Weight rules

I think this topic has been talked before but anyway here we go

MotoGP introduced a combined bike+rider weightrule for the 125cc category (the Dani Pedrosa rule hehe) some years ago cause some riders complained of the advantage of small riders, Dani went on to winning the championship despite the chunk of lead attached on his bike that made it as heavy as the others.

Difference is that unlike car racing (dunno about NASCAR but F1 has powersteering) bike's require a lot of physical strength to be raced, obviously smaller bodies are less powerful than bigger ones, there was no compensation for that. Also they have less weight to play/move around in accel/braking. So as proved by the fact Dani is the only rider of his size in the category, his size is not an advantage.

In low powered bikes like 125cc it could be an advantage cause the engine is not powerful enough to spin the wheel so logically more weight = less acceleration. 250cc and higher power the engine has enough power to spin the rear engine, the weight of the rider increases the grip available and it's almost a linear proportion, so being lighter there is not an advantage.

Don't really think that, when you run out Pedro, there are huge weigh differences in motogp..not enough to justify a weight rule. But hey, motogp have shown that as far as rule changes go, anything is possible.

no weight restrictions.

I think that being smaller and weaker is a disadvantage that comes with being a lighter rider, for this reason i don't think these riders should have to force around a heavier bike.

Yes. There should be a weight rule. I do believe that smaller riders give back much of their advantage during acceleration and cornering (early on) during braking and cornering (late in the race), but we still need weight limits.

I suggest they do it for rider health. As I've joked the riders' workout regimens seem closely related to that of a supermodel (cocaine, puking, and laxatives).

I'm tired of these guys being chronically sick or injured. Most of them do it because they don't have the talent to make use of their size (like Vale) so they just shed weight to compensate.

What's this tripe about Pedrosa not having a huge advantage. Vale, Toseland, Edwards, Hayden, Hopkins, Verme, probably Guinters (even though he's listed at 62) all weigh in the 70kg range.

Pedrosa weighs 51.

You do the math. 16-19kg = 36-41lb advantage. To even the playing field you'd have to increase the weight of Pedrosa's Honda by 25%?

Set the weight limit at 60kg. It isn't terribly intrusive and it reduces the disadvantage for normal-sized human beings.

Has anyone noticed the three fastest riders this season are the three lightest? (Pedrosa - 51kg, Lorenzo - 55kg, Stoner - 58 kg)

If motogp is for midgets only they are excluding tons of talented riders. People six foot and above can't compete already (them's the breaks) but if we let these riders turn into horse jockeys, only about 5% of the global populace can participate.

That is the antithesis of a global prototype series that boasts the best machines and the best riders.

oh boy I'm going to love motogp then

I'll be watching the jockeys weigh-in with trepidation each round

it'll be so fair!!

We should introduce better weight limits so that it's fair and that everyone can play? The absolute elite are going to be the absolute elite regardless of how much they weigh or how much they and their bike combined weigh.

So someone has some (theoretical) advantage because they weigh less, how is that any different than me arguing that Casey Stoner shouldn't be allowed to race because he's too talented? The riders weigh what they weigh. Similarly, the riders are as talented as they are. If you want everything to be spec and fair then go watch NASCAR.

And as far as riders' training regimens, yes they drop weight but the main reason for the program is to increase strength and stamina. You can't very well ride a bike at the limit for 45 minutes having the strength of a 12-year-old girl, even with the weight advantage.

Ok here's the "skinny" for you ....


Its a bit like the old two strokes thing ..... ie. they were fuel inefficient so it would have appeared rather ridiculous to be pursuing development along a dying line ......


What with the world becoming overpopulated etc. .... there is no place in the world for fat people .... They take up so much space
They consume far more
They use up so much earth resources
They leave behind far more waste materials

SO the answer is; weight balancing amongst the riders would be seen as condoning the "supersize me" set .... hence is not a good example to set nor is it a good line to pursue ....

However it may bring in more sponsors

Maccas Ducati

Pepsi Yamaha

KFC D'Antin Ducati

Monster Kawasaki ........ oh!




<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Mar 29 2008, 02:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You can't very well ride a bike at the limit for 45 minutes having the strength of a 12-year-old girl, even with the weight advantage.

Pedrosa ain't much heavier than some 12 year old girls and he's no slouch
He came 2nd last year in the WC and he's running (second .... oops) third ATM

How about having a bunch of big fat guys that have the build of overgrown babies

You never get fast fat bike riders do you

You all march so ignorantly and gleefully towards horse racing.

You pack of fools will soon be debating which manufacturer will win the triple crown. I'll be enjoying AMA and WSBK (hopefully). Let me bid you farewell prematurely.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Mar 29 2008, 04:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You all march so ignorantly and gleefully towards horse racing.

You pack of fools will soon be debating which manufacturer will win the triple crown. I'll be enjoying AMA and WSBK (hopefully). Let me bid you farewell prematurely.
There are effectively limits on the physiques of riders in many sports for example gymnasts. I guess even with a weight limit guys who are too tall etc won't be competitive for reasons of aerodynamics, fitting on the bikes and behind the fairings etc.

I completely agree with you on there being a minimum weight limit however, at some sort of reasonable level like 60 or 65kg. At the moment the lighter the rider is the better, which is an active encouragement basically of anorexia with its deleterious long term health effects like osteoporosis. I think the riders already take enough risks with their health short-term.

I understand everyone's desire to see close racing as it is more exciting but what's the point of handicapping someone based on aspects that are, for the most part, out of their control? If you put serious restrictions on weight, where does it end? It's a slippery slope to make everyone equal and if that's the ultimate goal then sooner or later there will be slouches like myself out there and competing because there are so many rider aids or restrictions.

MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, it's not about exciting racing. It's about the best riders, the best motorcycles, the best mechanics and the best engineers in the world competing to see who really is the best of the best. If you can't appreciate that and want to see the playing field leveled so anyone can win on any given weekend then, as I said before, go watch NASCAR. Or if you're content on two wheels, SBK.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Mar 29 2008, 08:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I understand everyone's desire to see close racing as it is more exciting but what's the point of handicapping someone based on aspects that are, for the most part, out of their control? If you put serious restrictions on weight, where does it end? It's a slippery slope to make everyone equal and if that's the ultimate goal then sooner or later there will be slouches like myself out there and competing because there are so many rider aids or restrictions.

MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, it's not about exciting racing. It's about the best riders, the best motorcycles, the best mechanics and the best engineers in the world competing to see who really is the best of the best. If you can't appreciate that and want to see the playing field leveled so anyone can win on any given weekend then, as I said before, go watch NASCAR. Or if you're content on two wheels, SBK.great post ooostin, good to see you.

no more feckin' rules is what it boils down to. the basic 4 stroke formula has proven to be a good move, costly but inevitable. bar a few tweaks to remove the michelin advantage, and fuel limit to make the engineers work that bit harder and the non stop rain-hit race for tv audiences, the rules in motogp are relatively straightforward, that's in the spirit of bike racing. let the car guys do whatever they want, they're not the same as us anyway. a weight rule would be .........