MOTOGP » Pedrosa backs 'fun' 990cc return.

RE:is racing the pinnacle of technology or not? Posted by ryan kankowski Agreed! Look at motorcycle development from a Manufacturers standpoint. They can only get so much data from math models and fancy designs before you have to put it in play to flush out the design nuances that work and those that don't. MotoGP is seen as the pinnacle of not just the sport but also data acquisition and ultimately product developement. You have to have a package pushing the envelope in order to get the best empirical data, and ultimately progress. This is Engineering warfare. Sure the race wins and championships are great but to say that our engineering is superior to yours is sometimes just as vital.

MOTOGP » Lorenzo airbag deployed correctly.

Can you imagine trying to keep Rossi and Pedrosa in your sights while riding with a Mae West life jacket under your leathers? Looks like they have improved it since BRNO! That was comical.

MOTOGP » Poll results: Who will be the top 250 graduate?

Aoyama is the coolest customer of the five(!) graduating 250 guys. And that may well be the deciding factor. Look at Kallio for instance. He has had flashes of brilliance this season tempered by a spat of highly questionable decisions. The one who keeps his head down, his mouth closed and his eyes on the fast guys will emerge highest. Simoncelli has the most pure speed. But his decision making has been, shall I say... colorful. Bautista was at the top of my list last year. But his seeming lack of focus and drive coupled with the Suzuki are not (for me) a good recipe for success. Barbera could be a factor, I just hope he learns some English in the off season in the interest of PR. Espargaro ?

MOTOGP » Pedrosa backs 'fun' 990cc return.

The problem as I see it is that the manufacturers have for years now been trickling down MotoGP tech to the street. Its expected! We now have Streetbikes that would have rivaled (or even surpassed) 500cc GP bikes from not long ago. Those same bikes (in modified form) are now getting treacherously close the same lap times set by the most advanced motorcycles on the planet. As a side effect of this WSBK grids have burgeoned and MotoGP grids have declined. Dorna wants a piece of that pie. So they talk about cost cutting (slowing them down) to make it more attractive for Sponsors. In doing so they risk further narrowing the gap to WSBK. This will end in a court (or Board) room not a race track!

WSBK » Haga: I’m ready for 2010!

Last season was a true dichotomy for most fans of the sport. The sentimental favorite VS the young Superstar. Haga was the only true Challenger to Spies last year and without Ben here, the title is his to lose at this point. If you were to ask anybody that is a true fan of the sport they would tell you that Haga deserves to win a title. God knows he has paid his dues! But there are a few other young pretenders to the throne to deal with now. I see Rea and Crutchlow as well as his own team mate being his closest challengers for next season. Rea was on form in the 2nd half of last season and after dominating WSS Crutchlow now sees that Moto2 would not have been a prime gig for him.

MOTOGP » Pedrosa backs 'fun' 990cc return.

Folks in the Business world refer to this as a "False Economy". They feign sincerity when it comes to the cost of the machines and at the same time they space the US rounds of the series out over a month! The Schedule is something that they can control, and they chose not to. They try to cut costs by limiting the number of engines a team can run but then you hear about Ducati offering Lorenzo (pruportedly) of over 8Million euros? I have no Doubt that Next season one of the big 4 will be paid over 10! Cost cutting indeed!

MOTOGP » Pedrosa backs 'fun' 990cc return.

RE:Robert Jones. I don't believe it is as easy as simply unleashing them. The tires are simply not going to live with a 300hp MotoGP bike. Tires have improved over the last few years but not by that much. They are proposing this supposedly to cut costs. But My point is that it is a balancing act trying to not step on WSBK's toes metaphorically speaking.

MOTOGP » PICS: Simoncelli down and out on 250 farewell.

I watched the race again Tuesday and you could see he was so out of shape 200 meters before that corner his crash was inevitable. He ran up on the rumble strips and got out of shape and just didn't get her settled before the next corner. Had he just backed it down a little he might be a two time champion instead of having to suffer all the Barbera jokes all winter long! Knowledge is power, and now he knows!

MOTOGP » Pedrosa backs 'fun' 990cc return.

As I have cautioned on this subject before be careful what you wish for, you never get something for nothing. IF they were to go back to 1000cc and keep some of the existing Engine and fuel rules , & limit maximum stroke etc etc, it could narrow or eliminate the gap to WSBK lap times, which are falling all the time. When your Multi million$ Prototype is only marginally faster around a track than a far less expensive Superbike you will see defection purely on the basis of cost! Now that streetbikes are coming with crude versions of the same electronics MotoGP & Superbikes are using and making big HP, it'd be impossible to go back. So then what... do you ask WSBK to Slow down? Tread Lightly!

MOTOGP » Dovizioso: Sixth is nowhere near my dream

Lots of complaints about Dovi this year. All in all he really didn't have that bad a year. The 4 DNF's were his undoing. Without those he may have had a shot at 4th. Aside from the DNF's he had no finishes below 8th and his sole podium was a win (albeit through lots of attrition)which is technically one better than Edwards could say. Next year he will likely have a few new guys besides Edwards hassling him for this spot so he had better get on his horse soon!