MotoGP back in action at Sepang Test

Spies, on how hot it is in Malaysia
I think it got up to 96 or 97 F. But coming from a US winter, it definitely puts your body in shock. I think the track temperature on the first day got up to 62 C, which is really hot. On the bike it's not horrible, but where it really hits you is the last ten seconds of going through pit lane, when you get under 20 mph, to when you stop and can get your helmet off. That's when the heat hits you hard.

On the bike, it's definitely hot. Going 200 mph, I'm tucked in, getting all the engine heat coming off, which is a bit more on a GP bike than on a Superbike. You've got all that heat going on, it's hot, and usually when you hit the brakes, it's not enough air to be refreshing, but you usually get some venting going that cools the sweat a little bit. In Malaysia, I swear, when I came out of a tuck, the air that hit me was hotter than what was coming off the bike. I was like, "This is BS right here. This is hot."

Full article at Superbikeplanet.

Spies talks about travelling so much (to media commitments?) and sleeping so little for the 5 days preceding the test, so that he was so tired and out of it on day 1, that not only was it almost a useless day, the risk of making a serious mistake resulting in injury was quite high. Whoever is managing him is not doing their job very well!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bunyip @ Feb 12 2010, 11:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Full article at Superbikeplanet.

Spies talks about travelling so much (to media commitments?) and sleeping so little for the 5 days preceding the test, so that he was so tired and out of it on day 1, that not only was it almost a useless day, the risk of making a serious mistake resulting in injury was quite high. Whoever is managing him is not doing their job very well!

You got that right.
With that few tests it's close to unforgivable to send an upreared rider to a test because of jetlag.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Feb 6 2010, 05:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>.....................
As I said in the other thread valentino obviously looks to be in good shape whichever way you want to slice it, and it is possible that he and the bike are so fast he can't help but be 0.4 seconds faster than the field even holding back. However he did seem to want to dominate testing against his usual habit, and there may be something in what some are saying about him being partly motivated by a personal dislike of lorenzo and a wish to show him up. This is the only aspect where his apparent rivalry with lorenzo may help stoner; certainly I don't believe lack of access to jorge's data will trouble him. He did make more mistakes last year than is his wont however, particularly compared to 2008 when imo he rode as well as he and possibly anyone else has ever ridden. One interpretation is that jorge is so good that he challenged rossi more than anyone else ever has; my view is more that he can't stand to have jorge beat him even in an individual race particularly on "his" bike. Of course if by some chance stoner does start to look like a stronger rival than jorge, he may well re-focus.

Very nice post, +1

I may add that not only Rossi will not be affected at all by the lack of access to Lorenzo's data, but the lack of access to Rossi' data is going to impact Lorenzo's performance more and more as time goes on. By mid season Lorenzo will be complaining about Yamaha giving preferential treatment to Valentino, and probably move to another team.

Stoner will definitely be the title contender this year, against Valentino. His real potential on the new Ducati has not yet shown: not only the Desmosedici 2010 needs more kilometers to find the right setup, but he has to change his riding style following the switch from screamer to big bang.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J4rn0 @ Feb 13 2010, 06:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>By mid season Lorenzo will be complaining about Yamaha giving preferential treatment to Valentino, and probably move to another team.
I don't disagree with that, and I'd imagine Yamaha is thinking the same. Much easier for Yamaha to let Lorenzo dig his own grave than to throw him out. Unless of course he thrives, in which case they have issues.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Feb 12 2010, 01:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>anyhow......... the 800s...role in the big boy bikes.
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Yamaha TZ750 dirt-tracker, which in my opinion was the most malevolant competition bike ever built. Four cylinder liquid-cooled, 750cc two-stroke engine making about 125 horsepower - and no front brake…....."they don't pay me enough to ride that thing"

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ Feb 14 2010, 06:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>8877:mickslide5ri.jpg]

8878:KennysBike.jpg]
Yamaha TZ750 dirt-tracker, which in my opinion was the most malevolant competition bike ever built. Four cylinder liquid-cooled, 750cc two-stroke engine making about 125 horsepower - and no front brake…....."they don't pay me enough to ride that thing"
Mighty Mick.... ....... awesome shot, no tc there at all!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (is200 @ Feb 9 2010, 08:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Sorry VHM cant assit im an Adelaidean, only see Casey when he is in Adelaide.

But i dare say my convaluted way of explaining this persons that persons someones friend etc.... may seem more confusing that it was actually intended to be. ie know him via his wife.

Thanks anyway mate!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Feb 10 2010, 05:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>When I read the announcement that MotoGP would return to 1000cc, the first thing that ran through my mind was; 'How will they .... this up?' Well...

I have a great idea… Why don’t we make 800cc go through a shorter lap in the track, that way a difference in fuel capacity would not be needed! I bet now I could apply for a job at Duhrna!

After seing Talpas post and that great pic of Mick I wanted to look at this image again. Not trying to make any comparisons here I just love looking at pics of these guys doing crazy things on such scary bikes.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (is200 @ Feb 15 2010, 01:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>After seing Talpas post and that great pic of Mick I wanted to look at this image again. Not trying to make any comparisons here I just love looking at pics of these guys doing crazy things on such scary bikes.



Mighty <strike>Mick</strike> Stoner.... ....... awesome shot, no tc there at all!!

^

ive seen more impressive slides in my boxers

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Feb 15 2010, 09:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>^

ive seen more impressive slides in my boxers

Oh no you didn't.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bunyip @ Feb 12 2010, 02:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Full article at Superbikeplanet.

Spies talks about travelling so much (to media commitments?) and sleeping so little for the 5 days preceding the test, so that he was so tired and out of it on day 1, that not only was it almost a useless day, the risk of making a serious mistake resulting in injury was quite high. Whoever is managing him is not doing their job very well!
Spies is such a whinner...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Feb 15 2010, 12:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Spies is such a whinner...
Jumkie, how can you call yourself a fan of motogp if you call someone a whiner? Not cool dude.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TP70 @ Feb 15 2010, 01:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Mighty <strike>Mick</strike> Stoner.... ....... awesome shot, no tc there at all!!

See how many rubber signatures all over that particular corner... It is one of those where sliding comes automatically and every rider does it, with TC fully activated.

Nobody can deny Stoner has brought back slide to MGP, even in an era where they say the bikes can't do it

Matter of fact in my >40 years of MGP fandome, Stoner has prodused the longest, fastest, most in control slides I've seen.
And they are not little "slow down lap/practice/show off slides" they are slides whilst in the midst of racing.

Sure some others slide a bit, but nobody had produced the ridiculously in control/high lean/high speed slides Stoner has.

PI was the pinnacle.

Post me better if you can.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Feb 15 2010, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Matter of fact in my >40 years of MGP fandome, Stoner has prodused the longest, fastest, most in control slides I've seen.

outa 40 years and HE's the best youve seen.. those first 37 out of those 40 years must have been on radio

Stoner's badass but thats just straight up ball sucking right there

stoner was taught well
and gets overnight specials to do it.etc.

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8882:de_puniet_slide.jpg]

8883:motogp_i..._2008_18.jpg]

Gary McCoy was the king of slide but I don't think any of his compare to what Stoner was doing or Rossi for that matter through the fast left before the hairpin at PI in 09 in the heat of battle as they pulled out massive distance on the rest of the field.

I havent been watching for 40 years only nearly 20 so I can't compare like BM but sliding an 800 screamer with TC at over 200k/h for more than 100m would seem to be slightly more impressive than sliding a 990 that every .... and his dog was able to slide.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Feb 15 2010, 10:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Nobody can deny Stoner has brought back slide to MGP, even in an era where they say the bikes can't do it

Matter of fact in my >40 years of MGP fandome, Stoner has prodused the longest, fastest, most in control slides I've seen.
And they are not little "slow down lap/practice/show off slides" they are slides whilst in the midst of racing.

Sure some others slide a bit, but nobody had produced the ridiculously in control/high lean/high speed slides Stoner has.

PI was the pinnacle.

Post me better if you can.
McCoy, admittedly with some caveat as to whether he was always in control, but what he did in the 3 races he won was unbelievable, particularly given the equipment provided to him.