IKF Yamaha Enduro (long course) proposals.

[Debbie Kuntze]

Send your letter Erik. AS far as I know there aer only TWO letters addressing the pipe issue and one is mine. (That is all that has been "shared" with this member of the committee.) Yours is another point of view on keeping costs down. Mine was to use specifications/dimensions, not a specific pipe due to what people already own.
Deb K

[Erik Halvorson]

Deb and all,

I know that NO ONE in a laydown Yamaha in the Pacific Northwest has the L-4 and would have to buy the pipe. I also know that YES, some people already have the A-4 but does that mean the L-4 is THE pipe we should use for the good of the class?

My proposal/recomendation is based on what I beleive to be the best for the class, Pipe Yamaha Enduro. I thought I would clarify my position.

[ September 07, 2001: Message edited by: Erik Halvorson ]

[deborah d-harpur]

I know of 5 top teams off the top of my head that have the L4 including our team.

BUT that does not mean that your opinion should change, just wanted to let you know that more people have the pipe than you think. None of us hang our pipe inventory out for people to see, we don't want everyone else to know what we are using that particular race

Better get your letter in soon. I think we have about 12 now.

[Rhonda Mims-Brown]

I'd like to throw in Wayne's and my two cents into this topic. As always, we'll certainly write in our letter to the board.

First, people buy new slippys all the time as well. HOWEVER, they cost TWICE as much as the price of a fixed. There is also a variety in slippys...most favored is the 4 inch, but there's also the S Pipe, the V pipe AND the P pipe. The only differences in performance gain for a slippy is on the long circuits for example, Willow Springs and Portland. Fixed pipes have proven themselves against the slippy at The MAJORITY of tracks.

The proposed change was not to save karters money, however, that's great too. The main reason for this is to get IKF in line to gain organizational cross over participation with the REST OF THE COUNTRY. WKA and KART allow any fixed pipe only. The more we stay in line with others, the more the karter benefits by being able to race where ever they want. I think few would even consider running IKF if they felt they had to buy a new pipe just to run IKF.

We personally don't support a spec pipe and header for several reasons...first, karters should have an option of choice in our opinion. There's Yamaha Sportsman for those who want to go the "spec route" and it's a great class. As far as spec headers, there's no real performance difference. . .Wayne has done extensive testing...e-mail him through me and he'll be happy to elaborate on this.

Fixed pipes have pretty much been "maxed out" in the technology department. I believe the "L" in L-4 stands for last because RLV is tried of tinkering with them and tired of the rumors they come out with new stuff just to sell a pipe of the month. Real changes with fixed pipes only develop about every three years and nothing's been drastic. A performance comparison would be in the controlled classes where the fixed has basically eliminated the need for a slippy.

As for carb adjustors, they are not the same as a slippy and I am a personal fan. Wayne invented the carb adjuster back in 1994 to help me keep my hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the track! It's not the remote, but the trigger. Even the most experienced drivers can't safely find the needles and even then you're not sure to what degree you've turned them. The adjuster eliminates the guess work. To elaborate a bit more, most carbs can't be PERFECTLY tuned for low or hi end speed. The trigger allows you to run the low end richer. Most sticks occur under load on low end and mid range. If you can run the carb richer in this range, use of the trigger just on top end to go leaner makes it much easier to tune safely. You still have to understand how to glance at your EGT, and it's helped me a great deal and I'm sure it would others. With a sportsman; however, tuning is different because it's mostly with low end and once you find it, you're done.

Hope this helps explain things a little more.

[John Stafford]

It seems that this proposal has two issues lumped together. (sounds kinda like a state prop.!) Anyway, the first part dealing with the elimination of the slippy I can almost accept, although my letter to the BOD stated that I am opposed to the idea. But the spec pipe deal really ticks me off. Why should the laydowns have to run one pipe and all the sit up classes have a choice? It just doesn't make good sense to me.

[Erik Halvorson]

Okay, I am pulling my head out of my B-TT and am doing some hard research instead of going on hear-say.
It looks like the low cost stamped pipe is a Woodbridge Kart Club specific pipe called the "S3" for their Yamaha EX (laydown) class. The pipe is made by RLV but it apears that you need WKC's permission to use it.(?) WKA's Yamaha open pipe class is just that, "Open" except no adjustable pipes (slippy). That apparently would (and has) started the pipe of the month club (or pipe of the track club). This is not going to save anyone $, if we don't spec a pipe and what we should be after is a pipe that cuts/limits acheivable RPM if that is possible. Does anyone from WKC know what is the highest obtainable RPM they are hitting using the "S3" pipe and yet remain competitive?

[Patricia Hechler]

Not running any IKF events, here's my two cents worth. Short and sweet. I understand the move away from the slippies. We used to run them in the Midwest, but I haven't been to any events that still allow them (no club events or wka events). Was it sad to leave the slippy behind? Yes. However, leaving the slippy behind meant reaching for the carb. It opened a whole new can of worms. Somehow, most of us got over it and don't even bring the slippy with us as a long lost friend.

Here's what I see. Force your members into buying fixed pipes to allow them ease in going to other series events sounds fine, until you force them into just one pipe. Now, they have but one pipe (if it's an L-4, good luck, because I know of no one who has gotten any better data with it than with the A-4 or G-4) and they are doing what you want them to do... mingle at other events. Now, they are a leg down, because they're at an event with open fixed pipe rules, and they have a pipe that may not suit that particular track. Oh oh. Can you say backfire? Of course, if you only look at it from the perspective of how to draw more people to the IKF, then things are more in line. That is, as long as those attending have in their possession the fixed pipe that is set forth in the bylaws.

Just a thought. By the way, if you all come to Gingerman on Sept. 21, you can run ANY fixed pipe in the yamaha laydown class!!!