Howza 'bout a 2019 WSBK Silly Season Thread...

Are you starting the list of people put into the gravel on lap one by Bautista?

 

Bautista was an animal on a 250. If he can get some of that fire back while on a competitive ride he is gonna surprise a bunch of people who have forgotten about him. Go back and watch some of his races vs Lorenzo and Pedrosa (Simoncelli was in there too I believe).

 

Honda won't do any better this year than they did last year.

 

"Camier, what are your impressions on the bike after your first test?"
Translated from PR speak to normal: "The bike sucks. We don't have a clue on how to fix it yet. I'm slower than last year. Hopefully we're in the top 15."

 

Hell, you don't even have to go that far. Look at what he did on the Factory Ducati when he was given the chance at PI last year.

Dude was definitely the most underrated rider in MotoGP last year and it's a shame he couldn't get a factory M1 in the Petronas team. He would've hurt A LOT of feelings on that bike.

 

Since I don't feel like creating a thread for the WSBK PI round, I will just put this here:

Pirelli sucks at making a race DOT tire that can last race distance on a WSS bike. OK that is a bit harsh, but they are going to make them do a pit stop mid-race at PI. There really is no reason for them to run Race DOTs. When track day riders and beginning amateur racers are on slicks, there really is no point in keeping the WSS bikes on DOTs. Put WSS on slicks and be done with it. That may not have solved this particular issue, but if the WSBK guys are going race distance on slicks, I am pretty sure the WSS guys could as well.

http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/2019/WorldSSP race in Australia to be run under flagtoflag rules

 

Agreed, that's retarded. Give them slicks and be done with it, no need to add more crap like pitstops.

Also, it is too early to expect Sykes to be fighting for the podium but if they get the right direction for development and work on making the rear tire last, Sykes will undoubtedly be on the podium at least a few times and might even win. We are talking about a brand new platform that he's never raced on before, so the fact that he is up there in testing is a good sign but the first 5 rounds should bring more light to the situation.

My podium:
Bautista
Haslam
Rea.

 

Bautista by 5 seconds.

 

Bautista didn't promote to 250's until 2007 -- two years after Dani. The years and people where he was mixing it up with aplomb were 07-09 (4th, 2nd, 4th) where Lorentho, Simoncelli, Barbera, De Angelis, Luthi and Aoyama were the main rivals. Some absolutely great racing back then.

 

I applaud your usage of "aplomb".

 

I wonder if the Euro market for DOT Pirellis is a bit different than here. in the US, it seems that everyone just uses the 180/60 slick on 600s cuz they know it's better.

 

The philosophy for DOTs is the same as it has always been in WSS, a bike that looks more like a regular street bike with it's treaded tires.

And a little bit for tread pattern development too.

 

and now the public is being shown that Pirelli street tires suck because they cant even do 11 laps. DOTs backfired.

 

I hate it when I'm wrong. I was WAY off. lol

 

The French commentators on Eurosport kept dropping hints that a Frenchman will join the series beginning at the Spanish round, riding for a Dutch team.

 

x 3

 

Is that code for Debise/Baz on Ten Kate? Suzuki?

 

I'm really loving the idea of an Italian and a Frenchman joining a Dutch team in Spain on Japanese equipment.

 

My first thought was Debise, then the race started and I realized that Baz wasn't in it and he became my #1 guess. The commentators had said that they had talked to the rider's manager in the paddock, and I know that Eric Mahé is often at the races.

 

Is it time to toss the stupid rpm rule?