MotoGP 2012

**merv** · 27th August 2012, 19:19

Question time for you experts - why would Ben Spies clutch overheat off the line?

Give that boy a Honda for sure coz seems like Yamaha has the wrong karma for him.

**carbonhed** · 27th August 2012, 19:22

Ducati's really onto something with these active countermeasures dontcha think? Smokescreens on corner entry... just think how that stuff could perk up the viewing numbers. I fancy the ability to deploy tiny ice beads on demand... this would destroy the chasing pack and immediately evaporate leaving no trace... fkin wicked.

**merv** · 27th August 2012, 19:26

Shouldn't be the people behind that Valentino would want to take out, but the ones in front. He'd need to shoot the ice beads forward and then hope they'd melted before he hits them himself.

**carbonhed** · 27th August 2012, 19:35

Originally Posted by merv

Shouldn't be the people behind that Valentino would want to take out, but the ones in front. He'd need to shoot the ice beads forward and then hope they'd melted before he hits them himself.

Bah, details, details... I'm an ideas man... everything else is just technical development.

**GD66** · 27th August 2012, 19:41

Originally Posted by GD66

.... keep an ear out for the number of times that sad commentary duo mention "the lowest part of the circuit"...

Fuck, unlike every previous year, NONE !! Also the directors for once forgot to cut away during the last two tense, close-fought laps and show us gormless pit crews staring at the monitor...good telecast, great race !

**Mental Trousers** · 27th August 2012, 20:08

Originally Posted by merv

Question time for you experts - why would Ben Spies clutch overheat off the line?

It happens. I've done it myself. He's not the first to have it happen. Usually there's something like 3 a year (vague estimate relying on dodgy memories) in the entire MotoGP field that fry the clutch. Normally they come right after a few laps but not always.

**merv** · 27th August 2012, 20:12

"It happens" does not answer why! Got to keep asking at least 5 whys to get to the root cause then. Surely he wasn't slipping the clutch or anything silly like that before the lights change?

**Mental Trousers** · 27th August 2012, 20:19

Originally Posted by merv

"It happens" does not answer why! Got to keep asking at least 5 whys to get to the root cause then. Surely he wasn't slipping the clutch or anything silly like that before the lights change?

Everybody slips the clutch. It's how the bloody things work!!

With 220+hp I'm surprised they don't cook more clutches.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 27th August 2012, 20:21

Originally Posted by Mental Trousers

Everybody slips the clutch. It's how the bloody things work!!

With 220+hp I'm surprised they don't cook more clutches.

I actually set fire to the clutch on my RS250 when I first got it.

**merv** · 27th August 2012, 20:27

With all the fancy launch control etc I would never have thought they weren't built to take the horsepower. As for slipping he shouldn't be doing any of that before the lights change and if he was time he changed his style - he aint driving a pickup truck in Texas.

As for you Pete I can understand that to a degree on the old smoker with next to no bottom end power and tall gearing, but not on these new electronics controlled wonders.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 27th August 2012, 20:42

Originally Posted by merv

As for you Pete I can understand that to a degree on the old smoker with next to no bottom end power and tall gearing, but not on these new electronics controlled wonders.

Had nothing to do with the fact I was so excited, I did about ten practice race starts down the side road next to the shop when I first got it! I wondered what the guys in the shop were waving and pointing at. There goes $900.00 worth of HRC plates.

**Mental Trousers** · 27th August 2012, 21:09

Originally Posted by Bender

The relationship between Spies and Yamaha has been ugly. Motomatters (and others) reported that he had been told at Laguna to race 100% or not bother to turn up, which is about the time he told them to get rooted. Spies has had a succession of machine failures including an engine when leading at Indy and the guy is smart enough to know when to do a re-set. He was quoted as saying he just wants to have some fun, whether it means heading to WSBK or whatever.

The rumours surrounding Spies include going to Suzuki to develop a new MotoGP bike with a few races next year and a full season in 2014.

Maybe he's going to get a Satellite Honda ride - and Gresini seem to get full-spec factory gear, not last year's bike - with a view to joining the full factory team next year? He deserves a decent ride.

I got the impression that Gressini didn't know what they were going to be doing next year. Apparently they're in danger of not having a prototype Honda, which would leave them with their CBR engined CRT bike.

But I'd be surprised if that happened. They were more likely to lose their title sponsor because San Carlo are now wanting results and now they're not too fussed about which passport gets those results. Unfortunately Bautista hasn't been getting them the results they want so Ben Spies on a Honda is looking like a good bet to me.

**BMWST?** · 27th August 2012, 22:14

Originally Posted by merv

"It happens" does not answer why! Got to keep asking at least 5 whys to get to the root cause then. Surely he wasn't slipping the clutch or anything silly like that before the lights change?

these things are geared to the moon...very very high first gear.I think casey had clutch trouble due to the same thing in a race last year.They have to slip em like crazy to get going let alone a race start

**denill** · 27th August 2012, 22:47

Originally Posted by BMWST?

these things are geared to the moon...very very high first gear.I think casey had clutch trouble due to the same thing in a race last year.They have to slip em like crazy to get going let alone a race start

Which brings us back to - why Ben and not Jorge?