SIX AMA RULE CHANGES THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW

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The GET GPA system is “traction control” and since it is non-production, it is illegal. Why doesn’t the AMA crack down on it? Because GET doesn’t call it traction control.

The AMA/MX Sports/DMG/NPG sanctioning body passed several new rules for the 2014 season. It’s no surprise that these rule changes were given very little exposure by the sanctioning bodies, because one of them is a bombshell.

(1) TRACTION CONTROL IS LEGAL…ALL OF A SUDDEN

“Non-production electronic devices designed specifically for traction control are prohibited. This includes sensors that can determine front-wheel speed and any electronic control to the brake system.”

After decades of banning traction control while doing absolutely nothing to enforce the rule in the face of escalating electronic ignition controls, the rule makers quietly slipped the word “non-production” into the rule. Surprise! The 2015 Kawasaki KX450F came with traction control as one of its new highlights. No big deal; Honda put the same type of traction control on the 1997 Honda CR250 and the AMA never made a peep. If you read the rule closely, you can see that aftermarket traction control, like the GET system, is still illegal. Any bets on them getting busted? Naw, didn’t think so.

This is the old “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” philosophy of rule-making. The AMA has never caught any team breaking this long-standing rule, even though they do it in the open, so the AMA just made it legal. Problem solved. It is amazing how many problems the AMA solves this way.

(2) THE PIT SPEED LIMIT

“Operation of a motor vehicle, including but not limited to a motorcycle, golf cart, ATV or utility vehicle, in the paddock must be at a very slow, acceptable speed (10 mph maximum) so as not to endanger life or limb of other riders, crew members, officials or the public.”

This is a logical rule, but until it applies to the MX Sports officials who speed around at every National track giving guided tours to friends, it is meaningless.

(3) SELECTIVE RULE…IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ARE

“A rider leaving the course may continue the race by promptly re-entering the course at the closest point to where the rider left the course without gaining an advantage. If a rider leaves the course for any reason, the rider must immediately slow down to a safe speed so as not to endanger life or limb of other riders, crew members, officials or the public. It will be the responsibility of the race director or his designee to determine whether the rider gained an advantage upon re-entry or failed to slow down after leaving the course. A rider may be determined to have gained an advantage without gaining a position.”

How do they define “safe speed”? Do they define the safe speed of a privateer by the same standard as that of a factory rider? Shouldn’t they leave some openings in the irritating repeater banner around the circuits to allow the riders to re-enter closer to where they left? So many questions and such a gray area of enforcement.

(4) SOUNDS RULES — TAKE A BREAK

“The maximum sound limit is set at:
–For pre-race inspection: Max. 112 dB/A
–For post-race inspection: Max. 113 dB/A”

The rampant runaway sound rules have outstripped the ability of the manufacturers to comply. As a result, some manufacturers have given up trying to build AMA/FIM-legal mufflers. That means that you can’t race some bikes with the stock exhaust system. The organizations cannot keep lowering the sound levels by several decibels every year or two. It takes time for manufacturers to comply. Put a moratorium on new sound rules until 2020. Announce how long that sound limit will be in place and maybe then  the factories and aftermarket suppliers will build systems that comply. Until then, they will only build enough quiet systems for AMA Pro riders.

(3) WHEELS OF FALSEHOOD

“Wheels and all wheel components (i.e., spokes, hubs) constructed exclusively of carbon fiber or carbon fiber composite are not permitted.”

This is classic fake rule-writing. All this rule means is that some team has developed carbon fiber hubs with aluminum or beryllium sleeves molded in. Now, you might think that a wheel like that would be illegal, but did you notice the use of the word “exclusively” in the rule. That means that if a carbon fiber hub contains any parts, no matter how small, that are not made of carbon fiber, they are in fact legal—with a little finagling.

(6) YOU PAY THEM TO RUN THEIR LOGO

“Rider numbers and the approved AMA Pro Racing and the series title sponsor are required on the front number plates. The area on the top edge of the front number plate is reserved for the official AMA Pro Racing logo, followed by the series title logo, then followed by the official MX Sports logo. This designated area shall be a height of 1 inch and a width of 8 inches.”

What’s next? The T-shirt guy’s phone number? Actually, this rule is fairly common in all racing organizations—except for the T-shirt guy part.