2011 Silly Season

[Frustration]

they weren't the only ones using bridgestones, but they were the only championship-capable team on 'em.

in those years, the tires were indeed built specifically for the bikes, not the other way around like it is now with the control tire.

Go past it and "Bikes might only mean one or at most two guys directing the tire compounds...  Micheline had a huge location advantage and had the ability to build to spec for a couple folks right up to race week end.  Bridgestone could build to the bike too but it wasnt as deep a pool that they could fill...

This year will be fun, but the year I really want to see is year 2 of the new 900...

That bike will be built ground up by lead rider and mechanic, (year one could be won by an BIG engine advantage by a factory)  That's when we will learn if Lorenzo is all that and a  bag of chips when he doesnt get to just ride Rossi and Burgess pony...

[gm2]

uh huh...

kawasaki was running 'em, too... i just remembered. 

so... all the ducatis, kawasaki, suzuki, and at least one of the honda teams... ~10 bikes?

gresini.  i remember being surprised that there was actually an "elias front".

we've discussed it before but 2007 was the magical moment when bridgestone's slow-and-steady development over the previous several years culminated perfectly with the complete a$$fcuk to michelin that was the new 'set your tire allotment on THURSDAY' rule.  what a total disaster that was for them.

[zooom]

  but the year I really want to see is year 2 of the new 900...

That bike will be built ground up by lead rider and mechanic, (year one could be won by an BIG engine advantage by a factory)  That's when we will learn if Lorenzo is all that and a  bag of chips when he doesnt get to just ride Rossi and Burgess pony...

I speculate that the Texas crewside of the garage will be a damned site better in getting that project squared up than the Yor-Ghey side....but I base that only in the idea of what they had to do and did to make that Zuke be what it was in AMA and what they did to make the Yammy ( which was supposedly so unmanagable) achieve in WSBK...

[gm2]

I speculate that the Texas crewside of the garage will be a damned site better in getting that project squared up than the Yor-Ghey side....but I base that only in the idea of what they had to do and did to make that Zuke be what it was in AMA

the yoshimura suzuki was by far the most developed bike in the AMA paddock long before ben or house got there.  there was some australian guy winning on it.

and what they did to make the Yammy ( which was supposedly so unmanagable) achieve in WSBK...

the day after the final WSBK race of 2008 ben got on nori's R1, changed nothing, and went faster than nori had the day before.  the bike was not the issue.

true they had a couple mechanical issues with the '09 bike that got straightened out once Woody got there, but ben was also on pole for the first race of the year (and most of the other races).  the bike worked...

[derby]

the yoshimura suzuki was by far the most developed bike in the AMA paddock long before ben or house got there.  there was some australian guy winning on it.

yup... "mladin's" yosh crew were, at one point, the only suzuki team in the world that was having any success with the bike and the other factory teams (worldsbk, etc) were calling them for setup notes.

true they had a couple mechanical issues with the '09 bike that got straightened out once Woody got there, but ben was also on pole for the first race of the year (and most of the other races).  the bike worked...

...also won round 1 race 2. 

[gm2]

...also won round 1 race 2. 

which was WAAAYY before Assen.    

[zooom]

which was WAAAYY before Assen.   

Ppppbbbtttthhhhh

[fastwin]

I'm guessing this means that Rapp has offically lost his 848 ride in DSB? Don't remember seeing a bit about him having a #2 bike with Latus Racing??? So I guess it's just one 848 with nothing for Rapp? Too bad.

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2011/02/16/rapp-for-vance-hines-xr1200-series

[OT]

Be the first on your block.... to pay extra for a few stickers on the windscreen and tail cover.

http://www.mcnews.com.au/NewsArchives/2011/February/Stoner_Blade.htm    

Notice the brightly smiling eyes inside the helmet 

[ducpainter]

Be the first on your block.... to pay extra for a few stickers on the windscreen and tail cover.

http://www.mcnews.com.au/NewsArchives/2011/February/Stoner_Blade.htm    

Notice the brightly smiling eyes inside the helmet 

Pretty sure he's smiling...

on the way to the bank.

[Scotzman]

I'm guessing this means that Rapp has offically lost his 848 ride in DSB? Don't remember seeing a bit about him having a #2 bike with Latus Racing??? So I guess it's just one 848 with nothing for Rapp? Too bad.

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2011/02/16/rapp-for-vance-hines-xr1200-series

That sucks. He's an awesome rider-of sport bikes.

[gm2]

I'm kinda thinking that Casey's gone after he drops the bike a few times and this contract is thru.......this is the same kid that accused then employer HRC of sabotage

his employer in 2006 was Lucio Cecchinello.  and he accused Ohlins of sabotage, not HRC.