Respect to Hayden...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(an4rew @ Oct 14 2007, 06:56 AM) [snapback]95131[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Can't fault him for trying.

This is exactly why many of us admire him. He also shows the same face to good fortune and adversity.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(michaelm @ Oct 14 2007, 11:43 AM) [snapback]95164[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
This is exactly why many of us admire him. He also shows the same face to good fortune and adversity.


EXACTLY!!!!! Couldn`t have put it better.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DRILL666 @ Oct 14 2007, 08:05 PM) [snapback]95233[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
EXACTLY!!!!! Couldn`t have put it better.


I thought it was nice that he didn't block valentino because he could have easily. He must of thought respect its valentino and theres no point slowing both of us down at that stage with stoner ahead.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JohnnyKnockdown @ Oct 11 2007, 11:10 AM) [snapback]94674[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Pinky
Let me clarify my position on this.
I think what Casey Stoner did this year was amazing. He led almost every session and kicked everyone's ... come racetime.
I am withholding my judgement on how good he is until next year when the other manufacturers should catch up. His bike was clearly better but he dominated so much so that his skill had to play a great part in it. He is definitely a top 3 rider.
I truly think he is good enough to contend for a championship again. I just want to see how he does on a more equal footing.
No hater here. He seems to be a great kid who made great sacrifices to get where he is today.
My main criticism of his is WHY THE F&%K DID HE GET MARRIED SO YOUNG?

Where is his wife from anyway?


Johnny, I mainly agree with your sentiments here but would like to query one part of your statement... Casey certainly had the fastest bike in a straight line however that doesn't necessarily mean that it was the "best" bike on the track does it?

Vale's Yam was no slouch either under braking or going around corners as the races that he won have shown! Stoner definitely had the best all round package though as you said & used it to great effect, which is his job to do of course...

As for his missus... she's from Adelaide in South Australia & one look at her would answer any questions as to why he wanted to marry her! All that & she seems like a top chick to boot!

[quote name='muzzy57' date='Oct 15 2007, 06:27 AM' post='95310']
Johnny, I mainly agree with your sentiments here but would like to query one part of your statement... Casey certainly had the fastest bike in a straight line however that doesn't necessarily mean that it was the "best" bike on the track does it?

I don't think there's any doubt going back to the latter half of last year and into this year that Ducati had the best bike
There's a column written by Randy Mamola in this months Road racerX
magazine that talks about this subject.
I can't seem to link to it so I will quote a paragraph.

"What is it about the Ducati that makes it superior? They went for sheer power with this years bike, then relied on really advanced electronics to tame it. Jeremy Burgess told me that Ducati's system even takes lean angle into account- presumably with gyroscopes or something. When the bike is straight up and down it doesn't need any TC it just rips, but I guarantee you that thing would be hard to ride through corners with the electronics turned off! Meanwhile Honda and Yamaha stayed with the 900 approach of making the bike controllable even without TC. The Yamaha is using TC only in the upper rpm range, but it's giving away tiny margins in every corner"

The ultimate pace of the yamaha over a single lap when the tyres are equal seems to match the ducati, going on qualifying for most of the year.

However, I do agree with you and others that superior traction control would seem to be a major advantage for ducati and I am sure this contributes to the longevity of the tyres.