Race One of WSB has BMW to within .5 sec of absolute Track Record! Track.

Dr. Curve · 12:23 PM

After all the nay saying about BMW not being able to get up on top...........how about this past weekend's race (Phillips Island) which allowed a BMW into 2nd place in Race one! Not only that.......but the BMW posted a top lap time that was only one half of a sec less than the absolute track record which was set this very last weekend by the great Aprilla V4.

Anyone else think, like I do, that this year we will see the BMW team use what they learned last year and get at least one outright win during the coming season..........perhaps even more. Thoughts??

Chris Canning · 02-27-2012, 12:32 PM

You must have watched a different race from me!!,I saw(as usual) an Aprillia motor by everyone else as though they were going backwards with Biaggi in the second race ride from dead last to second place

But please do your home work before blowing the BM trumpet 'What they learned from last year',I'll tell you what they learned from last year and that is they don't know what the hell they are doing and to employ people that do,that includes ditching their rubbish traction/software control and buying it in like other race teams you get better results that way

,BMW are learning!! just looks like they want to do it the hard way.

Oh!! in normal life half a second it's nothing,in race track terms it's looooong way.

Deans BMW · 02-27-2012, 01:12 PM

Curve, BMW is definitely doing a little better so it seams.

I think it is great, two thumbs up.

1%er · 02-27-2012, 02:20 PM

I was wondering when the pelican hammer would drop on Curve's statement and Chris did the reality check. BMW missed the boat at the inception when they took the I'll build my own database approach. Having that big ass engine isn't enough to ever bring home the championship. They are destined to be day labor and a bridesmaid at best. They'll keep pouring $$'s down the drain until the suits tell them it over.

roger albert · 02-27-2012, 04:00 PM

I laud that they tried to do it themselves. The problem is just that they've failed. They're closer, and a fluke set of circumstances _could_ see Melandri maybe win one, but it is going to require some misfortune, of the simultaneous variety, for others. Biaggi and Checa still have the best packages, and Honda, especially given their long-stroke/small-bore motor, are doing surprisingly well. They'll have to learn to manage the tires a bit better. Would like to see Sykes do more with the Kawi, but don't know much about that effort. BMW is still stinking it up, but, the ARE improving.

Toronto R1100S · 02-27-2012, 05:34 PM

But what a great season opener...Checa tasted the gravel in R1 but 'bounced' back for race 2...brave or what. Biaggi, and that Aprilia, were sensational.
Lets give credit to at least 4 different bikes changing it up - unlike the late 90's when if you weren't on a Ducati you may as well stay home. It's good to see Kawa, Honda, Aprilia (top bike) and of course the Bimmer mixing it up.
And Haslam racing with a screwed Tibia...ballsy Brit! Just like his dad!

Guyf · Guyf's Garage

I sure hope Melandri makes the podium more often; so we get to see his girlfriend even more....

Dr. Curve · 02-27-2012, 06:12 PM

Same scabs, different day. I did not say that BMW "BEAT THE WORLD" or that they are going to destroy the other bikes and riders with their rear end smoke. I said that one of the BMW's came within .5 of a sec of the "Record Lap Speed For the Phillips Island Course" and that is exactly what the BMW team did. Were their others? Check and see which bikes turned a time of 1:32.224 or better........the Aprilla did......and how many others, if you care. I suggested that BMW will win at least one race this year and I think they will. What is wrong with you Chris? You seem to simply want to downplay BMW...........so go ahead.........but don't come down on me from afar. I have stated nothing that is not true, postive, and revelent. Go to another forum if you don't care for BMW and leave this one to people who enjoy it when their favorite bikes do well. How did the ENGLISH made bikes do? If everyone over the pond knew as much as you they should be able to build a "world beater." AS IF. BMW learned a lot last year. They, in their own way, are trying to correct their mistakes and continusly re-adjusting their bike. They started the season with a second in one race and a fifth in the other.................THIS IS GREAT NEWS.......and there is nothing you or any other naysayer or "wish-they-were," can do about it. Bravo BMW and their WSB effort.

Martin Glasser · 02-27-2012, 06:15 PM

I read the BMW of Atlanta December newsletter and see there is luggage available for the S1000RR. Tour it on Monday race it on Sunday Go BMW! Channeling Pridmore....

flatbutt · 02-27-2012, 06:16 PM

Stick to your guns Doc. Some people just cannot see the joy in anything.

SMSTEVE · 02-27-2012, 11:38 PM

+1 on GO BMW! My buddies all give me crap for riding a BMW, but who cares what they think, I really enjoy my BCR.

I too see a win for BMW in the cards this year, if everything lines up just right. Damn if that Aprilia isn't just a freakin' rocketship with Biaggi on board. Must bug the crap outta guys on the straights as he just motors on by. Checa's got stones too, after that round 1 crash he came back and did what he did most of last year, checked out and never looked back.

Either way I'll cheer for BMW and the others too, especially the Kawi's since I own one of those as well. But if the racing is great that's enough for me, I'm all about enjoying the race for the race itself!

Chris Canning · 02-28-2012, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Curve

Same scabs, different day. I did not say that BMW "BEAT THE WORLD" or that they are going to destroy the other bikes and riders with their rear end smoke. I said that one of the BMW's came within .5 of a sec of the "Record Lap Speed For the Phillips Island Course" and that is exactly what the BMW team did. Were their others? Check and see which bikes turned a time of 1:32.224 or better........the Aprilla did......and how many others, if you care. I suggested that BMW will win at least one race this year and I think they will. What is wrong with you Chris? You seem to simply want to downplay BMW...........so go ahead.........but don't come down on me from afar. I have stated nothing that is not true, postive, and revelent. Go to another forum if you don't care for BMW and leave this one to people who enjoy it when their favorite bikes do well. How did the ENGLISH made bikes do? If everyone over the pond knew as much as you they should be able to build a "world beater." AS IF. BMW learned a lot last year. They, in their own way, are trying to correct their mistakes and continusly re-adjusting their bike. They started the season with a second in one race and a fifth in the other.................THIS IS GREAT NEWS.......and there is nothing you or any other naysayer or "wish-they-were," can do about it. Bravo BMW and their WSB effort.

I see within 2 posts you have managed to reduced the thread to your normal blinkered 5 year old level and in that case wear were the American bikes and American teams for that matter.

At the risk of a more grown up approach,BMW thought that THEY could re-event the wheel with an approach that only the Germans can do!!!,it's taken 3 years to work out that others actually do know better hence why they finally dumped the software and bought it in,like everyone else,it's not a case of me having a downer on BMW,it's called a reality check,Kawasaki and Honda have the same problem of getting an inline 4 to preserve it's tyres till the end of the race,it will be interesting in years to come who blinks first,will Honda go for a V4 or the others do a Yamaha??.

All 3 teams have narrowed the gap,BMW still has more motor than the other 2 and as you could see at the end of race 2 Kawasaki has better software,sorry for introducing another dose of reality but if you don't run a twin or a 4 cylinder engine that runs like a twin the prospects of winning a world superbike championship are slim at best,as you can see it's still possible to win with an under powered over weight twin.

signit98 · 02-28-2012, 04:24 AM

Chris, while I agree with everything you say, it is also a wasted effort in the direction you are aiming. As usual, you are VERY WELL informed.

It is (or may be to some) a joyful event to see a BMW jump from it's usual placement to the front (or at least reasonably close) but it has none or nearly no merit. Their personnel politics, lack of cohesiveness and inspiration, combined with their stubbornness... it'll eternally prevent them from becoming a team to be reckoned with... no matter how hard Haslam or Melandri will ride.

If they don't change their ways, they won't change their place.

Hail to the Pom-Pom Section!

Martin Glasser · 02-28-2012, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Stick to your guns Doc. Some people just cannot see the joy in anything.

I'm a Fan..

roger albert · 02-28-2012, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by flatbutt View Post
Stick to your guns Doc. Some people just cannot see the joy in anything.

And still others prefer reality and intelligent discussion, especially on a technical forum, over blind pom-pom waving fan-boy-ism. Especially when it devolves further into idiotic flag-waving, such as the ridiculous and wholly irrelevant part of the doc's response asking how many English bikes were involved (when of course non of we American's bikes were involved either). And then suggesting the poster, Chris, should perhaps go elsewhere. The Dr. is free to heed his own advice.

Being realistic is not necessarily not seeing joy.
A more adult version of joy involves understanding, and learning more, and rationale discussion.

So, if anything, I encourage Chris to stick to his guns.
Thanks for injecting some reality here.

And yes, I wonder which, if any of the manufs will blink, in the engine architecture wars. BMW's entry is interesting, in that it was very modern in some ways, but also a bit like the old saw about "generals always want to fight the last war" They introduced a very modern valvetrain and intake/exhaust path in general, but in a very old, perfected (almost) by the Japanese architecture. They also tried the latest (again, laudable) software, but showed that latest wasn't necessarily best) Their path has been a bit of a dichotomy.

Kawi seems to have done best in new software to manage the old architecture (tire wear wise) Pretty impressive.

Honda's tuners are impressive too, getting a LOT of power out of a (relatively) long-stroke, slow-revving motor.

Ironic that the only L4 motor, Yam, is the one no longer AT-ALL in the championship.

Will be interesting to see the season unfold.

BMW could theoretically do at least as well as Kawi in the software improvements, and mix it up with Honda and Kawi a LOT, and the Italians a little. I hope so. I may not put on the cheerleader skirts that Jim so likes, but I AM a fan and hope BMW continues to improve. And Haslam was impressive, given the wreck just before the race this week. Will be interesting to see how he and Melandri, with their VERY different backgrounds, compare.

NakedRider · 02-28-2012, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guyf

I sure hope Melandri makes the podium more often; so we get to see his girlfriend even more....

The true secret to BMW's success this past weekend. A switch in riders and rider support.

Martin Glasser · 02-28-2012, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger albert

So, if anything, I encourage Chris to stick to his guns.
Thanks for injecting some reality here.

.

hEY Its a conversation-they are more interesting when there is tension.

1%er · 02-28-2012, 07:09 AM

Marco is certainly a top notch rider and last weeks performance would probably be a credit to his skills. That being said, BMW's go it alone start has put them in the hole and they probably know it. As the moderator so adeptly points out, the other constructors are not waiting at the next turn for BMW to rejoin the pack. Nor should they wait for the German bike. It's still a question of getting the massive power to the rear tire to a point that does trash the tire 11 laps into the race. Good Doctor you can wish them to the top of the podium like a Disney film. I'm happy they are still around trying; but, reality does drive my train. The Germans will have to overcome themselves before they can overcome the rest of the field. This is probably going to be a fish or cut bait year for them. If Marco walks away at the end of the season (I think he'd like to be back in MotoGP) BMW's options will dwindle. Life is tough-racing is tougher.

Chris Canning · 02-28-2012, 07:09 AM

What concerns me is the fact that BMW have been a major injection of new blood in WSB,their bull in a china shop approach may not have brought great results but has added to the circus so to speak,now I guess a sale's guy in Germany could make a very good arguement that the race team helps sell RR's and thats what it's all about,I'd suggest there's been a dam sight more RR's sold than Aprillia V4's so do BM need to win the world championship!!

But BM have been big(very) spenders how long will they go on hammering their heads against a brick wall,are the better results to come?? without doubt Milandri's ride was very promising,but just like Suzuki how long will BM go till they think 'We've had enough of this' and in the long run we'll all be losers,I'd like to see BMW turn over Ducati and Aprillia for no other reason it makes the series more exciting,but I can't e'm doing it with an inline 4,as interesting as it would be if they did!!,which brings us back to the fact as long as the RR is selling does it matter.

Martin Glasser · 02-28-2012, 08:54 AM

I think simpleton that I am that i see the problem.

Chris Canning assumed getting a Win is everything, that is the point of it all isn't it-he thinks.

Curve and actually myselfsee that competing on the same level is great- shows sportsmanship develops technology. we don't need to wait for the result; existentially here and now is delightful, a quantum leap from boxer and pushrod air cooled engines were ten years ago.