Just the fact that MotoGP is prototype means that it is inherently a development class, that's why I hope they never move to production-based engines. Even if they ban electronics, the manufacturers will have plenty of design schemes to play around with. If you want to know the real danger with MotoGP--the danger that is driving the current madness--just watch the documentary about the RC211V. There are little snippets of it on youtube. From the very beginning, the MSMA were already bored.
Just the fact that MotoGP is prototype means that it is inherently a development class, that's why I hope they never move to production-based engines. Even if they ban electronics, the manufacturers will have plenty of design schemes to play around with. If you want to know the real danger with MotoGP--the danger that is driving the current madness--just watch the documentary about the RC211V. There are little snippets of it on youtube. From the very beginning, the MSMA were already bored.
Joined Jun 2007
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Norah Head
the apocalypse is certainly nigh.
Thats what changes are, eg. the "apocalypse was nigh" as the 2 strokes came in. The "apocalypse was nigh" as the 2 strokes went out. Bet there was even folks who thought the end of mechanical ignition, was an "apocalypse". Times change and so does acceptance, or not if it is so decided. But being a development class, one has to think, if we are to stay a development formula, is what we are developing of use to the motorcycling industry? At present they dictate that its electronics they want. I dare say that once they know what they need to know, they will be done with it.
As to it making racing closer, I doubt it. But also being a development class, the whole aim of those "developing things" is to be far in front of the oposition. So in a way, the idea of close racing is at contrast to any "development" formula ......... especialy when restrictions are put in place that attempt to "standardise" the bikes. I personally would hate to see it become a formula like say Japanese speedway, where the bikes are identical and are sealed and scrutinsed as such. Its like horse racing with robot horses
Even a control tyre in MGP is restrictive to me. They could keep going to the point that we are arguing about fuel compositions ...... when all the bikes are just about identical.
Though I find the talk of electronics yey or nay, to be somewhat trivial, because the new apocalypse is looming ......... with batteries and an annoying whine ......
Joined Jun 2007
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Norah Head
Take us back to the heydays of 2002,thats basically it in a nut.
Isn't that when Baylis and Edwards were going at it in SBK?
Who watched MGP then!?
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Texas
Joined Jun 2007
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Norah Head
no one complained it was boring then.
No cos nobody was stupid enough to be following it when SBK was having such a good year, and you had the idiotic situation where half the grid was on the obviously superceded 500's. Only Rossi was on a well readied 990 that had no competition. MGP lost out bigtime to SBK that year, unless you were a Rossi fan.
Not one race that year in MGP came up to the 2002 Imola round.
Joined Jul 2006
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Texas
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Norah Head
Joined Feb 2009
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siebenbürgen süße heimat!
I agree that the racing was much better in WSBK that year but i think that was overshadowed by the fact that GP racing finally had 4 strokes yet again.
While i was thrilled to watch SBK that year,each and every round of motogp was something I'd look forward to,just because of the technology.
The thing is ,where can the manufacturers try to gain an advantage when we're working towards a spec engine?
I predict that in the next decade we will see annoyingly similar bikes in motogp,to a certain degree that is the case already.
I mean can you imagine that there is quite a bit more diversity and technological freedom in the top production based series than in the super expensive prototype series?
Electronics are the new thing in Motorcycling in general,i'm just glad that we don't have any sort of ABS systems on motogp bikes....yet
Joined Jul 2006
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Texas
WOnder why you'd say that
thats easy....cause they were running big boy thunder sounding torque monster motorcycles.. not horse Jockey satellite controlled electric pocket bikes.
Joined Jun 2007
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Norah Head
Not likely too I'd suspect. I had a Super Tenere for a bit of a play with a few weeks back. Totally forgot it had ABS one day, on my dirt driveway. Not fun
And it has three TC settings. I thought my mate knew to turn it off, but he came up an extremely steep part of my driveway and it almost looked like the bike was going to TC itself to death. He had left it on the worst setting inadvertently. But at least you can turn theTC off.
But anyhow all that aside, 2002 is the year many MGP fans "walked". It was just too stupid a spectacle ( or debacle ) watching a 500 against the 990's. And all that on top of the fact that the fan base prior to that was pretty "pro-2stroke".
Joined Feb 2007
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Tennessee
Motogp is "the" development formula. If they take away all the developments then, what will they have over say WSBK?
Its the way it has allways been. To be honest I find it more justifiable these days with all the electronics development than in the days when GP bikes were two strokes and everything you bought in the shop was a lumbering great tractor of a 4 stroke. Nothing said "lame" to me more than seeing a Doohan or Rossi Replica ( Sticker kit ) CBR
Electronic control etc. is where the development is these days, so meh its all good by me. I don't think it would matter an aweful lot to the outcomes of the races, just those who have had least riding without electronics control would have the jump on the others at first and those that have been riding with TC the longest will perhaps have more offs.
Agree, that is what prototype racing is supposed to be. Unfortuneatley it has advanced so far it has affected the show to some people. I have never been one to complain about run away victories, in some ways i like it. I love it when its apparent that someone is doing their homework and outsmarting the competition. Thats why i never complained about Suzuki in the AMA.
Imagine if the only restriction was fuel consumption. Bring any engine you want as long as it can finish the race with the gas they give you.
It would be a lot better than what we have now, and the MSMA would quite immediately b/c unconventional engine layouts (that the MSMA don't want to develop) would be introduced. The Group C format doesn't translate terribly well to motorcycle sprint racing. That hasn't stopped the manufacturers from attempting to recreate the 3.5L formula that killed Group C.
Depends on your take, I know personally when two or three get their homework (algorithms......) right and make the race look different to practice and qualifying........some are easily pleased I guess.
Motogp suffered a greater defection in the late 90's when Mick was smacking them, Fogarty, Chili and co were providing plenty of entertainment in WSBK. 2002 was one of the most intriguing years, especially coming off a vintage 2001. The 4 strokes brought more fans to Motogp that year, as did the continuation of the Rossi/Biaggi saga.
Joined Jun 2007
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Norah Head
As odd as that sounds to us today its probably closer to the original formula, albeit probably mainly capacity restricted, it would allow such huge development. Look at how the expansion chamber came about, MZ where just light year in front of everyone else, until Suzuki decided the mod. they needed to get near MZ was ... industrial espionage
I actually like the idea that it doesn't matter what you run, you have to cover a set distance in the fastest time. Where they push the boundaries of known fuel efficiencies.
Joined Jun 2007
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Norah Head
Forgot about the Rossi/Biaggi cat fight! That one incident was the final straw for many folk. They just turned off and never came back. It wasn't what they were used to in MGP, and not what they watched for. Probably a turning point in the "type of fan" that did follow it.
Joined Jun 2007
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Norah Head
I did, then Dorna brought Edwards and Bayliss to MGP ........ they had to try and get folk back somehow
But all that was probably well before you were born so WTF are you commenting on it for
But all that was probably well before you were born so WTF are you commenting on it for
Joined Feb 2009
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siebenbürgen süße heimat!
Shame you didn't go with the mystical ones you speak of............
annoying -.-
but i have to disagree with BM here, why would a bitter feud keep fans AWAY from the spectacle?
Frankly speaking,the cat fight made everything much more interesting to me
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