As requested

 

Ok lets start out the New Year in organized fashion. Top News as of right now Nicky Hayden on the 27th just after Christmas had a Dirt Track accident. He went to start his training for the upcoming season and Broke some Ribs and his Shoulder. Him being able to test In Feb. in Sepang for the winter test may be questionable. Ducati just isn't having good luck. I'd like to see a fresh start this year. I know they will be faster. Thing is will they be up to pace??

 

Ducati just isn't having good luck. I'd like to see a fresh start this year. I know they will be faster. Thing is will they be up to pace??

Hayden won't be up to pace and the Ducati may be faster than last year, but you can bet the Hondas will be quicker too. This is the year they go back to 1000cc isn't it ?

 

Yes it is but the 1000's will bring all kinds of new issues to be properly set up. And the bikes will require more rider input closer to the days before they went to the 800's. Ducati has the engine.... that is more then proven. They spent to much time with a frame/carbon fiber set up that they knew way less about developing when the twin spar frame that honda and the other were using that works.... and works well. Ducati has decided to go with what works. Now its setup setup setup. They have the best man in the biz....Rossi for that.

 

Man its one after another. Now Dovi is out also.

Andrea Dovizioso Breaks Collarbone Riding MX - Motorcycle USA

 

the thing is.... when all the rules change - it gives smaller firms (like ducati) a chance. look at what happened when they switched to 800's. it levels the playing field. a few years into it - honda and yamaha had thrown copious amounts of money into research, refinement, testing - amounts of money that a firm like of ducati couldnt. this is their best shot. (well actually, i guess a few seasons from now (when they're all CRT bikes) is actually their best shot).


but i think they'll do MUCH better this year. it sucks to hear about hayden and dovi.

 

I agree the CRT era will give the smaller companies a chance to enter a team, but I am sure since Honda makes the BEST sport bike on the planet, they will always be in the running. And maybe Honda signing Stoner could be the cryptonite to Rossi.

 

o i think honda will always be there.... i'm just saying that ducati really had no chance this year - out of the gate - it just wasn't there. and i think in the first year or two of a new rules era, when things are still trying to be sorted out - and money can't solve every problem - the firms with less money have more of a shot.


but who knows because i can't see everyone throwing tons of money at it this year if the rules change again for '13 to go all CRT. isn't this season kind of a swan song for the big factory support?

i still don't understand the rules....

 

I think that Ducati has more then a shot. Ducati even though they are smaller they still budget like the other factory teams. If they couldn't they wouldn't be trying and they go WSB and AMA and try to clean up there now that they have a new Superbike but they don't. With the rules going 1000 the riders will have more rider input. So in retrospect it will change the ball game for everyone a bit. I'm actually excited for this year to start. But also I am for the other series.

 

Looks like Hayden is on the mend and Ducati like I said has built a new bike. I knew they were going back to the twin spar. And I knew they barrowed one end of last year for Rossi to try which was built by a Euro firm so it wasn't exactly what they needed or wanted. So when the season ended they built the frame that they needed with the changes to make it right. I think we may see Rossi in the hunt yet and I hope so. Sorry guys i'm not as big of a Stoner fan as a Rossi fan and I don't cheer a make of bike. I cheer for a rider.