Yooperbikemike's 2011 MotoGP Thread

Before I get too lofty in ideals, I have to admit since the 2000 model year, I have not had so many opportunities to "contemplate" as I did prior to that. Ironically, my favorite bikes are still pre-2000 though. I have spent a night or two in the wild with the oldies but goodies (usually that damn voltage regulator!) , having the coyotes hoping I will pass out long enough for them to have a festive, sating meal. Outlast, Outwit, Outplay or something like that; and be sure you are within the rescue operation area of your resources.

I am trying so hard not to snoopy dance all over now that the Doctor is on "the bike." There will be success, wait and see. Not that I don't think he has very stout competition, he does and would on any bike in the paddock, but he won't be embarrassed either. I almost bought the new "46" hat the other day, but I am not going to jinx it being a littlestitious. First podium, I am going in to get it.

BTW, truly enjoyed your audio analysis, always good stuff over at moto-matters.

Have just been comparing some of Stoner and Rossi's times.

Last year on the Ducati Stoner qualified with a 1:55:07 and set the fastest race lap with a 1:55:537.

This year he qualifies with a 1:54:137.

Rossi only qualifed this year with a 1:55:637.

So Stoner has gone a fair bit faster this year, but Rossi is about a half second slower on the Ducati this year than Stoner was last year. I sure would like to know what is being said behind closed doors.

It’s an old picture (Mugello 2004 to be exact!) and the people in it have changed a little - but none of them have changed their beliefs!



This is where we stand -- and it’s where we have stood since 1996 when this young man first ventured onto the World Stage at Shah Alam!

We admire when other riders achieve, we try not to vilify when they do not!

We try to understand the vagaries of their health and we also feel for them when they sustain injuries.

We applaud when they are subject to good fortune and sympathise when that fortune turns bad!

Every single rider, be it MotoGP or Club racing deserves to be admired! Without exception, they all put their lives on the line to entertain US!

A lot of racing has happened since Valentino’s debut and there have been a great many changes -- but our loyalties are still the same!

Take another look at the picture -- that’s where we have stood since 1996 - and that’s where we will continue to stand --

-- Win, Lose or Draw!

so any one have any ideas about the honda gearboxes?

I find this pretty interesting. One might easily assume that indeed it is the bike that needs to improve.

Yeah, we call him K or Krop around these parts. But you can check him out at www.motomatters.com. You will find some good stuff on it. It appears to be the real deal and he shows you why.

The Doctor is IN! Wooooo Hooooooo. He is up to the challenge.

Cheered him on from the begining! Not stopping now!

Which could also implies that Ducati has gone backwards after Rossi and JB got onboard and had their required changes applied. IMHO of course.

If I were advising Ducati's chief designer, I'd first tell him to keep his head down.

And hire good bodyguards.

The fans will lynch him given the chance.


And were I the principal of the the company, I'd be sitting that 'genius' down and making damn sure he got the message. 'Your shit is an embarrassment, fix it, or I feed you to the fans.' This is the Roman Empire, they have a history of this sort of thing, remember.

None of the above is news of course, sure would be interesting to be a fly on the wall around Ducati.

"Faak!"

Ducati CEO Del Torchio has been in Vale's pit box all week. I am starting to wonder who is expecting more from whom. Vale to Ducati: "you need to make the bike turn." Ducati to Vale: "that is why we hired you."

Ain't that the truth!

Vale is doing the same times as Casey did LAST YEAR, everyone else has done their homework in that years time...
Time to play catch up.

The link works again for the pictures of the road to Motegi

Scroll down to where it says:
A worker inspects a caved-in section of the Joban Motorway near Mito, Ibaraki

http://www.justsharethis.net/japan-8-9-earthquake-and-tsunami-2011-pictures-videos-2/

Just took the plunge on annual MotoGP.com pass. If anyone wants to share it with me, let me know.

D.

Honda's looking good, eh?

Where's that Ducati?

Does anybody read hands?

It can be flaky occasionally, although thankfully not as often as it used to be. Your browser can make a difference too. I started with Chrome and had a few too many problems so I switched to Firefox--pretty much perfect from then on.