Yooperbikemike's 2013 MotoGP Thread

This thread is not limited for only one topic at a time.

So what you wanna talk?

Aside from my conversation with Geoff May (AMA Superbike racer for our foreign contingent, not the best, but no slouch either) an article I read by Randy Mamola really gave me the tools to try this. Must have been early 2000's, though I have no idea where I read the article. He talked about leaving the throttle closed after releasing the brakes to induce a slide which would scrub off speed and actually tighten your line. :eek1 It took my until the mid 2000's to do it myself.

If you post to The Perfect Line, please provide us with a link.

It does seem to defy all sensible logic. But if you are at a level to start playing with it, you will see that it is a very controlled technique and not nearly as suicidal as it sounds.

Doing it in the dirt on a decent set of tires that you trust will give you a safe environment in which to try it. Once you get a feel for it, doing it on pavement takes a much smaller leap of faith.

This is exactly right. There is no locking up involved. It it the front end equivalent to backing it in; the wheel keeps turning which is what makes the slide consistent and controllable. And the tube in your right hand is always there to save it at any moment.

Great argument, but these guys aren't trying to stop, they are just trying to scrub enough speed to make the corner. If they have carried more speed in 'than traction allows' and they are still able to complete the turn and exit carrying the same amount of corner speed, they have shaved some precious time.

You also need to account for the human factor. What is the quickest way for a motorcycle being operated by a human and not just one using the laws of physics to their maximum degree?

I have friends that have $1200 slipper clutches that they don't use because they turn quicker lap times with their wheels in line. But they are never going to reap the benefits if they don't start practicing the techniques of backing it in.

They also have radial brakes, calipers and master cylinders, yet they are not capable of operating them to the full extent which physics allows and they get passed on the brakes by better riders with conventionally mounted calipers and non-radial master cylinders.

Remember last year when Dovi purchased his own upgraded Brembo calipers, yet Stoner preferred the older ones? Which ones had greater potential by the laws of physics alone? Doesn't matter, because one works better for one guy, one works better for another.


I am not claiming that sliding the front in every corner, lap after lap, is the fastest way. But these guys all do it to a certain degree or another. To not be able to do it makes you less capable and unable to use the technique when it might be called for.

Go ride in the dirt and try not exceeding the limits of traction and see how quick you go. Pavement is just another form of soil.

A lot of words from someone who knows precisely nothing about riding a MotoGP bike to (and beyond) its limits.

I also know precisely zero about riding a MotoGP bike. Just like everyone else here I suppose... this thread really ought to be renamed 'the armchair experts guide to MotoGP riding!'

+1
And I thought all the talk of Stoner whining was dull, boring and, drawn out...sweet fuck, shoot me.

Here's some actual truth and a relevant fact

@BSMotoGP: Random #MotoGP stat of the day! 2012 was the first season since 06 in which the rider with the most wins didn't claim the championship

Older news, but Dovi has a tweaked neck and can't do any testing on the Ducati. Sounds like he found his stoner-esque "mystery illness".

Andrew

That didn't stop him from winning the Simoncelli Benefit Supermoto race on Sunday in Latina Italy, beating a certain V. Rossi and Rossi's new twitter 'friend,' Max Biaggi in the process.

I didn't say it was a real issue, just that it kept him from extensive testing of the Ducati

+10000. My thoughts exactly.

Anyone know what kind of oil they use in motogp?

The Italians use Olive oil.

Tugaboos?

But you gotta know that all the MotoGP riders are reading this thread to figure out how to go faster. "Slide the front end...no, slide the back end.....no, brake with the front and slide the rear......"

I can see DP at home huddled over his computer, jotting down notes from the ADV experts...


I understand that some folks here are giving up on this easy stuff and will be moving on to NASA to instruct on how to exceed the speed of light.


This is going to be one long-ass winter without actual racing to watch........

Log into your MotoGP.com account pick any year and rewatch all of the races from that year. Maybe the 03 125 championship when Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Stoner all raced together?
Go back and watch a season of any class and year and watch all of the battles.

I just grabbed the Apple TV with XBMC and Nuvi-X. Good stuff and found a Red Bull channel with all their programming including ever Red Bull Rookie Cup race on Demand. More places to find racing.. There are BBC and Eurosport channels but haven't seen any racing on BBC yet and Eurosport isn't working yet. So far I think every program you can imagine that was ever shown is most likely stored on the Internet without commercials.

I think it's only logical they are sliding both ends of the bike...

When does a tire produce the most grip?

When it has a slight slip angle.

A top racer is going to be working both ends of the bike to 100% of the available traction lap after lap. On corner entry it's going to be trail braking and tipping the bike in with the front slipping, and exit is going to be the rear end sliding a bit as the bike stands up.

From a lap time standpoint allot of what separates the good from the amazing is how quickly and consistently they can get the tire to peak grip (which is slightly sliding) with out overshooting it and how well they can keep it at peak grip.

There's a big difference in appearance of a tire sliding at a 5% slip angle and a 15% slip angle. A 5% is barely if not in-perceptible to an outside observer, but the rider (or driver cause it applies equally to cars) can feel it and the data logging would show it.