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*Liam's Wild Ride*

I lived in Barcelona for two years, and you've got to go there to believe it!
In Spain in general, but in Barcelona in particular, they like to party.
Work starts at around 9:30 AM, then a coffee break, then lunch and siesta 'til 3 or 4, work to 7 or so, then drinks and tapas, dinner at 10, then go out 'til 1 or 2.
Then start again next day!
Rgds
Richard
 
trid741 said:
I lived in Barcelona for two years, and you've got to go there to believe it!
In Spain in general, but in Barcelona in particular, they like to party.
Work starts at around 9:30 AM, then a coffee break, then lunch and siesta 'til 3 or 4, work to 7 or so, then drinks and tapas, dinner at 10, then go out 'til 1 or 2.
Then start again next day!
Rgds
Richard
Click to expand...

my kind of town!!!! :laughing
 
You're right about Le Mans, this will be a good test for tires. The track is stop and go, a lot of hard braking and acceleration, reverse cambers, surface is not too good...the GP riders don't like it much, but I do, I've ridden there many times.
It's tricky too, because by the time you get to the lefthanders near the end of the lap, the left side of your front tire is cold (a lot of right handers 'til then).
Will Honda dominate again with Michelins?
Will Yamaha find the right combination?
Will the new frame do the trick?
Will Ducati and Bridgestone pick the right tires? (Don't let the rider pick!)

This year is a fantastic MotoGP and WSBK year!

Rgds
Richard
 
MotOH BCN

Hi everyone, no time for a proper update, as I'm busy packing for the trip tomorrow. I had a wonderful time at the Moto BCN show, which was easily twice as large as any of the Cycle World International Motorcycle shows, and it was beautiful to see such a variety of machinery. Not to mention the Supermoto and Trials exibitions!

Name that bike time :)

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The Classics were well represented, as demonstrated by this 1929 XXXXXX. You know this is a racebike simply by looking at the speed shifter. Wonder if it's a long or short throw?

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Re: MotOH BCN

shoot me if I'm wrong...MT-01?
MotoLiam said:
Hi everyone, no time for a proper update, as I'm busy packing for the trip tomorrow. I had a wonderful time at the Moto BCN show, which was easily twice as large as any of the Cycle World International Motorcycle shows, and it was beautiful to see such a variety of machinery. Not to mention the Supermoto and Trials exibitions!

Name that bike time :)
Click to expand...
 
Those first two were way too easy for smart guys like you - now that you think you're on top of things, What's This? C'mon, show me how good you really are :teeth

What a day! The show was fantastic, and I ran into a few people that I've worked with in the past, including a certain Business Development Manager from a world famous race track. . . . . we knocked around some very interesting ideas.

Afterwards, I went home to take a short nap, but was rudely awakened by the rioting of revellers in the street! The loudest stereo I've ever heard was blasting Bob Marley songs and calling everyone out of their homes to come and run alongside the victorious Futbol team. Just like you see on the news, large buses were carrying the players around, and there were literally thousands of people running through the streets, riding scooters, and blowing their horns constantly. It was strange, like something out of a movie, as traffic rules were ignored, and mass hysteria was always a split second away from taking over. Unbelievable! It took me thirty minutes to hail a cab as I waded through the throngs of people, and as the 'parade' moved slowly from block to block, the mob generally followed. What was cool was seeing people perk up when the music was being played, and come running out of their buildings dressed in their jerseys and flags.

I also managed to have dinner with a very, very special Barfer, and his lovely wife! I'll see if I have some photos of the epic dinner we had, and I'll post more moto bcn shots as time permits. Now? It's only 4:20AM, and I'm hastily packing for Le Mans. See you where the bikes are!

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knew that was comin'. That headlight is so frickin' familiar (I believe you and I were checkin' it out together) it's killin' me.

Shoot me again, I aint dead yet!
-Hetfiield
 
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MotoLiam said:
I also managed to have dinner with a very, very special Barfer, and his lovely wife! I'll see if I have some photos of the epic dinner we had, and I'll post more moto bcn shots as time permits. Now? It's only 4:20AM, and I'm hastily packing for Le Mans. See you where the bikes are!
Click to expand...

Thanks for dinner, Liam! We're still here in BCN, it's an amazing place. Unfortunately our various schedules meant we couldn't coordinate going to the motOH! BCN show together for some first hand commentary from Liam, but I did shoot about an hour of HD at the show which I'll chop up and post when we get back later this week. Lots of interesting bikes we'll never see over here...

The crazy thing here is the scooters. There's probably as many motorcycles here as SF - and 10x as many scooters as bikes. They're parked on every street corner, buzzing away from every light. The standard gear seems to be tank top, shorts, flip-flops and 3/4 helmet, and no one appears to be fazed by the crazy traffic in the roundabouts. I think I could handle the traffic, but not the street signs - they're not on the streets, they're on the sides of buildings in very small type. I know I'd get myself killed trying to figure out which way to turn...
 
Knew I was frickin' close! And yes, she's damn sexy!
MT-OS
So, what do I win?

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traction control

MotoLiam said:
Speaking of tires, while the control tires in WSBK have evened up the playing field, it appears that it's now just a matter of traction control. Everyone running towards the front is using it, and it looks like some people have set theirs up better to work with the Pirelli's. On the AMA side, it's interesting to note that the finishing order is reversed. WSBK = Ducati 1st, Suzuki 2nd. AMA = Suzuki 1st, Ducati 2nd. Could this be because of the time spent working on things with Dunlop? And who still thinks that traction control isn't in the AMA? Does anyone know what the software looks like? Could a tech inspector spot the difference between just ordinary telemetry sensors, and, well, telemetry sensors? :laughing

It's fantastic technology on the track, but is it really racing anymore? One thing is for sure, there will be a trickle down effect for streetbikes. Who wouldn't want to run a bike in Supersport or Superstock with traction control - because it came off the showroom floor like that! I think that after being around some of this stuff, I'll stick with the simple things....
Click to expand...

Having just watched the AMA event at Infineon in person, I can tell you without a doubt that Yosh Suzuki, Ducati, and Honda are running traction control on their Superbikes. It doesn't require any type of technical inspection to listen to the engines pop and stutter when powering out of The Carousel; ignition timing (at the very least) is being pulled out, and pretty aggressively at that. Anybody who thinks otherwise--or that the AMA doesn't know about it--is out to lunch.

Below is a pic of the Duc SBK's rear rotor. Not only is it vented, but it's purple, indicating some pretty serious tempuratures. Someone at Ducati (correctly) determined that this rotor would see a lot of use. Also note the wheel speed pickup.

IMG_2431.JPG


Compare that with the simple, low-weight-is-the-only-thing-that-matters approach the Jordan bikes take (they didn't sound like they were running traction control). Also note the color, or lack thereof:

IMG_2407.JPG
 
You are comparing a Superbike with a Superstock bike in those pics. Note the stock wheel on the Jordan bike as opposed to the cool wheel on the Duc.


I don't doubt that the superbikes are running traction control, but the Suzuki's in particular must have an off switch, or allow a lot of slip. On the last lap of the second race Spies did a big smokey slide out of the carousel.
 
I'm not too sure that anyone is running tc in AMA. It's strictly outlawed. You would think that if they thought any team was running it, they'd investigate.
 
number_6 said:
You are comparing a Superbike with a Superstock bike in those pics. Note the stock wheel on the Jordan bike as opposed to the cool wheel on the Duc.
Click to expand...

I took both pics...on the Superbike grid a few minutes before the race started.
 
I took both pics...on the Superbike grid a few minutes before the race started.
Click to expand...

Really?

Bloody Hell, then Mr Jordan needs to let the team have a few more bucks to trick up their bikes a bit..It's not like he 's too skinny in the wallet department. :)
 
Le Mans was off the hook.

I'll be updating through the week as time allows.
 
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