduced to 700cc. As the market seems to be trending to middleweight twin cylinder machinery and with Honda, Suzuki, KTM releasing twins in that range, the lightweight class was at jeopardy of having these new larger twins enter the party but with this change reducing the displacement from 800cc to 700cc. The 4 main Lightweight class machines remain safe. By the main 4 we are referring to the Suzuki SV650, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Yamaha FZ07/MT07/R7, and Aprilia RS660.
Twin Cylinder – Air Cooled up to 1210cc. This is unchanged and exists for your 2 Valve Ducati 750/800/900/1000/1100 Supersports/Monsters and Buell 900/1200. None of these air-cooled machines in stock form are stout in the horsepower game and are very heavy.
The Aprilia RS660 is definitely the machine to be on for this class.
Ultralight Superbike
NO CHANGES. This class is primarily in place for your stock bore SV650 (645cc) and Ninja 650 (649cc). This is a superbike spec class so you can modify your bike to your heart’s content as long as that displacement stays under 650cc. Not a fan of 4 valves? Not a problem, 2 Valve air-cooled Ducati are allowed up to 800cc.
Lightweight Superbike
Twin Cylinder – Liquid Cooled – Non-Desmodromic Valves has been reduced to 750cc. – Similar to Lightweight Supersport but we have a limit to 750cc to allow overbore options. The Yamaha is the only machine that really benefits from this ruling.
Twin Cylinder – Air Cooled up to 1210cc – This line remains unchanged. The same 2 valve air cooled bikes legal for Lightweight Supersport are also allowed here but with superbike modifications.
Aprilia RS660, Suzuki SV650, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Yamaha R7/MT07, Ducati Air Cooled Supersport/Monsters, and Buell XB9/XB12.
Lightweight Grand Prix
What was removed? The line nearly everyone has wanted removed for quite some time…Four Cylinder – Liquid Cooled – up to 565cc – This line has been removed which eliminates the 565cc inline four machines which heavily outclassed the other machines in this class except the heavily modified Ducati 2 Valve machines which are still legal for now…
Three Cylinder Liquid Cooled – up to 565cc – Unlike the 4 cylinder line, the 3 cylinder line remains in tacked for this class as to not completely erase the 565s. What is a three cylinder 565? It’s a 750cc inline 4 with 1 cylinder deactivated. They aren’t stout on power and sound horrendous but if that’s a path you’d like to take, this line allows you to do so.
Twin Cylinder – Liquid Cooled – Non-Desmodromic Valves – up to 800cc. – With the extra displacement in this class we can now see the addition of the KTM Duke 790 and Suzuki GSX-8 to the lightweight grid
Twin Cylinder – Air Cooled up to 1210cc – No Change from LWSS and LWSBK however as this is a GP class, the engine does not need to match the chassis nor does the machine had to of been a road legal motorcycle from the factory. The class killer for LWGP is the Pierobon X60R so if your pockets are deep enough, that is the machine calling your winning ticket number.
Two Stroke – Liquid Cooled – Up to 450cc – This line allows the entry of the 250cc 2 stroke GP machines. Not many show up anymore.
GT Lights & Lightweight Formula 40 both use the Lightweight Grand Prix ruleset.
CCS Thunderbike / Middlweight Twins
CCS Thunderbike is being transitioned into the Middlweight Twins Class.
Twin Cylinder – Air Cooled Push-Rod – Unlimited Displacement – This would be your Buell XB9 and XB12s
Twin Cylinder – 3 Valves or Less per Cylinder – Unlimited Displacement – Similar to LWSS/LWSBK/LWGP, your 2-valve air cooled Ducati machines. The 3 valve options now allow for the use of the liquid cooled Ducati ST3 engine if they choose.
Twin Cylinder – Liquid Cooled – 4 Valve per Cylinder – Up to 800cc – This line is your inclusion of the Ducati 748 and 749 models.
Twin Cylinder – Liquid Cooled – Non-Desmo 4 Valve – Up to 900cc – Similar to LWGP however with this line bumped up to 900cc we now include the KTM Duke 890.
Arnie Hastings (left, 2nd place), Brian McGlade (middle, 1st place), George Demontropolis (right, 3rd place)
ASRA Thunderbike / ASRA Twins
ASRA Thunderbike is being phased out in order for a class to resemble the MotoAmerica Twins Cup series in the form of ASRA Twins. Thunderbike was essentially a left-over class from AMA Pro Thunder so it’s only fitting now that the Twins Cup series has taken off that ASRA provides another series for those racers to enter. If your MotoAmerica Twins Cup bike is legal for MotoAmerica, then come out and race ASRA Twins. This class is under the SS/SBK standards that the motorcycle must have been a road legal motorcycle from the factory as well as a weight limit.
Weight Limits – Weight is taken directly after the race; includes rider in full gear and bike as it comes off the racetrack.
Twins Under 700cc – Exempt from weight restrictions.
Twins Over 700cc – Rider + Bike 570lbs
Twin Cylinder – Air Cooled – Unlimited Displacement – Ducati 800/900/1000/1100 Supersport/Monster, Bimota DB5, Pierobon F042, Buell XB9/XB12
Twin Cylinder – Liquid Cooled – 3 Valve or less per cylinder – Unlimited Displacement – Ducati ST3
Twin Cylinder – Liquid Cooled – 4 Valve per cylinder – up to 748cc: Ducati 748/749 BUT eliminates the Ducati 749R which is 749.5cc
Twin Cylinder – Liquid Cooled – Non-Desmo 4 Valve per cylinder – up to 800cc – KTM 790, Suzuki GSX-8 & SV650, Yamaha R7/MT07, Kawasaki Ninja 650, & Aprilia RS660
Supertwins
I understand that this class is nowhere close to a lightweight class but I would like to highlight it anyway. The Supertwins class was removed from CCS a few years ago but is now making it’s return now that the twins are becoming more produced again by manufacturers.
The rules are simple. Any twin with any valve setup and any displacement is legal. The bikes must have started their life as a street legal motorcycle from the manufactures.
Link to ASRA/CCS Website
Link to Rulebook
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