This should be, I think, the most Spectacular year in MotoGP in recent history. Correct me if I am wrong. First, we head back to 1000cc engines, something that has been missing in the horsepower department. Then, We have changed riders in different team positions. Also, will Ducati make a come back to a front Row when Casey and Nicky dominated the field? Finally, will Honda with, Casey, Dani, and not Dovi, be the survivors of the 2012 MotoGP World Championship?. Give me your best estimation.

Not a betting man but Casey Stoner would get my wager.....still anything can happen in racing it wouldn't be exiting otherwise (pS I've defected from Sherco camp after a very frustrating year) all best mate..pps Iv'e finally started to get my head around DVD making and got our Corsica trials holiday done with hindsight ther's lots of things I could have filmed different ....if you want a copy pm me with details.

1 Stoner, 2 Lorenzo/Pedrosa, 3 Rossi/Spies

What a joke the CRT bikes are going to be, quickest is Edwards a full 3.2 seconds per lap slower than Stoner & thats after they managed to pick up 1.5 seconds through a fairly major change

If Carmen gets his way this will be the future of motogp & hopefully the manufacturers then set up a rival series running real race bikes again

I agree that GP bikes should be prototypes but didn't the Aspar bike get within a second or so of the lap record at Jerez?

It may have but the lap record will likely by a lot lower when the factory boys have been there, the tyres are different this year as well & this may be some of the reason

My wife is thinking about us going to Phillip Island again this year but I'm not sure how keen I am now that the 125s have been replaced with the 250 four strokes

Good point.....i'm with you,i know it's a generation thing but i can't help feeling that "real" race bikes should all be two stroke!

Is it just me or is anyone else wondering if ducati regret signing Rossi?

I don't know if they're regretting signing him, he still seems to get the most attention for them.

Bigger question is whether he regrets signing for them as apart from the huge amounts of money they pay him, his reputation as a development rider must be taking a hammering

I agree.I wasn't Rossi bashing, he's obviously very talented.I was thinking that if his stock hasn't fallen then Hayden's must have risen! Ducati aren't benefitting from the extra money they pay Rossi above what Hayden gets appart from the publicity, which is a double edged sword.

I agree.I wasn't Rossi bashing, he's obviously very talented.I was thinking that if his stock hasn't fallen then Hayden's must have risen! Ducati aren't benefitting from the extra money they pay Rossi above what Hayden gets appart from the publicity, which is a double edged sword.

Not sure the "publicity" is all that good. A follower of MotoGP knows how good Rossi is. That fact that he performs so poorly, on a Ducati, does not translate into a desire for me to own their bikes. Why would you want to go buy a Ducati when one of the best riders in the world cannot make it perform?

Worse for Ducati is his very public dislike for the carbon frame which is now used on the new panigale superbike. There is a interesting interview with Claudio Domenicali talking to Alan Cathcart where this is discussed, he commented that they may have gained some buyers through having Rossi riding for them but his comments on the carbon frame could have also cost them sales as well

But even with the new perimeter chassis he still complains of the same problem, nothing has changed from using the CF chassis to the new alloy one. Ducati are now stating that the frame is not the problem (they never actually said it was and I'll bet Preziosi is spewing about his CF frame being dumped)

They're now saying that the grip at the rear is pushing the front and this is due to the power delivery of the engine being too aggressive and they need to control it more with electronics (this is for the rider who labelled the current riders pussies and a bunch of 'playstation' riders that relied on electronic aids...)

I think that once the Panigale hits the race tracks more, any doubts about buying it because of handling issues will disappear, although anyone who thinks they are going to push one of those to the limits that cause the problems the Motogp bike has is most likely dreaming, it shouldn't be an issue.

Bayliss went seriosuly quick on it in testing and I watched a superstock race (support race in WSB) a couple of weeks ago with a Panigale out front having no handling issues at all.

At least the Superbikes have removed traction control

, launch control and anti-wheelie

Edited April 20, 201214 yr by bmseven

BSB has but not WSB