Ted asked me to post this

[lugnut]

No wait. Seriously... suppose, just suppose, that the TTXGP weight limitation was a challenge to the field to innovate, and not just throw more weight at going fast? hmmmmmm?

Yes, but the big complaint I heard from race fans was that the electrics were slow, not that they were heavy :-) That and that they didn't make enough noise.

[lugnut]

This story and the TTXGP are unrelated.

Glad to see you post again mechanic :-) If I read that correctly, $400 million for a 100 lb reduction in a 4450 lb vehicle (2.2%). So Azhar reduces the weight limit by 50 kg (16.7%) and expects it to reduce cost????? Sorry, but I don't buy it. Of course, lighter bikes with the same power can be faster. But the series had a 300 kg rule and no "good " reason to change that.

[Nuts & Volts]

Glad to see you post again mechanic :-) If I read that correctly, $400 million for a 100 lb reduction in a 4450 lb vehicle (2.2%). So Azhar reduces the weight limit by 50 kg (16.7%) and expects it to reduce cost????? Sorry, but I don't buy it. Of course, lighter bikes with the same power can be faster. But the series had a 300 kg rule and no "good " reason to change that.

lugnut I am pretty sure $400 million was to build the explorer in the first place, not the cost to take the weight out. The money was not going to be invested in the explorer unless weight was reduced

[Brammofan]

Still COI driven

That is the catchiest thing I've heard all day.

New motto: TTXGP - New Day. New Rules. New Game. But Still COI Driven.

I see a correlation between weight and speed.

Sure, but what about this from the article:

Instead, he told Mulally he’d found ways to cut almost 100 pounds (45 kilograms) from the 4,450-pound behemoth, get 24 percent better gas mileage, add length and width and maintain off-road performance.

24 percent better gas mileage. That kind of "gas mileage" increase in an electric bike (e.g. range increase) could make the difference between finishing a race and not finishing.

By the way, I also like

What weight you reduce matters.

I like it so much that I shared it with Ms.Brammofan. Big mistake. Now I'm on the couch tonight and won't get to share my favorite line from the article with her: "add length and width and maintain off-road performance."

[DaveAK]

How about KOI driven? I'd like to see that.

[teddillard]

"...maximum overall weight to 250kg, this aims to make racing more affordable whilst continuing to be both exciting and a stimulus for new development."