The failings behind the Suzuki MotoGP project

[denill]

MotoGP has already lost Kawasaki and if Suzuki went too (and with their performance, why not?) - it sorta shoots the series down in flames

I know that neither of those Maques were challenging at the pointy end but it is about the anticipation of - maybe they will pull something out of the hat, soon.

Not good for MotoGP

[roogazza]

MotoGP has already lost Kawasaki and if Suzuki went too (and with their performance, why not?) - it sorta shoots the series down in flames

I know that neither of those Maques were challenging at the pointy end but it is about the anticipation of - maybe they will pull something out of the hat, soon.

Not good for MotoGP

Be a bit sad to see Bill, depends if we have hit the bottom yet ? Moto2 style seems the way we're heading. G.

[javawocky]

Would be fun to have a bike lottery at each round. Randomly match rider to bike. Sorry Rossi, you get the Suzi this weekend...

[pritch]

The Suzuki V4s may be a bit of a dog but they were the hottest sounding bikes on the track. Even better than the RC211V, 212V or the Ducati.

Hard to know why Suzuki bother with MotoGP though, such huge expense for such little return.
On the other hand, if they pulled out the "premier" class grids would be looking positively anorexic.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I agree. It sounds real nasty in the best possible way. Really gruff and angry.

[denill]

Be a bit sad to see Bill, depends if we have hit the bottom yet ? Moto2 style seems the way we're heading. G.

Yeah, scarily the way we're heading Gaz................

Really there's only three makes now. Lose another couple and ya got a Moto 2 Scenario.

[roogazza]

Yeah, scarily the way we're heading Gaz................

Really there's only three makes now. Lose another couple and ya got a Moto 2 Scenario.

As young fella I followed Phil Read and Bill Ivy in mags of the time, when they rode V4 250s. I think it was 1968 when they had it to themselves after Honda pulled the plug on Hailwood and he went to cars?
But life goes on and it came good again. (I'm trying to think positive here) G.

[Cleve]

As young fella I followed Phil Read and Bill Ivy in mags of the time, when they rode V4 250s. I think it was 1968 when they had it to themselves after Honda pulled the plug on Hailwood and he went to cars?
But life goes on and it came good again. (I'm trying to think positive here) G.

YES - GOOD POINT. There are cycles with highs and lows. Never a final solution or "the anwser" - a never ending process of development and change...

[Crasherfromwayback]

No, as they said, motogp is VERY different to WSBK, a gixxer engine wouldn't cut it. What they need to do is team up with one of the other F1 engine builders.

At Laguna Seca this weekend... 1st practice.

Capirossi on the Moto GP bike 1:24.710

Tommy Hayden on the Suzuki Superbike 1:24.98

And the AMA Superbikes are slugs.

Still think Suzuki couldn't build a hotrod GSXR to at least go another .3 sec faster?

[steveyb]

I'm not sure if it is me looking at them knowing that they are going slower than the rest, but some of the shots from Laguna are quite telling.
The two Suzuki riders seem either incapable or unwilling to actually attack the circuit in the same ways that riders on the other bikes seem to.
They very much seem to just sit on top of the bikes and ride them around and if they have a stuff up they seem unable to ride through the stuff up and carry on, they have to pull out and start again.
Near the start of the GSV-R iteration it was one of the best handling bikes with a slow engine. Now the thing is a dog all over.
Throw the GSV-R fairings on Haslams WSBK bike, turn up a real loud recording of it and no one will notice the difference, except it will probably go faster!!

[Wingnut]

At Laguna Seca this weekend... 1st practice.

Capirossi on the Moto GP bike 1:24.710

Tommy Hayden on the Suzuki Superbike 1:24.98

And the AMA Superbikes are slugs.

Still think Suzuki couldn't build a hotrod GSXR to at least go another .3 sec faster?

The difference in the lines that would be required to be taken on a Superbike as opposed to a GP bike would cause chaos... Probably good from a spectators point of view though.

[Crasherfromwayback]

The difference in the lines that would be required to be taken on a Superbike as opposed to a GP bike would cause chaos... Probably good from a spectators point of view though.

You've missed my point totally mate.

[denill]

Vermuelen, who has been much maligned for his campaign on the Rizla Suzuki should be reassured by the current lack of success they are currently having.

I personally have a lot of time for him, and hey, he put then on the box and not only in the wet.

Vermuelen may not be a Rossi, but he is much better than his results indicate.

[merv]

This is a fascinating story and there is probably far more than meets the eye going on behind the scenes. Its probably got a lot to do with the total package. Sure its always hard to beat Honda as an engine maker and when the RC211V first came along Rossi was able to make that bike look perfect from the get go. Everyone said oh they've got five cylinders, so Kenny Roberts tried to build his own five - got nowhere with it.

Where was Yamaha then with Max & co? Off to Yamaha goes Rossi and what, he won first time out on it didn't he?

It does always seem rather strange that the GSX-R is a fast bike generally speaking and the GSV-R is a dog. Maybe in real terms their engine isn't that bad so maybe it is a rider of Rossi's calibre and a team boss of Burgess's calibre that they are truly missing. Guys that can make a dog into a cheetah, matching engine and frame to the rider for a totally fast package.

I'm no Suzuki fan so don't really have any connection to their effort but the point has been made before it would be a shame to see the MotoGP grids shrink to less than they are now as we all hope this is the low ebb now and that the recession is clearing.

[speedracerjimmy]

they just need to hire better riders, only thing is the good guys are taken so nobody else will really do any better than the guys they got now anyway.even if the bike was the best one out there