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“It’s not about the bike.”

September 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I don’t know if you’ve read Lance Armstrong’s autobiography with the above title. It’s a pretty harrowing read, actually, especially when it is detailing the after-effects of the chemotherapy he endured. What does come through is that his struggle, his recovery and his triumph in the Tour de France WASN’T about the bike, it was about the mental toughness that he exhibited in fighting and beating cancer.

I was reminded about this this morning when I noticed an excellent B&W shot of Livio Suppo on the Asphalt and Rubber web site. The story attached harks back to when Suppo was head of Ducati’s race effort back in 2007, the year they controversially signed Casey Stoner and then presided over his amazing world championship win. During that year, Suppo was constantly asked what it was about the bike that made it such a dominant force, and, time after time, Suppo told journalists that they hadn’t done anything that special with the bike, it was just the way that Stoner was riding it. Of course, he wasn’t believed. The international press found the idea of an upstart Australian with little MotoGp experience beating Valentino Rossi at his own game on skill alone to be altogether too unpalatable for words. So, his championship was decried with the dismissive, “Well, he had the best bike” aphorism (especially on American forums, it must be said)

Well, think back to that scenario now and ask yourself two questions.

1. WAS it just the bike? Or, was Suppo right when he consistently told the journalists that it was Casey’s riding that made the difference? Incidentally, if it WAS just the bike, why didn’t Casey’s team-mate do as well as he did?

2. Will the same journalists trot out the same crap again in 2011 when (if) Casey Stoner is crowned World Champion again at Phillip Island in a couple of weeks’ time? Already the TV commentators have alluded many times to how much better than everybody else’s bike the Honda has been this year. Will this be used as an excuse to belittle Stoner’s performance again? I am guessing that, in some quarters, it will be.

And, most importantly, do not we have being clearly played out before us every meeting the PROOF that it wasn’t just the bike? NOBODY has achieved any level of success on the Ducati EXCEPT Stoner. Not even Rossi, rightfully acknowledged as the Greatest of all Time, has been able to wrestle from the Italian beast the level of performance and consistent winning success that Stoner was able to achieve.

I’ll get down off my soap box now.

Overnight, the Gresini team announced that Marco Simoncelli has re-signed with the team for 2012, so that reduces even further the number of chairs left in the game. Over the next few weeks we should see the picture becoming even clearer.

Should John Hopkins win the BSB next weekend, he has been promised a wild-card at the season-ending GP at Valencia (I’m guessing it won’t make any difference if he doesn’t win, the ride’s been promised anyway)

Filed Under: News and Updates

Ups and downs

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A busy weekend in motorcycle racing although all of it off shore. In the Le Mans 24 hour race, Aussie rider, Damien Cudlin had to settle for 7th in the race after putting the bike on pole and leading for much of the first half of the race. ECU gremlins eventually put paid to the BMW France’s entry (when is BMW going to wise up and stop trying to develop their own, in-house, electronics?) Two more Aussies also did well, Steve Martin sharing the Yamaha Austria entry that finished 3rd and Cameron Donald sharing the TT Legends bike that finished 5th. Considering how huge endurance racing is in Europe, to have that many Aussies drafted in to top teams speaks wonder for our talent development here. Just wish we could get some fair dinkum endurance racing here. Oh, the race was again won by Kawasaki, but the Suzuki team extends its points lead in the championship by finishing 2nd.

In the BSB, Josh Brookes took a win and a 3rd, but John Hopkins on the Crescent Suzuki, despite recovering from finger surgery during the week, extended his points lead with only 3 races to go.  Aussie Glenn Richards, a long-term campaigner in the BSB, won the Evo Class.

In WSBK, Carlos Checa strengthened his grip on the 2011 title with a 3rd and a win at Imola, Castrol’s Johnny Rae bouncing back for a win in Race 1 after a dreadful season with injury. Haga rode well for an old bloke to score well on the Aprilia. Most of the talk in the paddock, however, concerned not when Checa would clinch the title, that seems to be a given, but what would be happening next year with some of the other teams. Francis Batta, of the Alstare Suzuki team, said that Suzuki will be making a decision on its involvement (or otherwise) in both WSBK AND MotoGp next weekend at Motegi and will announce their intentions there. However, he revealed that he had already been told that he should expect no direct factory support and that he will have to soldier on with 2011 bikes, raising the money for on-going development for himself. Given that the GFC looks like rearing its ugly head again at just the wrong time, don’t be surprised to see Suzuki pull the pin entirely on both teams. Despite saying that he’d never consider racing another brand of bike, rumours are circulating that Batta has been in talks with MV Agusta.

Yamaha’s position is similarly ambiguous. Despite having the runs on the board in the WSS, Parkingo officials have been told during the week that they will not be moving up to WSBK next year to run the Superbike squad. Whether this signals a more direct involvement from the factory for 2012 or a complete withdrawal, we are still in the dark.

After the PCRA meeting the weekend before last that was pretty low on entries, it is to be hoped that they pick up for this weekend’s final round of the series at Broadford Park, in Victoria. The old puffers (that’s the bikes, not the riders) certainly do turn on a good show and it will be worth the price of admission to see them wrestling the big bikes around the tight confines of the BP.

The latest rumour out of Italy is that Ducati’s test at Mugello during the week was very successful with Rossi equalling Stoner’s times set earlier this year on the similar 1000cc bike. Skeptics are quick to point out how ridiculous these claims actually are given that they are coming from the press rather than the team and given that the test was closed to everybody BUT the team. I’ll believe it when and if I see it.

My brake disks should be back this week and work is in progress lacing up the wheels. I am so close to a rolling chassis I can almost taste it.

This restoration business is infectious. I’m watching another project on ebay today!

 

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A pretty amazing 24 hours

September 24, 2011 By 2 Comments

As the title suggests, it’s been a pretty amazing day. Mostly all concerned with the Shadowfax project. First of all a member on KSRC (Kawasaki Sports Riders Club) suggested that we publish a list of things that we still need in order to be able to complete the project, so I posted back that we will need an exhaust system. Within half an hour a member from Qld posted that we could have the Kerker exhaust off his Z1R project as he had purchased a better one. All we needed to do was to pay freight. No sooner had that post been made than another KSRC member posted that he would pay the freight for us. Amazing. Here’s Dave’s bike and the exhaust system that he’s donated. You can see that it’s very close in appearance to the pipe that the bike originally sported (only much neater!)

Then, yesterday afternoon, I had a phone call from Kent Miklenda, one of the original riders of the bike and the guy who gave it to me back in 1995. We spoke for nearly 2 hours and he filled in huge amounts of detail about all sorts of areas, which I will document on the Shadowfax page.

Since then we have exchanged a raft load of emails and I have received a lot of pictures of all sorts of things, race posters, ticket stubs from the Coke, and this glorious B&W photo of the bike on the grid at Oran Park just before the race.

And, an exciting development has just arisen tonight that I can’t reveal because it’s not confirmed yet, but, if it comes off, it will make an enormous difference to the timing and completion of this project. Watch this space.

In MotoGp news, Loros Capirossi will miss next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix after re-injuring his already dodgy shoulder last weekend at Aragon. It’s turning into a nightmare last year of racing for the Italian veteran.

Carlos Checa could wrap up the WSBK championship this weekend at Imola and his task has been made considerably easier by the withdrawal from the meeting of Max Biaggi, still unable to ride after injuring his ankle at the last round.

Oh and Damian Cudlin’s team was fastest in this morning’s warm-up for the Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race.

Short and sweet tonight, talk to you tomorrow.

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900

September 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Yes, today is the 900th post that I have made since I started this site in August 2008, so I’d better make it a good one, eh?

First of all, thank you to my good friend, Edwin Haazer, for pointing out that I still had Nicky Hayden riding for Honda in my post yesterday. It’s a good thing somebody is proof-reading my stuff, eh? I have since corrected it.  Thanks also t my good friend, Gary Rooke, who has found the correct fuel tap that I need for the Kawasaki. The more I do this thing, the more I’m finding out that, if you want something, you just have to ask, someone will have it. Sooo, with that in mind, I need a set of 73mm pistons for the bike. 10.5:1 compression ratio or round abouts will do. I’ve been checking the online catalogues and they sell here for about a thousand dollars, a bit over my budget. I can rebuild with the existing pistons that are still in good shape, but new ones would make it crisper. Answers on a postcard as per usual.

Also, on the subject of oversights, I completely failed to note that last Monday, the 19th of September, was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Arrrr, I’ll be swabbing the deck for a week now.

Most importantly, however, I had my regular check-up with the doctor yesterday and he has given me clearance to go back to work after the 2nd of October, so I’ll be back on the boards, doing my causal thing, at the beginning of Term 4. Someone said that the time has sped by. Believe me, for me it hasn’t. This last 11 months has just crawled by.

Ducati Excuse # whatever it is. Valentino Rossi now says that the problem with the Ducati is that he is too tall and can’t get comfortable on the. He does have a point if you look at the size comparison between him and Casey Stoner, for example, but I find the explanation a little disingenuous at this stage of the season, given that he’s been riding the thing for nearly a year.

Underlying Honda’s commitment to the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi in a fortnight is the announcement that it will field 8 riders for the event. The existing 6 riders will be joined by two wildcards, their two test riders, Shinichi Ito and Kouske Akiyoshi. Ito will ride a s a proper HRC wildcard and Akiyoshi will ride a second LCR bike.

On the subject of wildcards, seven young Aussies have been granted entries to the 2011 Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. 4 have been selected by MA and the other three by the FIM. Five riders, Arthur Sissis, Nicky Diles, Josh Hook New Zealand’s Avalon Biddle and Alex Phillis (son of superbike legend, Robbie) will compete in the 125cc category while 2 riders, Blake Leigh-Smith and Kris McLaren will get rides in the Moto2 category.

Finally, a question was asked on one of the forums I inhabit about earplugs and listening to music while riding. I know I have shared this tip before, but it’s worth repeating.

Remove the plastic shield from a set of in-ear earphones. Hollow out the back of a set of foam earplugs and mate the two together. Cheap and effective. If the earplug stick out a bit too far, shorten them, then reattach. I used this solution for over two years and had nothing but praise for how it works. And, when the earplugs get a bit manky, you just throw them away and use a new set.

That’s about it for today. I’m heading off to the general meeting of the Post Classic Racing Association of NSW this evening. Some time ago they decided to take meetings “on the road” so to speak and they’re meeting in Wollongong tonight. Should be fun.

Filed Under: September 2011

GP crystal balling

September 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It’s not quite silly season yet, mainly because everyone is pretty well set where they are anyway, but let’s do a bit of crystal-balling, shall we?

Yamaha: Lorenzo and Spies will stay. Spies MUST lift his game, however, if he wishes to stay past 2012. Many are suggesting that the lift to 1000cc will make a difference, making the bike more like the superbike on which he won his world title. They’re kidding themselves. The MotoGp bike will be NOTHING like a WSBK, so I hope they’re not pinning all their hopes on that idea.

Honda: (HRC) 3 into 2 won’t go. Stoner and Pedrosa will stay. Dovi will go to one of the satellite teams (probably LCR – replacing the disappointing Elias) with a promise from HRC of increased factory support (similar to the deal on which Simo went to Gresini.)

Honda: (Gresini) Simo will stay and, despite talk that the disappointing Aoyama will be shown the door, that won’t happen, simply because Hiro is Japanese.

Honda: (LCR) Dovi’s home for 2012.

Ducati: Despite suggestions that Rossi is considering retiring and going to a new, FULLY factory Ducati team in WSBK, that won’t happen. Yes, it’s been a horror year, but we need to remind ourselves of just how much a fighter Rossi is. He will stay and use his considerable clout (plus the embarrassment that this year has been to his bosses) to force them to build a bike that DOES work and that CAN win races. Hayden? Well, he’s next to useless as far as riding is concerned; he’s only there because he’s an American and Ducati sells lots of bikes in America. Expect him to stay for one more year and then be shown the door.

Yamaha satellite: (Tech III). Edwards is already out of the frame, and yesterday’s announcement that Bradley Smith will stay with the outfit in Moto2 for one more year before going to MotoGp in 2013 on a 4 year deal, means that Edwards’s seat is up for grabs. Crutchlow will stay despite his seeming inability to come to grips with the demands of MotoGp (very similar to his British predecessor at the team, in fact).

Ducati satellite: Aspar. Barbera will stay.

Ducati satellite: PRAMAC. Capirossi is gone, RdP is struggling, but will probably stay. Who replaces Capirex?? The question is better asked as “Who would WANT to?” Ducati is the poisoned chalice at the moment and it’s one from which only the most ardent or desperate would want to drink. I’m not even going to guess who the “lucky” rider will be.

Ducati satellite: HB Karbon. Abraham has been the Ducati revelation of the season, completely confounding all those who said he was only there because his dad is a millionaire and can afford to buy him a team. Abraham will stay.

Suzuki: Well, who knows, really? I don’t think even the world’s greatest optimist, Paul Denning, knows. Latest talk is that they will stay, using the 800cc bike on which Bautista has been putting in some stirring rides of late. The hope is that, if sales and the economy picks up and Bautista continues to fly the flag well, Suzuki will decide to go ahead and produce a 1000cc bike.

CRT: well, Bradl’s outfit has already said that they won’t be proceeding with an entry and I expect the other teams to be thinking long and hard right now about whether they want to spend the money necessary to prop up the back end of the MotoGp field. One team must stay so that Edwards can have his promised ride, but the prospect of CRT actually working as DORNA intended is becoming increasingly gloomy.

SO, where does that leave the prospective MotoGp hopefuls?  Most significantly, what of Marc Marquez? Plainly he is being groomed for MotoGp and plainly the intention is sooner rather than later. And he is POSSIBLY ready, too. I couldn’t help but notice the astonishing similarity between his riding style on Sunday and that of Casey Stoner. The kid is a whizz and the temptation will be for Honda to do the expected thing and rush him into MotoGp in 2012 so that he can win (possibly) 3 world titles in 3 different classes in 3 consecutive years, as Rossi did.

BUT, Honda is cutting back (see above about Dovi). I think the Italian press would be livid if Dovi was cut at Repsol on supposedly economic grounds and then HRC miraculously “found” the funding necessary to slide Marquez into the factory squad. In fact, of course, they can’t because he would be a rookie and can’t ride for a factory team in his first year. If he does win the Moto2 title this year, and it probably doesn’t even matter if he doesn’t, expect to see Marquez in MotoGp in 2012, probably at LCR who will receive increased factory support to boost the team to a 2-bike outfit. Make no mistake, HRC want their big new star on the big stage and will pull out all the stops to achieve it.

So, there it is. Not many vacant seats and too many riders wanting to fill them. Musical chairs, anyone?

Filed Under: September 2011
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