Racing in a mixed class. It makes a motorcycle race dynamic and exciting to watch. It’s not just fun for fans and spectators to watch. It’s also fun for riders to compete. At least… most of the time. Racing in a mixed class. We tell you more about the fun and frustration of racing with 400cc, 600cc and 1000cc bikes together.
We wrote this article following our recent participation in a ZAC race. The ZAC Supercup Race Series organised by RSZ Motorsport is a starter competition for novice and amateur racers in the Netherlands. Would you like to start racing in the Netherlands? Then this is a great competition to join. The ZAC Light class is the class where you often start out.
Do you ride your 600cc (or less, including your 400cc) at a 2.12 to 1.59 lap time at TT Circuit Assen? Then you are in the 600 Light class. Do you ride your 1000cc at 2.12 to 1.57? Then you ride in the 1000 Light class. At least, that’s the idea. In reality, people sometimes ride faster, but it is intended as a starter class for novice racers.
During a race day, the 600 Light and 1000 Light classes race together. This means you will participate in free practice, qualifying and race(s) alongside riders with bikes ranging from around 400cc to 1000cc. This is great fun, but can also be frustrating at times. First, the fun part.
The advantage of racing in mixed classes is the difference in power. ‘Why is that fun? That’s annoying,’ we hear you thinking. But in our humble opinion, that difference in power is precisely what makes racing in mixed classes so dynamic. And so educational.
As a 400cc rider, you can learn to take on a 600cc rider. Yes, that 600cc racer has just a little more power. But with your new 400cc sport bike, you can still close in on a 600 rider when you’ve got your corner speed right. And if you control that 400 well and know how to use it, you won’t necessarily lose much ground to that 600 rider. Especially if the circuit doesn’t have any miserably long straights. Assen may be a relatively high-speed track, but the straights are not that long. And let’s be honest: many novice racers are far from reaching the full potential of a 600. You usually reach that level sooner on a 400. In practice, these bikes keep up with each other quite well.
As a 600cc rider, you can learn a lot from the cornering speed of the 400cc riders. And you can try to follow them. If you can’t quite manage that, you can make up for it with your little bit of extra power out of the corner, allowing you to stay on the rear wheel of that 400cc. That way, you can learn a lot from each other.
Now the ones that cause the frustration… at least, if we are to believe the rumours. The 1000cc riders. First, the fun of 1000cc riders in these classes:
For a 1000cc rider, if you can put your ego aside, it is extremely educational to ride with 400 and 600cc riders. You can learn a lot from their corner speed, if you know how to translate this to your own 1000cc. You follow a 400cc or 600cc rider and manage to maintain a similar corner entry speed (sort of, at least quicker than you normally would go). Then, when you go for a flying lap on your own, you try to manage that corner entry speed by braking in such a way that you end up on the same corner entry speed as you did when following the 400 or 600 rider. This way you can lower your PR by a few seconds.
That sounds simple, but in practice it naturally requires a lot of practice and adjustment. But if you manage to make that transition, you’ll suddenly be flying. You’ll never achieve exactly the same cornering speed with your 1000cc. The motorbike is simply not designed for that. But especially at entry level, there is still a lot to be gained for many 1000cc riders in terms of corner entry.
A 400 and 600cc rider can also take advantage of those 1000cc riders who tend to brake too hard in corners. As a rider, you learn to analyse other riders more quickly and thus see gaps more quickly in order to make optimal use of your own engine and skills. And thus pass them more quickly. Sometimes, such a 1000cc rider who brakes to a standstill also calls on your courage to simply squeeze your 400cc in between, or boldly place your 600cc next to them.
We continue to elaborate on the sore point from the corridors: the 1000cc riders. Our THRYLLZ team consists of 400cc, 600cc and 1000cc racers, so we remain impartial. But in the corridors, it is often the 400cc and 600cc riders who complain about the 1000cc riders in the mixed classes.
Both have a higher cornering speed, which means you quickly get tangled up with a 1000cc rider if you ride the same lap time. After all, 400cc, 600cc and 1000cc riders all use their motorcycles differently. Each type of race bike has its own advantages and disadvantages. And that also applies to their use. A 1000cc bike has to rely on its power. And so, many 1000cc riders use it. Can you blame them? No. You can not blame a 1000cc rider for using the power of their 1000cc bikes.
Is it annoying that, as a 400cc or 600cc rider, it’s difficult to overtake when you’re doing almost the same lap time? Yes. And is it frustrating when that 1000cc rider simply flies past you on power? Yes. And can it be annoying if you don’t see an option in the next corner – or don’t dare to take it – to put your 400cc or 600cc alongside? Yes.
But… whether you ride a 400cc, 600cc or 1000cc, you choose 100% voluntarily to ride in this starter class. And you know in advance that you will be racing in a mixed class. You cannot and should not expect a 1000cc rider in the same class to ride at half throttle during the race to let you pass or to not overtake you on power. Because just as a 1000cc rider “gets in the way” of your 400cc or 600cc, you get in the way of a 1000cc rider with your 400cc or 600cc. Especially when you are all riding at virtually the same lap times.
Racing in a mixed class is a different experience. You mainly see it at the entry level among novice racers. Riders of 400cc, 600cc and 1000cc race bikes ride – and compete – together. It makes for a spectacular and fun event. Riders can learn a lot from each other in various areas.
But it can also cause frustration. At least, it can. At THRYLLZ, we try to be as objective as possible. After all, we race with 400cc, 600cc and 1000cc race bikes ourselves. Nevertheless, we believe that racing in mixed classes at the entry level should be a positive experience. In another article, we will take a closer look at the differences in riding technique between a 400cc, 600cc and 1000cc.
Racing in a mixed class. It’s how you feel about it. And how level-headed you are. But we see the power of learning from each other. How do you see it? Do you see the fun or frustration of racing in mixed classes? Please share your opinion! Because we like to learn from each other in this area too.
