*SPOILERS* Motegi Rd2

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ROCKGOD01 @ Apr 26 2009, 08:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>That is the worst excuse. OF course if you don't win you must have some issue with the bike or it would have been perfect. SO what? Why bash on a guy that did his job and actually did better in terms of dealing with his issues than Rossi. If Rossi is the GOAT then he clearly had the opportunity to win the race but didn't. SO what does that say about his ability if he had bike issues? I would say he was satisfied with second as long as Dani didn't win. Not rossi bashing but we all saw the race and he had his chance but didn't capitalize on it. Guess Rossi has a ..... in his armour and when it shows on the GOAT it shines like the sun reflecting in a mirror. Still he did a decent job but for someone of Vale's stature it was a subpar performance.


Well it all makes for an interesting race next week in Spain. Pedrobot and Jorge must both fancy there chances, and Stoner also after winging...Errrr sorry i mean winning the BMW in testing. Rossi will be out for revenge after loosing out to his team-mate. Should be fun!! .. Lets just hope the rain stays away!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mick.. Rossi.. 46 No1... @ Apr 26 2009, 08:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well it all makes for an interesting race next week in Spain. Pedrobot and Jorge must both fancy there chances, and Stoner also after winging...Errrr sorry i mean winning the BMW in testing. Rossi will be out for revenge after loosing out to his team-mate. Should be fun!! .. Lets just hope the rain stays away!!
Speaking of pedrobot the feed on justin tv had this honda asimo on and they talked about it weighing the same as Dani. I thought that was so fitting how we all or most of us talk about how dani is a robot. LOL. Yeah I hope the race next week is a barnburner but I think if the setup time is ample then we will see something of a Stoner win. At least i hope so. I really would like to see Hayden up there but I am a realist and it is going to take a hell of a lot for him to get in the top 5 right now.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gsfan @ Apr 26 2009, 08:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I am kind of sad that Kawasaki has chosen to stop development of this machine after this race. Marco seems able to finish top ten on it every race. It appears to be super competitive and it looks great. Hayate seem to be working really well. The Honda is clearly making strides and when Pedrosa is healthy and Dovi more practised they are going to challenge for double podiums. The M1 is obviously very good and it helps to have very similar and capable pilots. Ducati's carbon marvel is still not ridden by similar talent and that leaves them in the unenviable position that if Casey doesn't win on the GP9 no one will and likely they will never see the beautiful double podium that Yamaha just had. I can't overstate what an admirable achievement I think that is. I think I saw a Suzuki pull a Honda down the back straight...maybe I was sleeping? It was 2am start where I am so I was pretty tired having just driven 600kms through ghastly weather, checked in a work for an hour, dropped by the pub for a pint, then raced home to catch the 125's. For a team that boasts about their mechanical record ... you know I would rather see the odd motor blow up from tweaking the most hp possible than never win and have a super reliable machine. What pressure is on this team I wonder? My tip, blow up some ..... Call Yoshimura. Today. Then talk to Marco 'cause next year the riders will have to change.

The overriding observation I have about this race and so far this season is that now the machines are becoming far more equal. Not exactly equal but closer than ever. But, the main thing now is that the teams have to decrease setup time drastically. The simplification of the tire choice has made setting up the chassis harder IMO. Teams now have to somehow redesign the chassis to be as wide ranging as the tires. The setup for a track instead of being a multitude of adjustments has to be reduced by a huge amount. I know these last races were a worst case but that is what you have to plan for. The days of a tenth of a click here then a tenth there....all gone.
Good post

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ROCKGOD01 @ Apr 26 2009, 08:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Speaking of pedrobot the feed on justin tv had this honda asimo on and they talked about it weighing the same as Dani. I thought that was so fitting how we all or most of us talk about how dani is a robot. LOL. Yeah I hope the race next week is a barnburner but I think if the setup time is ample then we will see something of a Stoner win. At least i hope so. I really would like to see Hayden up there but I am a realist and it is going to take a hell of a lot for him to get in the top 5 right now.

I remember Toby (or Julian) on eurosprt, cant remember which one, saying they had a friend who had a dog that weighed the same as Pedrobot!! Mmmmm, Hayden seems to be going from bad to worse, its a shame but maybe to be expected. Anyway, roll on next week, and a Rossi victory i hope!! Im off to watch the 125 race again, Bye for now.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mick.. Rossi.. 46 No1... @ Apr 26 2009, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I remember Toby (or Julian) on eurosprt, cant remember which one, saying they had a friend who had a dog that weighed the same as Pedrobot!! Mmmmm, Hayden seems to be going from bad to worse, its a shame but maybe to be expected. Anyway, roll on next week, and a Rossi victory i hope!! Im off to watch the 125 race again, Bye for now.
Well hayden's luck has to change for the better here. I surly hope so. ...... takacrashi should have used caution in that area of the track but he just banzaied Nicky. I would bet cause I have watched Nicky for many years now that he will be very motivated to do well. That kid lives and breaths bikes as does his family. Look for him to come back. He is one hell of a worker and his ethic is really second to none. His love drives him to get to the next level. It is easy to point out peoples mistakes and shortcomings but it isn't easy to say the opposite. I would say there will be some serious motivaton on Haydens part to do well next week. I am pumped for next week.

Seriously people going overboard lambasting Takahashi. Sheesh, this is racing, it gets close, .... happens sometimes. Humans are not infallible, they make mistakes.

How is Takahashi not 'experienced' enough when Canepa hasn't even competed in 125's or 250's like Takahashi has? Some people's logic around here.

He is a token, get over it. MotoGP is not a meritocracy. Teams/manufacturers choose they riders they want, and if they want to choose a 250 mid-packer, that is their decision.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J4rn0 @ Apr 26 2009, 12:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No offense taken, but since you are probably more intelligent, please explain why the same setup worked excellently in the opening laps, then did 'not work' in the middle of the race, then worked again suddenly when Rossi realized Pedrobot also was going past him.

Then I don’t get it either J4rn0… No offence meant, but please explain why the same setup did 'not work' in the early stages of the race, then ‘worked suddenly’ when Stoner realized he needed to do better? Breaking problems, they don’t just fix themselves, do they?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ROCKGOD01 @ Apr 26 2009, 02:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What was so wrong with Stoners riding? The kid came back from some issues that quite a few riders would be afraid of and not willing to push. So give credit where credit is due. What does a rider have to do to earn respect? Win a world championship? Didn't Stoner already do that in dominating fashion. Don't worry Rossi is still the GOAT.

Credit where credit is due: That's it in a nutshell. Again... check out that last pass Stoner made to get by Dovi at Motegi. It was both ballsy and surgically precise. How often have you seen Rossi (or anyone else for that matter) with a commanding lead, suddenly lean on the brakes and let the #2 guy pass him just so he could toy with him for the sake of spectacle? I've seen Mladin do that - because he so ....... arrogant and loves to rub it in. What you seem to be saying is that if Stoner's pace in a race is so good that he's 7 seconds ahead of everybody - this qualifies him as "afraid of close racing"? People have been saying that about Pedrobot - (and maybe he's taken it to heart) 'cause I'd say at Motegi he gave as well as he took. Say what you will about his personality (or lack thereof) but the guy is no quitter and he's still hungry, not in the back with Edwards and Elias wondering when the Social Security checks will start arriving in the mailbox.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VHMP01 @ Apr 26 2009, 05:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Then I don’t get it either J4rn0… No offence meant, but please explain why the same setup did 'not work' in the early stages of the race, then ‘worked suddenly’ when Stoner realized he needed to do better? Breaking problems, they don’t just fix themselves, do they?

Actually - sometimes they do. Carbon discs are very changeable and brake fluids heat up
and change viscosity dramatically in the course of the race. That's why they have those little adjusters that the riders use when the brake starts to come back too close to the grips.

And besides Stoner never said the problem "went away". He said over the course of the
race - he'd learned to adjust his riding style in order to work around the chatter he was
experiencing. That's the sign of a great rider - to be able to adapt to whatever is thrown
at them. Very likely why Stoner's - as yet - the only guy to ride this bike at the front of
the pack. THINK about it.

if it wasnt for the fact hayden was american he would of been long gone from motogp

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pinky @ Apr 26 2009, 06:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>if it wasnt for the fact hayden was american he would of been long gone from motogp

If it weren't for the fact that there is a very American sense of democracy and egalitarianism displayed by the moderators, which allows even crackpots and pin-heads to post here - you would have been long gone from this forum. Although you can't be banned - I'm hoping maybe wild dingos will come along and gnaw off the one finger you type with, or mayhaps a gaggle of platypusses will come along and kidnap you and make you marry one of their daughters - or whatever weird .... goes on in your neighborhood.

What a sweet move lorenzo pulled on the doctor, great stuff.

good battle with rossi and dani, some good race craft.

unlucky for haystack, punted from behind. hope he is ok.

well done marco. 6th very respectable esp on a kwak with no support

Man, I've heard elder Koreans say nicer words about a Japanese guy than some people on this thread (If you know anything about the PTO of the Second World War, Koreans feel even worse about the Japanese than the Chinese side of my family, though admitedly, as half Japanese, I'm a Takahashi fan). Its good to see that Takahashi is truly remorseful and devastated for causing that accident, and I'm sure that if history is any indication, the good-humored side of Hayden triumphs and the whole thing will get smoothed over (provided his injuries aren't season-threatening).

Great race all and all. Good to see the riders saying "to hell with team orders," and it'd make my day to see old rivalries heating up (Rossi on Stoner, Pedrosa on Jorge). I'm happy to see that the Kawasaki is working out for Melandri, and I hope his result isn't a one shot wonder like his 5th place stint in Shanghai last season.

Great 250cc race to. I think its almost criminal that the 125s and 250s don't get nearly a fraction of discussion as the 800s. Disappointing for Simoncelli, I know, but on the bright side, Bautistas back in his groove, Aoyama shows that that going on five year old Honda still has a little life in it yet, and Talmasci proves that he earned the ride.

Lorenzo - great race and well deserved win. I too am warming up to him after his silly stunts in the 250's. He seems a lot more humble. Future champ.
Rossi - good ride but after that start and Stoner's bad start I thought you'd win the race easily. Plenty of wins ahead I'm sure.
Pedrosa - really good ride after the pre season injuries. Still, there's that nagging feeling that he can't cut it when push really comes to shove. Good to have him back at the front though, where he really should be.
Stoner - good ride to bring in some points. Really bad start which is unusual. Getting points when things aren't going your way is the key.
Dovi - good ride. Top 5 isn't bad. High hopes for this season.
Melandri - really impressive. I picked you as being last for every race, so I must eat my words.

Other notables -

Capi - ok.
Kallio - impressed again.
Toseland - improved, but need more top 10 finishes.
CV - most disappointing ride for me. I'm really questioning now whether you deserve your spot. I really wish you had of left for Xerox ducati. Unless there are drastic improvements I think its back to WSBK.
Randy - kept it up 2 races in a row.
CE - disappointing.
Hayden - what can be said, so unlucky.

The bikes seem more even than ever in the 800cc era. Can't wait for next weekend. Everybody is going to be hungry for a win, especially the top 4.

gone with the wind
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a couple parc ferme shots
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VHMP01 @ Apr 26 2009, 10:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Then I don’t get it either J4rn0… No offence meant, but please explain why the same setup did 'not work' in the early stages of the race, then ‘worked suddenly’ when Stoner realized he needed to do better? Breaking problems, they don’t just fix themselves, do they?
Rossi said he had "some sort of problem" that impeded him mid-race, stoner reputedly had front brake vibration which showed on the telemetry throughout the race. I am inclined to believe both, as each actually usually tells the truth despite the way every utterance of stoner's is interpreted by some, and because neither rode in his usual fashion. I think each found a way to ride around the respective problems, rossi when challenged by pedrosa, and stoner when he realised dovi was in range. I agree settling for second even with a problem is uncharacteristic for rossi during his career, and perhaps a sign that he is very serious about winning the world championship again and rates his opposition. Maybe he was a little annoyed at the end because he realised he could have won the race if he had just gone for it as he usually has over the years.

As said earlier in the thread, I think set-up ability is crucial to the superiority of the consistently fast riders; doohan was the same, and I remember him being pissed off when they gave his settings to criville which usually increased alex's pace considerably.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VHMP01 @ Apr 26 2009, 10:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Then I don’t get it either J4rn0… No offence meant, but please explain why the same setup did 'not work' in the early stages of the race, then ‘worked suddenly’ when Stoner realized he needed to do better? Breaking problems, they don’t just fix themselves, do they?

That's different--something did not work well at the beginning (or the rider had a feeling it wasnt) then as the race progresses it goes better (less fuel in the tank solved it, or whatever).

But a double change, from good to bad and then again to... good? Hhhhmmmmmm...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Apr 27 2009, 07:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Rossi said he had "some sort of problem" that impeded him mid-race, stoner reputedly had front brake vibration which showed on the telemetry throughout the race. I am inclined to believe both, as each actually usually tells the truth despite the way every utterance of stoner's is interpreted by some, and because neither rode in his usual fashion. I think each found a way to ride around the respective problems, rossi when challenged by pedrosa, and stoner when he realised dovi was in range. I agree settling for second even with a problem is uncharacteristic for rossi during his career, and perhaps a sign that he is very serious about winning the world chamopionship again and rates his opposition. Maybe he was a little annoyed at the end because he realised he could have won the race if he had just gone for it as he usually has over the years.

As said earlier in the thread, I think set-up ability is crucial to the superiority of the consistently fast riders; doohan was the same, and I remember him being pissed off when they gave his settings to criville which usually increased alex's pace considerably.
great post

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Agiel7 @ Apr 26 2009, 07:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Man, I've heard elder Koreans say nicer words about a Japanese guy than some people on this thread (If you know anything about the PTO of the Second World War, Koreans feel even worse about the Japanese than the Chinese side of my family, though admitedly, as half Japanese, I'm a Takahashi fan). Its good to see that Takahashi is truly remorseful and devastated for causing that accident, and I'm sure that if history is any indication, the good-humored side of Hayden triumphs and the whole thing will get smoothed over (provided his injuries aren't season-threatening).

Nobody is criticizing his race - it's his lack of credentials and the lack of integrity of the promoters - who for the sake of pandering to the local audience - added a less than competent rider just because he was Japanese. BTW - in a post race interview Hayden said "I'm not all about the apologies and forgiveness." Apparently he was unmoved by Takahashi's remorse.

Despite predictions, no complaint about wrist problems from stoner even after a race where he finished off the podium. If he did complete a whole race at motegi with constant brake judder it would seem unlikely he will be impeded by his wrist at all this season.