[MOHillbilly]

I'm waiting to see how it all goes in the actual race scenario. Tire management being the usual number one focus. Suzuki has always been good at it, but we'll see how the added power plays out. As we've seen many times before, fast quali pace doesn't always translate to fast race pace (or duration). The Yamahas are in a bit of trouble at this time, but Doha is a fast track that lends well to big power, and a lot of other tracks aren't so much. We'll see.
Also watching Moto2 and a certain (very) young Spaniard who walked in from Moto3 and is doing very well right off the first lap. If he holds it together and continues to progress at his current rate, in a couple years Pedro Acosta is going to be a big thing..

 

[MOHillbilly]

That was a very good season opener in all three classes! Now it's on to Mandalika in two weeks.

 

[MOHillbilly]

Millers, electronics got 'lost' during Sunday's MotoGP.
I know the bikes electronics plays a huge role in Motogp, however, after reading this article
how these bikes are tuned to every track, corner-by-corner "so that, for example, 50% throttle during a change of direction will provide a different level of power to 50% throttle on the main straight." was eye opening. Lots more electronics/gps tracking on parts of the track than I realized!

Jack Miller forced out as bike 'gets lost', becomes 'foreign'

Jack Miller's factory Ducati gets 'lost' during the Qatar MotoGP; 'Over the back part of the track it would give me a massive burst of throttle, then I'd almost get run up the arse out of the last corner'.

www.crash.net

The GPS thing has been going on since the 990 days. I remember an article talking about Rossi's ability to put the front tire on the same centimeter of pavement in a particular corner for 5-6 laps straight (GPS aquired info). And, the GPS/mapping has been a problem for other riders in the past. During the 800 period, I remember a couple times the GPS loosing it's position on the track and doing pretty much the same as Miller's bike did. There is also a mass of data acquisition stuff onboard. You hear them talking about the "telemetry". After any given session, they plug the bike in and download the full black box file of everything the bike/rider did during the whole session. It's how they do the majority of the mapping/setting up of the bike. There is also the old saying, "if your telemetry is telling you one thing and your rider is telling you something else, listen to your rider". The telemetry gives hard data, but it can't set in the chair waving it's hands around making gestures and sounds giving the biological fine point input as to what that data actually means..

 

[MOHillbilly]

From mid pack crisis in Qatar to pole in Mandalika.. Indonesian MotoGP, Mandalika - Full Qualifying Results
And Rins on fire..

 

[MOHillbilly]

Watched the race then went back and watched the warm up. That MM93 high side was something straight out of the 500 era..😮

 

[MOHillbilly]

Season is starting off to be an interesting one. The factory Ducati dominance predicted at the end of last season isn't coming to pass at all. Honda floundering, Yamaha totally dropped the ball by not doing something about the power deficit. Suzuki is there, but "there" is all. Satellite bikes, KTM, and now the Aprilia seem to be where it's at so far.

 

[MOHillbilly]

Suzuki is fourth in the constructors so far with 37 points. Behind Ducati (61), KTM (55), and Aprilia (45). But they're ahead of Yamaha (35) and Honda (24). Still early in the season though, see how it all stands at the summer break.

 

[MOHillbilly]

Cameron Beaubier on pole in Moto2. Great to see an American up front on the world stage.. Austin Moto2 Grand Prix, COTA - Qualifying Results

 

[MOHillbilly]

Duc, Duc, Duc, Duc, Duc, then there's Fabio on the Yamaha, the two 'Zuks, and MM93 down in 9th..

Austin MotoGP, COTA, Texas - Full Qualifying Results

Full Qualifying results and grid line-up for the Austin MotoGP at the Circuit of the Americas, round 4 of the 2022 world championship.

www.crash.net

 

[MOHillbilly]

That's a great shot on the billboard. Spies on the Yamaha, with Rossi and Nicky right behind him on Ducati's. Bit of a time capsule there.

The Ben Spies time was strange to say the least. Won 3 titles in AMA Superbike, went to WSBK and easily won the title, went to MotoGP and it all fell apart. Did pretty good for a couple seasons (even won a race), but then started crashing and getting hurt. Some weird failures too. Swing arm broke at Laguna (swing arm on a factory MotoGP bike just broke??) Brakes over 1000 degrees in the first 2-3 laps of another race? Crashes and injuries to follow, then getting shunted off to the career ending capital of the time, Ducati..
Don't like to be a conspiracy theorist, but watching it all at the time, got the feeling that Ben was never really wanted in MotoGP. Yamaha went with him, but when he got too close to the front, the end was placed..

 

[MOHillbilly]

In the mean time Danilo scored at his first attempt.

That was good. Be great if someone could bring it to Gagne this year.

 

[MOHillbilly]

Rins, and any other rider without a contract signed and in pocket for next year had better produce. There are already rumbles of a certain very talented Yamaha rider likely on the move for 2023..

 

[MOHillbilly]

Found this video, great breakdown so far of the 2022 Motogp.
Sh$t, video is restricted. If interested google
What We've Learned So Far in 2022 | MotoGP

Geez, it's even a share blocked link on YouTube.

 

[MOHillbilly]

There was some form of uproar in a lot of classes and series this weekend. The Moto2 thing with Joe Roberts getting the unexpected win, Toprak and Rea coming together in WSBK, Gagne and Petrucci trading DNFs in MotoAmerica. Still haven't seen the second MotoAmerica SBK race and the Twins Cup. Something about them holding the SBKs on the line for so long Petrucci's bike overheated. See all that tomorrow I figure.

 

[MOHillbilly]

Thank you! Strange that it's on Youtube but not on the (paid) MotoAmerica site (at least not the last time I checked an hour or so ago). Got the qualifiers, but not the race yet.

 

[MOHillbilly]

Looking like Suzuki may be pulling the MotoGP plug at the end of the season.. Suzuki to quit MotoGP World Championship at the end of this season?
And this isn't biding well for Suzuki as a continuing motorcycle manufacturer at all.. Interesting Notes From Suzuki’s Annual Report – SuperbikePlanet

 

[MOHillbilly]

It would be sad if Suzuki folded as a motorcycle manufacture. Its a good thing that there will be plenty of used sv parts for 100's of years!

In the notes from superbikeplanet
"Suzuki’s “King Quad” ATV is basically the same machine that the other manufacturers offered in the early 2000s."
"Suzuki’s 2022 GSX-S1000GT “Grand Touring” bike has an engine that has been in the Suzuki line-up since 2005."
This goes for most of Suzuki's bikes. While many of the other manufactures are coming up with new models, Suzuki is like a turtle giving everyone the middle finger.

And here in my part of the world (Springfield MO area) you can't find a new Suzuki motorcycle for sale anywhere. All brands are scarce (especially given the one large Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Triumph, Indian dealership looks to have closed), Suzuki are non existent. Have to go to St Louis, Kansas City, or out of State to get one. I wondered back in 2020 how they would fare, we'll see..

 

[MOHillbilly]

MM93 heading to the Mayo Clinic for more arm surgery after the Italian GP tomorrow. Going to be out most, if not all of, the rest of the season.. UPDATED Marc Marquez to step back from MotoGP and undergo a fourth arm operation

 

[MOHillbilly]

And.. The story is that the WithU RNF Yamaha satellite squad will likely be RNF Aprilia next year. That will be 4 Aprilias on the grid and only two Yamahas.

 

[MOHillbilly]

Aprilia seem to be doing decently this year. Still seem to be kind of a "one rider" bike (like Yamaha and Honda), but then, Vinales struggles with everything so it's hard to tell. If Toprak wanted to go to MotoGP bad enough, gotta wonder what he could do on the Aprilia.