Ducati making progress?

[steveyb]

The last thing left then, as other scribes have identified as the actual problem, is the engine.....

[slowpoke]

Something else to ponder: Japanese bikes are cleaning up on Japanese tyres (MotoGP) and Italian bikes are cleaning up on Italian tyres (WSBK).....coincidence?

[Crasherfromwayback]

coincidence?

I'd say so.

[vifferman]

There's a nother thing to consider (if it hasn't already been mentioned - and I'm not going back to check all the posts). Honda probably have by far the biggest budget, and put it to good use last year for this season by poaching experts from other teams, to get the handling, power and electronics of their bikes sorted. THAT'S the main reason the Hondas are fastest.
I've found most of the MotoGP races pretty boring this year, and for a change have found the Moto2 and 125s much more interesting, as the playing field seems much more level, and results are mainly down to rider ability. I'm really hoping next year will be more interesting, but I won't be holding my breath...

[tigertim20]

There's a nother thing to consider (if it hasn't already been mentioned - and I'm not going back to check all the posts). Honda probably have by far the biggest budget, and put it to good use last year for this season by poaching experts from other teams, to get the handling, power and electronics of their bikes sorted. THAT'S the main reason the Hondas are fastest.
I've found most of the MotoGP races pretty boring this year, and for a change have found the Moto2 and 125s much more interesting, as the playing field seems much more level, and results are mainly down to rider ability. I'm really hoping next year will be more interesting, but I won't be holding my breath...

i think its likely to be a major contributing factor. Stoner lovers will say fuck off, its all stoner, stoner haters will say yeah yeah, its the money.
The reality is basically that Honda has a massive budget, and with that budget can find the absolute limits within the currently defined set of rules. Its not just stoner being dominant, other honda bikes, or bikes provided by honda to sattelite teams have been doing quite well too.
Whether it comes down partly to budget or not (and I think it does) the bottom line is this: Honda have put together the best package. A good rider, with good techs, good factory support, and they're winning.

I think the first half of next season will definitely be exciting. Only a few of the current crop have any experience at all with motoGP thous in a race, and it will take a few races at least for people to get out there, and actually in a race sort out teething issues and get comfprtable on the things. Practice on a new bike vs actually racing a new bike are two quite different things.

After about a third to haldway through the season I imagine that a few select riders will have got their shit sorted and will be streaking ahead of the rest of the field in terms of results.

Id like to see the championship come down to the last race - thats exciting!

[Crasherfromwayback]

and it will take a few races at least for people to get out there, and actually in a race sort out teething issues and get comfprtable on the things. Practice on a new bike vs actually racing a new bike are two quite different things.

!

Nah mate...they'll be straight into it. The good thing with the thous (well one of the good things), is that they'll have so much power and torque that it will certainly come down to who can use it all best. The gap between factory and satelite teams will close up a fair bit I'd imagine.

[tigertim20]

Nah mate...they'll be straight into it. The good thing with the thous (well one of the good things), is that they'll have so much power and torque that it will certainly come down to who can use it all best. The gap between factory and satelite teams will close up a fair bit I'd imagine.

I hope you're right about the gap being closed a bit, it would be nice to see the claiming rule teams get into some good battles with say middle or lower half pack riders - sometimes those are the best battles with 3,4,5 bikes vying for the one place.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I hope you're right about the gap being closed a bit, it would be nice to see the claiming rule teams get into some good battles with say middle or lower half pack riders - sometimes those are the best battles with 3,4,5 bikes vying for the one place.

While I'd love to see it...I think the CRT bikes will only be dicing with other CRT bikes.

[tigertim20]

While I'd love to see it...I think the CRT bikes will only be dicing with other CRT bikes.

I think you're dead on, but I can hope!!.

It gets a bit boring when theres a set order that tends to be the same every week. Im almost considering switching my interests to bsb or wsbk instead, and if next season continues in the same vein as much of this season, I just might.

[Crasherfromwayback]

It gets a bit boring when theres a set order that tends to be the same every week. Im almost considering switching my interests to bsb or wsbk instead, and if next season continues in the same vein as much of this season, I just might.

For me...even if the racing is not overly close in MotoGP...I simply marvel at the riding skills being shown by the sick fucker winning the race!

[denill]

While I'd love to see it...I think the CRT bikes will only be dicing with other CRT bikes.

Yes, that will be a contest in it's own right. The contest to be the first CRT will be fascinating.

[codgyoleracer]

Yes, that will be a contest in it's own right. The contest to be the first CRT will be fascinating.

Will be intersting to see if they can sell the concept to the viewers, - if it gets too confusing then many will go and watch golf instead.........

[cowpoos]

Rossi told reporters that everything they have tried so far has not helped. Changing the front subframe, changing the material used to produce it from carbon fiber to aluminium, changing the rear swingarm mount, all this has made no difference to the lack of front-end feel, and Rossi is stuck down in 13th at the end of the first day of practice at Sepang. He is the 5th fastest Ducati, with only Hector Barbera - still recovering from his injuries sustained at Motegi, and incapable of running more than four laps without a pain-killing injection - behind him. Even teammate Nicky Hayden is a lowly 11th, with Karel Abraham and Randy de Puniet ahead of him.

Valentino Rossi won here last year. With a shoulder that was still causing him problems. That was his last victory, with a winless season now a virtual certainty, the first of his career. There is reason to hope that things will be better next year - if not for the massive amount of work done by Ducati in the attempt to find a solution, then because of the different way the 1000s can be ridden, with much less emphasis on front-end grip - but it's been a long and very hard year on everyone at Ducati, not just on Valentino Rossi. His season is taking on shades of Marco Melandri's ill-fated season on the factory Ducati, but without the prospect of an early release from the contract. And more:

I thought the first comment below that article summed things up very well!!

Comments
Now that it has come from the
Submitted by Damo on Sat, 2011-10-22 01:06.
Site Supporter

Now that it has come from the horses mouth, perhaps the legend of Valentino's incredible development skills can finally be put to rest.

Unfortunately for the team, they have failed to achieve a solution and Rossi still appears to refuse to attempt to ride around the problems for results in the meantime. In all honesty, it may not be a lack of intent.. but in this case, a lack of ability.

Unfortunately for Valentino, his days of being gifted with a competitive and well supported bike throughout his career have turned around and bitten him hard. He obviously expects the bike to do certain things, and react in certain ways - and also expect the factory to respond when he speaks. For the first time in his career he is experiencing what *most* riders go through throughout their careers - inferior machinery, unable to compete effectively at the pointy end of the field without taking big risks, and no-one really listening to their requests.

Some riders come up through the ranks and show potential by riding around these issues and remaining competitive within the constraints of their machinery. It's not only a Stoner thing, there have been plenty of others before him.. he just seemed to do it better than most.

Valentino is at the other end of his career where he expects all of these things to be laid out for him, no doubt with a clear cut red carpet thoroughfare and grapes lining each side. Ducati can't offer what others can, and the grapes have definitely turned sour.

I used to idolise Valentino. His skill has been unmatched in recent memory (well.. not TOO recent..), and his career has definitely been a pleasure to witness it unfold.

But the last two years have also shown the egomanic side of his personality that is no doubt a by-product of being on top for so long, and having everything stacked in your favour to boot. Having that ripped out from underneath him, especially when they proclaimed to have all of the answers before throwing a leg over the bike must be truly humbling.

He has put both Lorenzo and Stoner through a lot over the last few years, and they are now paying him back in spades.

Having this much egg on your face on such a huge, public arena must be humbling to say the least. His aura has plummeted from the sky at a fast rate of knots, and just how deeply it ends up in the ground remains to be written.

My guess is that the first nails are being driven in as 2011 winds up. Sad way to go out if that's the case.

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[trustme]

Nah mate...they'll be straight into it. The good thing with the thous (well one of the good things), is that they'll have so much power and torque that it will certainly come down to who can use it all best. The gap between factory and satelite teams will close up a fair bit I'd imagine.

We normally sing off a similar song sheet but, the aliens will widen the gap. Stoner will disappear way into the distance . That's my pick

Aliens will still be aliens, more power simply accentuates the difference in ability.

Stoner has the best throttle control off all. he is the best at riding the fine balance between the electronics, power & tyres.

[tigertim20]

I thought the first comment below that article summed things up very well!!

Comments
Now that it has come from the
Submitted by Damo on Sat, 2011-10-22 01:06.
Site Supporter

Now that it has come from the horses mouth, perhaps the legend of Valentino's incredible development skills can finally be put to rest.

Unfortunately for the team, they have failed to achieve a solution and Rossi still appears to refuse to attempt to ride around the problems for results in the meantime. In all honesty, it may not be a lack of intent.. but in this case, a lack of ability.

Unfortunately for Valentino, his days of being gifted with a competitive and well supported bike throughout his career have turned around and bitten him hard. He obviously expects the bike to do certain things, and react in certain ways - and also expect the factory to respond when he speaks. For the first time in his career he is experiencing what *most* riders go through throughout their careers - inferior machinery, unable to compete effectively at the pointy end of the field without taking big risks, and no-one really listening to their requests.

Some riders come up through the ranks and show potential by riding around these issues and remaining competitive within the constraints of their machinery. It's not only a Stoner thing, there have been plenty of others before him.. he just seemed to do it better than most.

Valentino is at the other end of his career where he expects all of these things to be laid out for him, no doubt with a clear cut red carpet thoroughfare and grapes lining each side. Ducati can't offer what others can, and the grapes have definitely turned sour.

I used to idolise Valentino. His skill has been unmatched in recent memory (well.. not TOO recent..), and his career has definitely been a pleasure to witness it unfold.

But the last two years have also shown the egomanic side of his personality that is no doubt a by-product of being on top for so long, and having everything stacked in your favour to boot. Having that ripped out from underneath him, especially when they proclaimed to have all of the answers before throwing a leg over the bike must be truly humbling.

He has put both Lorenzo and Stoner through a lot over the last few years, and they are now paying him back in spades.

Having this much egg on your face on such a huge, public arena must be humbling to say the least. His aura has plummeted from the sky at a fast rate of knots, and just how deeply it ends up in the ground remains to be written.

My guess is that the first nails are being driven in as 2011 winds up. Sad way to go out if that's the case.

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sounds biased.
Rossi may well be at the end of his career, if so, so be it.
But I wont be idolisinf stoner untill he has as many moto gp championshiop wins as rossi. some point to total race wins, but having lots over a few seasons to me means alot less than overall championship wins over a greater span of years - i wish stoner the best in quest to acheive this though.

People do seem though to forget that the bikes have not remained unchanged for four years, many things have changed, some for the better, some not so much.

Big picture, we cant realistically assess the current status quo for another couple of years when we have seen how it all pans out.

And there is more to moto gp that stoner and rossi.