MotoGP All Race SPOILER for 2014 Season

nail24fac · 03-24-2014, 06:32 AM

If you have a MotoGP subscription and watched the debut of the 2014 season this past weekend, you were entertained with some great racing between the old guard and the new, interesting employment of the rules changes for this season and some surprising turn of events during the races.
Who would have thought that Jorge would be out prior to completing the first lap and that Rossi and Marquez would be dueling it out with one lap to go with Pedrosa close in trail. The weekend QP and qualifying we're also more exciting than in years past. I'm looking forward the Austin to see what gets sorted out with the tires, and setup issues after Losail gets digested by the teams. Rossi was the biggest surprise of the weekend for me. To see him in old racing form was a sight to behold. He still has an edge left on his blade. There was some carnage amongst the machinery; but, the riders left Doha with bones intact and maybe some bruised pride to race another day. This may turn out to be the return of the decade for Valle. The fans were sure with him.

Rapid Dog · 03-24-2014, 07:51 AM

...pretty good opening race.
Was great to see Vale' flustering the youngster.

RIQUE · RIQUE's Garage

I was cheering for Alvaro Bautista. I think he as a great bike compared to last years. He was top five all of the race and had he not fallen would have made podium.

Chris Canning · 03-24-2014, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIQUE

I was cheering for Alvaro Bautista. I think he as a great bike compared to last years. He was top five all of the race and had he not fallen would have made podium.

Bautista has always got the wrong end of the corporate stick with that bike the fact he does anything with amazes me.

flatbutt · 03-24-2014, 01:36 PM

I too was pulling for Bautista. I also thought Vale was riding superbly. But Marquez is quite good at exploiting those gaps in the corners. Fabulous opening round.

RIQUE · RIQUE's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I too was pulling for Bautista. I also thought Vale was riding superbly. But Marquez is quite good at exploiting those gaps in the corners. Fabulous opening round.

What amazes me is that he was using hard compound on the rear and was turning as if we was using super soft compound. Makes you wonder...

Supersteve · Supersteve's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIQUE

What amazes me is that he was using hard compound on the rear and was turning as if we was using super soft compound. Makes you wonder...

He managed to make the turns and exploit gaps but Rossi looked alot more comfortable than Marquez, perhaps he employs a much looser style..
Thrilling race to the end, I was shouting like a rugby supporter..

Chris Canning · 03-25-2014, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supersteve

but Rossi looked alot more comfortable than Marquez

Hardly suprising with a broken leg

nail24fac · 03-25-2014, 06:27 AM

Maybe the team shakeup for Rossi will prove to be a good thing. Aleix was looking real good for most of the weekend. Needs to work on qualifying performance, however. Any coments on spring vs pneumatic valve Honda performance?

As far as Jorge goes, I think he needed to wait for his tires to heat up before trying to lap the field on lap 1. He certainly knows better than to try to win Losail on the first lap.

throttlemeister · throttlemeister's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Canning

Hardly suprising with a broken leg

That was six weeks ago. At 20, that's fully healed after that much time. His muscles may not have been 100% up to strength! but eh sure as he'll wasn't riding with a broken leg.

Chris Canning · 03-25-2014, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throttlemeister

That was six weeks ago. At 20, that's fully healed after that much time. His muscles may not have been 100% up to strength! but eh sure as he'll wasn't riding with a broken leg.

MM only stood on it the week before the GP,fully healed after 6 weeks!!! yea right

Chris Canning · 03-25-2014, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nail24fac

Maybe the team shakeup for Rossi will prove to be a good thing. Aleix was looking real good for most of the weekend. Needs to work on qualifying performance, however. Any coments on spring vs pneumatic valve Honda performance?

As far as Jorge goes, I think he needed to wait for his tires to heat up before trying to lap the field on lap 1. He certainly knows better than to try to win Losail on the first lap.

My two weeks in California in January was motorcycle connected I was amazed when in conversation with a well know gent he very matter of fact said the Honda customer bike would be no where near fast enough even before the first test,which took me back a little to say the least,just shows the powers that be knew even then.

As for Lorenzo he tried to do what he's always done he just forgot that Bridgestone have pulled the rug from underneath him with the new tyre and he'll have to work that out,personally I'm intrigued to see how things pan out as Yamaha have brought in the two Espagaro brothers as insurance in case Lorenzo jumps ship.

bradzdotcom · bradzdotcom's Garage

he's not racing with a broken leg.
he's racing with a fixed leg.
used to broken.
now it's fixed.

sure it's a weak spot and is being eyeballed by the other riders like piranhas the day after Lent, but it's not like the leg is out there flapping in the wind, bent the wrong way.

i would guess that soon after the leg was un-broken (fixed) he worked hard on increasing his upper body strength to help compensate. looked to me like he lost the front (not the end of the world), but he didn't have the strength to catch it and pull it back (thus the end of his day).

on the other hand bautista seemed to suffer from "bone head" with his disney on ice impression. i imagine the team manager probably "fixed" that for him when he came back to the pits.
not sure what size wrench you use to fix bonehead, but its probably metric.

Rapid Dog · 08:04 AM

...someone's got their legs crossed here.
Rossi broke his leg like, what, 3 years ago?
It's MarqyMarq that's got the (correction) busted lower leg.
No matter, I was hoping the shakey lil moska wasn't going to do something stoopid to Vale' in the last lap.
Same goes for lil brother in Moto3...

Chris Canning · 03-25-2014, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

on the other hand bautista seemed to suffer from "bone head" with his disney on ice impression. i imagine the team manager probably "fixed" that for him when he came back to the pits.
not sure what size wrench you use to fix bonehead, but its probably metric.

People need to cut Bautista some slack he's been the only one with Showa suspension and Nissin brakes until his team mate turned up and everyone else use's Ohlins and Brembo which makes for a much easier life well as easy as you'll get riding a bike that's well on the way to 300hp

bradzdotcom · bradzdotcom's Garage

why should we cut any rider some slack because he rides (i assume involuntarily) with a particular brand of shocks or brakes?
so what?
guys race with sub-standard, below-the-best equipment all the time.
most of the field isn't on the best-est, most awesome-est bikes.

as the rider you don't get to pick brand components.
you get what they give you and you're paid to ride it.

Chris Canning · 03-25-2014, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

guys race with sub-standard, below-the-best equipment all the time.
most of the field isn't on the best-est,

Just shows your lack of understanding!! that bike is all but full factory(except brakes and sus) it's a dam sight closer too the Repsol Factory bikes than the Tech3 Yamaha's ever will be to the factory Yams.

So who do you know rides a factory bike in all but name but because a company is happy to sacrifice him change suspension and brakes,untill this year he has been on his own so there's been almost zero feed back,the fact he's getting paid for it a minor detail at this level they haven't bust their ass over the years just get the top level and then say F*** it I'll just take the money.

Maybe this year with two bikes(although not the same) there maybe some progress but with so much input from the Ohlins/Brembo brigade(everyone else) it will always be an uphill struggle.

bradzdotcom · bradzdotcom's Garage

i apoligize profusely for my lack of understanding.

apparently i'm a newbie, having only been in pro racing world since '72.
apparently i've got a lot to learn, and apparently you know it already.

doesn't matter. i can't understand most of what you wrote anyway.
must be the accent.

Rapid Dog · 03-25-2014, 02:06 PM

...if someone completely understands the New Rules then please 'splain (Chris).
I've read it, heard it multiple times, and am just starting to get it.
...but I think you pinned it as far as riders go, " F*** it I'll just take the money".
Not alot of seats out there in MotoGP, you get what you get....of course being from Spain doesn't hurt your odds...

nail24fac · 03-25-2014, 02:44 PM

Opinions and arsewholes, everyone still seems to have them. They had a pretty good primer on the rule as they apply to open vs factory class and the super extra special thumper class for the Duc. As long as the Duc places 4th and lower, they get three different rear tires to choose from while the "real" factory only get median and hard tires. I guess FIM couldn't afford to see the Italians pack their marbles and go slice Bologna.