European Classic Series finished! KATANA Racer got a good result!!

29/12/2017
594 views

The 2017 season of the European Classic Endurance Race Championship ended in Aragon at the end of October.
In this race, machine like endurance race of the former year will unfold the battle. It is like a taste of Tsukuba in Japan, the nostalgic atmosphere is really cool.
In 2017, Team Classic Suzuki’s GSX1100SD KATANA racer made the topic to join this race, but what was this season for them?

Katana racer that approached the podium to one step further

The GSX1100SD KATANA was released in the UK in November 2016 and was published at the Donington Park in May 2017 in the first round of the European Classic Endurance Series. It got the 6th place in the qualifying race and the warm-up lap of the final was also the 2nd place, but it ended up by falling down at the opening lap and retired. In the second round, at Spa-Francorchamps, they took seventh place in the rain with Guy Martin who was active in the isle of Man TT and so on.

They did not participate in the third round, but in the last race of the race, they retired in a 3-hour 56 minute for 4 hours endurance. they were running in third place, but they missed the podium in one step.

Older machines fans in Europe favor a two-eye durable style ?!

European Classic Series have been assembled in four rounds of the year, in May at Donington Park in England, in June at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, in September at Imola in Italy, in October at Aragon in Spain.

Endurance cowl styles are popular. In the race, since they ride for 4 hours, at night also, there are machines equipped with cornering light with a two-eye headlight. In the entry list, there are many air-cooled four cylinder machines from Suzuki and Kawasaki, but the Honda team is also strong. Yamaha is a rare, like European series, and BMW and Ducati also participate.

Machines made by the end of 1985 can participate.

There are three classes, the following is the part of the regulation. All vehicle is required to be equipped with headlight.

Maxi Classic
The machines with more than 2 cylinders produced by December 31, 1982 can participate. The displacement is unlimited, but the expansion is up to 340cc. The wheel is 18 inches.

Classic 1000
The machines with more than 2 cylinders produced by December 31, 1982 can participate.
The displacement is up to 1000cc, the 4-cylinder 4-valve car is up to 750cc, and the wheel is 18-inches.

750TT
The machines with 4 stroke engine produced by December 31, 1985 is up to 750cc and 2 valves.
Displacement is from 340cc to 500cc.

The wheel has a rim width of 4 inches or less and a width of 150 mm.

Does this style get popular in Japan ?!

Monster class with ’80s AMA styles is popular at Taste of Tsukuba, which Japan boast as vintage racer race.
The common thing with European Classic Series is that machines are 80’s model, and with air-cooled 4 cylinder engine and 18 inches tires.
Taste of Tsukuba is the sprint race, however, European Classic Series has night session and is endurance race.
Recently, it became a topic that endurance race of 250cc class at Motegi has night session. In Japan, 8 hours endurance race at Suzuka is popular traditionally.
So, they guess that the 8 hours endurance race with vintage models may get popular in Japan also.