Okay Snapperheads here’s my take on this brewing controversy! 😀
I too run a Rotax like Dennis
Number one is that I agree with all responses pertaining to GET LOCAL SUPPORT! Rotax, Lepurd or Biland all have great support from the shops and from the racing fraternity.
As for your weight put it this way, i weigh in at 205 to 210 (solid) and i can’ t lose any more weight without my wife taking me to the Doctor for an AIDS test. I too come off the scales at 398-401 in the senior class. What I do is make marks on my tank and fill fuel to that point. Trial and error and you’ll figure your “marks”.
Mark Elliot with his lepurd @ Bandemere was .2 seconds better than I was and considering it’s his home track and that i am 20# over the weight limit i am happy with that. Now, put Mark @ IMI and both Dennis and I are faster. So the old saying it’s not what you drive but how you drive it rings true.
Jets? a minor adjustment on the Rotax. Half the fun is running a leaner jet till you find out what is optimum! However, the lepurd has the advantage over the Rotax pertaining to the “pimple” on the back of the engine AKA exhaust valve. Make sure you keep this clean or you’ll have no response on the track and end up 1.3 seconds off the pace as I did in Steamboat.
Would I buy another Rotax? Absolutely! It’s an easy engine to work on, low maintenance and cheap (ask me that after i send it in for a top end come January) and i like the response out of corners and top end.
Besides, i finished 6th in class and am looking to a top 3 next year. (With my Rotax and stock fuel without slick 50, Dennis 😈 )
What i am trying to say is get what YOU want and don’ t buy into the BS about X being better than Y or Z. It’s the driver with a well tuned engine, any engine…. See you at the track. By the way, the Biland sounds the best in my opinion. Now that is a true race engine sound!
Mike Jansen
Rotax #27D