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Mat Mladin is the Big Kahuna

5636 Views 13 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  cranx, 
pplassm
Looks like a Suzuki kind of year

What's happening with Team Honda? I was looking forward to seeing Nicky Hayden running up front this year.

Pete P.
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R
Re: Looks like a Suzuki kind of year

I was at Road Atlanta Sunday and was in turn 5 where Nicky lowsided early in the race. Pretty well thrashed the bike. When I got home Sunday and saw the Speedvision replay and interview with Nicky he said he was pushing to hard. Looked like it live. From where I watched, it was obvious that Matt's bike had superior horsepower compared to the others. I also hated to see Suzuki take all the podium spots.
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L
Fascinating to see

I'm just amazed to see one brand fill a podium like that. Not just once, but twice. Funky wild. I watched it on speedvision, the announcer said it was 1989 tha last time one brand filled a podium like that. I wonder how long it's been since it was TWO races in arow that one brand filled the podium. Back to the HD days, ya suppose?

Soon the stands will be filled with Anti-Mladin and Anti- Suzuki shirts. Floks hate it when someone dominates.
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N
How about that Harley flambe?



Those Harleys are hot! (ohhh boy)



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G
I think it's really good to see one brand fill the top three. Hopefully it will drive the other manufacturers to build even better bikes. Did anyone notice that Suzuki dominated the list of entries? That says Suzuki is building what racers want. I would like to see Suzuki do an invitational SB race with all identical bikes with the top racers like Dodge does with their IROC race. That would be cool!
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C
Re: Looks like a Suzuki kind of year

I just don't understand it. How can the Gixers be so strong in the USA and nowhere in WSB?? Are there different rules in the US? I can understand Ducati struggling so far from the factory in Italy, but Honda should be beating the crap out of the rest, with the occasional strong Kwack. Enlighten me, pleeeeaasse......
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L
Yes, the rules are that different

WSB allows a LOT of changes that are not allowed here. What WSB would call a 750 supersport is fairly close to an AMA superbike.

What baffles me the most is how, ins treet trim the Gixers can be so much faster than the other 600's, but at the track, the Honda's dominate. the AMA must allow them to change an awfull lot of stuff to make up for the HP deficit the Honda's have on the Suzi's. Anyone know why Honda's are so fast in teh 600 class?
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G
Re: Looks like a Suzuki kind of year

One factor is that WSB forces all competitors to use the same fuel (the same stuff that you might run your bike on) while WSB is much more liberal with fuel; there are some potent fuels available (like Nutec). Road Racing World had an interesting test of a Suzuki GSX-R750 that showed considerable power increase with Nutec (like 10 or 15 hp via fuel and mapping alone). It may be that the Suzuki motors have better cylinder head designs and have an advantage with better fuel. In another RRW article, Ducati representatives claimed that the new 998 motor would make more horsepower under AMA rules that WSB rules mostly on account of the liberal fuel rules. I thnk that Nutec GP-2 costs like $25 per gallon so you might not want to run in your street bike. :cool:
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G
Harley's top exec's must have been overjoyed by that little incident but it could have happened to any bike. No serious rider injuries thankfully.
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M
it was very nice of the HD brass to put on an expensive fireworks show at the end of the race weekend. i was impressed.
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S
Well the Yoshimura Suzuki team certainly did a good job. All 3 riders ran very well, and filled the podium in both races.



But, the reason that the Suzuki dominates the entry list for Superbike is the same reason they dominate the 750 Supersport race. You have 6 manufacturers, each with 2-4 bikes. That is the first 16-18 bikes on the grid. Behind them are another 30 bikes, the majority of which are riders who race in the 750 Supersport. They also compete in the Superbike race. (Some just go out on the same bike, with DOT street tires. Others will actually use slicks if they can afford them.) The majority of these bikes are Suzuki because they are the only ones with a mass produced 750 sport bike, the GSXR750.



It isn't worth it for most privateer racers to have a different bike for 750SS and Superbike, so they can't use a Duc916/996 or RC51. And the other 750 machines (ZX-7RR, Yamaha R-7) would not be allowed in 750 Supersport or would cost to much.



I'm not knocking Suzuki, just trying to explain why they dominate 750SS, and the privateers in the Superbike class.
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G
Good point about the availability of the gixxers. Just wondering why the other manufactures don't make an affordable and streetable 750. The 750 GSXR has been a staple since '85 when everyone else had 750s that mortals could afford.. why the high price on zx7 R7 and all that?

Ah well, I happen to be a GSXR fan so I'll take the fun whilst it lasts!

big bad gsxr11
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D
Re: Looks like a Suzuki kind of year

I think Mat Maladin should go to WSB. Foggy said that Chile crashes and Chambon does good wheelies, thats all!!! DrEvil
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C
Re: Looks like a Suzuki kind of year

Weird, I too was expecting a Hayden vs Mladin war this year. I don't know what's up with Honda. As for the others, I think Ducati is distracted by the upcoming 4s GP, and may still be suffering from the Foggy disaster last year, which took their AMA guy to WSB. Yamaha doesn't think the 750 formula is fair (something is definitely not working there) and also seems distracted by the new GP rules, and have given up on SBK. Kawasaki has plain given up, which is a crying shame, especially since the old 7R is still one fast bike. Aprilia doesn't even bother to come over--maybe they too are thinking GP matters more than AMA. Well, I guess Harley's still trying ...
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