Hayden to WSBK on Honda

so it seems

 

The top WSBKs have posted respectable times, not very far off the MGPs....of course it's way too early to be hopeful but I'm beginning to wonder about the gap between the two venues. Are Pirelli's that much better than Michelin's?

 

Pirelli Q is an amazing tire. Also, the WSBK have a lot more experience with the tires which have been 17" for a few years now. This is the first year of 17's for MGP.

The biggest difference is that the Pirelli Q will give up the ghost after 2 laps tops, that Michelin will last a race.

 

it sounds like the Michelin rear is an amazing tire. it might have comparable grip to the Pirelli Q rear and last the race like Focker said ^.

but who knows about the Michelin front. we knew the Bridgestone front was light years ahead of the Pirelli front. but the Michelin front might only be comparable to the Pirelli front or even worse.

 

Ya'll realize that we're so early into development in Michelin + new Electronics in GP and WSBK with Nicky that this is just idle off-season talk.

Right?

-jim

 

the off-season would be so boring w/out wild speculations

 

Don't ruin it!

 

My apologies.

It just drives me nuts sometimes. And it's part of my relatively unpaid job.

-jim

 

They homologated new electronics in 2015 (Cosworth with full split throttle bodies), however they had to start the season on the 2014 electronics as they had limited time to get the new system up to speed. The new electronics with a proper support staff should be quite good (which I believe Nicky has already commented on in the press release)

This was a good article from 2014 regarding some of the electronic strategies being used, and pay particular attention to the last couple paragraphs.

http://www.mcnews.com.au/wsbk-electronic-development-turning-a-four-into-a-twin/

 

Great article that was

 

I assume Kawi's been using a system like that for a while now in WSBK. I remember them mentioning that their traction control on the ZX-10 cuts out 2 cylinders as needed and you can very easily hear the thing burbling off the corner sounding almost like a twin.

 

I can't find the dutch article I read a few months ago that basically said Honda promised a new motor with 15-20 more horsepower to Hayden in the upcoming CBR update, but that it would be based on the current chassis. Anyhow, it didn't get reported anywhere else until now. I'm just ignoring all the V4 talk in this article. I'll believe that when I see Chaotic with mis-matched rims on his bike.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2015/december/honda-plan-superbike-double/

 

Nicky is a little worried about the Kawasakis...

http://www.crash.net/wsbk/news/225615/1/hayden-its-starting-to-feel-like-my-bike.html

 

He needn't worry. He won't be seeing much of them.

 

Shots fired.

So Hayden is on a 1+1 contract with Honda. If he turns heads and gets an offer from another competitive team after this season (Ducati, for example), what does he do? As much as I would love to see him with a competitive factory in WSBK, I can't help but feel like he wants to end his career as a Honda man and become an ambassador for them. Am I the only one?

 

I hope he does too. He is a great Honda ambassador for sure. I hope he stays with Honda and helps them develop the new 2017 bike.

 

You want your old name back or do you want to keep this one? If you want the old one back, what was it?

 

It's not like that hasn't happened with a Ducati before..............(wait for it)

 

How the fuk are the Ducati's legal with a lower fairing like that, and no where for oil to be contained if if if- Dam I would still kill to race one though, after racing the Twin Britten years back