MotoGP 2013

[tail_end_charlie]

I nearly pissed myself.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Oct/1310281166.htm

Funniest damn shit I've read in a long time.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Funniest damn shit I've read in a long time.

Certainly no love lost there eh!

[tail_end_charlie]

Interesting thoughts about the 2014 MotoGP season from Motorcycle USA's Frank Melling. If you dont' feel like reading it all, his last paragraph sums everything up:

"So here is an STM prediction – and for once, incredibly, I’m not absolutely certain of the outcome. First, the 24 liter rule proves to be too much for the pure factory bikes to handle. Second, Hayden and Espargaró do better than Dorna predict or expect. Third, the regulations are changed in a desperate, mid-season shuffle so that normal service is resumed once more. Fourth, all the current regulations are hurriedly buried in a concrete tomb somewhere deep in the Sierra Nevada and their existence is written out of the motorcycle racing history books."

I have a sneaky suspicsion that his Third point is a very real possibility if the first two happen. What are the chances of point One and Two happening????? Well, thats probably the million dollar question.

• How much freedom will the Aspar and Gresini teams have to make modifications and work on the proddie racer (ie, how much fuel could they modify it to hold since it supposidly is coming from HRC with <24 litre capacity?)

• If the NGM Forward bikes are seriously dogging/beating the Tech 3/Yamaha Factory bikes, will Yamaha tune them down? (remember, lease engines)

• How much factory help are the Forward, Aspar, Cardion AB, and Honda Gresini teams going to get from their respective bike manufactures? Are they going to need it?

There is some serious talent there with Aliex Espargaro, Scott Redding, Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards riding these 'Open' class bikes.

[Oscar]

Interesting thoughts about the 2014 MotoGP season from Motorcycle USA's Frank Melling. If you dont' feel like reading it all, his last paragraph sums everything up:

"So here is an STM prediction – and for once, incredibly, I’m not absolutely certain of the outcome. First, the 24 liter rule proves to be too much for the pure factory bikes to handle. Second, Hayden and Espargaró do better than Dorna predict or expect. Third, the regulations are changed in a desperate, mid-season shuffle so that normal service is resumed once more. Fourth, all the current regulations are hurriedly buried in a concrete tomb somewhere deep in the Sierra Nevada and their existence is written out of the motorcycle racing history books."

I have a sneaky suspicsion that his Third point is a very real possibility if the first two happen. What are the chances of point One and Two happening????? Well, thats probably the million dollar question.

• How much freedom will the Aspar and Gresini teams have to make modifications and work on the proddie racer (ie, how much fuel could they modify it to hold since it supposidly is coming from HRC with <24 litre capacity?)

• If the NGM Forward bikes are seriously dogging/beating the Tech 3/Yamaha Factory bikes, will Yamaha tune them down? (remember, lease engines)

• How much factory help are the Forward, Aspar, Cardion AB, and Honda Gresini teams going to get from their respective bike manufactures? Are they going to need it?

There is some serious talent there with Aliex Espargaro, Scott Redding, Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards riding these 'Open' class bikes.

I got as far as him claiming credit for predicting that CRT bikes would be redundant sooner rather than later.
The CRT bikes were only ever a stop gap measure stemming from the global financial meltdown and the lack of bikes on the grid.
As for customer bikes beating factory bikes - this has happened occasionaly, but it is not something that the factories are going to put up with it on a regular basis.

[lukemillar]

Moto3 race was frickin awesome!

Top 3 are now only separated by 5 points going into the final round....

[Mental Trousers]

Don't forget it was the factories that asked for the 20 litre rule. Honda will probably be able to do it quite comfortably, Yamaha may have problems. Ducati should be able to do it as well.

The customer bikes and lease engines will be in a similar-ish state of tune to the factory engines so using all 24 litres will actually be a hell of a lot slower because they'd be running far too rich. More fuel doesn't necessarily mean more power. More revs does though so the pneumatic valves of the factories engines mean more revs. Without those few extra revs more fuel isn't required.

[DidJit]

Where will we see MJM in 2015?

[pritch]

- Marquez only has to finish higher than 4th to take the title.

At first the operative word there appears to be "fourth", but in reality it is the word "finish".

To finish fourth first you must finish... Or something?

[DidJit]

An insight into the engine electronics engineer...

[roogazza]

An insight into the engine electronics engineer...

Thanks Didjit for putting that up, really enjoyed it.
Gives good insight into how the GP days roll on thru.
There is so much the average man doesn't see.

[Crasherfromwayback]

At first the operative word there appears to be "fourth", but in reality it is the word "finish".

To finish fourth first you must finish... Or something?

Thing being...if you start to ride differently to your normal *style* or *way*, you run a huge risk of binning it. And you also don't want to be running round with the guys in 6th back at the start for fear of being cleaned out. So guess he'll just have to be his normal self and back himself to do the bizz. No reason he shouldn't be able to. After all...he's only had the one dnf from Mugello so far. MM FTW!

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

Would love to see the mighty Yamaha win which it probably will but I think MM will win the title.

[tail_end_charlie]

Where will we see MJM in 2015?

Hmmmm, that is interesting. I had seen some rumors floating around on Soup about MJM not doing 2014 AMA, but they hadn't been confirmed until now. Although he doesn't go out of the way to shit talk AMA Pro, he definitely indicates that there was no real incouraging reasons to stay there, which says enough in itself. AMA Pro is in seriously deep shit unless they make some major changes.

[Bender]

I like this - it sums up the whole Phillip Island debacle and asks some searching questions of Dorna.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I like this - it sums up the whole Phillip Island debacle and asks some searching questions of Dorna.

Pretty much what I've said already. And this? Correct MM haters. "It was a safety measure destined to cause an accident, and it was fortunate that the Marquez-Lorenzo altercation was the only one. Marquez held track position and racing line. Lorenzo, with much greater speed, was technically at fault for the collision, but responsibility ultimately lies with the Dorna think-tank that came up with the idea, especially after demanding that all riders pit and swap bikes on one of only two laps. Clearly, only the best and brightest work at Dorna." Like I say...if the disq of MM costs him the title...it's a very very sad day/time for Moto GP racing. All credit to Lorenzo if he does win it for riding at Assen with a freshly smashed collar bone...and all those that said he was mad to will have to have a shit sandwich. But it'll still be a very hollow victory as far as I'm concerned if he does.