http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/interview/194676/1/exclusive_carlos_checa_-_qa.html

He seems to think that the bike is just not upgradable enough compared to the 4 cylinders

HMMMM....

Quote from: duccarlos on August 22, 2013, 12:23:39 PM
http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/interview/194676/1/exclusive_carlos_checa_-_qa.html

He seems to think that the bike is just not upgradable enough compared to the 4 cylinders

But note that he says he's plenty fast in the twisties and it handles just fine.  So the design itself doesn't have the inherent issues of the MotoGP project, it just lacks straight line power.

Quote from: Jester on August 22, 2013, 02:23:22 PM
But note that he says he's plenty fast in the twisties and it handles just fine.  So the design itself doesn't have the inherent issues of the MotoGP project, it just lacks straight line power.

you just described every ducati that's ever been in WSB

20kph?? That's a huge margin. Isn't this motor supposed to be less torque on the bottom end? If that's the case, then the advantages the Ducs had previously is also gone.

Quote from: gm2 on August 22, 2013, 04:06:30 PM
you just described every ducati that's ever been in WSB

except all the other bikes won.

Yeah the Duc has never been the fastest, but prior years could make up all the ground plus some in the twisties.  This bike gets smoked so hard that its prowess in the corners is irrelevant.

Quote from: ducpainter on August 22, 2013, 04:22:01 PM
except all the other bikes won.

that was just bayliss 

My favorite quote...

"I don't ride on the road though. A sports bike on the road makes no sense to me..."


Ducati is, according to Checa, really squeezed by the WSBK rules...


It would be interesting to see Checa ride a GP race before that season is over...

"The handling is very good though and I'm always one of the fastest in the twisty sections..."

Quote from: OT on August 29, 2013, 08:24:02 AM
My favorite quote...

"I don't ride on the road though. A sports bike on the road makes no sense to me..."

It's a great quote, but I've got to imagine at least a few facepalms back at the Ducati marketing department - isn't one of the main reasons for a manufacturer to be in in WSBK to sell sport bikes for the road? 

Quote from: OT on August 29, 2013, 08:24:02 AM

"The handling is very good though and I'm always one of the fastest in the twisty sections..."

I'm not sure I'd trust the opinion of someone who's actually ridden it, given that there's a large contingent here at the DMF who insist that the "frameless" design absolutely, positively cannot work... 

Too late now but if Ducati wanted to go frameless they should have borrowed a Britten or taken a bunch of close up photos of one. He did in a garage what Ducati can't get right with a factory, engineers and a race shop.

And add Foggy to that list with Bayliss of Duc riders who were racing "slow" bikes.

Quote from: fastwin on August 29, 2013, 02:21:36 PM
Too late now but if Ducati wanted to go frameless they should have borrowed a Britten or taken a bunch of close up photos of one. He did in a garage what Ducati can't get right with a factory, engineers and a race shop.

And add Foggy to that list with Bayliss of Duc riders who were racing "slow" bikes.

While the Britten was a leap forward at the time, would it be competitive in 2013?

Quote from: OT on August 30, 2013, 12:09:20 PM

While the Britten was a leap forward at the time, would it be competitive in 2013?

against the current Duc....don't see how it could be that far off.

The frameless design in MotoGP was relatd to "lack of frontend feel". Checa is not complaining about that. He's complaining about the lack of horses.

(since we don't talk about the actual wsbk races anymore)

checa out for the rest of the season: http://superbikeplanet.com/2013/Sep/130917b.htm