News

[koko64]

Yup...they ditched the lower set for now.

Looks better with only one set.

[koko64]

Will MM be able to not over ride and avoid crashes or will he try just a bit too hard this year? Will be interesting to see if the lad can settle for points rather than crash. I think he is learning that lesson and the trouble being early enough in testing will hopefully allow him to accept that (as much as it would piss him off). I guess we'll see how often he crashes or makes top five.

Honda do this from time to time when they take a big step up in power and make the bike unbalanced. Ducati's power advantage must be eating them. Doohan often told them to leave the bike alone and only make small "improvements" at a time to be tested by test riders and not slipped in during races. Burgess probably helped soften any changes that could upset the balance of the package.

Who is MM's chief engineer?

[ducpainter]

Looks better with only one set.

Can't disagree...

but I don't think the point is about the looks.

What I find interesting is the HONDA MOTOR COMPANY...and HRC...is resorting to aerodynamics to try to catch up.

I can almost hear...but not actually be able to understand the calls to Nakamoto san...[I'd like to be a fly on the wall that spoke Japanese. ]

[koko64]

Like the winglets, HRC were scornful of Ducati's straight pipes but soon copied them when they were down in power. The Honda motor must be so harsh that they cant get off the corners, so restricting terminal speed. Really great to see the smaller boutique factory leading the way with innovation even if they don't always get the best results. Mind you, I had a different opinion on the carbon chassis.

[ducpainter]

If the carbon chassis hadn't sucked so bad...meaning if Rossi could ride it like Stoner did... Ducati would have put the development lire into it and Preziosi might still be healthy enough to run Ducati Corse.

Woulda coulda shoulda...

[koko64]

What I find interesting is the HONDA MOTOR COMPANY...and HRC...is resorting to aerodynamics to try to catch up.

I can almost hear...but not actually be able to understand the calls to Nakamoto san...[I'd like to be a fly on the wall that spoke Japanese. ]

The loss of face must be huge.

[ducpainter]

Nakamoto doesn't engineer/build this stuff anymore.

He just puts his head on the block.

[Speeddog]

It's almost comical.
Honda's got a broken leg and they're putting a band-aid on their forehead. 

It does, however, prove their philosophy that it's the bike, not the rider.
Take two of the best riders in the world, put 'em on donkeys, and yep, they're slow.
Really, FFS, do they think that MM and Pedrosa just forgot how to ride fast?

I'm still convinced that the debacle in F1 is furiously draining resources at a rate that even Honda can't cope with.

[koko64]

It's almost comical.
Honda's got a broken leg and they're putting a band-aid on their forehead. 

"Arrgh, help!". "It hurts so bad."
"There you go".

A year or two of this and MM might be tempted by "Yamadollars". I'd like to say Ducatidollars but that is less likely.

[ducpainter]

<snip> I'd like to say Ducatidollars but that is less likely.

I hear they're bringing the monocoque c/f chassis back.

[kopfjäger]

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2016/03/03/grand-prix-commission-announce-updated-regulations/193629

[thought]

I wonder if Duc started in on the winglets because they got access to a inhouse wind tunnel once they got bought out by the VW group.

And this year is looking to be interesting if JLo doesnt run away with it from the start.

[kopfjäger]

MM put it on the deck and Maverick is on top as of right now. 1:50 left in day 2

[thought]

Go Mav!

If he's panning out to be next alien elect... I wonder if Suzuki will be able to hold onto him.  I could see him and Dovi switching places if push came to shove. And if that happened it means that Dovi would have been on every bike in the grid except for the Ape and the upcoming KTM.

[ducpainter]

Based on Redding's last lap time it appears he's binned it too.