RACE STUFF THREAD

[RED]

I did watch the 250cc race last night and was thoroughly entertained. Those are cool rides. 

[RED]

Know the results but no spoiler here. Just some fun facts. Those are some fast scooters!

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=36133

...and not that I would evah say anything....     but I'm sure you've been at least as fast as .....who on that sheet?   

[Giannis]

No Spoilers but Damn this is SOME BORING RACING.... Makes the New AMA Racing exiting (which it is, the dayona sportbike class!)

[RED]

No Spoilers but Damn this is SOME BORING RACING.... Makes the New AMA Racing exiting (which it is, the dayona sportbike class!)

Road Atlanta was a test for those guys. They still managed to make it look like a stroll in the park through the 'esess'. It's that downhill mega right hand 90 degree turn that slows em down...a little.

[Giannis]

Road Atlanta was a test for those guys. They still managed to make it look like a stroll in the park through the 'esess'. It's that downhill mega right hand 90 degree turn that slows em down...a little.

yes the AMA Daytona was awesome... 

[RED]

Rather pissed about last night's SpeedTV MotoGP coverage! They re-played last years Qatar race because of heavy rains. I know the race was run and won by a capable rider. I don't know why they didn't show it though.

[AndreRA3]

They played this year's race today.  I just know because my father was watching it when I talked to him a few hours ago.  The race was delayed by a day, so they couldn't do much else on Sunday.  It's better to replay last year's race than to do what Eurosport did: broadcast a couple of hours of torrential rain hitting the tarmac.

[Cher]

They played this year's race today.  I just know because my father was watching it when I talked to him a few hours ago.  The race was delayed by a day, so they couldn't do much else on Sunday.  It's better to replay last year's race than to do what Eurosport did: broadcast a couple of hours of torrential rain hitting the tarmac.

Hmmm, rain pooling on a race track... now THAT had to be interesting 

I tivo'd the delayed coverage on SPEED today; it was  more interesting than rain on a race track but that's all I'm going to say 


Now Svoloch (wherever you are), WTF is up with Canepa?!?!   

[RED]

I'm about to take a look too at the second race. 

[Cher]

I know several of you may have already ran across this little gem but for those of you haven't, here is a great article on the evolution of the Ducati GP bikes - chassis specifically - from the GP3, GP7 and on through to the current GP9.  There a couple of very awesome pix that are click-worthy as well...

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=36146

[Giannis]

Neat Desmo GP09 story.

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=36146

im not sure but i think Lisa just posted the same above?

[Giannis]

I know several of you may have already ran across this little gem but for those of you haven't, here is a great article on the evolution of the Ducati GP bikes - chassis specifically - from the GP3, GP7 and on through to the current GP9.  There a couple of very awesome pix that are click-worthy as well...

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=36146

Cool stuff  BUT.... all this techology is pointless if they cant make the bike rideable by everyone on both teams, Nicky Hayden said a couple weeks ago that this bike beat the crap out of him...

Example:  back in 2002 and 2003 Yamaha M1 was a DOG! the Racers could pondium on a perfect day but usally end up finish 10 or bellow.. the bike was just a piece of Junk compared to RCV211.... Rossi took over the development of the bike in 2004... Look at the Team(s) now  3 out of 4 bikes in top five. Rossi and the people around him made the bike easy to ride for eveyone...

Can Ducati do the same?  Do you think Ducati let the riders provide feedback to make the bike easier? or the just make whatever they think works and whoever makes it (in our case Casey Stoner) good for the rest, Keep trying (Checa, Capirossi, Melandri, Elias, Guitolli,Barros, Hoffman,Bayliss, Caneppa,Kalio and Hayden)

[Cher]

Cool stuff  BUT.... all this techology is pointless if they cant make the bike rideable by everyone on both teams, Nicky Hayden said a couple weeks ago that this bike beat the crap out of him...

Example:  back in 2002 and 2003 Yamaha M1 was a DOG! the Racers could pondium on a perfect day but usally end up finish 10 or bellow.. the bike was just a piece of Junk compared to RCV211.... Rossi took over the development of the bike in 2004... Look at the Team(s) now  3 out of 4 bikes in top five. Rossi and the people around him made the bike easy to ride for eveyone...

Can Ducati do the same?  Do you think Ducati let the riders provide feedback to make the bike easier? or the just make whatever they think works and whoever makes it (in our case Casey Stoner) good for the rest, Keep trying (Checa, Capirossi, Melandri, Elias, Guitolli,Barros, Hoffman,Bayliss, Caneppa,Kalio and Hayden)

Yeah, I've wondered the same thing.  By all "insider" accounts the GP9 (and the GP7 to a lesser degree) is a widowmaker; no apologies, just a fire-breathing, limb-ripping beast that only Casey Stoner can consistently ride at race winning pace.

But I guess that is the question; do the Ducati GP team only listen to Stoner for feedback?  While it doesn't look effortless for him, he's obviously got the GP9 on a pretty short lead.

If you read the Road Racing World little blurb I posted yesterday, all of the chassis development has been focused on chassis rigidity; rear suspension connected directly to the engine (no frame), then rear suspension and seat frame/exhaust hangars connected to the engine (eliminating more frame), and  the only thing the "main frame" does now is bridge the small gap between the engine and steering head...

There's not much else left to chase down in the chassis flex department.  Hopefully that's been the ridability issue for the other riders.  Maybe once Ducati have removed that aspect of chassis dynamics/set up, more people will be able to ride The Beast competitively.

[AndreRA3]

in the GP9 department, I have hopes for Kallio.  Hopefully they're not misplaced! I have hopes for Hayden and Canepa as well, so my 2c aren't worth much 

[Cher]

Yep, I seriously would like to see Hayden do well.  Don't know much about the other two riders, but hey, more Ducatis on the podium or solidly in the points is never a bad thing