So sat down and watched the motogp last night, and thought it was a great race. Without naming names, obviously one major talking point was the off someone had! Couldn’t believe the commentators took so long to see / and were still debating if there had been any contact? Was clear as day IMO. However, have since read on the bbc which confirmed that the contact meant that the guy behind elbow disconnected the traction control sensor which concluded with a nasty off 30 meters down the road…. Don’t get me wrong, these guys are incredible, but surely just proves that they are just giving it full chat on lean and letting the computer figure it out?? Always said that these gizmo’s make us complacent and take certain skills away from us, which for me takes away the fun of riding a bike… I know that I might be the minority and it’s inevitable that soon all bikes will come with these aids (hopefully you can switch them off)…. But I do think it’s crazy that the world’s best riders send themselves sky high the second the system fails…. Unfortunately I am not one of the world’s best riders, but I’d be scared shitless to give it the beans on full tilt and think “it’s ok, the TC will deal with this”….. things stop working, break, fail or in the case of a motogp superstar get dislodged by little nutters elbows…. So IMO we shouldn’t rely on them, or worse still never know any different from the safety net of having them on every bike we own (no doubt will be the case for the next generation coming through) Not saying it’s wright or wrong, just an insight into the mind of Jimbo… bored past 5pm at work on a quiet Monday I say, turn it all off, and let’s see who’s got the minerals and watch the fireworks lol
Guess you have to look at the package, 165Kg and 260bhp!! They say it's impossible to control the power without the electronics, the question I asked is... they run two TPS sensors on the bike in case one fails.... but 1 TC sensor?? Come on HRC £3,500,000.00 and you only fit ONE 5 quid sensor and it's stuck on the side of the wheel...lol
Lol - only you would know that Art. Can't take nothing away from the bikes, they are amazing pieces of kits, but do they make better riders?
lol, dunno about better riders but that pip squeek they dragged up from Moto2 is FAST! They have slapped him with penalty points afaik.? Think what amazes me is they pilot the things like they do, 212MPH that weekend on the RCV! THATS FAST! And 62 deg lean...? Really? Amazing! I ride a few lightened bikes but 160Kg with 260bhp.... NO WAY!
As an opinion I think it detracts from the sport. It means now more than ever, that whover throws the most money at technology wins. For me the glory days were the 70's through 90's where the bikes and engines outstripped the riders (and tyres a lot of the time) and you had to have masses of skill as well as massive kahunas even to get on one. I still watch it, but for me now it is road racing that flicks my switches. Less rider aids and more ability makes much better racing.
Honda were asked what's the budget for the factory MGP teams, the answer was... NONE, NO LIMIT on cost of winning!
And what a surprise, they are going to win it. Proves my point really, although to be fair they have always had that philosophy since the beginning. And if it is true about young Marquez being docked points, it is a little unfair. It was a fairly inocuous coming together. Honda should have used more tape on that sensor
Totally agree mr Vills! There's no wonder MotoGP laptimes are untouchable!! My bike doesn't have traction control.
The bikes and riders are incredible.... But certainly a different skill set is evolving to be an elite rider. And not saying they are easy to ride... But given the choice of a current motogp bike or a nasty bad ass 500cc two stoke, I know which one I'd take
Watching some of the classic 500 races on YouTube you can see how MGP has become . . . . rather predictably boring . . I feel cruel is saying that but I base it on the races of old! They were something else! For me MGP is becoming far too F1 too many big wigs and big name sponsors even the price of tickets is sky high, they say the ticket price reflects the cost of racing, Exactly the point no, less money, same racing, more spectators? I don't know all I know is what with Bona sports and BT I think a lot of people will just forget it, as much as I love it I will have to plan where I can watch the GP as it is you can view anywhere in the UK on the BBC..cheeses me off it's going over to BT! sorry off topic maybe but rollox next year...how can you view it when your out all the time? Grr and don't anyone say online! Speeds where are go are still down a ball of string!
I think, that's what has happened at this level is that the skillset of the MotoGP bike rider is beginning to distance itself between that required and a 'real world' one of , albeit quick, motorcycle riding. Okay, Dinky Dani may just been caught out by expecting his TC to be there when it wasn't and the whole thing happened too quickly even for these supermen to anticipate and adapt. And that's the, sort of point, I'm trying to make. Are humans capable of handling these machines without interference from the technology. Possibly, but would they able to do it lap after lap, racing line perfect,......I don't know. Look at F1, despite a cursory resemblance to our day to day cages, the cars can't really be described as such and control of them has to be 'dumbed down' for mere mortals to be 'seen' to be affecting its vector. However, I am on leave and so have been drinking since getting home this afternoon, so the above may not be readable.
Well the ticket price is one thing, but the sad fact is factories went racing to sell bikes. Audiences were big and tobacco companies payed loads to have theire logo's slapped on bikes. Factories sold bikes, tobacco companies sold fags and we got in for 25 quid. Everyones a winner. Government bans on tobacco advertising and slumping bike sales mean we now have to stump up the best part of a ton to go watch it. When BSB is about £30 and WSB is about £45 it takes the piss a little. The whole suzuki fiasco and not allowing them tyres doesn't help the situation. With suzuki in there, there would be more rides for the good riders and the racing would be better, but the pig headed autocrats cocked that up too.
Me too, price wise it's a bargain too! Tbh I moan about the price of MGP but I pay the money just to hear the bikes! But hay I love to moan full stop! (and do most of the day)
I wonder if having 1 sensor wasnt an oversight by the honda mechanic but a ploy to make sure a certain rider wins the race without any competition from a fired up team mate on different tyre strategy, just being synical i know, but strangers things have happened ????? :S
Yeah, that is just cynical lol. The chances of that happenning are a gazzillion to one. It was just unlucky and shows that the electrics aren't infallible. You'll be saying he leaned off mid corner and plucked it off with his hand next!
