Moto3

[guest7]

Well, it seems that the GP authorities have finally listened to our wise words and for the first time since... erm the early 70s? we had thumpers in a grand prix.

And what a great race! As Julian Ryder pointed out on the Eurosport commentary, the two stroke 125s have had 50 years development behind them and yet the first ever four stroke 250 race (which has replaced the 125s) was only 12 seconds slower overall than last year.

And they sounded great.

GC

[guest7]

And as for Romano Fenati (No. 5)... just turned 16, team with no other sponsors, bike only ordered weeks ago, first ever GP... second place!

[themoudie]

Chuck away the MOTOGP and replace with SUPERMONO class rules and MOTO2 could become a BEARS free for all! 

DEBATE?

Bill.

[guest7]

Well MotoGP is turning into a bloody farce isn't it? At least the grid numbers are up from last year's all-time low.

Did I hear that the UK Supermono association is no more?

GC

[SRXweb]

In European Supermono they ride 500 cc prototypes with 90 HP. They are developed by "artisans".

I don't understand this new Moto3 class of 250 cc and 54 hp that are developped by Factories : Honda, KTM.

A four stroke 500 cc prototype on Grand Prix : it could have an other face, a touch of class, an historical rewind. And 90 hp are much better for riders.

Honda put its 250 cc engine in a 125 cc frame : it's too simple.

[Andy M]

Its run by a committee.

If you limit weight and power you might as well just have every rider on the same bike. At least this way the costs fall as you could invite tenders at the start of each season to provide thirty identical bikes. Allocate them by lottery at the start of each event and have one pit crew employed by the race organiser. Take this to the logical conclusion though and the fairest test of the riders would be a computer game (this is here already BTW, our office junior quit to be a professional gamer, people will pay to watch her do fantasy sword and magic games against other people at the same level or get their own  ***** kicked by a champion    ).

If the test is supposed to be the whole system, constructor, maintainers, rider, race strategy etc. I'd ditch the whole rule book and simply limit it to a 2 wheeled vehicle that has to fit in a certain sized crate. I'd maybe ban rocket engines and a few other bits on safety grounds but leave the rest to the teams so they really do compete. Lets see a 1500 cc Harley against a fuel cell driven bicycle you can pick up with one finger.

The race committees simply want to keep their positions. Norton comes back with a Rotary, Aprillia can't afford to develop one, Honda want to sell 4 cylinder race rep road bikes: invent some complex formula that bans rotaries, simples   

The racing is boring because there is little variation in technology or skill levels, it's advertising not a race.

Andy

[Andy M]

Sorry double post.

Andy

[andy230]

Did I hear that the UK Supermono association is no more?

GC

Yep, the few guys still active all go to Europe, where they still have full grids and ace machinery.

Last month I went to a kind of "swan song"/ reunion / wake for the supermono guys.  I didn't really know that many people there, I only did a few seasons, running at the bottom, often not finishing!  Its a shame, as it ran from 91 to ?2009

Alas poor mono's, I knew them (well, a bit...)  !

a

[johnr]

moto3 is a replacement fopr the 125s as a learning ground for the young guys aiming for motogp, you couldnt just give em 500cc 90bhp bikes, some of these guys are 14 and 15 years old. as for the unrestricted no rules but 2 wheels idea, its been tried, bsa goldstars killd off the competition in their era due to nothing else being able to compete, so everyone just bought a goldie. can you imagine a race system where there were no tech and cost rules, who on earth would be able to compete with honda? hrc's budget alone would sustain a small country!!

[SRXweb]

Ok I now understand the benefits of these 250 cc bikes.