MotoGP 2013 pre-season useless thread

[DogBoy]

Your home for speculation, rumor, wild ass guesses and the occasional fact or genuine insight.

Some starters:

Preziosi replaced at Ducaudi Corse.
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/186288/1/preziosi_replaced_in_ducati_shake-up.html


Shakey Byrne turns down backmarker MotoGP ride for chance at 4th BSB title. Shakey's twitter feed is a good read for these few posts from yesterday.
https://twitter.com/67Shakey/status/270591331506728961

Shane Shakey Byrne ‏@67Shakey
@calcrutchlow ha ha, problem is kid I like (love) podiums too, needed to be somewhere they were possible, Moto GP they definitely weren’t!!

[tomek]

Here is my useless contribution . I`d say Pedrosa will win in 2013 . Honda has fixed the bike , and Lorenzo and Rossi will pull enough points from each other to make it happened.

 

[black hills]

Here is my useless contribution . I`d say Pedrosa will win in 2013 . Honda has fixed the bike , and Lorenzo and Rossi will pull enough points from each other to make it happened.

 

this as well as no Ducs on the podium and the new guys crashing out on a regualr basis...

[Snowdog]

this as well as no Ducs on the podium and the new guys crashing out on a regualr basis...

The one that could stop Pedrosa winning is his team mate taking him out.

[loadedmind]

Pedrosa seems to have a tough enough time staying upright himself...  

[veefer800canuck]

The one that could stop Pedrosa winning is his team mate taking him out.

[motodog650]

Two biggest stories going into 2013: Rossi & Marquez.

They are both under immence pressure to turn in results early on. Gonna be interesting to see how each of them responds...

[R Doug]

Ben Spies will finish higher in the points on a satellite Duc team than he did this year on a factory Yam team.

[black hills]

Two biggest stories going into 2013: Rossi & Marquez.

They are both under immence pressure to turn in results early on. Gonna be interesting to see how each of them responds...

my guess is Rossi has the better response

[Bruce Bogtrotter]

Pedrosa seems to have a tough enough time staying upright himself...  

He and Lorenzo had the same number of unforced crashes this year.

What did you mean?

[squeezer]

Aprilia has finally made the official announcement of what was already unofficially known: Sylvain Guintoli will get Biaggi's WSBK seat.

[nater]

Ben Spies continues plummitting, hits the bottom, comes to his senses, and returns to WSBK for 2014.

[Capirex]

I think the battle among the 4 Ducatis has the potential to be a great one if they are all on equal machinery.  
Yet another class in what is currently multi-class racing of MotoGP.

[black hills]

Hayden wins the championship for Ducati

[veefer800canuck]

Hayden wins the championship for Ducati

He'd better have one of these plastered on his fairing:



(And I like Nicky, I'm just a realist)

[black hills]

He'd better have one of these plastered on his fairing:



(And I like Nicky, I'm just a realist)

LOL.... it was just  a dream....

[nater]

I think the battle among the 4 Ducatis has the potential to be a great one if they are all on equal machinery.  
Yet another class in what is currently multi-class racing of MotoGP.

Except that the battle for 5th, 6th, and 7th won't be televised because the cameras will be on the frontrunners.  So we will never know if there was a battle or not.  Not quite like the battle between the CRTs, but you get the idea.

[Silverbird]

Marquez wins and wins often.

[Kneescrubber]

(And I like Nicky, I'm just a realist)

You did read the subject line. Right? You are no better a predictor of what will happen next year than the rest of us. Quit pissing in everyone else's cereal.

Oh. Yeah. Right.  

[veefer800canuck]

You did read the subject line. Right? You are no better a predictor of what will happen next year than the rest of us. Quit pissing in everyone else's cereal.

Oh. Yeah. Right.  

Uh yeah, sorry, I forgot.  

Lesse then. I predict that at the last minute, Troy Bayliss will come out of retirement, and win the championship for Ducati.  

There, is that better?  

[Kneescrubber]

Uh yeah, sorry, I forgot.  

Lesse then. I predict that at the last minute, Troy Bayliss will come out of retirement, and win the championship for Ducati.  

There, is that better?  

Which championship?  

He's over and done. Just like Rossi.

(and I like Rossi)  

[squeezer]

Lesse then. I predict that at the last minute, Troy Bayliss will come out of retirement, and win the championship for Ducati.  

Corser!  Oh, hell, let's go for it -- B Boz makes a world stage comeback!

Wait...   King Kenny on his garage built CRT!




This is actually more fun than most of the races.  

[squeezer]

News shocker: John Hopkins to have surgery!

(I know it's not really MotoGP news, but Hopper in the hospital doesn't seem worth it's own thread.)

This is big time surgery for a bike racer, though. He's going in for hip replacement. That's a lot of rehab. I wonder if he'll be on a track next year?

[Mac]

Zombie Joey Dunlop to win the Isle of Man tt on Oct 31st.

[black hills]

News shocker: John Hopkins to have surgery!

(I know it's not really MotoGP news, but Hopper in the hospital doesn't seem worth it's own thread.)

This is big time surgery for a bike racer, though. He's going in for hip replacement. That's a lot of rehab. I wonder if he'll be on a track next year?

Hip replacement is pretty good these days. My neighbor had his done, he's 50, overweight,out of shape and doesn't do what he is told.. Recovered completely in 3 months

[DogBoy]

Hopkins announced that he is taking all of 2013 off to recover. http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=49964

Whether or not he had a ride for 2013 or beyond is another matter.

[black hills]

Hopkins announced that he is taking all of 2013 off to recover. http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=49964

Whether or not he had a ride for 2013 or beyond is another matter.

Seems odd?  My buddy Ed layed out the course for the pine ridge enduro (on his bike) six weeks after hip replacement .. He was in his 60's?    Must be more to hoppers story

[DogBoy]

There is a chance that MotoGP or Superbike racing is more physically demanding than your buddies' activities (no disrespect to Enduro riders of any age). Or the press release was a polite way for Crescent Suzuki to say "Hopkins' 2012 WSBK results were well below expectations and we're letting him go."

[squeezer]

Both of those things are likely true. But I also read that his surgery is unusually difficult. He's not only injured that hip several times but he's also broken that femur twice. Those injuries tore away a lot of the soft tissue, making rehab especially hard.

[Blunder]

Colin Edwards will say "fuck" in a press conference.

Eboz will emerge from the South American jungle, pass the drug screen, and clean up in DMG/AMA XR1200 Cup. Dude's gotta start back at his roots, doncha know? Dude. He'll have a wild-card ride at the 3 US MotoGP rounds aboard something cobbled together over serious drinks at Kenny's ranch in Modesto. Theories will be tested on XR100s. The result will fail but it will be hilarious. The Brit scribes will love it and wax lyrically how they miss the crazy Yanks while the rest of the world's press leeches will scratch their heads in bewilderment.

Pedrosa will smile.

[veefer800canuck]

What's to stop KR and Eboz from massaging a KR211V to meet this years rules? Unless Kenny had to give all the engines back that is.  

[edit]
Dammit, forgot that with the 81mm bore rule, maximum # of cylinders is 4.
Frick.

[DogBoy]

Perfect thread fodder:

Q: What is more useless than a 2012 MotoGP Quiz from Crash.net?

A: Nothing.



http://www.crash.net/motogp/quiz/28/1/motogp_quiz_a_final_look_back_over_2012.html

6/10 for me.

[tomek]

3/10

[squeezer]

Also 3/10.

[Mastros2]

4/10. Lucky guessing I guess!  

[Scoop]

3/10.  Guess I don't really pay much attention.  Story of my life.

[Kneescrubber]

Not bad. 6/10

[motodog650]

Happy New Year   Prior contracts officially over. Rossi, Spies & Dovi can start discussing the upcoming season with their new teams...

FYI: BRI Episode 46 - Interview with Larry Lawrence (Rider Files, Cycle News Archives column, Ben Spies biography) is up on the site. See BRI link in sig line below.

[Capirex]

5/10 but I guessed on all of them.
The CRT championship standing points question was interesting (useless).  

[motodog650]

Happy New Year   Prior contracts officially over. Rossi, Spies & Dovi can start discussing the upcoming season with their new teams...

Spies speaks: http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/01/02/ben-spies-leaves-yamaha-for-ducati/

[squeezer]

Spies speaks: http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/01/02/ben-spies-leaves-yamaha-for-ducati/

Good article. Thanks.  

[motodog650]

Good article. Thanks.  

Surely !!

Spies said: "A senior Yamaha employee—that’s as specific as I’m going to get—said to me, “We’ve invested a lot of money in you. Don’t come to Laguna Seca if you aren’t 100 percent.”
Then, he added, “We’ve lost confidence in you.”"

Insert: Lin Jarvis...

[nater]

Surely !!

Spies said: "A senior Yamaha employee—that’s as specific as I’m going to get—said to me, “We’ve invested a lot of money in you. Don’t come to Laguna Seca if you aren’t 100 percent.”
Then, he added, “We’ve lost confidence in you.”"

Insert: Lin Jarvis...

Some people will never figure out that if you tell someone that they can't do it, the prediction will likely be self-fulfilling.  It destroys what little self-confidance is left.  

[st2sam]

Good article. Thanks.  

+2
This read really got me thinking, but no matter how hard I think, not sure if Ben is gonna be competitive?  
Will he ride equal too or better than Rossi did this past season???
Anyhow, I'm happy he's staying in MGP and happier yet he's going to Ducati. It's something for me to get excited about, I can look ahead to the 2013 MGP season!  

[Scoop]

good article indeed.  I see now what happened to Ben.  He started thinking...and trying.  "Trying to ride like Jorge" was  his undoing (along with everything breaking).  His riding style did him well for all these years.  Suddenly thinking it's not good enough and trying to analyze what he was doing and try to change his whole style was bound to lead to horrible failure.  

[black hills]

I think the GP bikes are a whole different animal and not every riding style will work on them.

[R Doug]

I think the GP bikes are a whole different animal and not every riding style will work on them.

Agreed. I have read countless stories of where riders had to adapt their riding style to accommodate a GP bike.

I have said it before, take off the quarter million $ plus computer aids on a gp bike and we will see more neutral body positions (the type Elbowz perfected) and better competition in this class.

[black hills]

Agreed. I have read countless stories of where riders had to adapt their riding style to accommodate a GP bike.

I have said it before, take off the quarter million $ plus computer aids on a gp bike and we will see more neutral body positions (the type Elbowz perfected) and better competition in this class.

   they are becoming so perfected that there is only one way to ride them

[squeezer]

Brno has been dropped from the WSBK calendar. :-[

[R Doug]

   they are becoming so perfected that there is only one way to ride them

Yep... flog the turd out of them in the corners and *trust* the electronics to sort it all out.  This is why we see such extreme body commitment with the guys hanging way off.  

Watch Moto2.  Those cats stay neutral and don't committ their bodies to the inside as much because they need to use their skill to keep the bike upright.  

[mellow_gold]

Good article!  Seems like he's talking out of school quite a lot though...entertaining for us but maybe not the wisest decision career wise.

[Capirex]

Brno has been dropped from the WSBK calendar. :-[

I also see that Miller and Misano have been dropped but Laguna Seca and the Tilke cutter Buddh added.  Hmmm.

[st2sam]

The June 23rd date location is TBA..  Miller maybe?

[DogBoy]

Miller is off the schedule. Attendance was too low.

[Scoop]

Also, there's as much chance of snow at Miller in May as there is of warm temps

[DogBoy]

Testing at Sepang for CRT over the weekend. Full MotoGP field starts testing tomorrow.

[DogBoy]

New Kid.

[Capirex]

Sepang Tuesday Test Times:

1.    Dani   Pedrosa ESP   Repsol Honda (RC213V)    2m   1.157s    (Lap 48/49)
2.    Jorge   Lorenzo ESP   Yamaha Factory (YZR-M1)    2m   1.165s    (57/58)
3.    Marc   Marquez ESP   Repsol Honda (RC213V)    2m   1.201s    (60/62)
4.    Valentino   Rossi ITA   Yamaha Factory (YZR-M1)    2m   1.584s    (30/56)
5.    Stefan   Bradl GER   LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V)    2m   1.789s    (43/59)
6.    Cal   Crutchlow GBR   Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)    2m   1.881s    (46/64)
7.    Alvaro   Bautista ESP   Honda Gresini (RC213V)    2m   1.981s    (52/59)
8.    Katsayuki   Nakasuga JPN   Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1)    2m   2.968s    (50/58)
9.    Kosuke   Akiyoshi JPN   Honda Test Rider (RC213V)    2m   2.972s    (46/69)
10.    Nicky   Hayden USA   Ducati Team (GP13)    2m   3.336s    (22/62)
11.    Wataru   Yoshikawa JPN   Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1)    2m   3.456s    (14/46)
12.    Bradley   Smith GBR   Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)    2m   3.460s    (53/56)
13.    Andrea   Dovizioso ITA   Ducati Team (GP13)    2m   3.535s    (35/48)
14.    Aleix   Espargaro ESP   Aspar (ART CRT)    2m   3.782s    (54/58)
15.    Randy   De Puniet    FRA   Aspar (ART CRT)    2m   4.283s    (42/56)
16.    Andrea   Iannone ITA   Pramac Racing (GP13)    2m   4.500s    (53/57)
17.    Ben   Spies USA   Pramac Racing (GP13)    2m   5.086s    (19/21)
18.    Takumi   Takahashi JPN   Honda Test Rider (RC213V)    2m   5.154s    (68/70)
19.    Hector   Barbera ESP   Avintia (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)*    2m   5.469s    (37/41)
20.    Yonny   Hernandez COL   Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT)    2m   5.656s    (39/50)
21.    Karel   Abraham CZE   Cardion AB (ART CRT)    2m   5.694s    (30/54)
22.    Danilo   Petrucci ITA   IodaRacing (Suter-BMW CRT)*    2m   5.753s    (27/29)
23.    Hiroshi   Aoyama JPN   Avintia (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)*    2m   5.919s    (47/48)
24.    Claudio   Corti ITA   Forward (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)*    2m   6.426s    (29/38)
25.    Michael   Laverty GBR   Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT)    2m   6.507s    (42/43)
26.    Lukas   Pesek CZE   IodaRacing (Suter-BMW CRT)*    2m   7.015s    (40/46)
27.    Bryan   Staring AUS   Honda Gresini (FTR-Honda CRT)*    2m   7.044s    (33/41)
28.    Colin   Edwards USA   Forward (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)*    2m   8.206s    (24/25)
* Control ECU.

Official Sepang MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha 2m 0.334s (2012)
Fastest race lap:
Casey Stoner AUS Ducati 2m 2.108s (2007)

Fastest lap in 2012 pre-season testing:
Casey Stoner AUS Honda 1m 59.607s (February 2)

Fastest lap in private Honda Sepang test:
Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda 2m 1.355s (November 27)

Fastest lap in CRT 'ECU test':
Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing (Suter-BMW CRT) 2m 6.841s (February 3)

[black hills]

it appears Rossi is happy to be back on the M1

[loadedmind]

I've always been a Spies fan - maybe not as hardcore as others, but I've followed his career with great anticipation.  

Unless Ducati does something drastically different with their bikes this year, I honestly don't know what he was thinking going to this platform.  He has everything to lose and everything to gain, so it will definitely be interesting to see if he can fare any better than Nicky.  I mean, if Rossi couldn't consistently place any podium finishes on the Duc, what chance does Spies really have?  I suppose the real question is, is Spies in the same caliber of riders as the likes of Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Rossi?

Oh, and to the person asking what I meant, don't read into it.   I simply pointed out that Pedrosa CAN do wrong.

[DogBoy]

First day of testing complete. Time to draw conclusions and predict the championship.

[black hills]

I've always been a Spies fan - maybe not as hardcore as others, but I've followed his career with great anticipation.  

Unless Ducati does something drastically different with their bikes this year, I honestly don't know what he was thinking going to this platform.  He has everything to lose and everything to gain, so it will definitely be interesting to see if he can fare any better than Nicky.  I mean, if Rossi couldn't consistently place any podium finishes on the Duc, what chance does Spies really have?  I suppose the real question is, is Spies in the same caliber of riders as the likes of Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Rossi?

Oh, and to the person asking what I meant, don't read into it.   I simply pointed out that Pedrosa CAN do wrong.

Ducati may have been the only realistic offer Spies had? on ehas to remember this is thier job

[Capirex]

WRT Spies, I think he had other options but I believe his thinking was that his best bet was to stay in GP, bide his time on the Duc and hope for a better ride next year.  MotoGP is still the pinnacle, 'the show', and it's better to ride a Duc or CRT than leave for an inferior series.  Once you leave 'the show' there's almost no coming back.  

First day of testing complete. Time to draw conclusions and predict the championship.

Note that Rossi's best lap was in the middle of the session.  I believe he is sandbagging.  

[expatbrit]

Poor Spies can't catch a break. Soup is reporting that he may be out of testing due to his shoulder.

[mugwump58]

[tomek]

First day of testing complete. Time to draw conclusions and predict the championship.

Rossi almost 2 seconds quicker then the fastest Ducati  and , only 0.4 sec behind Pedrosa  on very long racetrack .
I cannot possibly not LOL when I think about it .  

Marquez already faster - with barely any seat time -  then Teutonic wunderboy Bradl  (   ) .  Just like I predicted in 2011 . Hello Dred .    



 

[Silverbird]

Rookies often jump right out of the gate and impress because there is no pressure, nothing to lose nor anything to thwart their confidence.  Only the very best can maintain that opening momentum into their career, it will be intereting to see if Marques is the man.  Either way, MotoGP should be exciting again this year!

[veefer800canuck]

Poor Spies can't catch a break. Soup is reporting that he may be out of testing due to his shoulder.

I can commiserate with the boy. I just had the same surgery 12 days ago. Ouch.  

[Blunder]

Colin Edwards is suffering from what may become the mark of a CRT rider. Neck spasms.

[motodog650]

No surprises here as far as Ducati. Anybody thinking they would be close to the top five at the first test of 2013 is being completely unrealistic (unless it rained all day). Hoping with Rossi gone and new team management (and direction) that progress will be made at a steady pace instead of the tail chasing we witnessed with them the last two years.

Rossi down 5/10 to George after two days. Gonna be interesting to see what the spread is at the finish of the test...

[DogBoy]

Ducati is on last year's bikes. Nothing new for 2013 yet. While I hope for the best for Hayden's sake, my expectations are not high for the red team.

[black hills]

Rossi down 5/10 to George after two days. Gonna be interesting to see what the spread is at the finish of the test...

I'm expecting quite a few Pedrossa, Lorenzo, Rossi podiums this year ( in no particular order)

[motodog650]

I'm expecting quite a few Pedrossa, Lorenzo, Rossi podiums this year ( in no particular order)

Marquez will break-up that trio on several occasions. Might we see a classic battle between the old master trying to keep his alien status while the new phenom tries to take his spot on the short list ??  

[black hills]

Marquez will break-up that trio on several occasions. Might we see a classic battle between the old master trying to keep his alien status while the new phenom tries to take his spot on the short list ??  

   could be the year we've been waiting for

[Silverbird]

So what is Ducati hoping to accomplish with last years bike that was already outclassed? I thought they were serious about not embarrasing themselves anymore

[Bruce Bogtrotter]

I give myself whiplash trying to predict what kind of season Marquez will have...

"He's only down .2 on the two aliens -- he's going to fight for wins."

"But Rossi's, Stoner's, Lorenzo's and Pedrosa's MotoGP rookie seasons were full of crashes."

"But anyone who survives and wins the Moto2 class knows all they need to about how to race and save near-crashes."

"Kill them both! And then we take the precious... and we be the master!"

[JonS]

From Moto Matters

2013 MotoGP Sepang 1 Test, Day 3 Times: Pedrosa Under Pole Record, Crutchlow Closes On Top 4
Submitted by David Emmett on Thu, 2013-02-07 10:47
in

    MotoGP
    Sepang, Malaysia

1Retweet

The first test of the 2013 MotoGP season is completed, and Dani Pedrosa has completed a clean sweep, topping the timesheets on all three days. The Repsol Honda man confirmed his role as title favorite by posting a fast lap under the existing pole record set by Jorge Lorenzo last year. He also opened up a serious gap to the trio who have been chasing him all test long, putting nearly a third of a second on Jorge Lorenzo, the Yamaha man falling just short of his own pole record. What may worry Lorenzo more is the fact that Pedrosa declared at the end of the day that his objective was not to be fastest, but test the bike.

Valentino Rossi closed the gap to his teammate, ending the test a tenth from the time set by Lorenzo, though still four tenths from Pedrosa's best lap. Rossi also leapfrogged over Marc Marquez, finally finishing ahead of the Repsol Honda rookie after ending the first two days behind him. Marquez finished as 4th fastest, six tenths behind Pedrosa, and the young Spaniard also had his first crash of the season, losing the front end on the way into the final corner. Marquez walked away unhurt, his Repsol RC213V did not fare quite so well.

[Blunder]

Marquez will break-up that trio on several occasions. Might we see a classic battle between the old master trying to keep his alien status while the new phenom tries to take his spot on the short list ??  

Maybe the list of aliens will expand and this is the dawn of a new era?

It's the 1st test of the year and the only thing for certain is the CRT's lack of seed, Edwards will say "fuck" at a press conference and the eventual WC's last name will end with a vowel.

[black hills]

 the eventual WC's last name will end with a vowel.

 

[nater]

Looks like Rossi got back what the Ducati tried to take out of him.  In other words, it really was the Ducati's fault.

[kendenton]

Looks like Rossi got back what the Ducati tried to take out of him.  In other words, it really was the Ducati's fault.

I certainly hope so  

[black hills]

Looks like Rossi got back what the Ducati tried to take out of him.  In other words, it really was the Ducati's fault.

 

[Blunder]

Looks like Rossi got back what the Ducati tried to take out of him.  In other words, it really was the Ducati's fault.

I wanna see what Stoner posts on his twatter account about that. He's the only rider to win on the thing.

[nater]

I wanna see what Stoner posts on his twatter account about that. He's the only rider to win on the thing.

That was no small feat.

[black hills]

I like this quote for Karel Abrahams chief mechanic:



he brakes too soon. It’s not a problem of the ART, Karel needs to forget the Ducati bike from the previous season. This causes his “braking problem”. For the next tests we must do everything to let Karel forget Ducati era.”

 

[nater]

I like this quote for Karel Abrahams chief mechanic:



he brakes too soon. It’s not a problem of the ART, Karel needs to forget the Ducati bike from the previous season. This causes his “braking problem”. For the next tests we must do everything to let Karel forget Ducati era.”

 

What a step backward for that team.  The CRTs are such a joke.  No one even cares how they place or even that they show up at the races.  The only time they get any TV coverage is at the starting line.

[Blunder]

What a step backward for that team.  The CRTs are such a joke.  No one even cares how they place or even that they show up at the races.  The only time they get any TV coverage is at the starting line.

They get more TV coverage than 5th through 10th. That's what happens when the leaders lap you.

[Scoop]

I like this quote for Karel Abrahams chief mechanic:



he brakes too soon. It’s not a problem of the ART, Karel needs to forget the Ducati bike from the previous season. This causes his “braking problem”. For the next tests we must do everything to let Karel forget Ducati era.”

 

You are getting sleeeeeepy.  You will forget the Ducati and you will brake later.  You will not crash so much.........

[black hills]

You are getting sleeeeeepy.  You will forget the Ducati and you will brake later.  You will not crash so much.........

   

[Orson]

Whut happened to Paris Hilton?  

Her team won 4 races in 2011.

I thought she was on the verge of being the next Erv Kanemoto.

[veefer800canuck]

Whut happened to Paris Hilton?  

Her team won 4 races in 2011.

I thought she was on the verge of being the next Erv Kanemoto.

the gap between satellite bikes and factory bikes was just too much to overcome.

speculation was rampant that the chassis wasn't the latest spec.

[Blunder]

speculation was rampant that the chassis wasn't the latest spec.

All shagged out is more likely. Replacement parts are hard to come by no matter who you know. At least the paddock was etertained.

[veefer800canuck]

All shagged out is more likely. Replacement parts are hard to come by no matter who you know. At least the paddock was etertained.

maybe I needed a colon in my post.

i think you got lost at the intersection of subtlety and insinuation.

the spindly chassis in the picture was what I was alluding to......the raked out choppa thing with the B&S engine.

i wasn't actually referring to their racebikes.

sometimes I'm too vague.......

[Blunder]

Do they know you're surfing for pics of PH at work?

[veefer800canuck]

Do they know you're surfing for pics of PH at work?

i'm at home on my ipad, sorry

[motodog650]

Whether you like the CRT concept or not it is pretty awesome what Attack Performance is putting together for the three US rounds this season. They will kick some of the full time CRT efforts A$$ with much less manpower and money. Following link to article about the effort and video of dyno run:

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/02/12/attack-performance-motogp-crt-update-dyno-run/

[squeezer]

Whether you like the CRT concept or not it is pretty awesome what Attack Performance is putting together for the three US rounds this season. They will kick some of the full time CRT efforts A$$ with much less manpower and money. Following link to article about the effort and video of dyno run:

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/02/12/attack-performance-motogp-crt-update-dyno-run/

I'll be rooting for them. I really hope they get a good result.

I was bummed to read in there that Steve Rapp has finally tossed in the towel and settled into "a real job." I always thought his talent deserved better equipment than he got.

[motodog650]

I'll be rooting for them. I really hope they get a good result.

I was bummed to read in there that Steve Rapp has finally tossed in the towel and settled into "a real job." I always thought his talent deserved better equipment than he got.

Interviewed Rapp at Road ATL last year and spoke with him briefly at Indy. A good guy who has shown he can adapt to and ride most anything (and fast)...Yep, another victim of the poor state of our sport currently...

[Blunder]

Steve Rapp currently flies for Sky Blue. Would you feel better if he were your pilot?  

Rapp has had some good equipment in the past. Fast by Ferracci Ducati (that infamous shot of the front-looping 916 at RA is our hero) was one of the biggest. Sadly, his age combined with the economy means he has to find a real job.

Same with Blake Young. I guess even good support rides are going to younger and less expensive riders.  Or did he find something and is just doing this CRT testing as a free agent?

[DogBoy]

Some perspective on CRT machines from Mat Oxley:

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/moto-gp-race/crt-bikes-some-perspective/

[Blunder]

Some perspective on CRT machines from Mat Oxley:

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/moto-gp-race/crt-bikes-some-perspective/

In that article Oxley claims objectivity is required for a full understanding of the situation. The man is obviously delusional...

Just be glad we're not watching Ago lap the entire field twice in one race. Those were the days, eh?

[motodog650]

Same with Blake Young. I guess even good support rides are going to younger and less expensive riders.  Or did he find something and is just doing this CRT testing as a free agent?

Only other thing I've heard about is a possible ride for the 200...

[cjohns]

Short read, and good perspective from that Oxley article.  Been a little down on CRT's performance, but dollar per performance standard, they appear to be on the right track.

[JonS]

Short read, and good perspective from that Oxley article.  Been a little down on CRT's performance, but dollar per performance standard, they appear to be on the right track.

Aleix Espargaro, on his CRT bike, was not very far behind the Ducatis at Sepang. I think about .5 sec from Nicky. Of course, that is the lost in the woods, MotoGP team.

[squeezer]

Aleix Espargaro, on his CRT bike, was not very far behind the Ducatis at Sepang. I think about .5 sec from Nicky. Of course, that is the lost in the woods, MotoGP team.

Yeah, he was a lot closer to Nicky than Nicky was to Yamaha & Honda.

[tomek]

New ex-BMW Ducati boss on the powerplant :

""No, definitely not," Gobmeier said about any plans to change the Ducati engine configuration. "The V4 concept is not violated. The desmodromic is maintained. It has already been written (by media), the desmodromic is sacrificed. This is nonsense.

"But it is in the hardware of the engine must be modifications and the physical plane. Thus an engine update will come.""

Lemme translate it for you people . It seems they are gonna ditch 90 deg V4 and start with narrow angle V4 a la Aprilla and Honda .
Precisely what I - the great all motorcycle things prophet and guru- have been advocating since 5 B.C. 90 deg v4 cannot turn .
 
Had someone from Ducati bothered to monitor STN they would have saved themselves  gazillions of Euros on R&D and avoided epic embarrassment with Rossi fiasco .
Just saying .    

[mugwump58]

Neil Spalding's book MotoGp Technology of 2006 makes it clear that this problem was recognized quite some time ago.

[kevlarian]

then how did Casey Stoner  do it?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

[mugwump58]

True alien

[kendenton]

True alien

Indeed - here he is receiving instructions from the mother ship

[Scoop]

Indeed - here he is receiving instructions from the mother ship

But that's not his Duc livery!

[kendenton]

But that's not his Duc livery!

Once an alien...

[DogBoy]

Hmmm...

MotoMatters: Honda RC213V Revealed To Use A 90°V Engine - Now, Rethink Ducati's Problems

[mugwump58]

I have just checked the calender, nope not April 1st yet. I will wait and see.  

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/2013-honda-rc213v-90-v4-engine/

If translated is at least interesting
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fmanziana.motocorse.com%2Fblog%2F33095_Posizioni_3_parte.php

[expatbrit]

Hmmm...

MotoMatters: Honda RC213V Revealed To Use A 90°V Engine - Now, Rethink Ducati's Problems

Hah! Was just about to repost that.

[veefer800canuck]

Where's Larry when we really need him.  

[motodog650]

Know most some on here subscribe to the MotoGP package (me included) but for those who don't, looks like it's official that SPEED will have it on again this season:

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=50889

[DogBoy]

Testing for Yamaha and Honda at Circuit of the Americas this morning in the good ole USA. Ducati? Not so much.  

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2013/March/mar1113-ducati-explains-austin-test-absence/

With Ducati trying to bounce back from a disastrous two-year spell with Italian icon Valentino Rossi, the Bologna factory might appear to need more track time than anybody else to improve the struggling Desmosedici machine.

But Gobmeier said the gains from attending the Austin didn’t outweigh the cost, which some have estimated to have been at over £150,000 had they agreed to participate.

Gobmeier, who previously ran BMW’s factory World Superbike project, added: “The riders may gain two tenths advantage from learning the Austin track but we are not two tenths behind (Jorge) Lorenzo. When we are I would have said we will go to the test.

"The Austin test would have diluted the focus of our test plan though. In addition it is financial too. For a limited advantage to invest a lot of money in that test I would rather put it towards development."

[Silverbird]

In other words, we suck and have no interest in not sucking until our competition starts to suck along side us.

[DogBoy]

-Ducati's new management decided it wasn't worth £150,000 for "two-tenths".
-Jorge Lorenzo said if Yamaha hadn't come to COTA they would be several tenths behind Honda and Yamaha would never make up that deficit.
-Honda builds a $400,000 transmission (for at least four bikes) to gain a few tenths around each circuit.

Anyone still think Audi is going to pour resources in the Ducati GP program?

[DogBoy]

Garage exit looks a little tricky.  

[JonS]

-Ducati's new management decided it wasn't worth £150,000 for "two-tenths".
-Jorge Lorenzo said if Yamaha hadn't come to COTA they would be several tenths behind Honda and Yamaha would never make up that deficit.
-Honda builds a $400,000 transmission (for at least four bikes) to gain a few tenths around each circuit.

Anyone still think Audi is going to pour resources in the Ducati GP program?

Maybe for a bulldozer to put those sad bikes in a dumpster, so the engineers can start fresh. Probably cheaper. Sometimes, you just have to say Good bye.

[tomek]

-
Anyone still think Audi is going to pour resources in the Ducati GP program?

Yep , once MotoGP switches to Diesel engines .

 

[R Doug]

Yep , once MotoGP switches to Diesel engines .

  

 

[nater]

If the Jerez test is any indication, I'd say that V. Rossi is back in good form.  

[black hills]

If the Jerez test is any indication, I'd say that V. Rossi is back in good form.  

He appears to be comfortable back on the M1. Did you see the quote about Ducati engineers? I don't think he plans to go back......ever..

[mugwump58]

Crutchlow fastest on last day at Jerez

[Capirex]

Was that entire test in the wet?  

[mugwump58]

Almost, but not quite.

[Bruce Bogtrotter]

-Honda builds a $400,000 transmission (for at least four bikes) to gain a few tenths around each circuit.

The seamless shift transmission is 400,000€. In American bucks, it's $900,000. Nakamoto said it costs more than his house.

[DogBoy]

The seamless shift transmission is 400,000€. In American bucks, it's $900,000. Nakamoto said it costs more than his house.

I think your exchange rate is off a bit. Or I'd be glad to exchange some Euro for your dollars.

[Bruce Bogtrotter]

Hmmm...

MotoMatters: Honda RC213V Revealed To Use A 90°V Engine - Now, Rethink Ducati's Problems

I like some of this guy's posts, but the post-2007 Ducati has been an endless source of some of the most absurd armchair engineering on the internet. It has challenged and defeated some of the most accomplished professionals in motorsport, but allegedly the intertubes' shade tree mechanics can straighten out those Bolognese Blunderers.

[Bruce Bogtrotter]

I think your exchange rate is off a bit. Or I'd be glad to exchange some Euro for your dollars.

At the time I read the figure it was $900,000. I don't remember the euro amount. Curious: where'd you see the $400,000 figure?

[black hills]

Rossi's quote on Ducati:
In conversation with Motorcycle News, the Italian explained: "When you speak with Yamaha and Honda, but especially with Yamaha, and you say something wrong about the bike and for the Japanese engineer it is not something bad; it is something positive because they understand the way to improve the bike.
 
"With Ducati this doesn’t happen. So when you say you have a problem, first the Ducati guys don’t trust you 100% and secondly they are quite angry because you say the bike has a problem."


 I think a first race podium is going to make Ducati brass feel like idiots..

[mugwump58]

Naaa, they were never going to sign Marc or Crutchlow

[DogBoy]

At the time I read the figure it was $900,000. I don't remember the euro amount. Curious: where'd you see the $400,000 figure?

$400,000 is the number I remember. I'll try to find a reference later. Do you have any reference for the $900k number? That would lend more credence to my pointless rant.  

[veefer800canuck]

 I think a first race podium is going to make Ducati brass feel like idiots..

I certainly hope he does podium in the first race. Vindication.

I went looking for his best finish on the Ducati. A pair of seconds. 4.3 and 9.9 seconds behind P1

[Blunder]

I went looking for his best finish on the Ducati. A pair of seconds. 4.3 and 9.9 seconds behind P1

I believe those were in the rain. France was one. Le Mans always has rain. Rossi, der Regenmeister.  

[nater]

Rossi's quote on Ducati:
In conversation with Motorcycle News, the Italian explained: "When you speak with Yamaha and Honda, but especially with Yamaha, and you say something wrong about the bike and for the Japanese engineer it is not something bad; it is something positive because they understand the way to improve the bike.
 
"With Ducati this doesn’t happen. So when you say you have a problem, first the Ducati guys don’t trust you 100% and secondly they are quite angry because you say the bike has a problem."


 I think a first race podium is going to make Ducati brass feel like idiots..

Ouch...

[Bruce Bogtrotter]

$400,000 is the number I remember. I'll try to find a reference later. Do you have any reference for the $900k number? That would lend more credence to my pointless rant.  

I'm asking the questions!

Couldn't find where I saw the $900K, but did find an $800K reference from this month, so I'd just chalk that up to technological depreciation.

But I agree, as long as Honda and the MSMA control the regulations, costs are going to keep rising.

[DogBoy]

I'm asking the questions!

Couldn't find where I saw the $900K, but did find an $800K reference from this month, so I'd just chalk that up to technological depreciation.

But I agree, as long as Honda and the MSMA control the regulations, costs are going to keep rising.

$800,00? Maybe they have 12 gears now.    

Its hard to pin down because Honda is all over the place on their statements : Nakamoto on the Honda Production MotoGP bike from Motomatters.com

Nakamoto gave a brief rundown of the specifications of the production RC213V - a bike which, given the amount of publicity it is going to be generating over the next few months, badly needs a new name - though the list contained few surprises. The bike will have conventional valve springs, as opposed to pneumatic valves on the factory machine. It will not have the seamless gearbox used by the prototypes - again, not a surprise, as maintenance on the gearbox is still an HRC-only affair. This was not a matter of cost, Nakamoto said, claiming the seamless gearbox now costs almost the same as a standard unit.

Really? We're supposed to believe the cost is not much different between a regular RC-V transmission and the seamless shift unit? Headscratcher.

[DogBoy]

One week from today this thread is (even more) irrelevant.  

[veefer800canuck]

The Piano Company to lease engines beginning next season:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Apr/130406a.htm