I think the most plausible explanation is that EBR knew what they were getting into, they didn't expect to do well (although maybe they didn't expect to do as badly as they've done) and they're either developing parts or a new platform (V-4 or similar) for next season.
Geoff May did a candid interview with Cycle World last week that, while it doesn't specifically address that point, does say a lot about their frustruating effort this year:
http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/06/21...ord-geoff-may/
Yeah, that interview has a bit of a glum feel to it, doesn't it?Originally Posted by Hughlysses
a V-4 would be cool, but that would be a whole new bike (unless they could somehow create one that has similar dimensions and weight). Ducati does well with their V-Twin, so it's certainly possible to create a twin with enough power. But that could require a nearly clean-sheet V-Twin. But a nearly clean sheet V-Twin could be developed that is similar enough in size and weight that they could likely put it in the same frame.
Of course any new engine would have to be homologated as a whole new bike (unless they can get a lot more power with the SBK allowed modifications - but my understanding is that twins are limited in modification and will probably be more limited next year).
One thing that isn't mentioned much, but was mentioned in at least one article I read is weight. One comment (from the team manager?) seemed to indicate they had a weight problem (and while the initial specs made the bike seem very light, it was something like 20 lbs heavier than the Ducati in a comparison I read). If they could shave 20 lbs off, that could make all the difference in the world. Weight wouldn't seem to make a big difference in top speed, but in the reality of the race track, a heavier bike will carry less speed out of the corner, accelerate more slowly and then have to brake sooner going into the next corner. If they really are overweight, that could be a big chunk of the battle (if it's possible to lose it).
WSBK is the real deal. They may be production based, but in many ways the bikes are just as trick as the prototype brethren in MotoGP. It's really hard to compete at that level.
I'd like to see those same riders out there on showroom stock bikes and see how they stack up. The whole "win on sunday, sell on monday" thing is a bunch of hooey to me if you can't go buy what they're racing for a reasonable amount of money. By reasonable, keep it under $25k. No extras, no trick parts, nothing. I guess that's the evo class or whatever, I don't keep up with all the class rules or whatever. I'd bet the stock EBR 1190 would do quite well against most other totally stock liter class bikes out there on the market today.
(cross-posted from IOM TT Thread)
Great interviews with Mark Miller and Brandon Cretu at Motopod: http://www.motopodcast.com
Brandon's on episode #409 starting at 00:39:00.
Mark is on episode #410 starting at 01:43:54.
If you're feeling down about how EBR's been doing in competition this year, listen to Miller's interview. He freaking RAVES about how great the bike is, especially the FRONT BRAKE!!!
Yea, but it doesn't work that way. The MotoGP bikes are pure prototypes and by the rules (other than the CRT) cannot have anything in common with what you can buy.
WSBK are so exotic being production based is just the start. They are still million-dollar machines in some ways.
But, super-stock racing, even though it exists, just isn't interesting to fans.
The stock EBR might do... OK... If club racing is any indication of what stock bikes are like, the ZX-10 is the weapon of choice, hands down.
I think the problem is, nobody wants to see the 'undercard'. If there was no superbike and the premier class was super-stock (and I think we're slowly moving in that direction) I think people would enjoy it every bit as much they currently enjoy Superbike. Fans don't care about modified cams, polished heads etc. etc. etc. those are just things the better financed manufacturers and teams want in the rules so they can get an advantage.
I personally like the idea of racing bikes at the top level that are as close to stock as possible. It levels the playing field, makes more interesting competition and it prevents the top teams from always having the best equipment (similar to the salary cap in football). I also like the idea that if they want to make their bike faster they've got to make the bike you and I can buy better - not just buy a million dollar part and slap it on (and for those who argue that bikes benefit from the R & D, how much benefit and R & D do we really get when a team puts a $200,000 suspension on their bike? We'll never see that suspension on our bike. But if they're forced to race bikes that are more stock, we'll get better stock suspensions).
But as long as there are both Superbike and Superstock, fans will always prefer Superbike. It's the same concept that prevented DMG from making Sportbike their premier class. Race fans are always going to see the fastest class as the thing they really want to see.
Which is why superstock sucks.
The riders at that level are capable of extracting everything a stock bike has to offer. Why constrain them and dampen the show?
It might make for better racing than the parades we usually see. You want to see great racing to me its at the club level. WSBK are the NASCAR of the two wheel world, the're producition based but the similarites stop at the photo realistic headlights decals. The sooner teams figure that out the sooner they start to actually compete instead of just circulate.
According to a sidebar on the WSBK article in today's issue of Cycle News, Geoff has used up his allotment of 8 engines while Aaron still has several spares (?). Apparently the team requested an exception to the rules to allow them to exceed the allotment of 8 engines which was denied. Per the rules, this means Geoff has to start from the pits for 2 races. That would seem to be a negligible penalty for the team at this point. Very curious that Geoff would have had so many more engine failures, especially since he missed 2 or 3 races early in the season after his injury. Perhaps the two bikes are running different parts or electronics?
Read it here: http://cyclenews.uberflip.com/i/334712
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