[gohm]

Zak,

Using your chassis example, as an amateur racer you may not "feel" improvements in chassis design directly however you certainly can feel the improvements in the handling as a result. An improved chassis will allow you to brake harder later (deeper) into a turn without upsetting geometry. This reduces your time through the corner. It is very true that winning on Sunday translates into sales on Monday. This has applied to all motor vehicles involved in a form of racing. These improvements make there way into production vehicles which can result in lighter, stronger, faster & safer vehicles. An example of this is traction control & slipper clutches. True, a lot of hp has always been available, however because of racing and technology, hp can now be squeezed from a small, efficient motor. It is true many people do not give pollution a high concern, however there are still lots of people that do, especially if added benefits like fuel efficiency are involved. I would use the widespread use of scooters as an example. There are also developments of alternate power source bikes being perfected around the globe. A good first hand experience of technology advancement in motorcycles is easy to see. Ride a Royal Enfield bullet and then hop on a Suzuki gsxr- quite a change in 40 years time!