Interested in MotoGP?

[roogazza]

I was at Phillip Island in 1989 and 1990 in a 250 pit.
If you watch the coverage carefully you can see me and Kev on the 500 grid, pre race.

Lawson, Gardner, Rainey, Sarron, Schwantz and Doohan.
Giants still strode the Earth in numbers...
These days we only seem to see a few great ones.

You an ex GP mechanic Oscar ? Certainly was a great era Huh ? Gaz.

[Oscar]

You an ex GP mechanic Oscar ? Certainly was a great era Huh ? Gaz.

Nah, strictly amateur.
I was Manager/Dogsbody/Fixer of Team Mens Warehouse for Mike Webb.
This consisted of running his Castrol Six Hour Team (featuring Peter Clifford) and various product races and culminated in helping with his appearances at the 1989 & 1990 Aussie GP's.

Mike went on to work for various MotoGP/SBK teams, including stints as Crew Chief for Niall McKenzie, Simon Crafar, Norick Abe and Carlos Checa. He is now Technical Director of MotoGP.

Pete Clifford went on to run Red Bull Yamaha and is now in charge of the Red Bull Cup.

[roogazza]

Nah, strictly amateur.
I was Manager/Dogsbody/Fixer of Team Mens Warehouse for Mike Webb.
This consisted of running his Castrol Six Hour Team (featuring Peter Clifford) and various product races and culminated in helping with his appearances at the 1989 & 1990 Aussie GP's.
Pete Clifford went on to run Red Bull Yamaha and is now in charge of the Red Bull Cup.

Ok, I remember the name, Webb !
Clifford came out to NZ as a young pom to race Junior Prod. (that must of been mid seventies ?) .
I think he makes a better team manager !! LOL Gaz.

[svr]

I was a big fan of 'Steady Eddie' . Gaz.

After he won on the Honda it wasn't Steady Eddie anymore - it was Awesome Lawson. True professional.
Rainey kicked his arse too, of course.

[denill]

Dunno about you, but I like this:

Bayliss did the season-ending MotoGP race--the last of the 990 era--at Valencia in 2006. Bayliss' MotoGP career had some high points but none as high as those scored that weekend in Spain. When asked to do the race by Ducati Bayliss said he would--if he could take some of his crew from WSBK for the weekend as his MotoGP technicians. Marinelli and Tardozzi went with him, as did then WSBK Managing Director Paolo Ciabatti. A fairy-tale weekend ensued, with Bayliss winning the MotoGP race, beating teammate Loris Capirossi and every other MotoGP rider on the grid.
You'll never get Bayliss, Tardozzi or Marinelli to slag off on the subject of MotoGP, at least not on the record. But if you do subscribe to the opinion that MotoGP is filled with inflated egos and horribly sinister politics, at a level that would make a US senator proud, then Bayliss' Valencia win with Marinelli, Ciabatti and Tardozzi behind him remains one of the greatest "up yours" moments in modern GP racing. The 990 MotoGP era was closed off with a win by a Superbike rider dismissed as washed-up in MotoGP. You can't make that kind of stuff up.

[Crasherfromwayback]

For letting Ben Spies go???

Duh.

Here's his 1st ride on the Yamaha Superbike!! Told you ages ago that this kid was a weapon.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Nov/081104f.htm

[gav]

After he won on the Honda it wasn't Steady Eddie anymore - it was Awesome Lawson. True professional.
Rainey kicked his arse too, of course.

LOL, yeah Lawson lost the Steady Eddie nickname fairly early on that season wrestling that NSR around!

[roogazza]

Ok Bill, looks like this racing forum is gunna die in the bum till the GP's start again ? Catch ya in Feb/March for the 09 bantering ! Gaz

[Cleve]

Ok Bill, looks like this racing forum is gunna die in the bum till the GP's start again ? Catch ya in Feb/March for the 09 bantering ! Gaz

Whaddyamean!!? We have the testing season to come!!

[Crasherfromwayback]

Ok Bill, looks like this racing forum is gunna die in the bum till the GP's start again ? Catch ya in Feb/March for the 09 bantering ! Gaz

Hell no...it's alive and well!

Whaddyamean!!? We have the testing season to come!!

Aye. And here's something to chat about...Ben Spies will be groomed for Yamaha's Moto GP team, and will become world champion. Suzuki want's bumming for letting him go!

[pritch]

Ok Bill, looks like this racing forum is gunna die in the bum till the GP's start again ?

It'll slow down maybe, it doesn't need to stop...

Two photos from Phillip Island; both show a full four fingered grip of the front brake lever. One picture shows forks under compression, in both he's getting a lean on. He used to fall off a lot but he is getting better...

The third photo is to show Turn 2 which he's entering at that point.

I understand the Moto GP riders are using a four fingered grip on the front brake again as the slipper clutches permit block changing without repeated use of the clutch. A four fingered grip allowing greater sensitivity.

Maybe 250 riders do it that way because of the lack of engine braking?
Maybe it's just those trees?

[k14]

I think its rider preference, stoner uses 1 finger. All about what feels the best. Nice photos btw

[gav]

Hell no...it's alive and well!



Aye. And here's something to chat about...Ben Spies will be groomed for Yamaha's Moto GP team, and will become world champion. Suzuki want's bumming for letting him go!

How about Ben Spies in 2010 to the Tech 3 team replacing Edwards who returns and races the R1 in AMA Superbikes, or whatever they call the class now.

[k14]

How about Ben Spies in 2010 to the Tech 3 team replacing Edwards who returns and races the R1 in AMA Superbikes, or whatever they call the class now.

And then to the factory team after rossi retires?

[pritch]

And then to the factory team after rossi retires?

Fiat have extended their sponsorship until 2010. So Yamaha will be looking for a new rider and a new sponsor at the end of that season. Just might give an American an edge...