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MotoGP, Superbikes and Road Racing 2021

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  • Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭legrand


    Hard to find details of how Eugene/BMW doing in pre-season tests. EL's twitter showed good results (albeit a singe session).

    Hoping he has a great season. With Honda, Redding and other changes WSBK might be (fingers crossed) a good watch in 2020.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭Infoanon


    Sepang shakedown tests start tomorrow February 2nd, test riders only except for KTM and Aprilla

    Would be funny if Jorge ends up fastest


  • Registered Users Posts: 22,936 ✭✭✭✭pjohnson




  • Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭legrand


    Pretty sure these bikes have been in wind tunnels - but those 'radiator grills' look huge. Can only assume air-flow works better with rather than without them.

    Suzuki's look sweet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    legrand wrote: »
    Hard to find details of how Eugene/BMW doing in pre-season tests. EL's twitter showed good results (albeit a singe session).

    Hoping he has a great season. With Honda, Redding and other changes WSBK might be (fingers crossed) a good watch in 2020.

    Norge was quite pleased with the bike after the first test ("this chassis is one of the best I've ever ridden") but didn't run the bike with full power and the new engine until the January tests. In Jerez with the rain throughout the two days he decided to concentrate on making sure they were able to run through their programme of bedding in new parts (lots of short stints where he was in and out of the pits) so he didn't really focus on performance too much. The biggest thing was getting the electronics dialled in ("It's far too much of a light switch at the moment") so being able to get it to feel more controlable was the key. Once he had this feeling he was able to then start to move towards performance and to try and push harder.
    I'm not sure how he'll fare in Australia but when we talked in Portugal he was very pleased with the progress they made over the winter. Of course with a new bike there's a lot to learn and losing days to the bad weather doesn't help but give him a few rounds to get up to speed. I think that it'll be very competitive this year in WorldSBK and definitely worth keeping an eye on it (that's a completely unbiassed view of course :D)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,101 ✭✭✭Max Headroom


    legrand wrote: »
    Pretty sure these bikes have been in wind tunnels - but those 'radiator grills' look huge. Can only assume air-flow works better with rather than without them.

    Suzuki's look sweet.
    Its gas to think that wings on race bikes are'nt a new thing invented by Ducati.....

    SF7XAB7CWZQXXVHBPTDZWKDBAY.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 154 ✭✭roroliam


    James Ellison doing NW200, chasing the cash me thinks


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭h3000


    roroliam wrote: »
    James Ellison doing NW200, chasing the cash me thinks

    Has he done any road racing before? I can’t remember him doing any.

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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,426 ✭✭✭ZX7R


    h3000 wrote: »
    Has he done any road racing before? I can’t remember him doing any.

    Nope


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,426 ✭✭✭ZX7R


    h3000 wrote: »
    Has he done any road racing before? I can’t remember him doing any.

    Nope


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,426 ✭✭✭ZX7R


    roroliam wrote: »
    James Ellison doing NW200, chasing the cash me thinks

    Not short of cash,he chased the cash in America ha,more like a mid life crisis.
    Moto go ruined his career, he should have stayed racing in Europe and moved to super bikes


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    Just as an FYI for everyone I'll be launching a new site in the next couple of weeks. it'll be covering WorldSBK (myself and Gordon Ritchie doing the writing), MotoGP (David Emmett and Neil Morrison also involved with pics from Polarity Photos) and Road Racing (pics from Tony Goldsmith) and the Suzuka 8 Hours. The aim is to have an analysis based site where we dive into some of the deeper topics of racing and what's happening on the world stage. I've had a lot of experience working for magazines, newspapers and other outlets and have a clear idea in my head of what I want to do with this site.
    I want to have a site where you can look at big pictures from some of the best photographers in racing and then have interesting features where you can get the proper insight that's needed in racing. The site (racinglowdown.com) will launch ahead of the Phillip Island WorldSBK round and I'll be at a lot of GP this year again (I'm aiming for nine MotoGP, all the WorldSBK rounds and then the TT and Suzuka) so there'll be boots on the ground for it.
    To have this level of travel and writers joining the site it's obviously easy for costs to increase so if anyone wants to support the site I've set up a patreon page (patreon.com/RacingLowdown) with various tiers of support. I want to try and have lots of Q&A sessions throughout the year so even though I'm slack on boards these days I'll check in with my inbox if anyone has any questions about racing in general.
    Hopefully you'll all enjoy the site!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭h3000


    Best of luck with it Steve. Will you continue with your current WSBK roll too?

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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    Yep, I'll still be working as a commentator. I love doing that so have no goals of stopping any time soon! I fly to Australia on Thursday so I'm really looking forward to a fifth season in SBK


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭Infoanon


    Marc Marquez has signed to Honda until the end of 2024.

    Dorna have confirmed that Aprilla will be an official factory entry from 2021 at the same also disclosing that the Kawasaki WSBK team applied for a wild card entry but where turned down.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭The Nal


    Infoanon wrote: »
    Marc Marquez has signed to Honda until the end of 2024.

    Can anyone see anyone but Marquez winning every year until 2024?


  • Registered Users Posts: 688 ✭✭✭Magown3


    Infoanon wrote: »
    Marc Marquez has signed to Honda until the end of 2024.

    Dorna have confirmed that Aprilla will be an official factory entry from 2021 at the same also disclosing that the Kawasaki WSBK team applied for a wild card entry but where turned down.

    Kawasaki WSBK applied for a wild card entry to a Moto GP race?:eek:
    That would have been VERY interesting. It's a real shame it didn't happen. Would love to see Rea punching above his weight on the bike he's familiar with.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭h3000


    The Nal wrote: »
    Can anyone see anyone but Marquez winning every year until 2024?

    I can see Quartararo giving him a good run for his money soon.

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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭Infoanon


    h3000 wrote: »
    I can see Quartararo giving him a good run for his money soon.

    Feed back from initial testing is that the Suzuki is looking strong.
    Marquez dominance has been as much his consistency and the inconsistentcy from his nearest rivals - Ducatis only working at specific circuits/Rins dropping form after Silverstone /Vinales going missing too often in races.


  • Registered Users Posts: 271 ✭✭jv2000


    Infoanon wrote: »
    Feed back from initial testing is that the Suzuki is looking strong.
    Marquez dominance has been as much his consistency and the inconsistentcy from his nearest rivals - Ducatis only working at specific circuits/Rins dropping form after Silverstone /Vinales going missing too often in races.

    It sounds like both the Suzuki and Yamaha are strong on the new Michilan tyres as they suit the cornering style better. TBH though I can only see Quartararo challenging Marquez but the fact he is not on the main Yamaha may hinder him. I agree that Vinales doesn't have the consistency to challenge, Marquez is competitive at virtually every track!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭Infoanon


    jv2000 wrote: »
    It sounds like both the Suzuki and Yamaha are strong on the new Michilan tyres as they suit the cornering style better. TBH though I can only see Quartararo challenging Marquez but the fact he is not on the main Yamaha may hinder him. I agree that Vinales doesn't have the consistency to challenge, Marquez is competitive at virtually every track!

    Quartararo is on a full spec factory bike for 2020 according to Yamaha though noting a) it's not the Yamaha factory team and b) factory / a spec / B specs are general terms and more to do with publicity than actual specs eg Cal is on a factory Honda yet it's electronics are in the dark ages compared to the factory team


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,101 ✭✭✭Max Headroom


    Magown3 wrote: »
    Kawasaki WSBK applied for a wild card entry to a Moto GP race?:eek:
    That would have been VERY interesting. It's a real shame it didn't happen. Would love to see Rea punching above his weight on the bike he's familiar with.

    Pure snobbery....would have been interesting alright...I'm sure the bike would have been a fair bit different to the current bike...


  • Registered Users Posts: 22,936 ✭✭✭✭pjohnson


    Savadori has been confirmed as a test rider for Aprilia.

    Its already 95% likely Smith will stand in for Iannone in the season opener but the fact Savadori has been promoted to test possibly indicates Smith has the ride on a permanent basis.


  • Registered Users Posts: 22,936 ✭✭✭✭pjohnson


    Honda genuinely struggling the last day in Qatar.

    Marquez apparently ended the test on Nakagami's bike


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    For anyone interested my new site just went live (racinglowdown.com and @racinglowdown across social). Theres some interesting content up already with David Emmett and Neil Morrison giving good GP insight


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭Infoanon


    pjohnson wrote: »
    Honda genuinely struggling the last day in Qatar.

    Marquez apparently ended the test on Nakagami's bike

    Apparently 2020 aerodynamics have been abandoned and Marc tried a hacked chassis but it's an improvement !

    Fabio,Rins and Maverick setting the pace but expect Dovi to be in the mix for the win .

    Smith already confirmed as stand in for Iannone if required.

    Don't think we have seen Ducatis active suspension in optimum race mode yet


  • Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭legrand


    frostie500 wrote: »
    For anyone interested my new site just went live (racinglowdown.com and @racinglowdown across social). Theres some interesting content up already with David Emmett and Neil Morrison giving good GP insight

    Nice! (and ad free for now! :))


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭frostie500


    For now! Need some money tho so if you know anyone...


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭h3000


    Alright boys and girls. I need a way to watch MotoGP for this year. I’m not a big fan of sports outside of motorsports. I’m thinking of just going with the MotoGP videopass. Is it worth it or should I fork out more money for the Sky/BT package?

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  • Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭legrand


    h3000 wrote: »
    Alright boys and girls. I need a way to watch MotoGP for this year. I’m not a big fan of sports outside of motorsports. I’m thinking of just going with the MotoGP videopass. Is it worth it or should I fork out more money for the Sky/BT package?

    Video pass is fair value considering 3 classes of races every other week-end for a year - whats that 60 races? Works out at a few quid for a couple of hours of racing. Plus you can watch races from yesteryear if 'live' races not enough.


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