MOTOGP » MotoGP electronics insight

Thanks for upgrading me on who started with electronics Belly, What I meant (probably didn't word it too well ) is what I understand from what I read is the Ducati has the most advanced electronics, for instance Yamaha have said they CAN get as much horsepower from the M1 as Ducati have got but they have not succeeded in controling fuel consumption something Ducati have done, I work in the motor industry and understand you can't go backwards but surely the electronics need to be restricted as in Formula one car racing, if only to cut down on the costs which according to the Suzuki moto gp team are substantial, certainly the electronics are removing some rider skill as Vale has said.

mmm sounds crazy. whatever one wants to say about bike development and all that. I mean having a 'virtual' throttle is a bit like playing a game in the arcade innit? well of course it isnt but its almost like taking the piss! I think it will get to a point where history will have to repeat itself and simpler systems will come back or they'll be computers on wheels...in many respects I think electronics have more of a place on the road than on track and manufactures can develop that without using moto gp as a guinea pig...the track should be for pure and simple racing. But I am sure many of the latter riders will have a hard time trying to actually control the bike.

I agree and I disagree. The rider's with the best skills and equipment are the ones who prevail. Everything learned on the track in F1 and MotoGP eventually winds up at our level on the street and every advancement in technology makes another aspect of human life easier and safer. Prototype racing is about dreaming up new concepts and finding ways to make their bike faster, easier to control(less likely to crash). That wins races. I have a 2007 Nissan Maxima that has an engine management kick in when the tires spin. I am sure that was developed on a race track. If the bikes were built to be unruly beasts they would be unruly on the road too, and we would have more accidents/deaths.

those are all good comments. True motogp is a prototype class and a playground to push the envelope of technologie. But its the "show", the racing that attracts millions of viewers. And that gives the manufacturers the exposure to showcase there products, that they ultimately want to sell. No racing - no viewers - no business. Dorna and the manufacturers are walking a very fine line between developing there products, and keeping a good "show" (attract viewers with exiting racing)

Who cares if every year, the bike become faster by 20sec, if it ends up in a procession and no exitment....

Agree some good comments and an interesting discussion. Not sure which way to sway..
I think Mika Kallio said he found it harder moving up to 250cc 2 stroke from 125 cc than from 250cc to Moto GP class.
I am not sure if this is the right way Moto GP should be going. In my opinion MotoGP bikes should be the hardest bikes to ride so you actually see the best riders succeed on them.
Also, I don't think bike manufacturers entirely rely on racing to develop cutting edge technology. Look at BMW, they developped many interesting engineering solutions for motorbikes without having a factory presence in racing. They will from next year, but I think it is more a branding / marketing venture into racin

mr softy said: "the only problem i have is with things such as pneumatic valves (leaking gas)..."

I am intrigued by this comment - please elaborate....

not understanding

the bikes running pneumatic valves - basically everyone except ducati have a small cannister of gas to keep pressure in the valves which leak very slightly during a race. this is unavoidable and at the end of a gp the cannister is empty. it would not be viable on a road bike to keep changing cannisters ( surely fuel is enough to worry about )

this would not effect the ducati, which is easily the best engineered bike out there.

cheers

Yes, Belly, Honda had TC at 2003. I remember reading Rossi riding the bike, coming to the pits and saying "this is almost not fair, it will be too easy to win". Rossconz, it is the same electronics manufacturer used in Ducati & Yamaha at the MotoGP AND at the Ducati and Yamaha (Italy) in WSBK. So Stoner is not the only one riding Magneto Marelli. Stoner, Rossi (YES, Rossi), Jorge, Elias, Guintoli, Bayliss, Fabrizzio, Biaggi, Xaus, Haga and Corser, ALL use Magneto Marelli electronics. Ahhh, I forgot Melandri.... but he obviously tuned it to max 50HP in the turns..... I'm not sure about Tech 3, I mean if they use Magneto Marelli. I guess so.

Stoner is smart, why do you think his warm up lap is ALWAYS so slow? He doesn't burn as much fuel as all the others which uses lots of fuel on the warm up lap!!

How can you say 'blame ducati' for the electronics situation, that is the biggest load of ******** I have ever heard. It is possible they are doing it better than others, although given how hard the bike is supposed to be to ride, I would guess that may not be true and Yamaha may have that crown. All the bikes have electronic aides.

Blame is easy! Dorn and the FIM. If they wanted the racing better they could go back to 990cc and use a control ecu. They could ban pneumatic valves and increase the minimum weights of the bikes and thus reduce the bikes speed and everyone would be happy.