Silly Season 2008 Thread :)

[Gerben24]

Originally Posted by Schummy

I amend it, just in case there are (or were) more unknown texan motogp riders:

Edwards is one of the best Texan MotoGP riders, perhaps with some doubts.

Well is he or isn't he??? That post seriously takes your credibility in dispute Schummy...

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by Gerben24

Well is he or isn't he??? That post seriously takes your credibility in dispute Schummy...

Actually, credibility is not required for the position of forum host. We only need to promote discussion. How we promote the discussion is strictly at our discretion. You might think that we would take this opportunity to put forth well thought out and well placed posts. However, the cold reality is that this is a volunteer position with no perks whatsoever. Furthermore, we have the likes of Hazza, Dani and Marcus to lord over us. It is a thankless task. Quite frankly, I’m amazed at the content that we do manage to put forth. I solute my fellow Forum Host Schummy…one of the greats.

[Schummy]

Originally Posted by jhansen

Actually, credibility is not required for the position of forum host. We only need to promote discussion. How we promote the discussion is strictly at our discretion. You might think that we would take this opportunity to put forth well thought out and well placed posts. However, the cold reality is that this is a volunteer position with no perks whatsoever. Furthermore, we have the likes of Hazza, Dani and Marcus to lord over us. It is a thankless task. Quite frankly, I’m amazed at the content that we do manage to put forth. I solute my fellow Forum Host Schummy…one of the greats.

What a great fellow are you! You should be Australian.

Eh?, wait a moment! Volunteer? Are you meaning they don't pay you?

[Mystery]

Ah yes - prattling on mindlessly about nothing is what silly season is here for.

Speaking of which any news on Ilmor?

[Hazza]

What was the last news? Were they planning on entering a bike? I honestly forget.

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by Hazza

What was the last news? Were they planning on entering a bike? I honestly forget.

Err, I think they tested it recently...

Maybe they were trying to impress a new investor...

[chunder]

No chance, you will never see them again unless someone comes in with millions, would you???

[jhansen]

As expected, Monster is confirmed as title sponsor for Kawasaki.

[gomick]

that is good news that kwaka have a title sponsor...

[Gerben24]

Stonie sounds a little bit angry.

[Knowlesy]

I think Stoner should perhaps consider anger management classes or some sort of therapy at least.

As we all know, anger is seldom a positive thing. If this spills over onto the track it can only spell trouble. I think he should sit out the first round whilst he sorts out his problems.

And let Rossi win one.

[Pro Racer]

well he is ****ed off, it might inspire him abit but as long as it's not too much so that he goes silly and crashes ala 06. with no disrespect to Capirex but Casey made him look amaturish last year and he so far has belted Marco, time will tell but i think he has a small right to be abit angry. even people on here were saying it's the bike etc yet look where Capi was but according to most it was the bike suited Stoner and not Capi, had roles been reversed Stoner would of been **** and Capi "a god" (as Rossi would say), as i said no disrespect to Capi as he has been great for Duc and MotoGP. Stoner does deserve more credit from people outside of Australia but thats IMO of coarse (totally unbiased).

[jhansen]

I tend to see both sides of this. Looking at it objectively, Stoner clearly had a machine advantage at the beginning of last year. He didn't have to pass anyone in the twisty bits, as he could blow them into the weeds down the straight. But that was pretty much gone by mid season. He clearly rode like a champion all of last year. He made Capirossi look very ordinary indeed. And he's doing the same to Melandri. Both facts speak volumes about Stoner. But I don't think it's unfair to point out that Stoner gets on very well with the Ducati-Bridgestone package. That obviously has a lot do with his success. I don't see anything wrong with pointing that out. He didn't get on well with the Honda and the results showed. So what? He's my odds on favorite to win the championship this year. And he'll be pretty tough with that chip on his shoulder. Everyone should beware.

[chunder]

Hehe, well to be honest its nothing new to have a bike advantage, Mick allegedly had one for a few yeasr in sort of 92 and 97 maybe, but noone really thought anything of it coz he wa acknowledged as being the best anyway.

The problem I think with Casey is that he has always been quick that much is clear, but not quick in the Pedrosa,Lorenzo,Katoh,Melandri,Biaggi,Bautista way, as in at EVERY track near enough EVERY meeting. I know he never really had a pukka MS bike or anything in 125/250 but he did ahve some good kit. Maybe that last year in 250 he really stepped up and showed everyone he was possibly the quickest??

In 05 he was throwing hissy fits all the time coz he couldnt get on with the bike. he kept losing the front. And it is clear that the Bridgesy really suit HIS style. He can push like hell and also the way the bike is designed and set up he can use the very different power characteristiocs of teh desmo to rocket out of turns.

The dela with straight line speed is not as clear as people think. Most of that was down to fuel consumption, the desmo system is very clever in that is is driven mechanically, helping consumption i would imagine, allied to the slipp bodywork the team could crank up the power far mroe than Honda or Yamaha could, remember these bikes are tunable in a whole different way to older stuff, you can regulate the power ferom 210 to 225 hp with the flick of a keyboard.

HRC WERE quicker at year end on the straights most times, Pedrosa was passing anything on the straights. I think Casey has simple proved that the whole package needs to be there. Whether he could win on a Honda or a Yamaha remains to be seen, but Vale has already done that so in most peoples eyes, as LAwson will be, he earns a little more respect.

Additionally, noone likes people who throw tantrums! Lorenzo take note!

[bestfit]

I tend to see both sides of this. Looking at it objectively, Stoner clearly had a machine advantage at the beginning of last year. He didn't have to pass anyone in the twisty bits, as he could blow them into the weeds down the straight. But that was pretty much gone by mid season.

I agree Stoner's obvious top speed advantage was gone my mid season.

Interestingly, if you look at the stats from the recent IRTA Jerez test, the Ducati was only 6th fastest in top speed. ALL other manufacturers were faster than the Ducati.

1. Suzuki - Vermulean 268.3
2. Suzuki - Capirossi 267.1
3. Yamaha - Rossi 266.0
4. Kawasaki - West 265.4
5. Honda - Nakano 263.4
6. Ducati - Stoner 261.2

That's 7.1 km/hr down on the Suzuki and 4.8 km/hr down on the Yamaha.
Despite this Stoner's lap was 1.3 seconds faster than the next best (Rossi).
So it would appear that while the other manufacturers have been working hard on matching Ducati's outright speed advantage, Ducati have been working hard at improving cornering speed. As a result everyone has gotten faster but nobody has closed the gap to Ducati/Stoner.

Next week will tell us for sure. I can't wait

[chunder]

Erm Stoner set his lap time in teh soaking conditions when the tyres were workling at their best rather then the drier conditions later when the wet tyres would not have been any good at all, intermediates would be better.

[jhansen]

Good stats bestfit. But I think any top speed numbers from Jerez have more to do with outright acceleration and not sheer top speed. Which brings up an interesting point. One thing Stoner said they worked to improve on was low end acceleration. He said that was their weak point last year.

[Gerben24]

Originally Posted by Pro Racer

Stoner does deserve more credit from people outside of Australia but thats IMO of coarse (totally unbiased).

I’m getting sick and tired of all the whining about Casey Stoners accomplishments. He won the title in 2007 and he deserved it, nobody will argue with that. However, not everybody is Australian and therefore not everybody will leave his results unquestioned. When you look at Stoners results pre 2007, you’ll notice he was quick but fell a lot. He also couldn’t make the 990cc Honda his own in 2006. Besides that it what clearly visible that there was a bike advantage at the start of last season. I think that gives people the right to question if it wasn’t all down to his capabilities, winning the title. Trust me, he isn’t the first who’s being questioned, it also happened to Rossi when he first won in 500cc (just to name a person…).

Although Stoner comes across as a cheerful chap, he can sometimes moan for nothing. He’s the same on the bike, he sometimes just starts making handsignals when the smallest thing goes wrong. This doesn’t help his image (remember Biaggi?).

He won the title, he deserves where he is now, so there is no need to come up with figures why he has the #1 on his bike.

[chunder]

Hehe, just watched a brilliant interview with Vale on BBC I player thingy, was very revealing if you go to teh sport site and click on teh Toseland thing, you will find the link on the player!

Some great opinions on Lorenzo and Stoner.

His best bit though was "I think in the past my advantage was me, the gap now is closer but thats not because the riders are better!"

[Knowlesy]

[jhansen]

Quote from the WSKB PI thread:

Originally Posted by chunder

To me Foggy often had a bike advantage and he made it work for him. Same as Stoner.

I think this sums it up nicely. Yes, Stoner has a bike advantage. But he's the only one that seems to be able to use it (as opposed to Capirossi and seemingly Melandri). So yes, all credit to him.

[jhansen]

I see on motogp.com that Ducati are looking at having Biaggi and/or Bayliss test the GP8. This is confirmed by Livio Suppo. The reason, they want to see why Stoner is the only one that can ride the GP8. And since Biaggi and Bayliss are quick and have different styles, they might have some insight. Also, due to the testing regulations they had to look at other riders.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/D...i+test+rumours

[Schummy]

Nice. Ummm... maybe we will have news after some weeks about Ducati line-up.

[Pro Racer]

Biaggi/Stoner, Marco bye bye.

[Gerben24]

Biaggi/Bayliss, Stoner/Melandri bye bye