which era in moto GP do you think best, and most competatative

what was everyones favorite class of machine- 500two stroke, 990 four, or 800 four and why, and by era I mean engine size
I rather enjoyed the 500 because I think it showed the true talent of the rider.
I did rather like the 990's though, but can't stand the 800 because I think that rider talent takes a back seat to the technology
I understand the ramifications of moving away from the 500cc two strokes though, but it makes no sense to me, the drop from 990 to 800

strictly my opinion and beliefs

2008 ....handsdown

3 World champions and a few other amazing riders all competeing on new machinery that is faster than any previous premier class machine ever made ...... especially for cornering.

Throw into that some seriously good design constraints and its a gem now compared to the old "tractors".

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Jul 12 2008, 09:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>2008 ....handsdown

3 World champions and a few other amazing riders all competeing on new machinery that is faster than any previous premier class machine ever made ...... especially for cornering.

Throw into that some seriously good design constraints and its a gem now compared to the old "tractors".
so your saying the 800cc machines

2008 ....... ??? ....... yes I believe they are

I know that new riders are winning and that the modern era of the top class is very "Rider/and his fans" ...centric .......... but its still one of the most intense, and tense, years I can remember.

By this time last year Stoner had allready "left the building" but this year the top 4 and maybe even 5 are in there with a chance.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Jul 12 2008, 09:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>2008 ....... ??? ....... yes I believe they are

I know that new riders are winning and that the modern era of the top class is very "Rider/and his fans" ...centric .......... but its still one of the most intense, and tense, years I can remember.

By this time last year Stoner had allready "left the building" but this year the top 4 and maybe even 5 are in there with a chance.
duly noted bro

Mid to late 80s and early 90s, both because of the skill required to ride the 500s when they were absolute beasts and the number of high quality riders present in the field simultaneously.

The 990 formula was a good one, but valentino was too superior to the other riders for most if not all of that formulas existence. It is possible that he would have also been dominant against lawson/rainey/ doohan/schwantz, but we will never know this; I am sure he would have been in the mix.

Agree with you mike, since Rainey & Schwantz retired (Doohan's era - now)...well.. not quite a close competition.
Bring back the (close) racing !!...

i think you guys would want bring back the close racing so long as rossi wins the championship, prefereably by over 150points.... rossi can go join biaggi in WSBK and beat on him some more before he retires haha

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pinky @ Jul 13 2008, 11:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i think you guys would want bring back the close racing so long as rossi wins the championship, prefereably by over 150points.... rossi can go join biaggi in WSBK and beat on him some more before he retires haha
So are you saying that Stoner can't win on the close racing ????
Now that's the weirdest thing I've ever heard from you Pinky....

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (#46 @ Jul 13 2008, 02:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>So are you saying that Stoner can't win on the close racing ????
Now that's the weirdest thing I've ever heard from you Pinky....



rossi fans perception of close racing is whenever rossi wins, no matter by 1 second or 20 seconds or by 150points in the championship. but when someone else dominates its boring, its the electronics, its the tires (<- funny not much mention of that this year), its horhey, its the barrier in between the garage dividing him and his teamate, its pedrosa, its honda, its dorna.... hahah excuses keep on coming

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pinky @ Jul 13 2008, 03:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>rossi fans perception of close racing is whenever rossi wins, no matter by 1 second or 20 seconds or by 150points in the championship. but when someone else dominates its boring, its the electronics, its the tires (<- funny not much mention of that this year), its horhey, its the barrier in between the garage dividing him and his teamate, its pedrosa, its honda, its dorna.... hahah excuses keep on coming


Pinky is dead right on this one ...... their wasn't a peep from the Rossi fans about the boring racing when Rossi was leading the points at the beginning of the year ....... Pedrosa pulls in fron and Stoner starts winning and the whinging starts.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Jul 13 2008, 07:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Pinky is dead right on this one ...... their wasn't a peep from the Rossi fans about the boring racing when Rossi was leading the points at the beginning of the year ....... Pedrosa pulls in fron and Stoner starts winning and the whinging starts.
I am not sure what your point is, # 46 who is a fan of the sport but also a rossi fan specifically said that neither the doohan era nor the rossi era had close enough racing.

#46, Doohan actually was very competitive with rainey and schwantz at their peak and looked almost certain to win the championship against them in 1992 before he had his accident and nearly lost his leg which is why I include him in the early 90s; probably did have a bike advantage in 1992 as he did later.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Jul 13 2008, 05:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I am no sure what your point is, # 46 who is a fan of the sport but also a rossi fan specifically said that neither the doohan era or the rossi era had close enough racing.

Doohan actually was very competitive with rainey and schwantz at their peak and looked almost certain to win the championship against them in 1992 before he had his accident and nearly lost his leg; probably did have a bike advantage.

I think you answered a post other than that you have quoted have you not? What you quoted has very little to do with your comment.

Edit:
Did you mean this one?:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Jul 13 2008, 01:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>2008 ....... ??? ....... yes I believe they are

I know that new riders are winning and that the modern era of the top class is very "Rider/and his fans" ...centric .......... but its still one of the most intense, and tense, years I can remember.

By this time last year Stoner had allready "left the building" but this year the top 4 and maybe even 5 are in there with a chance.

in which case I guess I would say ..... yes that was another good time in the premier class ..... except then I think the racing was more "throw away" as opposed to the modern era with all the safety stuff, where riders have seemed to have developed skills with more "finess" than ever before. The speed these days is also phenominal ....

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Jul 13 2008, 08:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think you answered a post other than that you have quoted have you not? What you quoted has very little to do with your comment.
I edited before I saw your reply to clarify that I was replying to the posts of both you and #46. My point regarding your post was that #46, a rossi fan said that the racing was not close enough during rossi's string of world championships. I actually don't reply to that other poster though I have to admit he is sometimes amusing.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Jul 13 2008, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I edited before I saw your reply to clarify that I was replying to the posts of both you and #46. I actually don't reply to that other poster though I have to admit he is sometimes amusing.

Ah I see it now ..... yep makes more sense now ...

My edit gives what I feel.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Jul 13 2008, 04:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Mid to late 80s and early 90s, both because of the skill required to ride the 500s when they were absolute beasts and the number of high quality riders present in the field simultaneously.

The 990 formula was a good one, but valentino was too superior to the other riders for most if not all of that formulas existence. It is possible that he would have also been dominant against lawson/rainey/ doohan/schwantz, but we will never know this; I am sure he would have been in the mix.

said it all and much more eloquently than i could..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Jul 13 2008, 01:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>By the way, and this is completely irrelevant, you might like to tell them on crashnet that growth hormone whether high due to intrinsic pathology or externally administered does not cause disproportionate growth of extremities or jaw(cf tour de france) until adulthood when the epiphyses have closed, and ian thorpe has had huge feet from at least his early teens


Michael this is from another post and I laughed my arse off, some peanut used very circular logic to arrive at Casey's ECU issue because of Thorpe’s feet. I’ll be sure to pass your sheer disdain and convincing knowledge on to them

I like the 800 era, the bikes had to get faster because the SBK’s were catching up. As much as the 500’s and the 990’s were great they are now challenged by souped up road bikes; the prototype class has to remain quicker than homogolation racing (SBK). At the moment crash.net is down and I did quote some times on common tracks but I will dig these up again, suffice to say they were closer than I expected.

The 800’s are smashing records at every track at present and whilst there is a lot of fuss about the lack of gladiatorial contests I couldn’t think of anything better than seeing someone (irrespective of who) ride around racetrack faster than anyone before them.

At the moment, morning warm-up has just finished and Pedro is top of the time sheet and not a single Ducati in the top 10. Casey (11th) will save his best for the race, Valentino (9th) I can’t see getting it together here (trouble track for first time bridgestoners) I’m still putting my coin on Dani.

It would have to be the 990s nothing compares to those things, they were the most scary machines I ever had the chance to watch.
The Aprilia cube was just unbelievable, as was the early ducatis.
Man I miss them. Close racing, loud loose bikes, big grid.
mega.

I've always a been 2 stroke fan so the 500s have it for me every time. The Rainey, Schwantz, Doohan era was awesome. The supporting cast were amazing too.

Pete

I'm a bit torn on this one. I really loved the 2 stroke era circa 1990 with Rainey, Lawson, Gardner, Doohan and Schwantz etc. Has there ever been a more exciting era with more fantastic, ballsy riders? I very much doubt it.
Time moves on though and I loved the 990's. The modern 4 stroke is king at the moment and the 990's were the king 4 stroke. 2 stroke technology had reached it's peak with little left in way of development. The 800's probably aren't the best category ever dreamed up - but what were they supposed to do? The 990's had started making insane amounts of power. They were going to have to curb it in some sort of way. Obviously what they have done isn't the cure. it will be really interesting to see where they go from here.
Personally I think the racing is becoming way too expensive - just look at how many teams we have at the moment. Big factories like kawasaki/suzuki can't or won't put any more bikes on the grid due to the costs. Meanwhile more manufacturers are moving into world superbikes.
Grand prix racing has some big problems - who knows where it will be in 5 years time?