MotoGP 2012

[actungbaby]

Surely the spec ECUs will help reduce the current boring-ness. More riders near the front because of a smaller difference between the leading manufacturers (Honda) and the followers. Limits on the sophistication, so no more of that different-settings-for-every-corner stuff.

Am not sure it will look crts they dont even seem to swap places much , maybe need to get rid traction control and standred slicks let them chosse what brands, athough that to keep costs down.

Maybe have control tire form bridstone michlean dunlop etc

[actungbaby]

Great article.

Mind you, I can see how many people find the calm, smooth Lorenzo boring. Not me.

I remember Lorenzo in early 2008 very well. 3 poles and 3 podiums (a 1st, a 2nd and a 3rd) in his first 3 races. And then a succession of dreadful high-sides that seemed to come out of nowhere. He didn't slow down after the first, but they eventually started to take their toll.

It seems to me that several times in his career he has taken stock, worked out where he's going wrong, and re-invented himself. I admire him for that. Cold and calculating? Whatever.

hes very smart young guy isint he i think awsome rider diffrent stye i surpose but he thinker

and casey just said how much admires both jorge and dani raced togther , am after all
be bit boring with no competion bit hallow i imagine

[GD66]

Indeed. Stoner really was something else at PI. Can't wait for footage of just him for the entire race. I would watch that enrthralled and then hit rewind and watch it again.

Indeed. As ever, my suggestion for those who claim GP racing is boring, LOOK CLOSER !

With the precision required to whack those things round a circuit at such an obscene rate, you need all your ducks in a row, and all the track you can get. So you'll never get side-by-side racing. That's why there are other categories, other classes, and other disciplines. But even watching them alone in qual, or in a line in a race, they are still incredible to see in action, so LOOK CLOSER.

[BMWST?]

Indeed. As ever, my suggestion for those who claim GP racing is boring, LOOK CLOSER !

With the precision required to whack those things round a circuit at such an obscene rate, you need all your ducks in a row, and all the track you can get. So you'll never get side-by-side racing. That's why there are other categories, other classes, and other disciplines. But even watching them alone in qual, or in a line in a race, they are still incredible to see in action, so LOOK CLOSER.

i think this aspect is overlooked.These bikes are on a knife edge.If there is one aspect of setup is not right then you cannot compete with another factory bike whose set up is superior to yours.This aspect is magnified that the top four or five riders are at a level that no one else can attain.If the bikes are dumbed down i truly beleive that stoner and lorenzo will consistently be the fastest (and i honestly beleive given equal bikes casey would be faster)I love watching them wheelie halfway down the straight ,you can see the accelleration is mindblowing,i thay are prolly nearly twice as powerful as the moto2 bikes.only a select few can ride them to the limit

[actungbaby]

i think this aspect is overlooked.These bikes are on a knife edge.If there is one aspect of setup is not right then you cannot compete with another factory bike whose set up is superior to yours.This aspect is magnified that the top four or five riders are at a level that no one else can attain.If the bikes are dumbed down i truly beleive that stoner and lorenzo will consistently be the fastest (and i honestly beleive given equal bikes casey would be faster)I love watching them wheelie halfway down the straight ,you can see the accelleration is mindblowing,i thay are prolly nearly twice as powerful as the moto2 bikes.only a select few can ride them to the limit

been years since brought bike mags cant afford them these days but does sir AC or matt oxley

Get to try out race bikes and write about them etc Motogp loved to read about the v5 hondas

[GD66]

Nowhere near as much as they used to. Cathcart in particular caused a bit of foot-tapping a few years back when he wrote up a track test about a GP bike (including plenty of his perennial favourite, "trailbraking") but was something like 12 seconds a lap off the test riders times, at which time they sort of figured out he wasn't quite on the money, and the invites dried up. Nowadays he mainly re-publishes older tests, or rides on classic racers, but for mine is still a handy pedaller and wasn't a bad racer in his day. He's not everyone's cup of tea but he is very knowledgeable and has good recall.
The end-of-season Valencia tests where all the journos used to get a gallop (even Kenny Wootton) is now more confined to testing next season's bikes, or giving ex-factory stars a squirt as a thankyou. Seems very few can get the prototypes to function well with only a short intro.

Having said that, Mick Doohan was given a few laps on the Saturday at Phillip Island GP on a RC212V, and was hand-timed at 1:41 - 1:43, pretty fair for an old bloke just out for a tootle...

[merv]

Having said that, Mick Doohan was given a few laps on the Saturday at Phillip Island GP on a RC212V, and was hand-timed at 1:41 - 1:43, pretty fair for an old bloke just out for a tootle...

He was on a RC213V 1000cc wasn't he, not the earlier 800cc 212?

http://www.bikesportnews.com/news-de...nd&newsid=8327

Doohan "they had the bike detuned ..... because I'm detuned (laughs)" lol. Good on him at 47.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2012/10/27/...-repsol-honda/

[merv]

Crasher I see Rossi is finally praising your boy http://www.motomatters.com/news/2012...st_frustr.html

[GD66]

He was on a RC213V 1000cc wasn't he, not the earlier 800cc 212?

Correct, my mistake. You'd think at the speed I type, I'd have picked that up...

[Cleve]

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...huhei-nakamoto

[Cleve]

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...huhei-nakamoto

It's a REALLY interesting interview.

[DidJit]

Great interview!

[Cleve]

Great interview!

How did you think Nakamoto came across? I thought quite considered and reasonable...

[DidJit]

He has always come across like that to me. The journalists portray ‘Honda’ as ‘scary’ and ‘flexing their might’ and whatnot (sensationalist), but whenever there is an actual interview with Nakamoto-san, he is fair and reasonable.
Doesn't seem the type to suffer fools though...

[tail_end_charlie]

It was a good interview. I like how Nakamoto refused to re-hash the reports that other journalists had made in media outlets. He obviously wanted straight up questions about the issues, and pretty much answered them forthright (those that he could, kept quiet about some, but thats understandable). And I do think that he has a point on the downsides to spec ECUs; either Dorna needs to let them keep working with their own, or they need to supply a spec ecu and make huge limits on what can be done with it (ie, no TC, turn by turn mapping, ect ect). The former is makes it harder/more expensive for other manufactures to get up to speed, but the latter is not really following the intent of MotoGP as a prototype class.

Overall, good interview. Just wish they had more time to discuss the nitty gritty of what Honda wants, and how they are going to come to a comprimise with Dorna.

Interesting the little bit he adds on at the end about working togather/getting along with Carmelo. Makes you hope that the can come to some sort of comprimise.