Wassup with Nicky?

[NoCage]

I've heard rumors of clutch problems or something with Hayden... dunno.

In the 1st 11 races: Rossi - 5 podiums, 4 wins, Hayden - 10 podiums, 2 wins.

In the last 4 races: Rossi - 4 podiums, 1 win, Hayden - no podiums... nada, zilch.

And Nicky's stable-mate, Pedrosa, finshed 7th the last race and 15th before that.

Anyone? Anyone?

 

[Warchild]

I've heard rumors of clutch problems or something with Hayden... dunno.In the 1st 11 races: Rossi - 5 podiums, 4 wins, Hayden - 10 podiums, 2 wins.

In the last 4 races: Rossi - 4 podiums, 1 win, Hayden - no podiums... nada, zilch.

And Nicky's stable-mate, Pedrosa, finshed 7th the last race and 15th before that.

Anyone? Anyone?

This is being talked about quite a bit on the racing forums.... apparently, HRC is forcing Nicky to experiment a lot of new parts (as a part of bike development), and some of them are proving to be problematic. The clutch is just one component.... there are suspensions parts as well, IIRC.

 

[Groo]

So with 2 races left, what are the odds that Rossi catches and passes Nicky for the championship?

 

[Bike Effects]

So with 2 races left, what are the odds that Rossi catches and passes Nicky for the championship?

Sadly, I won't take this bet. It's slipping away for Nicky. I hope he has his **** together for the last two races. I like Valle but would like to see an American champ.

 

[Randy]

So with 2 races left, what are the odds that Rossi catches and passes Nicky for the championship?

Never count out The Doctor.

I think it boils down to HRC getting the clutch issues sorted out.

He is more than capable of running up front. However, when ****** starts put you 6 seconds behind the leader, it tears the **** up trying to catch up to them.

He has been doing development on the bike all year while his HRC stablemates are using the tried and tested parts. HRC strongly encouraged Nicky to play this role and he's making the best of it.

They did some testing after this past weekend and they said they made some good progress.

In my opinion, the series will be decided at the next race in Portugal.

Time for consipiracy theory.....

Any of the Italians (Rossi, Melandri, Capirossi) are capable of winning. If Marco or Loris are running up front with Vale right behind, wonder if they'll drop off to let their fellow countryman jump up front and put more points between him and the fuggin american?

Wonder if they'll give Dani team orders to back off if Nicky is right behind him?

 

[BobbyBlue]

Thanks for the info WC. You'd think HRC would do most of their development in the off season, at least thats what my heavily degraded brain would think. Maybe Suzook and Kawi could use that as an excuse too ! I love Valle but would really like to see Nicky bring it home for the USA. As an old Duc owner, '79 Dharma, I was piss happy to see Ducati win on Hondas track....KARMA for no Blackbirds Dooods !!! Its killer weather here in S. Texas, so I gots to go ride !!!!! :yahoo:

Bobby

 

[red2kcbr]

Same here, rooting for Nicky and an American champion. It's not looking good, though. Twelve point lead with 2 rounds remaining, it could go either way. Nicky and his team will have to have their **** TOGETHER to take this championship.

And when I think of all those Nicky haters out there, it just ******* kills me.

Go Nicky! :clapping:

 

[NoCage]

Thanks WC and Randy, good info. I sure believe the clutch probs... based on his bad launches. I agree with B.Blue... why would HRC **** with the bike when he's leading the points race? It'd be different if he was way down in the standings and just wanted some real-world testing. Either way, it's nice having a tight points race this late in the season. :assassin:

 

[Randy]

I agree with B.Blue... why would HRC **** with the bike when he's leading the points race? It'd be different if he was way down in the standings and just wanted some real-world testing. Either way, it's nice having a tight points race this late in the season. :assassin:

Because the bike isn't perfect. If it was, he would, most likely, be running away with the points race. The engineers can only do so much bench testing, but, they need real-world experience. They need someone to test it and Nicky is the guy. Rossi did the same thing when he was with Honda. They are never done with the bike.

The testing must work. Best time on race tires during the test - 1:47.18. His fastest lap during the race on Sunday was 1:47.795 and the fastest lap of the race was Rossi with a 1:47.288.

 

[tripletango]

So with 2 races left, what are the odds that Rossi catches and passes Nicky for the championship?

Nicky is as fast as any one out there. HRC has won the constructors Championship. They signed Nick for 2 more years.

I heard they supported Pedrosa for the Championship.

So who the hell knows in the end?

Maybe now Pedrosa is out of it they will stop dicking the bike and let Nick go and kick ass.

 

[Thug]

What's wrong? it's called [SIZE=36pt]PRESSURE!!![/SIZE]

 

[DucatiSSsp]

What's wrong? it's called [SIZE=36pt]PRESSURE!!![/SIZE]

+1.....Your right on Thug! Me thinks Nicky is riding too tentative, just needs to let go and ride the **** outta that damn Honda. It's gonna take one hell of a ride to beat the Doctor!

GO NICKY!!!!! GO ROBERTS!!!!

Bryce

 

[tripletango]

What's wrong? it's called [SIZE=36pt]PRESSURE!!![/SIZE]

+1.....Your right on Thug! Me thinks Nicky is riding too tentative, just needs to let go and ride the **** outta that damn Honda. It's gonna take one hell of a ride to beat the Doctor!

GO NICKY!!!!! GO ROBERTS!!!!

Bryce

He had plenty of pressure at Laguna Seca.

Give the lad a decent bike and he will win.

Why does Melandri do well on a different race teams Honda and Nick and Pedrosa suck on HRCs frigging bikes?

They have won the championship and are trying all kinds of rubbish on the bikes for next year.

 

[DucatiSSsp]

What's wrong? it's called [SIZE=36pt]PRESSURE!!![/SIZE]

+1.....Your right on Thug! Me thinks Nicky is riding too tentative, just needs to let go and ride the **** outta that damn Honda. It's gonna take one hell of a ride to beat the Doctor!

GO NICKY!!!!! GO ROBERTS!!!!

Bryce

He had plenty of pressure at Laguna Seca.

Give the lad a decent bike and he will win.

Why does Melandri do well on a different race teams Honda and Nick and Pedrosa suck on HRCs frigging bikes?

They have won the championship and are trying all kinds of rubbish on the bikes for next year.

Nicky had the home field advantage at Laguna Seca.....he was a shoe-in for the podium!

Bryce

 

[Ronman]

Nicky has shown a great deal of maturity, speed and consistancy this season. No doubt he can run at the front with the Rossi, Caparossi, Melandri and Sete. I think we have not yet seen the best of him.

Let's be honest though; Rossi's season has been a disaster! The M1 has been so problematic that it's amazing the guy is even in the points chase! Chunked tires, stalled engines, chattering frame, overheated engine, taken out in turn 1, broken wrist, etc. He's proven to be a real champion this season, even if he doesn't win the championship.

Nicky has what it takes, and he too has made it this far with some problems of his own and the RCV. Reading an article in one of the cyclings rags, it seems that the biggest change this year between the Honda and Yamaha (other than Rossi's mechanical DNFs) comes down to tires. The new Michelins work better on the Hondas than they do on the Yamahas. Honda was 'out of traction' last year, the Yamaha was not. The new Michelins have a lot more grip, so they give the Honda what it needs while giving the new Yamaha chassis' fits. Michelin now has two different tire types to suit each bike, and the latter part of the season seems to be showing more parity between the RCV and M1.

Whatever happens and for whatever reason, this is going to be a great title chase.

 

[Bike Effects]

Time for consipiracy theory.....Any of the Italians (Rossi, Melandri, Capirossi) are capable of winning. If Marco or Loris are running up front with Vale right behind, wonder if they'll drop off to let their fellow countryman jump up front and put more points between him and the fuggin american?

Wonder if they'll give Dani team orders to back off if Nicky is right behind him?

For the first one.....I doubt that you will see cross brand favors.

For Dani, I would think that Honda wants this championship badly, and Dani may have team orders. If not, how much would YOU like to please your employer?

 

[James Burleigh]

mEthinks Nicky is riding too tentative, just needs to let go and ride the **** outta that damn Honda. It's gonna take one hell of a ride to beat the Doctor!GO NICKY!!!!! GO ROBERTS!!!!

Bryce

I gotta believe it's the bike. Nicky doesn't know any other way than to ride the **** out of it. If you saw Faster, that MC journalist said with Formula One it's 80% vehicle and 20% driver, whereas with MotoGP it's the other way around. I belive Nicky's gotta a ****** bike and can't keep up.

As further evidence of the 80-20 principle, I don't imagine Vale's got the best motorcycle, but who else do you ever see go from seventh (or pick a number way back) and systematically get to the front every time. That's the human component.

JB

 

[650cent]

Nice articule about Nicky and his clutch problems here: https://www.motorcycledaily.com/25september06_nickyclutch.htm

Bill

 

[dgfella]

+1 on PRESSURE, Nicky is not responding well to it, and Val is. Val is highly competitive, and being behind in the standings is pushing him harder and harder.

I also think HRC is doing Nicky an injustice with too much experimental stuff. The lead rider gets the newest and least tested kit, but there are limits. A balance must be struck between the championship and research. HRC seems to be pushing too hard on research.

Just my 2 cents...