I meant to put a at the end of that line. So--

2 more meeting to define the rest of the specs for the new liter motoGP class. I wonder if a control ECU is in the cards. That'd be nice, they could get rid of the crazy corner by corner gps fuel and TC mapping.

They should still get rid of electronics, that would cut the cost and show us the best motorcycle racer and not the best software engineers. A move to 1 litre is going in the right direction though.

Andy

Some would argue electronics have a place in prototype racing

An excerpt:




Indeed.

Long term though, it would be better if WSBK was 'demoted' to a more Superstock format with lots of electronic gizmos which benefit bikes in the showrooms as well, and motoGP emerged as one -unchallenged- prototype series which showcases the talent of rider more than the programmers. Truly, it is going to be ideal for both series. Although getting this through to WSBK promoters is going to be impossible, talk about castrating a lion.

I think motoGP should have electronics gadgets, such as traction control, launch control, wheelie control, fly by wire, ect. What I'd like to see go away is the corner by corner maps for all the gadgets, one track one map. With the current electronics it's possible to get it so right that it's hard to battle because everyone is right on the limit everywhere. If they were limited a bit we'd see more compromises and maybe the teams would be better in different parts of the track, allowing more passing, better battles.

always a good read by Noyes

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/mot...pid-part-1//P1/

Another video from Yamaha

You Tube Link

Kawasaki pulls out of the AMA

Link

It's not looking good for the AMA. I'm close to hoping for total failure for DMG in order for proper racing to be reborn. I'm not there yet, but I'm close.

John Hopkins back to MotoGP? Linky here
A 3 cylinder machine? Hope this time around he does not go about breaking every bone in his body.

Davide Tardozzi To Join BMW's WSBK Team?

I just don't think this guy 'has it'. First he comes out and says that once again he'd be fine with not winning the title. Now he reveals that he came close to quitting.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80669

The only thing I can read into those statements is he might not be able to fight through adversity to win the title. If things go smoothly I think he could win the title, for sure.

I find his honestly refreshing, I'm becoming a fan.

He only needs to wait for Rossi to retire ;)

Fantastic card you have there Andrew. Merry xmas and happy new year to you and the Mrs and to all the moto fans here

Lorenzo is full of it. He must be a wus to have ever considered quitting.

As for his titles aspirations, downplaying himself is his trademark mind game.

Merry X-mas to you all.

Yeah, after losing to Rossi at the last corner in Catalunya this year, first thing he did was wave to the crowd in a sort of I'm-happy-we-could-put-on-a-show-for-you kinda way. Compared to Biaggi or Gibernau, he seems to be treating Rossi as Greatest Of All Time first, and rival second. He himself is acting the role of heroic underdog/potential usurper, instead of someone out to prove he's better than Rossi ever was. It's fascinating, seeing two huge racing egos trying to coexist in the same team; but so far things have been 100% clean. Which is more than you can say for Rossi's rivalries with Biaggi and Gibernau.

Great card

Happy Holidays and all that

Edmondson out at AMA... is there still time to save it?

No.

Roger Lee Hayden joins Pedercini Kawasaki for 2010 season

Road racing in America is going to go through some really tough times... Actually, with Spies and Mladin out, and the economy causing havoc with MotoGP and WSBK entry lists, even a united AMA Pro would've taken a pretty heavy hit. It doesn't make sense for international motorcycle manufacturers not to be racing in America, though; when the economy recovers they'll be back in some shape or form. With Edmondson gone, that could still involve AMA.

With the prize money situation, does anyone know what the grids are going to be like in the Superbike class this year?

As far as I know right now, I think the only true factory effort will be from Yamaha. Sad.

I expect the grids to be very small. No tire money anymore, OEMs aren't paying shit, and no prize money outside of the top 3, and even that is chump change. So, Yamaha, Yosh, Jordan with Yates and Zemke,Pegram(?) and John Page. Aussie Dave is out, I think the rest of the top private guys will be out too. They'll probably be in WERA, AFM, and CCS ect. chasing money. DMG never wanted to run 1000's, they've been pretty effective in killing them off

Good for Rog getting the ride in WSB. Not a top team, but better than anything over here right now.

Just a quick note for Australian 500cc viewers. ONE HD had a replay of a race from 92 in what i think is going to be a regular series of "classic" races from the past.Interesting stuff.Doohan,Rainey,Schwantz,Lawson... Fingers crossed for more.It was on at 9pm Sunday.Check your local guides ;)

That's the real deal. If you have a chance, record it please

Are you actually Anthony Gobert?

About time! I've been waiting for them to do a season review of MotoGP/WSBK/F1, but more than happy with classic races.

By some perverse logic Roger Edmondson was convinced that chasing money from Buell/Harley Davidson and the tepid interest of European factories (Aprilia, Ducati, BMW, Triumph) was more important than keeping the big four happy to be in AMA. 'We aren't in the business of selling motorcycles', and literally lying to the OEM's by promising a set of rules and then weeks later after committing to a season is not a way to generate trust.

Those OEM's that he bashed are the people who sponsor many of the events that keep the series going. Don't give me that garbage about the Nascar marketing machine and finding new non-motorcycle sponsors. They have done jack squat to find new revenue and managed to piss away all of what they used to have.

I think what happened in Miller (organizing the Larry Miller invitational) may be the tip of the iceberg... it may make more sense for an individual track or promoter organize a race rather than have to deal with the stooges from DMG. At least they can be the ones responsible when some idiot puts their freaking foot in their mouth.

It's just really sad... I see that the DMG mentality has extended to Canada too... for 2010 the Yamaha R1 will not be homologated for use in the series. Why? Because to be involved in the series you need to be a sponsor... so privateers that want to run a Ducati or R1, good luck!

Frankly, the club racing in my local area is better organized than that sh*t show.

For bonus points, can you name the common denominator between Canadian Superbike and DMG?

Hmmm, well the Canadian Superbike series seems to run fewer rounds each year. Down to 4 rounds now I think. So the common link would be that they're falling down a well and Lassie aint gonna go get help.

Neil

Beanie,

Colin Fraser. Roundly criticized for missing AMA rounds because he was doing double duty. For those who don't know, he is the guy that *attempted* to explain the pace car debacle at Laguna that could have killed a rider.

Ding ding ding! (I knew you'd know, BTW--I was just playing. )

I was sat in that press conference at Laguna. What a cluster. Kevin Schwantz's eloquence in the midst of his epic fury was something to behold.

It is a shame about the championship in the USA, I can't imagine it will go completely, more likely to be reborn at some point.

Happy New Year to all, hopefully 2010 will see some good racing. Really looking forward to seeing how the new guys do in MotoGP and also WSB looks once again to be very interesting.

Andy

Scott Redding is poised to sign for the Moto 2 Marc VDS Racing Teams headed by former factory Kawasaki boss Michael Bartholemy

What do you guess?

Now all we need is a Mat Mladin impersonator.

Yeah, or Mick Doohan

Mladin and Doohan worked their asses off and made the most of thier talent. How does that relate to Anthony Gobert?

Agree 100%.Gobert is a funny party guy who is very talented on a bike but gee he pissed a couple of chances away by being a total idiot.Drugs and goofing off cost him dearly.

Oh BTW on ONE HD this Sunday 9.00pm Classic GPs 500s from 1992 at Donnington Park.

Excellent. Thanks for the heads up wiligates.

Because Mat Mladin likes Anthony Gobert less than maybe any other bike racer in the world. They had a pretty bitchy rivalry back when they were in Australia, at least on Gobert's side. Also Mladin kinda scares me.

Tardozzi confirms switch to BMW World Superbike squad

I've heard gossip that Mladin didn't like Spies too. Why???

I mentioned Doohan, cause Gobert couldn't get along with him and Mladin. Great character though.

A pretty excellent article from Dean Adams about Mladin. It dates from 1997, but arguably his career-defining, or at least career-setting, moment -- his season with Cagiva in 1993 -- had already been and gone and been made peace with. The rest, as they say, was history.

Great article! Give's a better insight into Mladin. Too bad that AMA is not on television here in Europe. There are some awesome tracks like Road America overthere.

Colin & Alyssia Edwards Have a New Baby Girl