MotoGP 2013

[sugilite:Me]

Looks like Dorna are insisting on ballast for lighter riders too

[pritch]

Shame we're not gonna see them sharing the track. That could've been action packed!

For them to be both on Repsol machinery Pedrosa would've had to get the arse card. Early last season that was entirely possible, not so much once he started stringing wins together.

Am awaiting the coming season somewhat guardedly. Have had great expectations in previous years which have not been fulfilled, basically I guess 'cause there are just too few competitive factory bikes. Honda will permit the occasional extra, eg Bradl this year, but apparently Yamaha won't permit more than just the two. And Ducati? Ah well, shame about that.

This season both of the Japanese factory teams could give new meaning to the phrase "team mate" each having what would appear to be intense competition within. It could get messy.

Here's hoping nobody gets hurt and that the potential for excitement turns into reality.

[Crasherfromwayback]

. It could get messy.

Here's hoping nobody gets hurt and that the potential for excitement turns into reality.

Bring it!!!

[Drew]

Looks like Dorna are insisting on ballast for lighter riders too

Looks like I'm a Marquez fan then.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Looks like I'm a Marquez fan then.

Ever noticed his mouth looks like the Joker?

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/...0208repsol.htm

[Drew]

Ever noticed his mouth looks like the Joker?

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/...0208repsol.htm

Why so serious?

Reckon that makes him cooler. Never actually paid any attention to him in the past, only like him if he does go to Suzuki though. Otherwise I'm backing Rossi and Pedrosa.

[tail_end_charlie]

Why so serious?

Reckon that makes him cooler. Never actually paid any attention to him in the past, only like him if he does go to Suzuki though. Otherwise I'm backing Rossi and Pedrosa.

What?!?! Race for Suzuki? Why would he want to go from a bike he could win with, to a bike he could chase the Ducati's with?

[tail_end_charlie]

Ever noticed his mouth looks like the Joker?

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/...0208repsol.htm

Yeah, you really notice it in that video.

[tail_end_charlie]

Right, for all you CRT haters out there (yes Crasher, I'm talking to you) I would like you to read Mat Oxley's article and take things into perspective. There have always been, and always will, a mixture of the hugely expensive factory bikes and cheap cobbled together bikes that make up the grid. For the most part, there were no "good 'ol days" where everyone ran factory machinery and the top 15 fought it out the whole race. So whats the problem?

-Lapped traffic?
-Not 'true' prototypes?
-Different rules for the CRT and Prototypes?
-Fastest CRT has a place in Parc Ferme? CRT champion?

At least with CRT it gives you a rule set and a chance for some Tom, Dick and Harry to get together, come up with some ideas, put them together, and test it against the best in the world. Surely anyone who likes to wrench on and talk bikes would appreciate that?






Right, I'm sure this will incite a shitstorm. Bring it on, I'm ready!

[Crasherfromwayback]

Right, for all you CRT haters out there (yes Crasher, I'm talking to you)


:

I'd hardly the only one hating them. Plenty of people far more knowledgeable on the subject feel the same way 'bout 'em. But you tell me...what do they add to the spectacle other than numbers and mobile chicanes?

[roogazza]

I plan to have a good look at them this year. But admit I know nothing of them other the DePuny and Espargro being the quicker ones.
More like packing so far , but it may grow into something, maybe ?

[DidJit]

They're not fully fledged prototypes, and struggle mightily to keep up in any way, shape or form, but at least there isn't any of this:

At Hockenheim in ’67 Ago[stini] lapped everyone twice, including the considerably talented Peter Williams, aboard a Matchless G50, who finished second!

Although, having said that, that particular feat would've been quite something to see.

[tail_end_charlie]

I'd hardly the only one hating them.

Very true, you were just the only one I could remember off the top of my head.

Plenty of people far more knowledgeable on the subject feel the same way 'bout 'em. But you tell me...what do they add to the spectacle other than numbers and mobile chicanes?

Well, from my pov, they add a lot of difference to the feild. You have at least four different chassis manufactures and four different engine manufactures all throwing their stuff together into a bunch of different packages. There are v-4, IL-4, and crossplane IL-4 engines (Attack Kawasaki Crossplane here and here). There are teams building their own chassis as well as using a well know chassis, both with the same engine, that will be competing side by side for some good comparison. And all of these teams are competing on budgets that are probably about 1/2 of the other satellite teams, and probably 1/4 of the factory teams. These teams are obviously not going to improve because they have thrown money at the problem, they are going to improve because they are trying different and innovative ways to do things. It's also giving a chance for other riders to be able to get into MotoGP that might not quite make the factory teams. You have a grid of 25+ in both Moto2 and Moto3, but only 12 "true prototypes" in MotoGP. The more people you have out there on the track, the more racing there will be, and the more interesting things will be. The more interesting, the more people who watch. The more people who watch, the more sponsers come in, the more sponsers the more money in the industry.



And to turn things around, how interesting is it to watch 4 factory bikes......gap......4 satellite bikes.......gap.......4 Ducati's..................................oh yeah, that would be it. A 12 bike grid would be pretty embarassing for the premier motorcycle racing class of the world, would it not?

[tail_end_charlie]

They're not fully fledged prototypes, and struggle mightily to keep up in any way, shape or form,

From the combined results of the first MotoGP Sepang test you'll find that the spread between DP and the slowest CRT lap time is ~6 seconds. With DP doing 2:00 lap times and catching up at 6 seconds a lap on the backmarker, it would take 30 laps for the backmarker to get lapped. And the Sepang race is, what, 22 laps?? So there is a good chance that no one would get lapped. The only time I saw a serious conflict between a lapped rider and a race leader was last years Valencia race..............and that was a dog's breakfast anyway you look at it. No one knew where they were in the pack and there was only one narrow dry line.

Although, having said that, that particular feat would've been quite something to see.

Sure would have, I was quite impressed to read about that one.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Well, from my pov, they add a lot of difference to the feild. .


The more people you have out there on the track, the more racing there will be, and the more interesting things will be.



And to turn things around, how interesting is it to watch 4 factory bikes......gap......4 satellite bikes.......gap.......4 Ducati's


A 12 bike grid would be pretty embarassing for the premier motorcycle racing class of the world, would it not?

And that's fair enough.



Not necessarly. The Camera's normally only show you what's going on at the front anyway.


I absolutely LOVED watching the front three or four guys the last couple of years. Has been some superb action imo.

I agree. Doesn't mean I think CRT is the answer. What Yamaha and Honda look to be doing next year is a far better bet.