| Author | Message | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1925 Registered: 9-2003 |
Anybody see the race this past weekend? An awesome latest installment to what has been an incredible season so far! My boy Colin Edwards II crashes from a race-long lead in site of the flag on the last corner of the last lap!!! American Nicky Hayden won, but he got a gift! The circus rolls into 'ole Blighty this weekend for the British GP @ Donnington Park in sight of the Castle Donnington (Monsters Of Rock anyone?). Be there or be square! | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 944 Registered: 6-2002 |
Just hoping the debris has been cleared in Drenthe. We're spending a week vacation there next month. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1926 Registered: 9-2003 |
LOL! It's quite the party...a week long for the TT, if I'm not mistaken. I imagine there'll be quite a lot of rubbish, what with all the locals mixing it up with the hoardes of Brits from just across the channel as well as other curious Europeans. A drunken-good time to be had by all! LOL! I expected a response or two from some of our BeNe(Lux) club members, but I didn't expect one like that, LOL! Sorry if it ruins your family vacation, Adriaan. Personally, I love the bike GP's, so I'd gladly put up with the mess on my side of the pond to get racing like that here (the "new" USGP not withstanding) for weeks on end. (Message edited by kmh364 on June 28, 2006) | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 946 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey Kevin, no harm done! My 40+ sister's 40+ boyfriend probably went to the Assen TT, he does custom work on bikes - he seems to eat and breathe metal, chrome, leather. He rides a chopper based on a Harley. We don't meet too often, and my 6 year old is just plain scared of the sight of him. He seems harmless enough, though - at least as far as I can see. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1927 Registered: 9-2003 |
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| spliffy
Member Username: spliffy Post Number: 87 Registered: 3-2003 |
There is something un-natural about riding a 2 wheel vehicle at those speeds, and have these guys walk away from the crash too!!! | ||
| spliffy
Member Username: spliffy Post Number: 88 Registered: 3-2003 |
oh yeah, great sequence shots!!!! | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1928 Registered: 9-2003 |
FYI, The crasher is American Colin Edwards II AKA the "Texas Tornado". He's a 2X World Superbike Champion, but has yet to notch a win in MotoGP since entering the class in '03. He dominated the entire TT weekend and nearly every lap of the race until he crashed whilst leading IN SIGHT OF the checkered flag. He remounted his mangled bike and finished 13th. Needless to say, he was extremely dissapointed to have his first premier class win dissappear in a clud of dust. To add insult to injury, the winner, American Nicky Hayden AKA "The Kentucky Kid" was given a gift and extended his World Championship Points lead over Colin's injured 7X and reining World Champion team mate Italian Valentino Rossi AKA "The Doctor". | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 861 Registered: 9-2002 |
As a fellow Texan, I ALWAYS pull for Colin Edwards, but realistically, he's just gonna be second fiddle to the unearthly Valentino Rossi. As I'm old enough to remember KR Sr., Rainey, Doohan, Lawson, Schwantz, Gardiner, etc., I really hope that Edwards and Nicky Hayden can put the American flag high in MotoGP. I hope Suzuki can finally put some real wheels under John Hopkins, and I really am excited about KRJr riding for his dad with RC power. KMH, I didn't get to see this: Did it headshake him off, a tankslapper, why was he that leaned off the bike going STRAIGHT? Incidentally, my favorite mag for this kind of thing: John Ulrich's www.roadracingworld.com, a great website for the magazine of the same name. Highly recommended for road- motorcycle racing, here and abroad. J o e y | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 947 Registered: 6-2002 |
You don't often see a bike riding on its own, hitting the curb, and still straight up. Must have been the speed. | ||
| fc_spoiler
Junior Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 38 Registered: 5-2006 |
Maybe the bike has been upgraded by Alembic... | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1929 Registered: 9-2003 |
Yeah, me too. I've either watched them race in person or and/or I've met them all (exc. Gardner). I subscribed to Ulrich's RRW for years, but I haven't had a sub in a while (Cycle News as well). Not that I dislike Nicky, but I wasn't pleased that Colin got shafted out of the works HRC ride in favor of Nicky. Nicky was a relatively unproven entity (he had just won the AMA Superbike title) and Colin had just delivered his second World Superbike title to Honda, despite their total lack of support and dissolution of his team. Nicky has just started to come into his own now that he's into his fourth season on the works Repsol bike, and Colin has had to struggle with three different teams/bikes in the same amt. of time. Nicky has a few years ahead of him, but Colin is on the cusp of retirement. I'd like to see Colin get a MotoGP title before he retries, but I'd settle for a win or two at this point. It's good to see JR on a competitive bike...hopefully he can notch some more wins before he retires...I was there at Laguna Seca for his maiden 250GP ride (and met him as well)and have followed his career since. Hopper needs a competitive bike. I've always maintained that he could smoke Nicky (and half the field) if he was on that works HRC bike. Maybe one day that'll happen. As far as the CEII crash: Colin had led the race from the flag and then with three to go, Nicky passed and took off. Nicky blocked Colin and Colin left the track and had to go straight thru the escape road, but continued on in 2nd place (he wasn't penalized because he didn't gain from cutting the track). Colin got mad and gathered it up and passed on the latter part of the last lap. They were dicing big-time and Colin went defensive going right into the chicane trying to block the line and went deliberately wide (to the left). Nicky got sent into the gravel trap as there was nowhere to go. I guess Colin was going nuts to get his first victory so when he threw the bike left he mistakenly did it on the grass and the rear end broke loose. It sent him over the high side. He tried to hang on, but crashed while the bike went straight into the wall. He remounted and limped home to 13th. Nicky kept it up in the marbles and rode back onto the track and took the win...those two were far ahead of eventual 2nd place Shinya Nakano so Nicky made out. Colin has sworn revenge and since the next two tracks are Colin's faves (Donnington and Laguna), watch out for the Tornado! FWIW, a bike is (conditionally) stable at 10-12MPH. If it's going straight, it'll continue until a) the speed drops below the stable speed (think gyroscope), or b) it's path is interrupted by say, a wall (think Newtonian Mechanics, LOL!). I tell my beginning rider students that the bike is happy to keep going straight once stable with/or without you ("speed stabilizes the motorcycle")...only the rider can screw that up! LOL! | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1930 Registered: 9-2003 |
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| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1931 Registered: 9-2003 |
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| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 863 Registered: 9-2002 |
KMH If I remember correctly . . . when CE was on the HRC SVT (RC51 on this side of the pond) and winning those championships, he was required to do the Suzuka 8-Hour, a BIG deal to the Japanese, but a BIG pain for occidental drivers, as it's outside of the WSB points chase/events. He complained a little too much for HRC, and there you go: No one knew the hammer that was coming when the two stroke NSR500s were replaced by the RCVs, except of course, HRC themselves. Nicky had been the fair-haired boy in AMA Superbike on that-spec RC51s, so they figured the two must be about equal, but Nicky was a LOT less mouth and hard-headed. And of course, HRC is very imperious: It's their way or else. Ultimately why The Doctor left, and of course Colin was quick to jump on the best ride, teamed with Valentino. No doubt he thought, as well, what better way to slap HRC around with Valentino chopping away at them as well. I am surprised that Nicky lasted this long and is only now starting to win; BUT he is a favorite of Freddie Spencer, who hipped him to the new boss of HRC, Mick Doohan, not a stranger to Honda either ! ! J o e y | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 564 Registered: 6-2002 |
Are Moto GP bikes 1000cc 4 strokes now? I was a big fan back in the days of "King Kenny Roberts", "Fast Freddie Spencer", "Steady Eddie Lawson", and Randy Mamola. Those guys really kicked butt on 500cc 2 strokes. You could really see and smell those bikes coming a mile away! Those were the days, Rami | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 864 Registered: 9-2002 |
Yes, Rami, the old Motorcycle Formula One is now MotoGP. The two-strokes are history as of several years ago. The mighty Honda NSRs, the OW Yamahas, the RGV Suzukis are history. MotoGP recognized that there were no more street two-strokes, as the high-performance market of GSXRs, R- Yamahas, etc., were all four-strokes. And, across the Western World, emissions regulations that chased out two-stroke street rides are now chasing out two-stroke dirt/enduros: In a few more years, all dirt bikes will be four-stroke. So now, current MotoGP grids consist of V5 Hondas, L-4 Yamahas, V4 Suzukis, L-4 Kawis, and V4 (yes four-cylinder, vee-engined) Ducatis. And these rockets are routinely in the 250-270bhp/400 lb. performance envelope, with some of the tricks (traction/launch control, dialable engine maps, etc.) from F1 to keep from roasting their Michelins and launching their riders into Low Earth Orbit. A web search for 'MotoGP', 'Honda Racing Corporation', 'HRC', or Yamaha's terrific European Motorcycle website will fill in the details. J o e y | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 865 Registered: 9-2002 |
Oh, and King Kenny now fields his own MotoGP team with his son, Kenny Jr., riding Kenny's own chassis with Honda motors, and Randy Mamola works for Dorna, the MotoGP parent company, and gives celebrity rides ( ALMOST knee dragging two up!) aboard a Ducati. Fast Freddie and Kevin Schwantz have their own schools. Mick Doohan is now the president of HRC. Eddie lays low and occasionally shows up for various events, where he's mobbed. I'll never forget when Eddie was Kenny's teammate towards the end of Kenny's Yamaha tenure, and they raced Moto F1 at Daytona. Everyone else was racing for third. As they came across the finish line, KR wheelied across the line just ahead of Eddie and waved at the crowd AT SPEED. That's when I realized KR, unlike yours truly, had parts of his anatomy that were titanium . . . . J o e y | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1937 Registered: 9-2003 |
Some minutiae: In '07, the MotoGP formula (old 500GP or GP1 class) will be reduced from 990cc to 800cc 4-strokes. The 125GP and 250GP classes are still one (80kg=176# min. weight) and two-cylinder (100kg=220# min. weight) two-strokes, respectively. The old 500cc 2-strokes (200+ bhp) were originally allowed to weigh a minimum of around 225-230#, but that was later raised to 120kg=263#. Unleaded fuel was instituted around the turn of the millenium, which further reduced engine power. Minimum Weight - MotoGP Class Cylinders 2004 Min. (2007 Min., Change) 2Cylinder 135Kg (137Kg, +2Kg) 3Cylinder 135Kg (140.5Kg, +5.5Kg) 4Cylinder 145Kg (148Kg +3Kg) 5Cylinder 145Kg (155.5Kg, +10.5Kg) 6Cylinder 155Kg (163Kg, +8Kg) That means Nicky's V-5 HRC bike must weigh at least 319#, while Rossi's I-4 Yami must weigh 297# minimally. The '07 mandated weight increase/engine capacity decrease is designed to curb the top speed of MotoGP bikes as they are close to F1 speeds, despite the huge aerodynamic disadvantage of a bike vs. a formula car. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1938 Registered: 9-2003 |
FWIW, King Kenny's independent team (TEAM KR) is actually 10yrs. old. He first started with a clean-slate 2-stroke 500cc twin of his own design and manufacture (first called Modenas, later Proton). This continued until around 2003 when he adopted a new KR bike with a V-5 engine of his own design (with help from Ferrari Scuderia). This was replaced with a KTM-designed/built V-4 for the 2004-2005 season. Now, Kenny uses a customer V-5 engine from his arch-enemy HRC, but the bike is quickly becoming competetive (something that has eluded Kenny since '96) under the capable hands of his son, 2000 World 500cc Champion Kenny Roberts Junior. Both Kenny JR and younger son Kurtis have raced for Team KR in the past. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1939 Registered: 9-2003 |
One more tidbit: Edwards is AGAIN racing the Suzuka 8hr with former winning teamate Noriyuki Haga. They last won the 8hr together as Yamaha teamates 10yrs ago. This race replaced Daytona long ago as the most prestigious M/C road race in the world. It has since become a Honda benefit (i.e, which Honda will win?), so I guess Yami want some come-uppance against their (uisually) bitter rival. | ||
| terryc
Member Username: terryc Post Number: 67 Registered: 11-2004 |
Bass players & motorcycles..the best combination Colin Edwards visited a small town in the UK called Northallerton, he has been guesting at the North Yorkshire Motorcycle Racing Supporters Club for the past 6-7 years when he was in WSB and now MotoGP..he loves Newcastle Brown Ale and the the nightclub where the venue was was packed, Casey Stoner(who looks about 15 years old) was there too! A great guy who signed all the helmets, books posters etc that were put in front of him and his explanation for his crash was:- (Texan accent) 'well it is turn, gas, turn, gas but this time it was turn, grass, gas, pain in the ass!' A huge applause. Donnington...another nail biter..what happened to Nicky?? I think they should give back last years bike to him..seems to work for Danny MotoGP..beats soccer hands down | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 886 Registered: 9-2002 |
KMH Gotta question . . . . there's all these 'GO FAST' schools, track days, etc. ARE THERE similar schools for Harley or GoldWing type guys who just want to street ride/survive better? It's certainly just as demanding in a DIFFERENT way herding 800 lbs of ElectraGlide or K1200 as it is hanging off your Gixxer and knee dragging! J o e y | ||
| terryc
Member Username: terryc Post Number: 69 Registered: 11-2004 |
Here in the UK they do rider safety days with the local police and there is an advanced course too, in the states I don't know..best check out your local police force to see if they know. Mind you once followed a guy on a Pan European and he certainly could get it over!!!! | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 890 Registered: 9-2002 |
Terry, in the UK don't you have to ride a 125 for a year or something like that before you can move up to a full license and a larger bike? At least we get the PanEuropean on this side of the pond as the ST1300; if we could only get Deauvilles and TransAlps. Oh, and Yamaha did see a way to get us the mighty FJR1300 over here as well. | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 965 Registered: 6-2002 |
Yesterday, I spent about 10 minutes driving our family car behind a newby biker, who was perhaps a bit too well-behaved (and yes, I kept my distance). Once outside the 50 km/h zone, he still didn't want to hit the 80 limit and kept a steady 70. Mind you, I've had my license for just under a year now, so I have some idea of what it feels like. Then again, only a newby would be driving his bike on the motorway in shorts and short sleeves ... | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1943 Registered: 9-2003 |
Joey: A "racetrack school" for non-sportbikes in the US? I'm not aware of one. I've seen parade/demo laps of regular streetbikes at races, but am not aware of track days for cruisers/tourers. Having said that, I imagine if the headlight was taped, and other safety requirements were attended to, it should be possible to go to an "open" track day with just about anything. We have several guys at Rider Ed Of NJ that race and/or do track days...all on dedicated track bikes. I'll ask if there is such a thing of those guys at our monthly RiderCoach meeting this Tues. night. Right now, the MSF ERC Course is your best bet. Bear in mind that the MSF is putting the finishing touches on the SERC (Skills Experienced Rider Course) will will involve much more advanced bike skills, including some racing-style cornering/late-apex exercise(s). With all the Beta testing, plus range re-demarcation/re-certification, and RC Trainer and RiderCoach re-certification (nevermind the insurance regs.) involved, it'll be a year or two before it's widely implemented at the provider level...if you have a full-size range and the proper run-off area (they may require a dedicated SERC range as well...TBD). As I enjoy teaching the current ERC, I'm really looking forward to the new curricula...even though it requires another RC Prep. Class to be certified by the MSF to teach it. Terry: Yeah, first-gen Aussie-American Edwards is extremely popular in the UK. I've met him before and he's just a good 'ole boy from Lake Conroe in Texas that likes bikes, cars/trucks, beer and watersports. He's never suffered from the "celebrity ego" that can happen when Yanks get sent to the big-time circus spotlight over in Europe. Colin and Nicky's performances were both disappointing in Derby, Kent. They were both touted as favorites to win, and an epic battle between them was predicted. Sadly, it was not to be. What makes it bad for both is the stellar performances by their respective teamates on similar, if not identical, equipment. While Dani's performance, despite his former 3-X World Championship status (all on tiddlers), has been suprisingly astonishing during his rookie MGP season, anyone that teams with Dr. Rossi is bound to look bad no matter how accomplished of a rider they are. As the World Championship points leader, Nicky needs to do better than that each week if he is to be World Champion (never mind if he just wants to keep his coveted works ride). Colin needs to win to keep his morale up and to keep his ride as well. I'd like to see him get some wins (nevermind the title) before he retires. Nicky has plenty time left in his career, so I'd rather see Colin get a title before his time is up. Cheers, Kevin (Message edited by kmh364 on July 10, 2006) | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 966 Registered: 6-2002 |
I know you can take your everyday car or bike to the Nuremburg Ring in Germany, you pay a handful of euros and you drive around. In Spa, Belgium, much of the track is public road - except for one very steep bit, where normal traffic cannot go. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1944 Registered: 9-2003 |
Ah, the Ring! Pay at the "toll both" and take your street car or bike around the infamous Nordschleiffe (the green hell!). They have some seriously fast bikers that hot-shoe around that track! Alas, in the US, the land of liability and lawsuits, there is no such thing. | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 892 Registered: 9-2002 |
Ah yes, the Germans have this silly idea that if you tear up your vehicle and yourself while circulating the 'Ring, it's YOUR OWN FAULT, a concept utterly lost in American jurisprudence. What a concept: It's not the fault of the track, the vehicle, the tires, the moon phases, or your distressed childhood. Positively mind-blowing that 60 years after sending the Third Reich to Reagan's 'Dustbin of History' that WE'VE become Safety Nazis, and attorneys are the new SS. Geez, just imagine if Daimler-Benz (I just can't bring myself to say Daimler-Chrysler, Dr. Z) would let you buy laps around the 'Wall of Death' at Unterturkheim ! ! J o e y | ||
| valvil
Moderator Username: valvil Post Number: 923 Registered: 7-2002 |
Hard to believe they were insane enough to run a Formula 1 race at that track. I remember seeing Niki Lauda's crash back in the mid-seventies that basically led to its closure in terms of competitive racing. I've gone around it in the simulator (GT4) and for all its lenght, it's still a very narrow track and there's very few places where you can pass anyone with ease. Probably the most challenging track in the world. Valentino | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1952 Registered: 9-2003 |
My roomate has run it many times...he's also raced professionally at the 24Hrs of Nurburgring endurance race twice. The North Loop is unbelieveably treacherous. Besides the disfiguring Lauda crash, I've seen documentation of some horrendous crashes there...mostly a combo of overzealous drivers and rental cars (mostly BMW, LOL!). | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 1953 Registered: 9-2003 |
As luck would have it, the MotoGP circus is in Deutschland this weekend for the German GP, but they're at the Sachsenring in former East Germany now. the Nurburgring and Hockenheimring races have been kaput for many years now. | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 896 Registered: 9-2002 |
My favorite quote from the inestimable JM Fangio: "In my day, tires were skinny and racers were fat!" J o e y |
