Nyteknik
Bannad
Q
When you think back to the Yamaha 500 that you started GP racing on, what are your immediate thoughts of that bike and the progress that has—or maybe hasn't—been made?
A
I think the developments, in terms of all the factories, has gone through the roof. Because what the 500 was, it was an amazing bike, it was awesome, but compared to the four-strokes right now, it was very primitive, I guess you could say, in terms of really wanting to bite you. Really wanting to bite you in the ass. The thing wanted to highside you any second that it could. There was a traction control system on it, but nothing like we have on the four-strokes. Then the first year that the 1000s came out, they really didn't handle all that great. A lot of electronics problems. Especially the Suzuki at first, but everyone, all the teams, had big electronic problems. The 800 is just a huge step above that, because what I've ridden already, we're already beating the 1000 lap times. After three or four years of development of the 1000, we get on the 800, and like I said, it's (already) beating the lap times. The traction control. It's basically like riding a 250 now, the 800.
Q
How does that make your job different as a rider?
A
It's similar to going back to the 500 in some ways. I guess the corner speed that I've had to hold on the Suzuki, the entire time at Suzuki now with the 1000 machine being down on a little bit of horsepower, it's caused me to ride a little bit harder in mid-corner, and carry the lean angle and carry the corner speed mid-corner, whereas on the 500, that's all you had to do. There was no engine braking or anything, so you needed to carry loads of corner speed. It's kind of bringing it back with the 800, because that's what the 800's all about. You've got to hold the corner speed. Because if you - it's not really a bike you can slide it in and then just stand it up and lock it out of the corner, just wide open out of the throttle, and get it out of the corner. Now, you've got to be really smooth, and you've just got to maintain the corner speed. Just the lines, I think, are going to change quite a bit, and they already have. You run a lot wider on the track, and you just don't apex it as quick as you did on the 1000.
Q
From an observational standpoint, it certainly seems as if riders who have 250 experience are going to be dealt an amazing set of cards in the 800 era. Do you agree? Guys like Pedrosa, Stoner, guys like that - it seems like it's a class made for these guys.
A
Yeah, I think it's put the cards on their table a little bit. I think it's going to help them out on the 800. It's definitely going to - at the end of the day, a good rider's going to be a good rider, and is going to stand out. But it's definitely going to put an advantage to the 250 riders, for sure, just with the corner speed, like I said, and the racing lines. As much curbing as we're using at the tracks that we've been to so far, it's a lot like a 250. So I would say it's given an advantage to those guys, for sure.
Q
And how do guys who came from Superbikes, or big bikes as you did, acclimate? I guess you either adapt or die, right?
A
Exactly. You've got to adapt or die. There was people that were amazing riders on Superbikes and everything like that, but just never could come to grips with the 500. It's a lot easier to ride now, the 800. The 500 was brutal. I think everyone will stand out. Colin's got 250 experience, he's going really well on the 800. And once the Honda - obviously the Honda was a little bit down at the beginning of the test, but there's no doubt they'll have that sorted out come race time.
www.superbikeplanet.com
Något säger mig att vi kommer få se något av ett omkast bland förare och deras placering i poängtabellen i år.
When you think back to the Yamaha 500 that you started GP racing on, what are your immediate thoughts of that bike and the progress that has—or maybe hasn't—been made?
A
I think the developments, in terms of all the factories, has gone through the roof. Because what the 500 was, it was an amazing bike, it was awesome, but compared to the four-strokes right now, it was very primitive, I guess you could say, in terms of really wanting to bite you. Really wanting to bite you in the ass. The thing wanted to highside you any second that it could. There was a traction control system on it, but nothing like we have on the four-strokes. Then the first year that the 1000s came out, they really didn't handle all that great. A lot of electronics problems. Especially the Suzuki at first, but everyone, all the teams, had big electronic problems. The 800 is just a huge step above that, because what I've ridden already, we're already beating the 1000 lap times. After three or four years of development of the 1000, we get on the 800, and like I said, it's (already) beating the lap times. The traction control. It's basically like riding a 250 now, the 800.
Q
How does that make your job different as a rider?
A
It's similar to going back to the 500 in some ways. I guess the corner speed that I've had to hold on the Suzuki, the entire time at Suzuki now with the 1000 machine being down on a little bit of horsepower, it's caused me to ride a little bit harder in mid-corner, and carry the lean angle and carry the corner speed mid-corner, whereas on the 500, that's all you had to do. There was no engine braking or anything, so you needed to carry loads of corner speed. It's kind of bringing it back with the 800, because that's what the 800's all about. You've got to hold the corner speed. Because if you - it's not really a bike you can slide it in and then just stand it up and lock it out of the corner, just wide open out of the throttle, and get it out of the corner. Now, you've got to be really smooth, and you've just got to maintain the corner speed. Just the lines, I think, are going to change quite a bit, and they already have. You run a lot wider on the track, and you just don't apex it as quick as you did on the 1000.
Q
From an observational standpoint, it certainly seems as if riders who have 250 experience are going to be dealt an amazing set of cards in the 800 era. Do you agree? Guys like Pedrosa, Stoner, guys like that - it seems like it's a class made for these guys.
A
Yeah, I think it's put the cards on their table a little bit. I think it's going to help them out on the 800. It's definitely going to - at the end of the day, a good rider's going to be a good rider, and is going to stand out. But it's definitely going to put an advantage to the 250 riders, for sure, just with the corner speed, like I said, and the racing lines. As much curbing as we're using at the tracks that we've been to so far, it's a lot like a 250. So I would say it's given an advantage to those guys, for sure.
Q
And how do guys who came from Superbikes, or big bikes as you did, acclimate? I guess you either adapt or die, right?
A
Exactly. You've got to adapt or die. There was people that were amazing riders on Superbikes and everything like that, but just never could come to grips with the 500. It's a lot easier to ride now, the 800. The 500 was brutal. I think everyone will stand out. Colin's got 250 experience, he's going really well on the 800. And once the Honda - obviously the Honda was a little bit down at the beginning of the test, but there's no doubt they'll have that sorted out come race time.
www.superbikeplanet.com
Något säger mig att vi kommer få se något av ett omkast bland förare och deras placering i poängtabellen i år.
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