Sepang Test (spoiler?)

[mitt]

Almost the top 10 within 1 sec of each other.  Is it typically that tight?

mitt

[gm2]

toseland... woops!



125mph highside

[Spidey]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Feb/090207a.htm

I wonder if some of "instability" Nicky is talking about is what we saw on the '08 bike -- losing traction on the gas after apex.  I remember noticing it was really pronounced at Laguna (particularly T2) and a few other circuits.  About halfway between the apex and the rumble strips on the outside of a turn, it looked like Casey would go into a two-wheel drift as he got on the gas.  Every time he did it, I swore he was about to crash, as the bike would just slide away from him and go in any direction it wanted.  But somehow, he'd stay upright and pick the bike up and take off.  Mebbe that's the same thing Nicky is talking about?

[Jester]

I wonder if some of "instability" Nicky is talking about is what we saw on the '08 bike -- losing traction on the gas after apex.  I remember noticing it was really pronounced at Laguna (particularly T2) and a few other circuits.  About halfway between the apex and the rumble strips on the outside of a turn, it looked like Casey would go into a two-wheel drift as he got on the gas.  Every time he did it, I swore he was about to crash, as the bike would just slide away from him and go in any direction it wanted.  But somehow, he'd stay upright and pick the bike up and take off.  Mebbe that's the same thing Nicky is talking about?

Yeah that's pretty much it.  We regularly saw Casey's bike get squirrely last year coming out of corners and so many times I was thinking "how the hell did he not crash?"  Also though, Casey did crash a handful of times last year.  I'm of the opinion that although Casey is used to the bike acting like that and can ride the snot out of it, there is no way he has a string of luck like 2007 again.  I'd expect him to crash out a handful of times again this year.

I feel sorry for Hayden.  He's already in the mindset of trying to "fix" the bikes handling.  I honestly don't think its fixable.  Nobody else could fix it.  You either ride it like Casey or you take the career nosedive.  If dirt-track was the key to having no issues with the bikes tendency to go all over the place, then Nicky would already be fast.  The Duc doesn't get out of shape like a normal bike.  It jackrabbits, where as the other bikes just power slide.

[derby]

 
I feel sorry for Hayden.  He's already in the mindset of trying to "fix" the bikes handling.  I honestly don't think its fixable.  Nobody else could fix it.  You either ride it like Casey or you take the career nosedive.  If dirt-track was the key to having no issues with the bikes tendency to go all over the place, then Nicky would already be fast.  The Duc doesn't get out of shape like a normal bike.  It jackrabbits, where as the other bikes just power slide.

i don't get the impression he's trying to "fix" the bike, just get used to the way it behaves. it's been 12 years since he's been on anything that wasn't a honda.

you ever see nicky on the rc45? that bike was hardly forgiving by any stretch of the word.

fwiw, he improved his time on the gp9 by 1.505s over the 3 days while figuring out a new bike, new tires, and a new team. given the situation, i'm not ready to give up on his season yet.

[Spidey]

Testing is just testing.  It doesn't tell you much about the season.  At most, it tell you whose package is competitive at this stage in its development.  But if someone is slow in testing, it doesn't mean they're screwed from the beginning of the season or that the bike won't be competitive.  For example, from the looks of things, the Suke isn't going to be outclassed at the beginning of the season.  The team might get outridden, but Capi has a potentially competitive bike.  Similarly, Yami and the Duc are faring pretty well with their development. 

[vaclav]

you ever see nicky on the rc45? that bike was hardly forgiving by any stretch of the word.

I never did. Seen him on the RC51 though. When did he ride the RC45?

[gm2]

before the 51  =)

[vaclav]

I thought that one was gone before his time. Guess not.
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/hayden.html

[TiNi]

fwiw, he improved his time on the gp9 by 1.505s over the 3 days while figuring out a new bike, new tires, and a new team. given the situation, i'm not ready to give up on his season yet.

me either 

[ducpainter]

me either 

but you just like him cuz you think he's cute....

[TiNi]

but you just like him cuz you think he's cute....

i've been a fan since i started watching the gp in 05, the same year i got my ducati.

i think the reason i liked him back then, was because my bud's were all about rossi.

don't get me wrong, rossi 

but there is something about nicky.... i ReaLLY want him to win.

i have not given up on him, and won't until he's retired.

him being hawt has got little to do with it 

[desmoquattro]

From the Sepang test:


I smell a caption contest...

That skirt gets shorter every session!

[gm2]

"female team member"

pfft.

[Spidey]

After looking at that pic for a while, my wrist began to feel hurt and overworked too.