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30 Sep 2011, 17:26 (Ref:2963023) | #151 | ||
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I know things have changed somewhat over the years but throwing money at things without the innovative input from really clever guys is a no brainer.
In 1984 two of my mates made a 250cc race bike in a dingy upstairs room about as big as my garden shed and won the European 250cc championship http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...pean_champions This was done on a shoestring budget that they couldn't sustain and had to give it up before the firm went bust. Most of the bike was built in house without ultra sophisticated machinery and no help from major motorcycle firms. To see the set ups and expense for poor returns at GP levels these days just makes me laugh, as the guys at Exactweld reminded me the other day |
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
30 Sep 2011, 19:33 (Ref:2963133) | #152 | ||
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I have lots of articles about the Exactweld, it was a clever machine, a Roatx engine with 4 carbs! Weird looking thing
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30 Sep 2011, 20:06 (Ref:2963175) | #153 | ||
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John and Guy are very unassuming guys, I've known them for years from when the used to make the Chassis for Surtees.
On the bench the other week was an engine out of a very famous race car that they were asked to weld up as the multi million pound firm that was recreating it couldn't do it ! Guy can weld the proverbial sh** to a blanket ! |
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
30 Sep 2011, 21:47 (Ref:2963238) | #154 | ||
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
30 Sep 2011, 23:54 (Ref:2963273) | #155 | ||
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
1 Oct 2011, 02:23 (Ref:2963316) | #156 | ||
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Nice to see smaller manufacturers entering GP racing and the racing has been great. Not always for the lead, but certainly all the way through the field. Whether the manufacturers will provide the field with their engines is another question in MotoGP. It would be a pity to see the cutting edge technology removed from the sport. The bigger engines will even the field out a bit, as getting the last hp out of the bike will be less important, and the engine tuning will become a little less of a differentiating factor. |
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1 Oct 2011, 07:46 (Ref:2963344) | #157 | ||
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Gord, that does look like an Exactweld though, I rememver the Sterling sub machine gun chassis!
The proper one was green? I think they tried to get it tio GP levele but never had the right funding. Did you know much about Joe Ehrlich? He was a miracle worker with Rotax engines aswell, but a very difficult man I believe? |
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1 Oct 2011, 08:53 (Ref:2963355) | #158 | ||
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The main thing I know is that Dr Joe was clever at marketing himself as if he had invented everything to do with 2 stroke tuning. Obviously getting Hailwood to ride an EMC got him noticed all those years back but a lot of lesser named riders were saddled with big bills that they weren't expecting !
However he did a lot of good experimental work in his day finishing up with this http://docscipark.com.au/ee_tech.html Last edited by GORDON STREETER; 1 Oct 2011 at 09:00. |
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
1 Oct 2011, 09:20 (Ref:2963359) | #159 | ||
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
2 Oct 2011, 20:05 (Ref:2964463) | #160 | ||
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Havent been on 10ths for a while, quiet a surprising thread this. For a while I have thought that VR's last championship wasnt his best, cause he's been past his best for a few years now. Racing a motorcycle is very physical demanding and I therefore I think it wont become any easier for him. I think his best years were on the Honda, for me the race that stands out is Philip Island when he got a 10sec penalty and still won the race. It does say something about Rossi because I think he's still good enough for wins.
Than again, Honda make everybody look stupid this year, apart from Lorenzo. Also, when you compare Rossi's results with Stoners from last year, they are at times pretty close. There aren't that many good comparisons, cause Stoner dropped it a few times at the beginning of last years and Rossi has lost the plot since midseason, this year. Just compare how far Stoner and Rossi finished behind the leader in Catalunya, Mugello, Brno, Misano (keeping in mind the Honda's quality versus the Yamaha's quality last year). It doesnt take anything away from the way Stoner rode the Duc. Although Stoner is very fast I dont think he is as a complete rider as Rossi (and Lorenzo for that matter). I think he is not very strong in raceconditions. There were times where he was in the position to come through the field and he couldnt do it. I know he must have won 40 races by now, but few of them have been through good battles. Also in a direct fight, Rossi owns Stoner. Furthermore I think Stoner makes to many unnecessary mistakes, even on the Honda. But most of all I think Stoner has a bad personallity. Criticizing the team or other rider in cases where he was to blame as well. What I find most desturbing is his kicking and hitting actions on track. What kind of example is he setting there? Comparing Rossi and Stoner over the last 2 seasons on the Duc, results alone, gives a very clear picture. Looking at their complete career, gives a very different view. |
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2 Oct 2011, 22:45 (Ref:2964519) | #161 | |||
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In 2004, I think you saw just how good he was because he rode beyond what the bike was capable of. 2005 and onwards, Yamaha started developing the bike as directed by Rossi and Burgess which in turn allowed the other Yamaha riders to move up in the results. Today's race showed just how good that Honda is, Casey getting back on the podium and Dovizioso and Simoncelli with ride throughs and still got back up to the front. Only Lorenzo is able to infiltrate the Honda encampment, and only when Yamaha is in its sweet spot. It seems that Rossi's input is slowly starting to be missed.. |
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3 Oct 2011, 07:29 (Ref:2964641) | #162 | ||
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I would not really say the other Yamaha riders really got any up the order when Rossi was there.
Checa, Abe, Melandri, Edwards, Toseland?? None of them were really podium contenders when they were on a Yam, in fact the only guy that ever did anything with it pre Rossi was Biaggi!! Vale was clearly within himself on the early Honda, and peopel forget the only reason Barros beat him late on in 02 was that his bike was an early model, less power better slipper clutch, Repsol were experimenting with stuff abd Rossi was having trouble downshifting and with the clutch. in 03 he was invincible really. Jorge has been good this year, but as you say not everywhere, would Rossi have been? Who knows. But I agree that Honda is utterly unbeatable in most tracks. I think half the fleld, Bautista, Barbera, Puniet, Edwards could podium on that bike really. |
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4 Oct 2011, 00:53 (Ref:2965244) | #163 | |
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4 Oct 2011, 01:19 (Ref:2965252) | #164 | ||
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Bigamy is having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same. {Oscar Wilde} |
4 Oct 2011, 02:14 (Ref:2965255) | #165 | ||
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4 Oct 2011, 06:42 (Ref:2965324) | #166 | ||
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There is very little racing this year in GP, the Honda is the quickest thing in a straight line and has the best electronics, the Yamaha is the best through the bends when you can set it up, so the wins are handed out accordingly really.
Modern GP is just a a GP, not a race, it's why it is so dull! And dont be fooled by Moto2, Marquez is playing with people most of the time, sitting and waiting until he gets a chance to rocket away, it's just that this time Iannone had a better setup! |
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5 Oct 2011, 16:41 (Ref:2966172) | #167 | |||
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I wrote: "Today's race showed just how good that Honda is, Casey getting back on the podium and Dovizioso and Simoncelli with ride throughs and still got back up to the front." At no stage did I write the word "race" in regard to what the aforementioned riders did. But as tabloids have proved since time immemorial, why let the truth get in the way of a story... |
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15 Oct 2011, 00:48 (Ref:2971403) | #168 | ||
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15 Oct 2011, 08:12 (Ref:2971453) | #169 | ||
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Marquez is dominant because he is basically a Suter works rider, was running a 2012 chassis already, dont know if anyone else is.
He has more money than anyone else, that team has a big budget. He is tiny compared to most of his rivals, note Elias is aswell, and on bikes with the same power and stuff this makes a difference. And he is pretty good which helps! |
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17 Oct 2011, 01:53 (Ref:2972368) | #170 | ||
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So a good deal of it is merit based, and the rules need tweeking with respect to rider weights, which would be a good step in all forms of motor racing that does not already have such a rule. I don't know what you do about chassis and money though. Last edited by wnut; 17 Oct 2011 at 01:58. |
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17 Oct 2011, 08:00 (Ref:2972475) | #171 | ||
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Marquez is dominant because he is far and away the best rider in the field and yes I include Bradl in that.
He has got the money and backing because he is a super talent just like all the super talents who came before him and the super talents that will come in the future. On top of that he is Spanish, young and marketable. His ride yesterday was stunning (his actions on Friday were reckless and foolish). The sooner they get the kid to MotoGp the better and I hope they back him to the hilt. He is the next alien. |
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17 Oct 2011, 09:09 (Ref:2972515) | #172 | |
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Did anybody see the interview with Burgess at Phillip Island, and I quote,
"We need direction from him (Rossi) and until we get it we are lost to be quite frank!" |
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17 Oct 2011, 19:22 (Ref:2972824) | #173 | ||
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I do rate Marquez, but he certainly has a huge advantage with weight. And money, and being a Suter works man pretty much.
You don't do things like that until you have both types of advantage. If he was on an MZ he would not be doing it. Plenty of riders have done this kind of thing in junior categories. Capirossi, Biaggi, Cadalora, Harada, Poggiali! Pedrosa, etc etc. The only ones that have really gone onto great things are Rossi, and pretty much Rossi. Stoner was never dominant in 125/250 and though Dani was he has never been in GP. I want him to move up too, if only to prove that he really is that good, or if he is anotehr Pedrosa, too small to cope with a big bike. And if he stays in Moto2 next year then the class is not worth watching. I do also think the rest of the grid is fairly poor, guys like De Angelis, Iannone, Corsi are not reaklly top drawer, never have been. As for Rossi and the Duke, I don't think he has a clue why the bike doesnt work. All I do know is that I have watched him since 1996 and never seen him so unconfident in the front, as SOON as he pushes it he does what he did yesterday and crashes. It's a dog, that only one guy in the world probably could ride. |
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17 Oct 2011, 22:54 (Ref:2972996) | #174 | |
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Ought Marquez not to stay in Moto2 for one more season? He has the talent to inevitably be a good Moto GP rider, so why rush him into this? A parallel with Formula 1 would be Jaime Alguersuari. He's coming good now, but it's taken time because he was rushed into F1 a bit too quickly.
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18 Oct 2011, 01:29 (Ref:2973053) | #175 | |||
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MotoGP is also changing to 1000cc bikes next year, with the rookie rule in place it is the perfect opportunity to slot him into a satellite team (albeit heavily factory backed) and learn the ropes with minimal pressure put on him to perform. From 2013 he would be eligible to move to a full factory team at a time when most of the factory riders are up for contract renewal. This gives HRC/Repsol more options depending on his perceived performance. He could replace Pedrosa or Stoner (unlikely), or HRC may revert back to a 3 man team and run them all. We will know more next weekend as they are going to announce their 2012 plans at Sepang. We could be hearing the Marquez name for a long time to come. Next year his brother Alex is joining Moto3. Alex is ranked by many as being more talented than Marc. That is a scary prospect. |
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Bigamy is having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same. {Oscar Wilde} |
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