Robert did a similar FFE (funny front end) on a Harley-engined sport bike, so he has experience with it and seems satisfied with the performance.
Motorcycle Builders – Bob Horn
Something suitable for the race track is not necessarily suitable for the street. Lighter than stock streetbike is pretty easy to accomplish for a racer, as you jettison all the street stuff that isn't needed.
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the potential to keep up with upright riders in the turns
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That all depends on the rider, doesn't it? You could put me on a MotoGP bike and a top club racer on a stock 20 year-old bike and I'd still come in a distant second. To my mind the issue is more of comparing apples to apples -- will Joe/Jane Rider, of middle levels of skill, do better with a conventional bike or an FF? One configuration that has an ultimately higher level of performance, but that requires an ace rider to reach it, may give slower lap times with the mediocre rider who finds the alternative configuration less intimidating.
Arthur Middleton has a lightly-modified Kawasaki EX400/500 FF track day bike. He's let a fairly fast (much faster than he is) club rider take his bike out and the fast guy not only enjoyed it, but thought there was some potential in the concept (not to mention that optimizing suspension/engine/tires/brakes would knock seconds off the lap times).
cheers,
Michael