ITS OFFICIAL- WEIGHT CHANGE FOR DUCATI

so it begins..... was only a matter of time i guess.

Here is a chart



http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/fgsport.pdf

Not really sure how much a 6.6 lb weight reduction is going to make. That is equivalent to about 1 hp. They are not lacking in corner speed, they are getting swamped in the intermediate to long straights. Of course, if they can take the weight off and increase cornerspeed, straight speed will increase as well. They will struggle at Miller with the altitude and the looooooong front. That looks like an Aprilia track to me.

i hope QAT is the new code for Portugal. lol. Thanks for the update povol. hope we start seeing the xeroxs where they should be, up front!

J708 said:

i hope QAT is the new code for Portugal. lol. Thanks for the update povol. hope we start seeing the xeroxs where they should be, up front!

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That is observant, I didnt notice.

povol said:

That is observant, I didnt notice.

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haha. being from Qatar, i tend to get excited when I see QAT at places they're not suppose to be.

I wish they would build a bloody four and ditch the v twin `tradition` shackles . I guess its in the future somewhere but why keep making waves and cause friction in WSBK,its not like they don`t know how to build a 4 is it?

Otis Driftwood said:

I wish they would build a bloody four and ditch the v twin `tradition` shackles . I guess its in the future somewhere but why keep making waves and cause friction in WSBK,its not like they don`t know how to build a 4 is it?

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I have been saying the same thing for years. The reason they wont build a 4 is because they would be forced to compete with a same rules package that they could not manipulate. Obviously they can build a 4, but their tradition is more important. I beleive if they were forced to choose between WSBK and GP, they would choose WSBK.If the rules get to slanted, the japs can always slap together a twin and kick their ....

After thinking this thing over, i have come to the conclusion that this rule is seriously flawed. That is if im reading it right.



Hypothetical= After receiving the weight reduction, WHAT IF this was a magic bullet and Ducati goes on a winning rampage and the event average totally swings the opposite direction. The reason i ask this is the part of the rule that states " and leads the championship.. Ducati is so far back in points, they could win 6 races in a row and as long as Haslam or Biaggi have 3-4th place finishes, would still lead the championship and no penalty against Ducati would kick in. It is conceivable that this could roll over into next season with Ducati enjoying an advantage thru the 3rd race of next year, where they could build up a big points lead before being penalized. This is a hypothetical scenario and probably will not happen, but is not inconceivable.

Otis Driftwood said:

I wish they would build a bloody four and ditch the v twin `tradition` shackles . I guess its in the future somewhere but why keep making waves and cause friction in WSBK,its not like they don`t know how to build a 4 is it?

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Can't agree in the least!  



Think a little harder, guys!     Do you really want a homogeneous field of identical machines?  If that turns you on, go watch the joke that is Eff Wun. 



Differing engine configurations should be actively encouraged!  Doing so makes for more varied racing, and offers the constructors a way to differentiate their bikes from the others.  This is important ....!  The vast majority of Ducati's street bikes are twins - it's only right that they emphasize this feature when they go racing.  Bring on the Triumph triples, and pray that one of the Jap constructors comes full circle with the inline 6.

 

Well said Geo-mon!!!

if both bikes will have weight change then wats the explanation that fabs been upfront as good as 1st?

povol said:

After thinking this thing over, i have come to the conclusion that this rule is seriously flawed. That is if im reading it right.



Hypothetical= After receiving the weight reduction, WHAT IF this was a magic bullet and Ducati goes on a winning rampage and the event average totally swings the opposite direction. The reason i ask this is the part of the rule that states " and leads the championship.. Ducati is so far back in points, they could win 6 races in a row and as long as Haslam or Biaggi have 3-4th place finishes, would still lead the championship and no penalty against Ducati would kick in. It is conceivable that this could roll over into next season with Ducati enjoying an advantage thru the 3rd race of next year, where they could build up a big points lead before being penalized. This is a hypothetical scenario and probably will not happen, but is not inconceivable.

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According to Kropotkin the Dukes are heavier than the current minimum (ie before the weight reduction was applied after Kylami)

Indeed, neither the fours nor the twins are believed to be anywhere near their minimum weights, and efforts to get down to that weight would involve spending exorbitant amounts of money on components made from exotic lightweight materials.

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Linky

yamaka46 said:

According to Kropotkin the Dukes are heavier than the current minimum (ie before the weight reduction was applied after Kylami)







Linky

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As are the I4's. So, what they are saying is without breaking some other regulation or [spending a bunch of money], they have the bike as light as they can get it. That should make for an interesting conversation between the FIM and a bunch of pissed off Italians. Here is whats going to happen, this weight reduction means nothing if they truly are heavier than the minimum and cannot or will not spend the money to produce lighter legal parts. 3 more events, they get another meaningless weight reduction, 3 events later, we are at the end of the season, Ducati gets what they wanted all along, a larger restrictor, Bayliss comes back and dominates the first 3 events next year, then everyone starts scratching their heads, saying WTF do we do now, we didnt really plan for this, do we take away the larger restrictor, or do we start adding weight. If the answer is add weight to make the bike 165kg or 168kg, your right back where you started from on the reverse side. The bike already weighs over those figures, so now, Ducati is receiving penalties that are not penalties, just like they were given allowances that they could not use.. It has the potential to be a cluster .... that no one saw coming.

Geonerd said:

  

Can't agree in the least!  



Think a little harder, guys!   

 Do you really want a homogeneous field of identical machines?  If that turns you on, go watch the joke that is Eff Wun. 



Differing engine configurations should be actively encouraged!  Doing so makes for more varied racing, and offers the constructors a way to differentiate their bikes from the others.  This is important ....!  The vast majority of Ducati's street bikes are twins - it's only right that they emphasize this feature when they go racing.  Bring on the Triumph triples, and pray that one of the Jap constructors comes full circle with the inline 6.

 

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I`m all for different engine configs mate, but I`m not alone in thinking Ducati have had it their way for too long in WSBk.An interesting thought.........if Honda kicked Ducati`s ... with another VTR ,would Ducati build a 4?

Otis Driftwood said:

I`m all for different engine configs mate, but I`m not alone in thinking Ducati have had it their way for too long in WSBk.An interesting thought.........if Honda kicked Ducati`s ... with another VTR ,would Ducati build a 4?

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I know one thing that would happen if Honda built a 1200 cc V Twin, i would own one. I have had a couple of the 1litre twins {TLR1000 and an RC 51} and really liked them both.

Otis Driftwood said:

I`m all for different engine configs  mate, but I`m not alone in thinking Ducati have had it their way for too long in WSBk.

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Well, that's certainly arguable.  The equivalency rules may not be perfect, but Pov's solution, to turn WSBK into some Socialist Paradise by enforcing identical engines, addresses the wrong issue!  Tweak the rules if they need it, but for hell's sake, don't go telling the teams what sort of engine configuration they can run!







Everyone, it seems, is a high-minded Libertarian.  That is, until their special interests are threatened!  Then all we hear is "Someone needs to do something!!"   









     

An interesting thought.........if Honda kicked Ducati`s ... with another VTR ,would Ducati build a 4?

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I like the idea!



BUT.... If it is to be, let it happens as a direct result of competition between the manufacturers, not because some Bean Counter wants to make the world 'safe,' homogeneous, and boring!   

Double post - how the hell do I delete this?









(The forum is REAL slow at the moment.)

Geonerd said:

Well, that's certainly arguable.  The equivalency rules may not be perfect, but Pov's solution, to turn WSBK into some Socialist Paradise by enforcing identical engines, addresses the wrong issue!  Tweak the rules if they need it, but for hell's sake, don't go telling the teams what sort of engine configuration they can run!







Everyone, it seems, is a high-minded Libertarian.  That is, until their special interests are threatened!  Then all we hear is "Someone needs to do something!!"   

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