oh boy oh boy...the new 800cc machines...

[repoe3]

cant wait till they all get some test time. the honda looks nice. the early pics of the yamaha were not that far removed from the current machine.

repoe3

[HugoVW]

Illmore (which looks just as small as the Honda):

Ducati (with the interesting CF side plates/seat support and a design..wow):
But for sure Suzuki will win the championship in 2007 because that one looks fast!


Hugo

[HugoVW]

Testing times (look at Gibernau!)
1. Colin Edwards USA Camel Yamaha Team 1min 46.68 secs
2. Sete Gibernau SPA Ducati 800 1min 47.41 secs
3. Kenny Roberts Jr USA Team Roberts 1min 47.64 secs
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team 1min 47.70 secs
5. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 47.89 secs
6. Kousuke Akiyoshi JPN Team Suzuki MotoGP 1min 47.89 secs
7. Dani Pedrosa SPA Honda 800 1min 48.21 secs
8. Tady Okada JPN Honda 800 1min 48.43 secs
9. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha 800 1min 48.58 secs
10. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Team Suzuki MotoGP 1min 50.48 secs

[repoe3]

wow, race pace on an entirely new, smaller displacement machine. even the other folks we not that far off the fast pace, heck, thats qualifying times.

repoe3

[branners]

Had a chat with some of the teams' personnel at Phillip Island and their view was pretty unanimous; dropping 190cc is not going to make the smallest difference to the bikes' performance. As the electronics become more sophisticated, the 2007 bikes will become faster and faster.
According some some of the talk at PI, the Honda 800 is already as fast as the 990 on most tracks, and Michelin is yet to tailor a tyre for the smaller bikes. Scary stuff!

[repoe3]

more cornerspeed+good drive out of corners=higher top speed

repoe3

[repoe3]

those are some fairly large rear huggers. definitely a aero package thing.

repoe3

[HugoVW]

Yes, it is interesting the tail gets shorter but the hugger gets longer. I agree that the bikes will be just as quick; remember these are prototypes and they are just a bit off compared to the 3 years(?) developed 990cc machines...not bad. Next years will be very interesting (again...)

[repoe3]

cool looking machine...as another person noted...buell-ish in proportions. definitely suits a small spaniard over an average american in size.

repoe3

[HugoVW]

If you see Pedrosa (who is SMALL) he looks BIG; I wonder how Nicky will fitt on the bike...

[Flatbutt1]

Jeez Val could be the new spiderman

[Kenyapret]

Has anyone heard anything new on Colin Edward's future?? The test times above were from the current 990cc right??

[Highlander179]

for reference:




I definately wanna see this bike back-firing flames out the exhaust

and burning Dani's leg off

[SergioK]

Originally posted by repoe3
those are some fairly large rear huggers. definitely a aero package thing.

What is the rear hugger supposed to do for these bikes? (besides prevent the kicking-up of tire marbles) Any aero advantage?

[HugoVW]

Gallery: http://www.motociclismo.it/edisport/moto/gallery.nsf/HfotoGrandeXGallery?OpenView&RestrictToCategory=Motegi,itestdellanuovaHonda800d aGP

[HugoVW]

Can't get the link to work...

[branners]

I asked Colin E about his future at PI and he said he should know something "in about a week". And that week is over now...
The intel is that Yamaha has offered him a seat with Tech 3 but he wants to stay with the lead team. At the very least, he wants to stay on Michelins because Dunlop do not quite seem to be strong from the 3-point line yet.
One of the perceived problems could be his size with the new 800s. Pedrosa really is small and even Stoner and Melandri are not ready for the NFL.
All the makers knock some HP off their 990s to make them more rider-friendly and the current benchmark is around 250 ponies. So, given that F1 engines pump out around 330hp/litre, an 800 is not going to that far behind the current big-bangers. Slower my hynie.

[SCOTTinNJ]

is this a dry clutch?

[rob_wijhenke]

I can't wait for next year's MotoGP season, this is going to be fun, alotoffun!!!

Anybody seen some more concrete specs, output, weight?

[HugoVW]

Weight is the same (3-cylinder-138kg, 4-148kg, 5-155.5 and 6-cylinder 163kg, all dry weight) power should be around 210hp (to start with)

Hugo