Oh it's you, the ubiquitous Joe_Momma (especially in MO). I was talking to everyone in general, but my response was directed more at the other guy.
I just made the same comment about Aprilia when another reader pointed out my "flaws", and that made me say "wait a minute, that guy does have a point".
I mean look at Yamaha with their M1, they've fallen considerably behind in the second IRTA test and that's because they're testing a device that aids in alleviating the 4-stroker's notorious engine-braking characteristics.
My first thought was "man, those 4-strokers have it in for them big time". Yet, the more I thought about it, the more I found myself toward the rider equation, not bike equation.
Look at it this way, Biaggi was a god on 2-strokes, but never had the form a 4-stroker had (he even admitted it)! Checa's a pretty decent 4-stroker (he has a R1 himself) and puts in consistently faster lap times than Biaggi. Hell even Kockinksi was faster!
Now Rossi, just to show that he can do anything on 2 wheels, regardless of how many cycles an engine goes through, puts the NSRs to shame. Better rider on better bike equals quicker lap times, right?
I would be very interested to see how Matt Mladin can do on an XREO, compared to KRJR. Or even the Go Show (gotta love that guy).
I guess I'm saying let's see what happens to lap times when you put a decent 4-stroker rider on a decent 4-stoke bike instead of a decent 2-stroker on a 4-stroker.