interview with Ron ten Kate

[derby]

interesting stuff here:

http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jun/080605rtk.htm

[darylbowden]

Q Supposedly, someone said that you found the rules "interesting." I don't know if it's true or not.

A No. I find them interesting because they are very, very weird. I find it interesting because I would like to know if somebody can explain me, I will be very interested to hear. Because I doubt that somebody can explain this. It's killing the racing. And if they want a series which is close together, I think a mono tire rule could do a lot in that. But it's not, to start the series, what they want. You must not forget that motorcycle racing is not car racing. It's something different.

Even the Dutch get it.  Why doesn't DMG?

[jswledhed]

Saw that earlier, too.  Let the pointing and laughing at American roadracing begin.

[Speeddog]

That was a good read, thanks. 

[gm2]

Saw that earlier, too.  Let the pointing and laughing at American roadracing begin.

speaking of, was watching the eurosport telecast of miller wsbk yesterday.  the announcers were openly making fun of the names of the corners on that track.

[derby]

speaking of, was watching the eurosport telecast of miller wsbk yesterday.  the announcers were openly making fun of the names of the corners on that track.

like they have room to talk...

silverstone: copse, becketts, stowe, club, abbey, bridge, luffield, woodcote

brands hatch: paddock hill bend, druids, dingle dell, clearways

the regular world announcers didn't make fun of 'em at all.

[tufty]

Hey, my last house in the UK was called Woodcote. I was thinking about calling it Scream, but it just didn't seem to fit with the quiet English village setting.

[jswledhed]

Sounds like Suzuki might feel the same way as ten Kate.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jun/080607d.htm

If Suzuki, of all groups, is pulling out, wow, just wow.

[derby]

Sounds like Suzuki might feel the same way as ten Kate.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jun/080607d.htm

If Suzuki, of all groups, is pulling out, wow, just wow.

from what i understand, yamaha and kawasaki either proposed or were were very much in favor of the more superstock-ish rules discussed by DMG.

remember, these are the two teams that sat out of superbike for 4-5 years in protest over the 1000cc superbike rules.

here's my problem: if they hadn't sat out those seasons and continued development on their race platforms, maybe they wouldn't be so uncompetitive now. why should the rules be changed in their favor when they all but abandoned the class for so many years?

[jswledhed]

here's my problem: if they hadn't sat out those seasons and continued development on their race platforms, maybe they wouldn't be so uncompetitive now. why should the rules be changed in their favor when they all but abandoned the class for so many years?

The part that bothers me about this situation is the same part that bothers me about much of our country nowadays.  If someone can't keep up, instead of encouraging them to work harder, the system is dumbed down to the point they can keep up.

Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Honda can't seem to unravel Yosh's lock on Superbike?  Okay, lets spec this, put a maximum on this, a minimum on that, oh, and spec that widget, too.  Everyone 100% mechanically even, okay let's race.  But, by the way, if anyone gets too good, we're going to make them carry this anvil on their bike.

If that's racing then I'm a little blond girld named Virginia.

[gm2]

guess what: all the good racing next year will be in wsb and gp.

just like it is today.