Yooperbikemike's 2012 MotoGP Thread

Yes, but I'm curious as to why they forced him out. Besides outright greed, of course.

Seems like cooperation would make everyone more money in the long run. But then I'm an optimist.

Good reading (thanks to Krop for the link) for anyone who knows who Wayne Rainey is.

http://www.backmarker-bikewriter.blogspot.com/2012/04/rossiducati-plight-reminds-me-of.html

Thanks for the link. I read Rainey's autobiography this winter, and I remember him repeatedly saying that the bike was not the best on the grid during his championship runs. He said that complaints to Yamaha went unanswered, because the team was consistently winning. Yamaha's response was essentially "how bad can the bike be if the team is winning?" That is an interesting place for a manufacturer and team to be. Fortunately, Ducati does not have to face that conundrum (any longer).

I recall a tale that in the last couple Rainey years Yamaha didn't think it was worth doing the chassis changes that Team Roberts was demanding. Their answer was "Well, your winning on it, so it can't be that bad". This answer prompted Roberts to use a ROC chassis for many races, at least one year with Rainey, because that company would build the chassis to their specifications. This is not addressed in Mark's article.

Some pretty scary implications for Rossi... I'd hate to see him (or anyone) get seriously hurt trying to make that bike a winner (or just trying to make it suck less).

Well, you need to ride the bike near it's limits to find out how it handles during race conditions. This is why test rider feedback is only so good. They can't do the lap times the pro racers can, so their feedback only goes so far. In order to learn what the bike does at the limit, you need to put it there.

That makes total sense. They want the bike to fit the riding style/preferences of the individual racer too. So of course rossi will have to ride it a lot. I'd just hate to see a serious injury while trying to race such a turd of a bike.

If there's another reason, it hasn't come out yet. Tavo (unwittingly?) got himself in bed with some particularly venemous snakes. He's a racer and race fan who needed some serious funding to make his dream come true. Unfortunately the investors he found ended up slipping a knike bewteen his ribs while his back was turned.

I feel like we are in the off season again. All the speculations, silly rumors and no racing to watch ;(

Too true. Oh well, I guess we can expect to see a Diesel bike on the grid sometime soon..

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/18/audi-buys-ducati/

Seriously though, a diesel bike could be pretty cool for ADV purposes...

Good luck to both!

How long has Audi owned Lambo? :huh

Good read.. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=782903

Here's the ENTIRE race

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-ps6oeCzxHY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

From my high-school French class, doesn't "Blancpain" mean "White Bread?"

Hmm, the "Whitebread endurance series"...cool!

--Doc

I'd prefer the KLR diesel... very cool IMO

What about an AWD bike?! I love mine!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rmwOPFmJ8vw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Is it just me or does corner entry look pretty ugly?