Kawi2strokes.com Forum

In 1973, we got a lot of adverse press for the problems the H2R's had with handling. We even told reporters that the chassis had "a hinge in the middle, causing the wobbles in every corner, and on the straight aways". You could just about pick any place, on any race track, and see one of our bikes wobble its way down the track.

That said, NO amount of bracing and geometry change will cure the Ducati handling issues with the carbon fibre "chassis". The main issue is, all the other MotoGP bikes have cradles for their engines, and aluminum frames that directly link the engine, front end and rear end together, as our bikes do. The Ducati uses the engine as the main stressed member, with both ends bolted to it, with the carbon parts as "strengtheners".

This might work for Formula 1 cars and Indy car garbage, but NOT for a motorcycle that has to change direction, and/or stop/accelerate all in unison. We have a unique situation in motorcycle design, we don't have a two plane vehicle, with 4 wheels to stabilize, and the flat plane operation, we have multiple plane operation, and many more factors in play at the same time.

Formula and Indy cars don't also use the driver as a changeable factor in balance, and direction change that we do. Our dynamic is completely different than a car, and the stressed member fiasco just doesn't work for a motorcycle, OK for a car, but, no cigar for our vehicles.

As far as Stoner riding the Ducati, he had his share of get offs, and wins, simply because he had the insanity to "ride it past the problems. instead of actually fixing them, because he hasn't got the saavy to set things up correctly that a rider with more years of experience has. I had a kid that raced some years ago, almost won the AMA 250 championship, and he was one of those that didn't have a clue as to set up, all he told me was :I can ride it through that problem". Well, I didn't want him to do that, I wanted to FIX the issues, so he, and the bike could bet even better. He had that same attitude for both the bikes we ran, a Yamaha TZ250, and an Aprilia AR250 mid level factory racer. Al Salaverria had the raw riding ability that most others don't have, but, he was useless about set up, especially chassis/suspension set up. Al was a lot like the late Cal Rayborn, he would just ride the bike faster than it would go, through chassis issues and all other problems.

I am sure if you could look further into Stoner, it really isn't his input that makes the Honda run and handle well, it is the HRC personnel that have the previous data from previous Honda riders like Rossi, and others, to fix the issues after Stoner says "I can ride through them".

Congratulations to Casey, but, defending this championship will be the harder thing to do, as Rossi, Lorenzo, Hayden, Stoner himself, and others have found to be truth.

not anti Rossi but he had a good advantage for yrs and used it he is one of the best ever , but if you remember racing in Europe he had special tyres made for each track by michillin over night for race day , something no one else got at the time that makes winning a bit easier or is that legalised cheating ! by honda , I think Stoner is not good with the public and has made a lot of mistakes in his presentation ,but he can ride a lot of bikes that arnt the best , very fast and faster than most , well thats my opinion anyway , brinb back Rainey , schantz, and Doowin lawson etc they were very exciting to watch good racers

Ric you can't make this comment until one of them is done racing. I think we all know that anything can happen- we could see Stoner become a more winning rider than Rossi.... Agreed that Rossi is one of the worlds elite racers and that Stoner whines too much.... But consider Rossi's ego in the 250 class and in the MotoGP class.... some of his comments and the attitude they came with made me look to other riders. Given the choice I support the whiny Stoner over the massive ego'd Rossi.

I doubt very much that Rossi is done- if we are lucky the Ducati will advance enough in 2012 to give Rossi pause before he departs for another marque. His contract with Ducati is up for renewal in 2013. Should he stay on a Ducati we could see them dominate again.

I am also quite hopeful about our guy SPIES!!

Hockenheim 1991 .... the good ole days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrLRCfj8uko

Gotta love those 2-strokes, they just seem a bit better balanced!

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"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching." : anon.

I've been watching Rossi since his 250 days.....I've never seen this Rossi ego. I have seen the unsportsman like conduct of the cry-baby.

I have qualifiers in my previous statement: "Probably"..."Not likely".........

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Busy doing more riding than wrenching.......

I can recall watching Rossi way out in front.... sit up on the bike and coast for several corners and wait until the rider behind catches up and in some cases Rossi would let him past only to overtake again as if he were bored out there. Awesome that he could do that but man I have never seen a racer so outrageously confident. Gesturing and taunting the rider behind him... this was in 250's so 1998 or 1999 against Capirossi if I recall. Never anything so blatant in the GP class but we were watching him get interviewed at Laguna Seca and he was explaining how difficult it was for him with all the ladies pestering him and fans chasing him.... he definitely thought his poop didn't stink and it turned us off.

You could very well be right in the comment with the qualifiers, its the "also ran" comment that we wont know if its true until one or both of them is done racing. We agree that Casey is a complainer....

I just hope with the 1000's coming next yer that we get some more exciting racing, MotoGP this year was more boring than Moto2 and WSB by a wide margin. It did not help that SpeedTV butchered the production to bring us better commercials and less of the world feed....

Cheers-

tim