For some reason, I got put off blogging about bike racing after watching the 2009 MotoGP at Indianapolis ... a real crap piece of track. The USA has many better tracks in the east, notably Barber. But, motivated by money rather than quality of racing, MotoGP has now had three years at Indy. So enough about that. I think I'll start blogging once again, just in time for the 2012, litre bike debut.
It's going to be interesting to see if Ducati can get their shit together. They've been held back by their innovative frameless 'chassis' (with limited ability to design in adequate flex) and 90 degree L motor (which puts the crankcase too far aft). The Desmosedici GP12 has had the carbon fibre headstock-airbox replaced with an aluminum version which is easier to machine-in flex. However, it's still a very rigid connection between headstock and engine. Rossi seems to like it, but so far in testing, he doesn't look significantly faster than he was before. It's just a bandaid solution that doesn't address the two main problems. Ducati seems to be betting on the power of their litre motor, but if I were them, I'd get over my emotional attachment to the frameless design and hallmark motor configuration.
Oh, and Indy is still a crap track.
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