What's wrong with the GP11?

[Raux]

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2011/November/nov0811-ducatis-new-twin-spar-aluminium-frame/

[gm2]

damage control to ensure sbk isn't a sales nightmare
and you just bought it

sure i did.  because what he said makes no sense.

[gm2]

[gm2]

@motomatters: Just spoke to Hector Barbera. He said new aluminium chassis is a huge improvement, can feel the front end on corner entry.  feels more like his old Aprilia 250, he said. You can feel the connection between the front and the rear. Engine is also much sweeter

man, everyone is trying to sell that 1199!

[desmoquattro]

@motomatters: Just spoke to Hector Barbera. He said new aluminium chassis is a huge improvement, can feel the front end on corner entry.  feels more like his old Aprilia 250, he said. You can feel the connection between the front and the rear. Engine is also much sweeter

Still over a second off the pace:

1    27    Casey Stoner    Honda    1:32.729         
...
4    46    Valentino Rossi    Ducati    1:33.857    1.128    0.365

Let's hope that improved feel leads to improved times at some point...

[Raux]

@motomatters: Just spoke to Hector Barbera. He said new aluminium chassis is a huge improvement, can feel the front end on corner entry.  feels more like his old Aprilia 250, he said. You can feel the connection between the front and the rear. Engine is also much sweeter

man, everyone is trying to sell that 1199!

lol. so Barbera basically said the frameless tech sucked but the new perimeter frame rocks. 1199 better sweep superstock next year and then sbk.

[zooom]

is it just me, or does the amount of room/space around the front wheel to the fairings seem unnaturally large?

[Raux]

is it just me, or does the amount of room/space around the front wheel to the fairings seem unnaturally large?

it's off the ground so fully extended.

[EvilSteve]

The fact that Bayliss beat his best times on an 1199 after being retired for a bit suggests that it'll be fine. Ducati are spinning as best as they can but I think that it's reasonable to say that the rules in GP affect the viability of the design that Ducati were trying to use. Super hard tires mean more flex is required in the rest of the bike, engine allocation means changes to engines are a really big deal. Bridgestones used to be Ducati majority designed and there used to be no limitations on engines, the years between didn't seem so bad because Stoner rode around the problems which meant that Ducati thought everything was fine (in spite of Stoner's now clearly valid complaints) and now that they have the best of the best they can't pretend that the design is fine when it clearly isn't. All of that doesn't mean a whole lot when comparing to the road/SBK environment any more than it can be compared to the earlier iterations of the the Ducati GP bike. The rules and limitations are different so the solution has to change if they want to win.

[Triple J]

damage control to ensure sbk isn't a sales nightmare

Doubtful. Most people realize the GP bike is vastly different from the SBK for a variety of reasons.

Like EvilSteve said...Bayliss' 1199 test results indicate the concept will be fine for WSBK and street, and the initial reaction to the looks will almost ensure good sales, depending on price.

Ease up on the tinfoil hat, eh. 

[Raux]

Doubtful. Most people realize the GP bike is vastly different from the SBK for a variety of reasons.

Like EvilSteve said...Bayliss' 1199 test results indicate the concept will be fine for WSBK and street, and the initial reaction to the looks will almost ensure good sales, depending on price.

Ease up on the tinfoil hat, eh. 

[gm2]

is it just me, or does the amount of room/space around the front wheel to the fairings seem unnaturally large?

more like it's the overall cut of the lower fairing.  i've thought that all year.

[EvilSteve]

For the record, Ducati says the tank will be 4.5 gal. Big for them right?  

[desmoquattro]

For the record, Ducati says the tank will be 4.5 gal. Big for them right?  

Considering that the "4.1 gallon" tank on my 1198s actually holds only 3.2 gallons, I suspect your mileage (literally) may vary

Is the 1199 tank plastic? Or did they come back to their senses?

[duccarlos]

Considering that the "4.1 gallon" tank on my 1198s actually holds only 3.2 gallons, I suspect your mileage (literally) may vary

Is the 1199 tank plastic? Or did they come back to their senses?

Aluminum.