Motorcycle Forums

If it dont work out at ducat,it could be retirement,or going out to play at wsb ?

Arguably a major reason for Stoner’s 2007 win was because the Ducati had the superior Bridgestone tires and a much higher top speed

The only people that argue that are the misty eyed Rossi fans who spent the season listening to Rossi whining about it. Ducatis have always had spectacularly powerful engines and still do, but raw power is nothing if the rider is unable to use it, and no-one else but stoner has managed to do so on the Ducati. Not Capirossi, not Melandri, not Hayden, and not Rossi.

Stoner

He did appear to have the top speed advantage in 2007. However him together with Lorenzo and Pedrosa are superb riders.

With all these carcleaner posts, I must get out and wash mine.

bikes v riders

We can argue and bitch at each other til the cows come home but it will change nothing.

In the past decade the bikes have change out of all recognition, with the changes to four strokes, slipper clutches, electronic aids etc. All this has eroded the difference the rider skills can make.

The top riders will always rise to the top and get the top rides, i dont dispute that. But its getting like F1 in the sense that a technalogical breakthrough is making the  difference between who wins and who loses.

Back in the days of the two strokes, ( and early fours) the advantage the top factory riders have was the better rubber flown in. But a good engine tuner or well run private teams could produce engines that could compete for podiums and run at the front and be competitive AND we could truly see the ability of individual riders

Now its more about the bikes IMO. look at the last two years "010 Lorenzo dominates , 011 stoner dominates, the diffference advantage the bikes had each year.

The one tyre rule is a good them in terms of racing and keeping things even. Cutting back on electronics or making everyone run the same systems would even the field out too.

Only then could we truly see the difference between the riders again, Rossi hasnt lost his ability, more likely his motivation.

its a sad and desperate state the sport we all love has got into when theres only four bikes out there that are capable of winning in races now. Yet all we can do is bitch about a 9 times champion whos trying everything he knows to turn a failing project around and be competitive.

Chrisb...

"...you don't know you are speculating."

You only want to deal with facts? Where's the evidence that Rossi has any positive input into developing the Ducati? He's worse on it than he was at the same time last year... he was worse on it at the end of last year than the start... & at the start of the year he was battling with injury which he was blaming for his poor performance! Rossi says the bike is as bad as it always was. To say he's contributing anything positive to the bike's development is pure speculation countered by his own continual press releases to the contrary & his performances in races & tests over the last 18 months.