Mid week topic

[guest7]

Is it me or is the new Moto2 class in GP racing actually threatening to become more interesting than the premier class? If you're not familiar with Moto2, it replaced the old 250 (stroker) class and the new capacity limit is 600cc. The real genius is that all competitors have to use the same engine (Honda 600 inline four) but they are allowed to build whatever chassis they like around it.

This has led to a real reduction in the costs to teams and has resulted in grids of 42 riders... yes, 42. As you can imagine all sorts of chaos and close racing ensues. After all that you sit down to watch the GP proper and 18 riders line up, of which only four or so are likely to win. It's a tad boring in comparision.

Added to this is the continuing use of electronics in the premier class, such as traction control. Is GP racing going down the F1 route?

GC

[Richard]

Good racing it may be, Grand Prix racing I don't believe it to be.  The logic of the new class is such that innovation is dead, where are the mixed ranks of engine types and technologies ?

It seems a wasted opportunity to allow racing to improve the breed by permitting a limit to energy inputs as the ruling factor, replacing even the old cubic capacities.

This Moto2 class belongs elsewhere, perhaps supporting Superbikes or some such.

Mind, as a fully paid up Luddite I enjoy classic racing even more.

Richard

[guest146]

I think the idea is that all the engines are the same and supplied by Honda and give equal power. This leaves chassis builders (and rider) to come up with the perfect frame to give the winning effect. I thought it was a little worrying that there are so many in one race. It will be good for racing when these bikes filter down into the lesser classes of racing and we see them at local circuits. I was reading a column that at last weeks British Superbike at Cadwell they put  on  car race to fill a gap and were shot down in flames with many writing to Jonathan Palmer.

Ken

[guest7]

Point taken about the drive for innovation, but I'd suggest that a tuned CBR600RRRRRRR is fast enough for most of us here and it's the development of chassis and braking technologies that would make the most difference to the bikes we ride, which this class encourages in spades. Bloody good to see Moriwaki and Bimota competing at this level again. Shame that Bimota aren't making a Tesi version, I loved the old hub-steering bus.

GC

[themoudie]

SuperMono, any size 4 stroke single, in any frame 'free for all' to replace 250GP.

MiniMono, up to 450, 4 stroke single, in any frame 'free for all' to replace 125GP.

StarterMono 13 - 15 years of age, 125, 4 stroke single, in any frame 'free for all' to bring back 50GP.

Sorted GP.

British Historic Racing and occasional CRMCC for most other entertainment. Forgotten Era to many Yamaha 'ying dings' etc!

Toodle pip, Bill.

[Steffan]

Makes no sense to me. Why replace the class - ahh..the demise of the 2T - well some people's 2T at anyway. But why not keep the class surely there is scope for 125/250 development be it 4T or rotary or what ever. Cheaped out in my book.

Steffan

[guest27]

Simply because it cost as much to run a 250 gp team as a MotoGP team, just the bikes were not available in the big class.  The cost of the 250 strokers were killing the class, and there was no innovation in engines - where were the rotries, turbo 4S etc - no, prototype racing quickly evolves to lookie likie racing as pretty much one tool does the job best.  The control engine along with the control tyres gives free rein to the chassis guys.  The new replacement for 125s as a single class could reduce the cost of prototype engines - but they will quickly all be the same.

Have to agree that there should be a different classification - say a 50 mpg class, a 25 mpg class and a 10 mpg class, where the limit is based on the fuel capacity and the race distance

R

[guest868]

I'm really gutted that in Moto2 there's been no real chassis innovation. I mean here's an opportunity for hub centre steering, hossacks, girders etc, and still we're stuck with telescopic forks. I know there are some mildly interesting chassis' but really there could be a lot more. I'm thinking honeycomb monocoques, virtual pivot point swingarms...meh