MotoGP 2013

[slowpoke]

A spanner in the theory that the Duc’s woes derive from its engine’s 90° angle...

I didn't think it was the 90deg angle so much as the L-twin layout making the engine extremely long? Just as an aside, last week I measured up the difference between my GSXR1000K7 and Ducati 749R swingarm's: the GSXR's is 70mm longer. It was only done out of curiousity but I thought that was a staggering difference for 2 bikes of almost identical wheel base.

[Mental Trousers]

lol. Funny as.

Wouldn't surprise me. That would be Honda showing their technical superiority. They already know the stuff about the magic triangle etc, where the weight has to be and the disadvantages of using a 90 degree V4.

Ducati can fix the problem (at least the part that isn't related to harsh engine output) by redesigning the stuff around the intake area to be heavier and parts in other places to be lighter. Because there's a minimum weight limit the bike isn't at it's ideal weight, ie it's got ballast built in to comply with the rules. So move the ballast around.

The Ducati engineers are brilliant and they've designed and built bikes to the specification they were given. Unfortunately, that specification has the COG and weight in the wrong place. Not their fault.

[merv]

Yeah well 90 deg V4s are nothing new to Honda but as they've made the power plants more compact over the years I guess they we able to go back to the 90 deg without any compromise on the 75 and as Nakamoto says - more power less vibration - so a couple of benefits gained that they lost when they went to the 75, no doubt at that time to gain some other benefits. Clever pricks the Japanese applying kaizen continuous improvement http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen

[DidJit]

A spanner in the theory that the Duc’s woes derive from its engine’s 90° angle...

David Emmett rethinks his thoughts on the Duc.

[tail_end_charlie]

Very, very interesting. I'll have to delve into this a little bit more after work today. I have thought that blaming the 90* L-4 for all of Ducati's woe's was a bit excessive. Too bad I didn't state that earlier, would have been nice to sit around now and bask in the glory of being right.

[Mental Trousers]

David Emmett rethinks his thoughts on the Duc.

As I said above ....

The Ducati engineers are brilliant and they've designed and built bikes to the specification they were given. Unfortunately, that specification has the COG and weight in the wrong place. Not their fault.

Honda know where the COG should be and put the weight in the right place. Ducati still seem to be using the long and low layout despite rotating the engine backward.

[slowpoke]

Very, very interesting. I'll have to delve into this a little bit more after work today. I have thought that blaming the 90* L-4 for all of Ducati's woe's was a bit excessive. Too bad I didn't state that earlier, would have been nice to sit around now and bask in the glory of being right.

Getting a lil' ahead of yourself, no-one will be basking in anything until they've fixed the ferkin' thing.

[tail_end_charlie]

Ok, yeah, it's Moto3 and not the 'real' bikes, but there are still some seriously sexy shots of KTM putting together their RC250R Production Racer.

[tail_end_charlie]

A time-lapse video of KTM assembling their RC250GP.

[DidJit]

Nice, eh — all shiny and new.

[Reckless]

Testing again Sepang


‎1 LORENZO, Jorge Yamaha Factory Racing Team 2:00.282
2 PEDROSA, Dani Repsol Honda Team 2:00.651
3 CRUTCHLOW, Cal Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2:00.907
4 MARQUEZ, Marc Repsol Honda Team 2:00.992
5 ROSSI, Valentino Yamaha Factory Racing Team 2:01.065
6 BAUTISTA, Alvaro GO&FUN Honda Gresini 2:01.208
7 BRADL, Stefan LCR Honda MotoGP 2:01.485
8 DOVIZIOSO, Andrea Ducati Team 2:01.803
9 HAYDEN, Nicky Ducati Team 2:02.106
10 SMITH, Bradley Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2:02.539
11 IANNONE, Andrea Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
12 PIRRO, Michele Ducati Test Team 2:02.920
13 NAKASUGA, Katsuyuki Yamaha 2:03.227
14 ESPARGARO, Aleix Power Electronics Aspar 2:03.252
15 YOSHIKAWA, Wataru Yamaha Factory Racing Test Team 2:03.354

[Reckless]

Latest update here

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/L...pang%20morning

Crutchlow is doin good

[tail_end_charlie]

Latest update here

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/L...pang%20morning

Crutchlow is doin good

That he is, and I love his interviews. “I wouldn’t really call it testing because we haven’t really got much to test, but I’m happy. We’re just going through the motions...."

Every interview I've seen of him this preseason he's made sure to mention that his M1 is exactly the same as last year. Doing everything he can to try and shame Yamaha into giving him some new parts. Don't know if it'll work though.....

[Reckless]

That he is, and I love his interviews. “I wouldn’t really call it testing because we haven’t really got much to test, but I’m happy. We’re just going through the motions...."

Every interview I've seen of him this preseason he's made sure to mention that his M1 is exactly the same as last year. Doing everything he can to try and shame Yamaha into giving him some new parts. Don't know if it'll work though.....

I cant Find it now but im bloody sure I read that Rossi went back to last years bike????

[tail_end_charlie]

I cant Find it now but im bloody sure I read that Rossi went back to last years bike????

Yeah, engine (electronics) problem on his 2013 bike part way through the morning session yesterday brought him back to the pits, so he took the 2012 bike back out for the rest of the morning session. 2013 bike was ready to go back out just in time for the rain to come in the afternoon. Fairly sure he's back out on the 2013 bike for today.