Round 3 - WSBK 2012, Assen

jhansen · 20 Apr 2012, 15:38 (Ref:3062687)

I'm hearing that the weather could be quite poor this weekend. Melandri lead a dry first practice followed by Checa and Sykes. There were even 4 Beemers in the top seven. Rain came during qualifying leaving Guintoli at the top. He was followed by Sykes and Camier. We'll see what the weekend holds.

Lowes, Parkes and Cluzel lead both practice and provisional qualy in supersport.

**Dani Filth** · 21 Apr 2012, 18:29 (Ref:3063250)

it's hard to predict how it will go .. too much depends on the weather

skells22 · 21 Apr 2012, 19:12 (Ref:3063268)

can someone change the title, this is round 3 not round 2.

**Dani Filth** · 22 Apr 2012, 10:14 (Ref:3063550)

your wish is my command

**Dani Filth** · 22 Apr 2012, 10:16 (Ref:3063552)

save of the year for Rea?

chunder · 22 Apr 2012, 10:51 (Ref:3063563)

Am so, so sick of this awful weather

Has ruined two meetings I have attended this year, and meant I have not been to a lot of meetings!

Bored of crappy rain, move on and get out of it!

**gomick** · 23 Apr 2012, 07:15 (Ref:3064047)

You go to Assen?

Race 1 was building up to be a classic before the rains came...

chunder · 23 Apr 2012, 08:33 (Ref:3064078)

I didnt go no, I dont travel anywhere in Europe right now without doing a nthorough weather check!

I wouldnt go anyway, bit too far really, Assen is practiucally in Scandinavia!!

Jus a shame, a lot of stuff in Europe this year has been ruined by weather! Wel rain, let's just say that!

cg7aa · 24 Apr 2012, 11:54 (Ref:3064819)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunder

Am so, so sick of this awful weather

Has ruined two meetings I have attended this year, and meant I have not been to a lot of meetings!

Bored of crappy rain, move on and get out of it!

Yep, I sat down to watch the Assen highlights yesterday and my heart sunk when the rain came in race 1. It obviously requires enormous skill riding in conditions like that but it could be argued it's no longer a race at that point, more endurance and survival. Somehow I knew all the people I wanted to do well would bin it and they did one after the after (well, apart from the unlucky Sykes, his day will come though).

Lovely to see Guintoli take his first win and well done to Lanzi too.

I see Aoyama is showing no signs of getting on with the Honda as yet.

jhansen · 24 Apr 2012, 15:33 (Ref:3064970)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cg7aa

I see Aoyama is showing no signs of getting on with the Honda as yet.

I saw an interesting comment from Rea, which more or less said that none of his teammates have been dedicated enough to push the bike past its limits for results. So the package must really not be that great, but fair play to Rea for doing a Stoner and getting on with the job.

Edit: found the quote...

“I do feel as though I have to ride the bike harder than I would like to and it almost gets past the point of being fun sometimes because you are taking some risks, but I don't want to finish where my team-mates finish - it's not me and it's not the way I work,”

http://www.crash.net/world+superbike..._the_edge.html

chunder · 24 Apr 2012, 17:27 (Ref:3065026)

Aoyama is making himself look a real berk on that bike

I would have sacked him already i think! Waste of space 2 stroke rider

**gomick** · 24 Apr 2012, 22:48 (Ref:3065196)

True, its embarrassing for a 250cc WC...

cg7aa · 25 Apr 2012, 14:39 (Ref:3065425)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhansen

I saw an interesting comment from Rea, which more or less said that none of his teammates have been dedicated enough to push the bike past its limits for results. So the package must really not be that great, but fair play to Rea for doing a Stoner and getting on with the job.

Edit: found the quote...

“I do feel as though I have to ride the bike harder than I would like to and it almost gets past the point of being fun sometimes because you are taking some risks, but I don't want to finish where my team-mates finish - it's not me and it's not the way I work,”

http://www.crash.net/world+superbike..._the_edge.html

Thanks for that, quite revealing. Of course, not all of us have an insight into what really goes on behind the scenes and it's only been two rounds so far so Aoyama may yet find his feet.

It's a funny old game though, is it me or do riders who go from superbikes to GP racing who then struggle have more scrutiny and scorn directed at them whereas it seems when the reverse applies, the voices aren't so loud. Maybe it's just my perception.

The other point is how have Honda and Ten Kate managed to produce such a problematic bike for several seasons in a row now?

jhansen · 25 Apr 2012, 22:31 (Ref:3065614)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cg7aa

The other point is how have Honda and Ten Kate managed to produce such a problematic bike for several seasons in a row now?

The Fireblade/CBR platform makes for a fine streetbike. It has good mid range power and sensible handling manners. Most reviews of it are generally positive. However, it just doesn't translate over to a great superbike at the top level. And this has really been a Honda thing for a while now. Although funny that it has had reasonable success in BSB.

chunder · 26 Apr 2012, 07:21 (Ref:3065673)

It will have success in tyhe UKcoz the UK Honda team are heavily linked to HRC, look at AMA where noone really uses Honda's and in Superstock where noone really uses them at all anywhere.

Same in UK with the 600 actually, everyone uses Triumphs, Yams and Kawasakis, a few Suzukis, very few Hondas

Not a bad bike, jjust not as god stock as many others, hence expensive to get to race spec

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