| Author | Message | ||
     Reepicheep |
I don't know how long the straights are there Hugh... perhaps that's a factor. It looks like an American bike maker written off for dead just a few years ago will successfully qualify to race World Superbike for the first time with an all new and world class motorcycle. I *am* jumping up and down over that. Its freaking awesome. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
I'm leaning more towards the thought that May and Yates are deliberately holding back, at least on the straightaways. I hope/think you maybe right. Is there any station carrying the races? | ||
| Court |
No . . no . . no . . . I am not there. Almost happened but I am in the middle of a huge, 7 day a week, outage and teaching . . . I hope to make a couple of the races this year. | ||
| Court |
>>>>so I wouldn't be jumping up and down just yet. Nor does a pole vaulter plant the pole on their 3rd step. Play the long game . . . EBR has been in this fray for but an instant in the scheme of things. With EBR's knowledge of racing and HERO's backing . . . I'm betting the future is bright. | ||
| Hotcad |
I am so excited that EBR is in WSB racing, just a short time ago I wouldn't have believed it possible. | ||
| Crusty |
 Some folks may not think it's good enough, but I sure as hell do! | ||
| Classax |
The straight at PI is LOOONNNGGGG. Its also a fast flowing track so top speed does come into play. Just because a bike can reach 200mph on A straight does not mean it can get to that speed on THAT particular straight. Reading Aaron's comments they are basically running an AMA spec motor in the RS bike with a few odds and ends added to make it WSBK legal. The RX gearbox and swingarm and other goodies are in route. I would also say he sounds like a guy who is not comfortable with his set up or the track. That is the danger I talked about with selecting him. He's older and older riders just aren't as aggressive as young ones. That said both he and May are near perfect development riders because they are so dead consistent and knowledgeable. That may not be what we want short term but its what we need in the long term. When your kid makes it to the Big Leagues, I don't care who you are, the moment they announce his name for his first at bat, it is cause to jump up and down! In that moment you don't care if he strikes out or gets a hit, you point to everyone in the crowd who will listen and say "THAT's MY Boy!" Go EBR (Message edited by Classax on February 21, 2014) | ||
| 04buell |
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| Crush63 |
"I'm leaning more towards the thought that May and Yates are deliberately holding back." I think it's more likely that the team made the decision to set the EBR's rev limiter at a more conservative level in order to preserve engine parts during the test. That would definitely impact MPH. | ||
| Trojan |
Reading Aaron's comments they are basically running an AMA spec motor in the RS bike with a few odds and ends added to make it WSBK legal. This is what I really don't understand. Wht didn't the team enter as an EVO team, which actually favours twin cylinder motors and is closer to the AMA spec than full Superbike status. Also, because they are allegedly using this season as a learning year they would be much better off learning with an EVO spec bike simly because ALL bikes will be running with that spec next year. You can see that the difference between an EVO spec Ducati and a full Superbike spec Panigale are a lot less than the equivalent Kawasaki/BMW specs, and I would think that the EBR package as it stands now is not a million miles off EVO spec anyway. "I'm leaning more towards the thought that May and Yates are deliberately holding back." You seriously think that racers at a race test will be riding around at 3/4 throttle on the straights? Why would they do that? If they think they will blow motors up maybe, but no other reason I can think of for sure. Testing is about running at race speeds, otherwise you learn nothing at all. | ||
| Hughlysses |
You seriously think that racers at a race test will be riding around at 3/4 throttle on the straights? Why would they do that? If they think they will blow motors up maybe, but no other reason I can think of for sure. Testing is about running at race speeds, otherwise you learn nothing at all. Matt- I think Crush63 hit it above- they must have deliberately lowered the RPM limiters. I say this because as Classax noted, PI is a fast track, and these ~200+ HP bikes are obviously capable of more than 168 MPH top speed. A questionable strategy? Maybe, but there are some very smart and talented people behind this effort, so I've got to think they know what they're doing. | ||
| M2typhoon |
Aaaaannd it just so happens that they made 5% cut for qualifying. I would also have to agree with the top speed idea. Unless there is something fundamentally wrong with the bike, it should be going MUCH faster than that. The RS bikes were faster and they had less power than the RX does. | ||
| Classax |
Also, because they are allegedly using this season as a learning year they would be much better off learning with an EVO spec bike simly because ALL bikes will be running with that spec next year. May be its an American thing but any baseball fan will tell you, better to hit .250 in the Majors as platoon player than hit to .450 as a perpetual minor league all-star. They want to be in the premier class because they have built a premier class bike. Running EVO locks them into too many restrictions on a machine they are trying to develop. I know we are all rooting for EBR here and nothing would make me happier than to see the 1190RX sitting on the podium having thoroughly dominated the field from the very first round, but the reality is its a great bike, competing against other great bikes with years of developmental head starts. They've gone over 168mph on shorter tougher tracks with shorter straights, so sit tight it will come. You have a lot of smart people getting paid to figure it out and most of them have way more desire to see it go fast than we could ever imagine. JOB 1 here is to make the start of the first round of WSBK. I take it back, the only thing that would make me happier than seeing the RX win every superpole, practice and race in WSBK would be seeing an RX in my garage every day. I would gladdly(selfishly) forgo the former to experience the the latter. | ||
| Court |
>>>but there are some very smart and talented people behind this effort I've been through this for years. These guys are veteran racers with the skill and experience to know what they are doing. I'm a construction worker and not terribly bright . . ergo, I make a far better spectator than tactician. But I am enjoying the dickens out of seeing EBR in the fray . . . | ||
| Trojan |
Running EVO locks them into too many restrictions on a machine they are trying to develop. But why spend a year to develop a bike that won't be able to run next year as everyone will be rnning EVO rules then. This is why Ducati and kawasaki are running 'official' team EVO bikes this year so that they are prepared for 2015. Developing a bike just for this years Superbike rules is surely not worth it unless they think they can win straight from the box, which we all know is more than a tall order. far better (especially if you are ot at the pace of the leaders) would be to develop a bike for next year and use this year to learn tracks etc. These guys are veteran racers with the skill and experience to know what they are doing. And of course all the other teams of full of absolute morons who don't know one end of a motorcycle from another? Erik Buell is a supremely talented engineer but he is not the only one at this level that's for sure. | ||
| Court |
>>>And of course all the other teams of full of absolute morons who don't know one end of a motorcycle from another? If you believe that . . . at this level . . . you are a moron. Period. | ||
| Classax |
What is so hard to understand. The developments in racing this year will make it into the next evolution of bikes for sale in 2015 and 2016. The factories running both EVO and Super bikes are testing what to keep from each for next year. No doubt in my mind that we will see SIGNIFICANT updates to machines from almost everyone for 2015 or new ones for 2016. EBR being smaller will likely update the RX for 2015 as well. The EBR concept for the sport bike line is "Bred on the race track" That's exactly what they are doing. You want to really make them EVO, require them to run the full race on one stock tank of gas and see where that gets you! My point is A) Marketing in Superbike gets you what you want (people talking, for good or bad), B) Superbike let's you be more radical in the solutions you try, and C) if I have to explain why loosing in the expert class is better than winning in the novice class, then you just don't get this kind of racing. | ||
| Bads1 |
Wow Court is calling names?? | ||
| Bads1 |
On another note looking see how well EBR does. It does look like Lowes on the Suzuki has a pace. Its going to be a interesting season to watch. | ||
| Simond |
I still think that Tom Sykes has the edge and is likely to move the goalposts tomorrow.....and (more worryingly) the 107% time. I was wondering about that extra fuel tank and how it fits with the homologation rules. Is this the reason that they can't run in the Evo class? | ||
| Hughlysses |
Interesting, this Italian writer seems to be under the impression that EBR is competing in the EVO class: http://www.insella.it/news/sbk-2014-australia-orar i-prove-diretta-tv-piloti-e-team-griglia (use Google to translate) | ||
| Hughlysses |
From today's free practice session: Times Day 1: 1. Lowes (Suzuki) 1'31.100 average 175.653 kph 2. Melandri (Aprilia) 1'31.137 3. Giugliano (Ducati) 1'31.205 4. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1'31.395 5. Rea (Honda) 1'31.436 6. Laverty (Suzuki) 1'31.448 7. Haslam (Honda) 1'31.533 8. Baz (Kawasaki) 1'31.637 9. Davies (Ducati) 1'31.757 10. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1'31.759 11. Elias (Aprilia) 1'32.073 12. Canepa (Ducati) 1'32.340 13. Foret (Kawasaki) 1'32.734 14. Salom (Kawasaki) 1'32.944 15. Allerton (BMW) 1'33.118 16. Corti (MV Agusta) 1'33.119 17. Morais (Kawasaki) 1'33.635 18. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1'33.996 19. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1'34.279 20. May (EBR) 1'34.640 21. Toth (BMW) 1'35.117 22. Walters (Kawasaki) 1'35.810 23. Yates (EBR) 1'36.338 NC. Sebestyen (BMW) 1'39.076. | ||
| Gregtonn |
Does this bring anyone to mind? "Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves."_Odd Ball in Kelly's Heroes You can't win if you don't play. G | ||
| Reepicheep |
One bimmer down, one to go.  | ||
| Stirz007 |
I'll conjecturify that like most teams, they have a stepped series of goals. I think a great initial goal to attain will be to finish most, if not all, races this season Next step up would finish in the points in most, if not all, races; ie., top 15 finishes. A first season top-ten season points standing finish would be pretty notable. Finally, podium finishes would be icing on the cake. For a first season, THAT would be something special. | ||
| Bads1 |
One Bimmer Down?? That one didn't qualify. That's saying a lot.Time is going tell what EBR will do. BMW didn't do well out of the gate either. Ducati didn't do well either with the new bike. We shall see. Now..... Gooo Sykes!! (Message edited by bads1 on February 21, 2014) | ||
| Jscott |
Live Timing if anyones interested: http://www.worldsbk.com/en/live+timing+extended | ||
| Vagelis46 |
Here are the FIM rules for WSBK, including EVO : http://www.fim-live.com/fileadmin/alfresco/2014_SB K_SS_SST__REGULATIONS_18022014.pdf Looking into the rules , if EBR is looking for a way to improve the engine and make more power , the "full" WSBK rules allows them to make changes..... the EVO rules, basically forces you to stick with the engine of the homologated motorcycle, and that is it..... I used to think that the EVO rules was the best choice for the EBR..... Now I think that the made the best choice to go for "full" WSBK, because for sure they are looking for a way to make the RX faster .... | ||
| Jscott |
Geoff had a crash about 30 minutes ago in FP3. Hopefully all is well. about 10 minutes left. | ||
| Jscott |
Geoff never made it back out after his crash. Aaron improved slightly. Aaron's trap speeds are 12kph slower than Geoff - 50kph slower than the Aprilia. 1 A. LOWES Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'30.566 2 E. LAVERTY Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'30.801 0.235 3 D. GIUGLIANO Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1'30.864 0.298 4 C. DAVIES Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1'30.962 0.396 5 T. SYKES Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'30.982 0.416 6 N. CANEPA Ducati 1199 Panigale R EVO 1'31.065 0.499 7 S. GUINTOLI Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'31.087 0.521 8 J. REA Honda CBR1000RR 1'31.091 0.525 9 M. MELANDRI Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'31.137 0.571 10 L. BAZ Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'31.211 0.645 11 T. ELIAS Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'31.412 0.846 12 L. HASLAM Honda CBR1000RR 1'31.430 0.864 13 G. ALLERTON BMW S1000 RR EVO 1'31.962 1.396 14 D. SALOM Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1'32.140 1.574 15 F. FORET Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1'32.382 1.816 16 C. CORTI MV Agusta F4 RR 1'32.615 2.049 17 S. MORAIS Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1'32.926 2.36 18 J. GUARNONI Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1'33.096 2.53 19 A. ANDREOZZI Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1'33.722 3.156 20 I. TOTH BMW S1000 RR 1'34.249 3.683 21 M. WALTERS Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1'34.453 3.887 22 G. MAY EBR 1190 RX 1'34.640 4.074 23 A. YATES EBR 1190 RX 1'35.521 4.955 NQ P. SEBESTYEN BMW S1000 RR EVO 1'37.274 6.708 |
