Riding Style - 500 GP to MotoGP

been watching a lot of old race videos lately in the off season. Mostly old 500 GP racing.

Here’s the question. What if the 500 GP riders of old had the same riding style as the new guard today. With the old tires, bike technology, geometry, etc. would the new riding styles have improved the lap times back then. Or would the light switch 500 not allow that much angle, lean-off, etc. result in them landing on their heads.

 

If they tried dragging their elbows back in those days, they would lose edge grip and wreck instantly.

 

Better question would be, if you put Lawson, Roberts, Rainey, etc.., in their prime, on these dumbed-down fourstrokes, how much faster would they be than the current racers?

 

I doubt it.

If this guy could do it 15-20 something years ago on a street bike with street tires I'm sure those guys could do it on a 500GP bike with race slicks.




Not to mention I think it has ALOT more to do with their body positioning and technique than it does lean angles and the lean angle capability of their tires.

If Alex and Mick were employing more modern BP practices they'd easily be able to drag an elbow.

 

Schwantz was the original lunatic!

 

The Euros tried going lower and a few dragged elbows, especially the French.

There's a reason you don't read about French 500cc champs. They were so busted up after a few races or are still in orbit around Uranus.

 

Very impressive, who is this behemoth?

 

It was bike and equipment technology that dictated the riding style and still true today. As the riders push toward wanting to get something different out of a bike is when they start developing the changes.

 

One of the French blokes DaveK mentioned, Jean Phillippe Ruggia, on a 250 and a 500.

 

I'm just saying the RC211V is the best sounding GP bike EVER.

EVER.


FOREVER.

 

Fail.

 

and KR senior would agree with you. I;ll go further, the Honder RC211V was the best road racing motorcycle ever.

851? 888? Britten? 1986 GSXR750? Moriwaki GS1100? RC30? RC211V!

RS750 is the greatest Dirty Track bike ever.

There, I gave Honder two things. Their pushy mower suck.

 

Traitor. Lousy no good Benedict Arnold.
We will find you when you least expect it and boil you in A747.

 

Yes. RC211V crushed everything else.

 

When KR is given RC211 motors and he puts it in his frame and it almost wins races, there's something there. Hate to admit it but that tractor engine was the shit.

 

Christian Sarron had some nice sky shots...

 

They wouldn't.

 

Isnt Rossi the last of the old 500 riders?

 

I think the younger generation of riders brought different styles...old guard either assimilated or got left behind. Just look at Rossi’s riding style now vs early 2000s