Rejoice all you 2 stroke lovers. You are once again going to see these fire breathing dragons racing with the greatest of all time on the most spectacular road race in the world. Swiss racing motorcycle manufacturer Suter has confirmed participation in the 2016 edition of the prestigious road race the Isle of Man TT.
The Swiss manufacturer will race the Suter MMX 500, a 580cc 2 stroke motorcycle against the superbikes in the RST Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT Races. This will be a good way to measure how much 2 stroke technology has improved and progressed since it has stopped being used in racing at the highest level. But it would have its task cut out racing the 4-stroke motorcycle which have been fine tuned over the years for the extremely challenging circuit.
The bike when showcased at EICMA 2015 was adjudged ‘the most desirable motorcycle’! There are only 99 motorcycles manufactured and will retail at 109000 Euros, not quite pocket change! Suter as yet hasn’t signed on a rider to race at the IOM TT, but are in talks with two riders. The company is interested in signing up a rider who has ‘been there done that’ because only in the hands of such a rider can the bike show its true potential.
Eskil Suter, Ex-GP racer and CEO – A launch of this nature with a limited run of motorcycling would ordinarily not be spectacular but the fact that the Suter has a 580cc two-stroke engine evokes almost hysterical emotion with the association of the wild days of 500cc Grand Prix racing where legends like Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Gardner, just to name a few, regularly fought thrillingly for podiums and against crashing. The furious power explosion of the former two-stroke bikes was still memorable to real fans and is considered the golden age of motorcycle racing.”
“However, these motorcycles were never readily available. Suter has awakened this charismatic era with the MMX 500 bringing those GP bikes back to life in a modern context. We are equipping the MMX 500 engine with high-end components, of which one could only dream of back in the days of 500cc racing, including an electronic fuel injection, for example, and counter-rotating crankshafts.”
“Suter has built up knowledge and understanding on the specifications in recent years, by constructing modules, complete motorcycles or as supplier to all Grand Prix classes.
“We have a phenomenally good power to weight ratio. She drives like a bicycle with rocket propulsion.”
“In collaboration with a renowned university we have found solutions to the challenge of the emissions and got it under control”, “and that’s the reason why we want to go to the toughest road race in the world. For us this is the perfect testing ground. The Senior TT, over six laps of the 60km long Snaefell Mountain Course, is just something for the toughest guys among the racers.
Phillip Soutter, Marketing Director, Suter – “We are currently negotiating with two former TT winners. “We want an experienced rider and the best suited to us would be an old TT-warhorse.”
Now the question is who would you want to see racing this gorgeous motorcycle?
News Source: IOMTT.com
