MotoGP Off-Season (pre 2012) Thread

[DogBoy]

Insightful interview with Casey Stoner from David Emmett at Motomatters.com. Discussion of tires, electronics, riding styles, etc...

http://www.motomatters.com/interview/2011/12/19/casey_stoner_interview_on_riding_fast_em.html

[Kneescrubber]

Great find!  

I found his comments about runoff interesting.

[Rigger]

Here is an interesting article from MCUSA.com.   It has to do with the CRT bikes next season.

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/817/11818/Motorcycle-Article/How-Will-CRT-Work-in-MotoGP-.aspx

[st2sam]

Here is an interesting article from MCUSA.com.   It has to do with the CRT bikes next season.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/817/11818/Motorcycle-Article/How-Will-CRT-Work-in-MotoGP-.aspx

   

If any part of what I just read is true.      

God I wish there was a WSBK race in the North east.

[kendenton]

   

If any part of what I just read is true.      

God I wish there was a WSBK race in the North east.

I'm going to do my best to Miller this year  

[DogBoy]

Here is an interesting article from MCUSA.com.   It has to do with the CRT bikes next season.

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/817/11818/Motorcycle-Article/How-Will-CRT-Work-in-MotoGP-.aspx

I think this is the same guy who was talking about Honda having a $250 million budget earlier this year. Now its $450 million and then he talks up a bunch of numbers that totally contradict that figure. I'm also doubting that Stoner will be 1.5 seconds faster everywhere. Thats a bug chunk of time. Anyway, the CRT teams won't be lapped two or three times per race. That complete BS. There is no reason they won't be as fast as WSBK bikes or faster and that puts them at the equivalent of the lower satellite teams. It may take half the season for the CRT bikes to find their pace but the will get there. They sky is not falling.

[veefer800canuck]

Agreed. With some development, they should be faster than a SBK because of the unlimited engine mods, and probably the chassis will be lighter too.

As long as the HP is reliable, and they can get handling without chatter, there's no way that lapping 2-3 times will occur. Races aren't long enough.

[Rigger]

I too questioned the lapping of CRT bikes 2-3 times per race.  I am not saying what this guy wrote is true, just wanted to share his opinion and provoke discussion.  I agree with the comment about the bikes being closer in performance to a WSBK bike.  

[DredheadV2.0]

I think this is the same guy who was talking about Honda having a $250 million budget earlier this year. Now its $450 million and then he talks up a bunch of numbers that totally contradict that figure..

Sounds like he'd be right at home here  

[DogBoy]

 

I guess he'd fit in with me. I found the other column. He claimed Hondas budget was $425 million and Yamaha was at $280 million so I was way off.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/739/10399/Motorcycle-Article/STM--Practical-Solutions-to-MotoGPs-Woes.aspx

I still think those numbers are about ten times too high on those budgets. Its foolish to make those claims and not explain where the money goes. MotoGP is not that expensive.

[miles]

I too questioned the lapping of CRT bikes 2-3 times per race.  I am not saying what this guy wrote is true, just wanted to share his opinion and provoke discussion.  I agree with the comment about the bikes being closer in performance to a WSBK bike.  

As I posted above, nobody is going to get lapped (unless they have mechanicals, or run off the track).  The shortest track that MotoGP races on is the Sachsenring, and lap times of 1.22 are typical front-runner race pace.  At 30 laps, the fastest rider would have to lap 2.73 seconds faster than the slowest to ever lap anybody even once.  Three seconds a lap is huge, especially on such a short circuit.

[tomek]

As I posted above, nobody is going to get lapped (unless they have mechanicals, or run off the track).  The shortest track that MotoGP races on is the Sachsenring, and lap times of 1.22 are typical front-runner race pace.  At 30 laps, the fastest rider would have to lap 2.73 seconds faster than the slowest to ever lap anybody even once.  Three seconds a lap is huge, especially on such a short circuit.

Yes , 3 seconds is huuuge ( Trump`s impersonation ) but so was is the gap between crts and Hondas and Yamahas in the testing we`ve seen so far . The gap in early testing was in 4-7 seconds range , of course it is gonna closer as the season progresses .

Anyway , wanna bet Miles ? I`d say crts will get lapped often and early .

We`ll revisit this issue as the season starts and I`ll do dancing on some graves here .

Question . Based on your experience do you see 12 engines per season for crt as an issue ?  .
 I guess that amounts to 400-500 miles between rebuilds at 230 hp level . Typical Motogp track loads the engine more then typical AMA circut , daytona being exception .
Your thoughts as much as you are willing to share ?

BTW , less motomatters you read , more you know  . I mean there is good info there but also healthy amount of hyper-ball . You have to be able to filter all that out .

[DredheadV2.0]

I, for one, welcome the new CRT overlords.

[veefer800canuck]

Someone had to say it.  


 

[miles]

Yes , 3 seconds is huuuge ( Trump`s impersonation ) but so was is the gap between crts and Hondas and Yamahas in the testing we`ve seen so far . The gap in early testing was in 4-7 seconds range , of course it is gonna closer as the season progresses .

Anyway , wanna bet Miles ? I`d say crts will get lapped often and early .

We`ll revisit this issue as the season starts and I`ll do dancing on some graves here .

Question . Based on your experience do you see 12 engines per season for crt as an issue ?  .
 I guess that amounts to 400-500 miles between rebuilds at 230 hp level . Typical Motogp track loads the engine more then typical AMA circut , daytona being exception .
Your thoughts as much as you are willing to share ?

BTW , less motomatters you read , more you know  . I mean there is good info there but also healthy amount of hyper-ball . You have to be able to filter all that out .

Given the different development curves, I'd bet that by the fourth round, no lapping will happen.  I doubt any lapping will happen in Qatar, because it's a big, open horsepower track and the CRT teams won't be down much on power, just chassis development.  Jerez, maybe.  I'd be surprised, but maybe.  Estoril, perhaps.  I see that as the most likely track lapping where could happen.  By Le Mans, gaps will be in the 2 second range, and only the  most unfortunate teams running at the back will run three seconds behind.

And no, we could build 250hp engines that would last two race weekends, easy.  I don't know how the Aprilia teams will do, but he BMW engined teams will have few problems.

[motodog650]

Bad news out of the OWB, Nicky Hayden broke his left scapula and fractured two ribs in a flat-track training crash on Tuesday...

[Tyrroneous]

Bad news out of the OWB, Nicky Hayden broke his left scapula and fractured two ribs in a flat-track training crash on Tuesday...

Crap.  He had awesome scapula's too, shame to break one of 'em.    


Found this quote on Soup:

"Obviously, injuries are never good," Hayden said, "but it's part of motorcycle racing. Just like at Valencia, it was kind of a freak accident. I was starting to train again, like I normally do during the winter, at a private track near my house. I came up behind another rider, and he went to move out of the way. I wasn't going that fast, but he clipped my front wheel and I went down and landed pretty hard on my left shoulder, and that was it. It's disappointing, but there's nothing to do about it but heal quickly. Anyway, this doesn't change my expectations for 2012 which, fortunately, is just around the corner."

How sucky would it feel to be the guy that caused Young Nicky Hayden to crash and break more bones just before the 2012 season tests get underway?  Bet that dude/dudette feels this >< big right about now.

[X1Glider]

I can see the CRTs being lapped once and easily.  Maybe close to twice but not quite.  This past season there were non CRT bikes finishing up to 1 minute behind the front runners.  They may not be factory but they're still leaps ahead of CRT technology.  With the CRTs lacking the sophistication of factory electronics with GPS specific programming, lapping should be simple.  And I think it will be a danger come lap time.  I can already hear Stoner moaning about being on the racing line.  Will these back markers even remember what a Blue Flag means?

[X1Glider]

 

I guess he'd fit in with me. I found the other column. He claimed Hondas budget was $425 million and Yamaha was at $280 million so I was way off.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/739/10399/Motorcycle-Article/STM--Practical-Solutions-to-MotoGPs-Woes.aspx

I still think those numbers are about ten times too high on those budgets. Its foolish to make those claims and not explain where the money goes. MotoGP is not that expensive.

Who but the teams really know what they spend?  All I know is that it isn't getting cheaper.  Dorna talks about cutting costs so what do they do?  Add 3 tracks to the calendar for 2013.  One of them being way out of the way "as the parrot flies."

They talk about electronics tipping the financial scales.  Electronics are cheap.  They're on the showroom floor and apparently amazing.  Yeah, the GP stuff is faster, GPS enabled and who knows what else they do.  The consumer may see that also in a couple years.  It's the heaps of programmers that are the budget bloater.  Adding a spec ECU won't solve a thing.  They'll still have programming teams to pay.  The biggest difference is that since the teams don't own the ECU, no new tech can filter down to the consumer.  I don't see a single manufacturer going for it.  They'll pull out completely and GP will become Moto1.  What would be the point in staying if you can't create your own edge?

[mugwump58]

My understanding is the Dorna moves the teams.