But Honda's "today" man had much the same sort of weekend as Max (and Yamaha's "today" man had quite a bit worse).

If you think Max is bad what about Xaus ? Didn't he crash 3 times over the weekend? I know BMW are not strapped for cash but keep crashing bikes mean they don't get as much data etc. I'd be looking at replacing him with a supersport Kawasaki rider whose last name starts with L

Andy

Yeah.
It's not like there are no guys worth approaching.

The Suzuki's probably naturally the hardest on tyres of all the bikes out there, and Phillip Island's a big tyre circuit. Remember Neukirchner nearly losing the rear over Lukey Heights last year? From what I remember of Wayne Gardner's test of the 2009 GSX-R, he said it had the most 'old-fashioned' power delivery of last year's machinery. By which I presume he means more-power-than-the-rear-can-feasibly-handle, a.k.a. his NSR V4 from the '80s. The Ducati, IIRC, has a natural big bang tendency due to its spreading a 4 stroke cycle over two cylinders. So long as the Duc can get heat into the tyres in the first place, the relative lack of excess power on the rear wheel lets it keep the tyres fresh for longer. Both Fabrizio and Checa clearly had more traction in the final laps, and certainly appeared to build their race strategies around this fact.

Yamaha pointed the finger at the inability of their electronics to adjust to the 2010 model's power output. Crutchlow and Toseland weren't far off the leaders, and it's a long season. Their title chances probably rely on just how much Checa, Fabrizio, Haga, Haslam, Guintoli and Biaggi plan on dividing up the wins early on. Haga was riding with painkilling injections, so he was bound to be a bit of the pace in Australia, but I can't see anything between the six of them at this stage.

The commentators mentioned that this year's Suzuki had taken a step back on power output and had an engine with less power but more torque and a much gentler power delivery.

F1 could take a leaf out of MotoGP's book when it comes to publishing results

Moto2 test today

The comentators here were two russian women. I could watch the races another 3 times and not really have a clue on any comments over the bikes.

Not looking promising for the 125 boys...

That is just outstanding reporting, and just testing too! Its so good you know we F1 fans will never get anything like it from FOM/FIA.

?

Fastest time so far at the test by Julian Simon who seems to be the only rider not complaining about the lack of power in the switch from 250 to moto2 machinery

Look at the top 6 -- Takahashi, Elias and De Angelis were last seen on 800s; Corti's a Superstocker; Noyes has been racing four strokes on dirt and pavement for ages. I get the feeling that the introduction of Moto2 has well and truly exploded the 125-250-800 progression that's become standard. Although that said, Simon was by far the best 125GP rider last season, and the best 250 riders are all riding four-strokes this year. So that probably skews it a little. No way would the 2010 250cc timesheets have featured Noyes and Corti in the top 5 though, at least not from the start.

you said 125 boys - the best 125 boy is the best moto2 boy so far -agree with you, it's the 250 boys that seem missing - the 250 riders still have to "unlearn" the 250 style so to speak?

Anyone watch the EuroSport Top 5 Races of 2009 show?

What was the name of the song at the end of the show, during the highlights package after the Catalunya race???

Thanks in advance

Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I think I mis-spoke. I do think that with the ostensible step below 'MotoGP' switching to 4-stroke 600s, the motorcycling 'ladder' is going to change quite a lot. Not that it's ever been particularly stable. I was watching some 500GP racing from 1996; Yamaha's four (3.5?) factory riders -- Norick Abe; Jean-Michel Bayle; Kenny Roberts Jr and Loris Capirossi -- had wildly different paths to the pinnacle of motor racing. Most of the successful GP riders of this decade -- Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards notably excepted -- came through the Rossi/Cadalora-style 125-250-500/MotoGP route. When a talented young British rider like Bradley Smith has to relocate to Spain in order to get a foot on the 125GP rung, the sense of a standard Dorna-progression gets a little oppressive.

Have you guys read JB comments? I think it was on MCN. He said the return to 1000cc was stupid, Expeleta and Dorna never did anything right for Moto GP and the correct thing to do would be to make Moto GP based on 600cc bikes.

Was he on crack or spot on with the truth?

600s are very popular no? Any capacity change will cost alot of money.

Spot on IMO. Why do we need dirty great big lumps of iron, pumping out zillions of horses, that then get controlled by an electrical system anyway. Who´s kidding who?

Yep, agree with that. Although I do suspect that 600s would also end up putting out so much power that they'd end up getting "controlled by an electrical system". Of course, the better way would be to just ban the electronic controls and the rider would have to control the bike and use the power to the best (or least) of his abilities.

Hmmm, what does that sound like? Oh yeah, 500cc two stroke GP bikes - I miss them.

Neil

Me too.
I think the premier class should also be the best riders on the wildest bikes you can imagine. And about when they find a way to tame them you make a clever rule change to neutralise the way they have made them easy to ride. Does that seem to have a relevance to today? It may not have a relevance to road riding but when did 500GP ever relate to the road? After seeing 500GPs in the hey day of the 90s with the bucking and snarling beasts trying to toss off some of the best riders of GP history I'm convinced that 800MGP with management systems has turned it (relatively speaking) into pussy racing. It pains me to say Superbike has become the better spectacle. I don't expect to be glued to the screen watching 600MGP now that we are living in post FIA days. The Dorna band of Spanish blazer wearers (copyright GD66 ) have tamed the bikes, turned 2 wheeled GP into a spec class and lost the plot.

What about just banning all displacement limits?
As long as you have spec tyres and fuel tanks, the speeds can be controlled.
Ducati could roll out with a 1198, Honda with its V5 990, Yamaha could go nuts and keep their 800cc bikes thinking its agility and cornering would grant it enough advantages over everyone, etc...

personally i think that if they just banned the electronics the 800's would be quite similar to the 500's of old......

Bummer about the weather. Any pictures to share? What were you riding?

I finally got around to installing Word Press and wrote an entry about last weekend. http://backingitin.com/

I'm going to go through the video later and see if there's anything worth posting.

And how does that cut cost?

Also Everyone wants to talk about the good ol days of the 500s. 500's this/500s that but MotoGP gained alot of popularity with the 990's as well with the amazing power slides and lord knows how many close finishes. I think 800s while not as exciting need to be realized that these are not easy things to ride that give way to "pussy racing". Ask Lorenzo who broke bones, or angry clown who fell on his head at the most recent test.

AFAIK the attraction of 1000cc (aside from marketing relating it to manufacturer's literbikes) is that the engine is relatively unstressed so achieving a certain amount of horsepower is easy for everyone. The challenge then becomes how to best use that horsepower aka chassis and traction.

A good read

Passing The Torch

This is what I wrote in RC Bets & Games:

Sadly it seems that Guess The Bikes has no host for this season, so now I wonder whether I can take care of it?

I won't change that much, and I will include all five World Championship classes (MotoGP, Moto2, 125cc, WSBK and WSS). Just as last year, it'll be about guessing which three riders will take place on the podium, just like previously.

The point system I intend to use is:
Right place for rider: 3 pts.
The rider finishes in the 'wrong' position on the rostrum: 1pt.
Rider doesn't finish on podium: 0 pts.
All your riders finishes on the podium: 2 bonus pts.
Two of your riders finishes on the podium: 1 bonus pt.

All in all very easy, and I take care of all points and stuff.

Type your username, the the class, and finally first four letters in the drivers' surename

For example:
jeze/MotoGP/Ross/Ston/Lore
jeze/Moto2/Elia/deAn/Simo
jeze/125cc/Smit/Tero/Cors
jeze/SBK1/Haga/Hasl/Chec
jeze/SBK2/Rea/Hasl/Haga
jeze/SS/Lasc/Lave/Sofu

I hope you get it?

Give me some positive/negative feedback if you want to, and within weeks the season will open with SBK and SS from Portugal and Algarve! Should som,eone else want to host it I can imagine handing over the baton, I would just find it a shame if the competition faded away.

Just to ensure you all know that the competition has been reborn, as long as you want it to be...

I think Spies is just too nice of a guy for there to be any real tension between the two guys.

If Mladin could handle Spies beating him, then I have no doubt a relaxed guy like Edwards could.

Of course, everybody expects Spies to beat Edwards, but its still his first season, dont forget.

On a historical note, Mladin did *not* handle Spies beating him at all well. On the TV, from what I remember, it didn't seem like much, but there was acrimony. Lots of it. Makes Rossi v. Lorenzo look like an afternoon at Disneyland, sometimes.

But Colin's an entirely different person to Mladin, and is indeed quite thrilled to have Ben on his team. For the record, I expect them to be evenly matched at the start of the year, but Ben to pull ahead in the second half.

100%. Preach it sister!

How was it betwen Spies and Mladin?
Give us, the uninformed, some examples.

Most of the hostility came from Mat. Typical aging-racer-struggles-to-hang-on stuff. Then when he'd beat Ben you wouldn't hear the end of it from Mat.

At least that's how I remember it. Maybe there were some barbs from Ben's side of the garage, though I can't remember anything.. unless you count Crankshaftgate. Ben has that "shut up and race" attitude though, can't see him playing head games in public.

It seems Ben & Casey are hitting it off pretty well.

Ben Spies grateful for Casey Stoner advice

The problem with Mladin is that in his own mind he is the best in the world, or at least equal to Rossi et al. He just didn't get the breaks etc etc etc. Then Spies comes up and shows him he wasn't the best so it popped his ego.

Mladin talked the talk and didn't do the walk, he was too happy getting the adulation in AMA and being a big fish in a small pond. Spies has walked the walk, or at least he is still walking in the right direction.

As you know I'm not a big fan of him.. to put it mildly. I don't like big gobs with big ego's .. Fogarty was another. I prefer someone like Troy Bayliss. I'm pretty sure Bayliss could whip Mladin on a superbike.

Andy

I'm with you there. Carry a big stick and all that. The excessive ego always seems to be there to distract people from weakness.

Its perfect. I was very sad to not see a tip the podium thread for the opening round of WSBK 10.

Thanks and Cheers

Have I missed something or is there no GP Zero this season or is it taking place at the Qater test?

http://www.motomatters.com/news/2009/09/21..._winter_te.html

Moto GP at Abu Dhabi?
http://moto.gpupdate.net/en/motogp-news/22...s-motogp-event/
Qatar is already good enough for me.

Guesses are open for the first round of Guess the Bikes 2010, comprising of the Superbike and Supersport events in Portugal next Sunday Go in and place your 'bets'

Suzuki's new livery.... I like it

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82011

Nah, looks okay.
I still think the Repsol is the best colour scheme in Moto GP.

I like that blue better. Ducati is now second with that new ugly barcode.

I guess the test this week will be under floodlights so will be late in each day? It will be interesting to watch how close people can get to the Ducati here, traditionally Casey has been on a different level and blindingly fast. Was he 1 second + quicker last two years? Memory fails me but I think he was.

This might be a good indicator of the season in Yamaha/Honda v Ducati.

Andy

Spies in no way whipped Mladin in the AMA. Mladin won more races during the 3 years Spies won the title, and I'm sure Mladin would hold up fine against Bayliss.

CD Nice video of TH. Did they fix some of the bumps? After you teched bikes for the TD, you then went out and rode all day on your bike with twisted forks and a broken steering stop? Did you have anti freeze in the bike too?

Thats what I remember - almost dead even in terms of speed on average, but Spies just never made mistakes, while Mladin did.

Kyalami retreats from international racing. 2010's going to be the last World Superbike round in South Africa, probably for some time.

I imagine Superbike's got some other options if the 2011 calendar looks a little thin, but they'll probably be all in Europe. Unless the MSMA decide it's worth lobbying for a round at Sugo again, or Suzuka.

Pramac with new livery...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82206

They had last year a black & red livery?

See Movie clip on the FORIX.com FB Group= http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111194985401

(Yes we do cover MotoGP results & stats too)

Is it me or does the bike look tiny?