Ducati goes Open

[thought]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Honda uses the least amount of electronics on their road bikes.

To my knowledge, they are the only brand without traction control on any of their bikes right now.  Suzuki/Triumph have it on their ADV models but not on their other bikes.  Yam/Kawi have it on their sportbikes with Kawi having it on almost all of their bikes.

As for WSBK, I dont think there are any rules on traction control development right now... but I've read before that they are looking at limiting electronics.

I dont follow F1 but so I gotta ask... how did the spec ecu there affect traction control development?  Or is F1 not really seen as a development test bed for most manufacturers like MotoGP is?

[derby]

I dont follow F1 but so I gotta ask... how did the spec ecu there affect traction control development?  Or is F1 not really seen as a development test bed for most manufacturers like MotoGP is?

one of the reasons the spec ecu was implemented in formula 1 was to ban traction control.

it's alleged that red bull developed a system that didn't involve the ecu at all:

http://jalopnik.com/red-bull-may-have-invented-a-secret-new-hybrid-technolo-1442585020

[duccarlos]

If this would be the case, wouldn't they have a leg up with the current ultra torquie engine?

[thought]

one of the reasons the spec ecu was implemented in formula 1 was to ban traction control.

it's alleged that red bull developed a system that didn't involve the ecu at all:

http://jalopnik.com/red-bull-may-have-invented-a-secret-new-hybrid-technolo-1442585020

Pretty interesting... basically like the seamless gearbox development for MotoGP it seems.

So taking any example from F1, TC development for bike shouldn't slow down too much without the  development in the higher echelons of racing.  Unless you factor in that the car market budget for development is way bigger than bikes.

[derby]

If this would be the case, wouldn't they have a leg up with the current ultra torquie engine?

it seems like renault is having issues across the board.

iirc, they also changed the wording of the rule:

http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/technical_regulations/8710/fia.html

9.3 Traction control :

No car may be equipped with a system or device which is capable of preventing the driven wheels from spinning under power or of compensating for excessive torque demand by the driver.
Any device or system which notifies the driver of the onset of wheel spin is not permitted.

[duccarlos]

So the manufacturers would need to develop "smart" transmissions of some sort? The most likely impact is that manufacturers will simply outsource all their ECU development to MM or other providers for their street bikes.