AMA Pro Racing has made a change to the 2009 technical rules for the American Superbike class and will now allow aftermarket pistons, according to AMA Pro Racing’s Al Ludington. “The whole intent is for reliability,” said Ludington. “We’ve had some guys pretty far up the food chain at the manufacturers indicate that their pistons aren’t really suited for extended high-rpm use.” Only one piston kit will be added to the approved parts list for each model of motorcycle, and the pistons must weigh no less than stock pistons and must use the stock rings, pins and pin clips. Stock connecting rods will still be required. The rule change has not yet been announced via press release or the AMA Pro Racing website, but it will be included in the updated version of the 2009 rulebook currently in the works. Ironically, the use of stock pistons was discussed at length during AMA Pro Racing Road Racing Rules Committee meetings in 2007 and representatives of the four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers all voted for requiring stock pistons in the 2009 AMA Superbike Championship, over the objections of representatives of Buell and Ducati. The FIM Endurance World Championship, which features the same makes and models of motorcycles as American Superbike, requires the use of stock pistons, as does the Japanese National Series. Factory team demands that they be allowed to use non-stock pistons in AMA competition may actually be driven by a desire to change the dome shape of the piston and increase compression, not by stated concerns over reliability.