Pikes Peak Superbike Results
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Incredible stuff - says a lot for the original design, the development, the team and of course the rider. - its amazing nobody has snatched him away to WSB or MOTOGP.
The Kwaka still goes surprisingly well in SBK and British Supers too.
Makes you wonder why they cant make enough power in MotoGP.
The Kwaka still goes surprisingly well in SBK and British Supers too.
Makes you wonder why they cant make enough power in MotoGP.
In WSB, the Kwacker has been pretty much crap -- unless you consider finishing in 11th (out of 17 finishers) to be good results. They did get an 8th at Sugo which is their best finish this year. Last year they got 2 4th place finishes, but in both cases, the rider had home track advantage (Walker at Silverstone and EBoz a Laguna Seca) so that can be credited to the rider more than the bike.
In fairness, they did outscore Suzuki last year (beat Suzuki 16 out of 26 rounds).
I give EBoz, and the mechanics an crew of his team, 99% of the credit for his results.
Given the lackluster results for Kawasaki's MotoGP effort to date, he is lucky that Pitt got that ride this year.
What I found amazing this weekend is how far off the pace he was in practice and qualifying -- when someone makes that much gain, I usually assume that they were having difficulty finding the right setup, but, it Eric is telling the truth, they didn't mess with the setup at all -- it was all the rider finding what works!
In fairness, they did outscore Suzuki last year (beat Suzuki 16 out of 26 rounds).
I give EBoz, and the mechanics an crew of his team, 99% of the credit for his results.
Given the lackluster results for Kawasaki's MotoGP effort to date, he is lucky that Pitt got that ride this year.
What I found amazing this weekend is how far off the pace he was in practice and qualifying -- when someone makes that much gain, I usually assume that they were having difficulty finding the right setup, but, it Eric is telling the truth, they didn't mess with the setup at all -- it was all the rider finding what works!
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The problem is GP is the tires, not the engine, I think.
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Re: the kwacker is a dinosaur ...
not so sure about lapping the second place with a gixxer at that track given the tire issues the suzook guys had, but he'd probably win every other race just like mladin.
not so sure about lapping the second place with a gixxer at that track given the tire issues the suzook guys had, but he'd probably win every other race just like mladin.
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Re: you know what bothers me?
now mladin is calling pike peak a "not proper racetrack" how bout that? not only the guy gets smoked by the teenager of a motorcycle that the kawi is, but still manages to whine like a little girl. he went off on e-boz when he stated the truth about the cc/hp/torque disadvantage calling him immature etc. i wonder what eboz will say now. you know, i like the way mladin rides but thats not right. if you lose, be a man and accept your defeat.
now mladin is calling pike peak a "not proper racetrack" how bout that? not only the guy gets smoked by the teenager of a motorcycle that the kawi is, but still manages to whine like a little girl. he went off on e-boz when he stated the truth about the cc/hp/torque disadvantage calling him immature etc. i wonder what eboz will say now. you know, i like the way mladin rides but thats not right. if you lose, be a man and accept your defeat.
Re: you know what bothers me?
I agree about Mat -- have to respect his talent, but sometimes he is such a poor sport. Should take a lesson from someone like Rossi in how to be a gracious loser as well as winner.
I do agree about those bowl courses not being "proper racetracks" but more for safety reasons -- too effin many walls (which is why they couldn't race in the rain) too close to the race surface. When I was racing in the MRA in Colorado, I was too chicken to race on that track. Sounds like what Mat was bichin' about was the fact that it didn't suit his bike -- too bad, some tracks will suit some bikes/riders and other tracks will favor different bikes and riders. That is how it is supposed to be! Deal with it!
Road America should make him happy, as it is the antithesis of PPIR.
Cheers
Bob
I agree about Mat -- have to respect his talent, but sometimes he is such a poor sport. Should take a lesson from someone like Rossi in how to be a gracious loser as well as winner.
I do agree about those bowl courses not being "proper racetracks" but more for safety reasons -- too effin many walls (which is why they couldn't race in the rain) too close to the race surface. When I was racing in the MRA in Colorado, I was too chicken to race on that track. Sounds like what Mat was bichin' about was the fact that it didn't suit his bike -- too bad, some tracks will suit some bikes/riders and other tracks will favor different bikes and riders. That is how it is supposed to be! Deal with it!
Road America should make him happy, as it is the antithesis of PPIR.
Cheers
Bob
Gixxer Tire Problems?
Not so sure that the Gixxer has had tire problem so much as it is that Mladin had tire problems -- maybe a pattern there, as at Daytona and of course Atlanta. Yates (and Spies in FX) seem to not have the same problems. From watching, you would think Yates would destroy his tires, but so far, that does not seem to be the case.
It may be a matter of tire selection or bike setup, or perhaps Yates is just better able to continue with a tire that has turned to crap.
Not so sure that the Gixxer has had tire problem so much as it is that Mladin had tire problems -- maybe a pattern there, as at Daytona and of course Atlanta. Yates (and Spies in FX) seem to not have the same problems. From watching, you would think Yates would destroy his tires, but so far, that does not seem to be the case.
It may be a matter of tire selection or bike setup, or perhaps Yates is just better able to continue with a tire that has turned to crap.
Tires
Certainly tires are a factor -- who else in MotoGP are running Dunlops? Maybe they shoulda gone with Bridgestones if they couldn't get Michelins.
Does look like Dunlop might be finding their way in WSB though, or else they are just really well suited to the Oscherleben track.
Certainly tires are a factor -- who else in MotoGP are running Dunlops? Maybe they shoulda gone with Bridgestones if they couldn't get Michelins.
Does look like Dunlop might be finding their way in WSB though, or else they are just really well suited to the Oscherleben track.
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Defending Mladin and EBoz is a whinner.
I think the guy is right on about tracks like Pikes Peak. I like the way guy sarcastically calls it a bad track and it is. Too many walls. Too short. Daytona sucks as well. MotoGP would never race on these things. Also EBoz was whinning about being at a disadvantage to the Suzuki and Mladin pointed out that Kawasaki could of fielded a bigger bike but wouldn't or couldn't. But Boz knew the rules going into the season so why complain now.
I think the guy is right on about tracks like Pikes Peak. I like the way guy sarcastically calls it a bad track and it is. Too many walls. Too short. Daytona sucks as well. MotoGP would never race on these things. Also EBoz was whinning about being at a disadvantage to the Suzuki and Mladin pointed out that Kawasaki could of fielded a bigger bike but wouldn't or couldn't. But Boz knew the rules going into the season so why complain now.
EBoz was a winner and Mladin a whiner
If Mladin hates all the tracks here in the states then why not Moto GP for him? Oh, that's right, he tried that, and realized being a backmarker for the world's best was no fun. Nicky is twice the racer and three times the man Mladin is, which is why he's racing the best and Mladin is here crying like a baby when he doesn't win. Like I said, he's a big fish in a little pond and an arrogant, self-important prick. Time for the little boy to go back home.
If Mladin hates all the tracks here in the states then why not Moto GP for him? Oh, that's right, he tried that, and realized being a backmarker for the world's best was no fun. Nicky is twice the racer and three times the man Mladin is, which is why he's racing the best and Mladin is here crying like a baby when he doesn't win. Like I said, he's a big fish in a little pond and an arrogant, self-important prick. Time for the little boy to go back home.
Re: you know what bothers me?
Ya, Mladin is a great racer, (remember his save two weeks ago when his rear tire exploded?) But I have to agree with you. He should take his defeat like the professional that he is suppose th be. Bostrum just rode a superior race on what is thought to be an inferior bike. My hat is off to him and all of the big green team. What's going to happen when they get their new liter bike on track?
Ya, Mladin is a great racer, (remember his save two weeks ago when his rear tire exploded?) But I have to agree with you. He should take his defeat like the professional that he is suppose th be. Bostrum just rode a superior race on what is thought to be an inferior bike. My hat is off to him and all of the big green team. What's going to happen when they get their new liter bike on track?
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Face it longride you ....you can't handle...
How long did he do MotoGP? Some say he is headed to WSB if restrictor plates aren't used. Nicky not exactly setting the world on fire. Given all that you say about Mladin, he is still right even though you may not like his methods. Roberts complained about the new section at Road Atlanta but nobody said Roberts was a whinner. Face it longride you hate Aussies. You can't stand that a Aussie on a inline 4 is going to beat the Americans.
How long did he do MotoGP? Some say he is headed to WSB if restrictor plates aren't used. Nicky not exactly setting the world on fire. Given all that you say about Mladin, he is still right even though you may not like his methods. Roberts complained about the new section at Road Atlanta but nobody said Roberts was a whinner. Face it longride you hate Aussies. You can't stand that a Aussie on a inline 4 is going to beat the Americans.
Re: Face it longride you ....you can't handle...
>>nobody said Roberts was a whinner<<
Actually, it seems like almost everybody says Kurtis is a whiner -- almost as bad a reputation as his brother. Fair or not, that is the most frequently heard comment you will find on most discussion boards or in discussion with racing insiders.
Probably nobody commented much about his Road Atlanta complaints because they expected worse.
None of this means that the complaints are not valid.
Also, it seems that Mladin may be more disliked by Aussies than by Americans!
>>nobody said Roberts was a whinner<<
Actually, it seems like almost everybody says Kurtis is a whiner -- almost as bad a reputation as his brother. Fair or not, that is the most frequently heard comment you will find on most discussion boards or in discussion with racing insiders.
Probably nobody commented much about his Road Atlanta complaints because they expected worse.
None of this means that the complaints are not valid.
Also, it seems that Mladin may be more disliked by Aussies than by Americans!
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