Whats wrong with Kawasaki moto GP effort.

Post by **MadKaw** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:12 am

After watching another dissapointing result for Kawasaki yesterday and seeing all the other bikes and new riders improving, I figure there is something wrong at KRT..

Sooo.???

Is it the bike, that needs more development and therfore is the cause.
or
Is it the riders. They seem to able to qualify but not race...

Other teams with the same tyres are doing better...???

Heres the results for the last 4 races..

Nakkers
Jerez - Qual - 3, Fin - 7
Qatar - Qual -9 - Fin - 11
Turkey - Qual - 8 - Fin - 8
China - Qual - 4 - Fin - 10

Randy
Jerez - Qual - 8, Fin - DNF
Qatar - Qual -12 - Fin - 15
Turkey - Qual - 6 - Fin - 12
China - Qual - 10 - Fin - 12

Theres a similar occurance in the WSB too... why is that..??

I know knowing one here has the definative answers, I just figured I'd put this up here for comment...

FrogZ · Post by **FrogZ** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:25 am

I think it has an AWFUL lot to do with money and assets.
Honda/Yamaha are BIG companies (compared to Kwaka)
Ducati doesnt even pay for its MotoGP effort (very attractive to sponsors) and has money to burn.
Kwaka is a small company with a small race team (not even Kwaka really, just supprt ??) little money for development etc.
BUT also being an Aircraft Manufacturer there bikes really fly

Even if they did get Rossi but they would be hard pressed to make the changes he would want the way Yamy did (even they are having probs now eh?)

my 10c for what its worth

greenmeanie · Post by **greenmeanie** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:41 am

KHI is a huge company is just that bikes make up fark all % in the overall scheme of things

.

I think it is a bit of both rider & bike.

Nakano puts in good qualifying laps most of the time and is a consistent points racer(top 10). Doesn't have a say hopkins attitude of ringing the bikes neck and may crash in the process of doing so approach.

Randy.... too early to say whether he is the right guy or not. Look hayden is now in his 3rd year and only really now starting to get consistent(podium) results and having a factory honda helps!

Bike still needs more power to match likes of honda etc over full race distance. Power delivery and further bridgestone development would help as well.

Glen · Post by **Glen** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:45 am

It's a bit of a combination I think with each factor contributing to this inevitable downward spiral we've got.

Not a lot of money and a history of poor results must make it hard to attract decent riders and team people which then contributes to the crappier results etc.

Nakkers and Randy are fine riders I'm sure but I don't think either have whatever is needed to get decent results from an ordinary bike. Likewise they probably don't attract enough sponsors to bring money with them.

Unfortunately I don't think much will change unless the factory get an interest and toss some money into the effort but being one of the smaller ones that's probably unlikely.

red_dave · Post by **red_dave** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:09 am

IMHO, I think the bikes just don't have the race pace...

From memory, Nakkers has finished each race about 22 seconds or more behind the leader (i.e. over 1 secong a lap slower). He can pull a couple of great laps (esp in qualifying) but the bike can't seem to do it over the distance.

stevew_zzr · Post by **stevew_zzr** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:32 am

I think the Bridgestone tyres are probably the weakest link. Ducati have spent heaps of time and money sorting out tyre longevity and they still don't get it right at every track. I reckon Nakano is a pretty damn good rider and seems to suit the bike quite well, still undecided about Randy.

javaman · Post by **javaman** » Mon May 15, 2006 10:34 am

How good was pedrosa !! I think he will be the new dominator, followed by casey. Also remember on the last race he started from 16th position and ended up fighting for 1st place

befor crashing that is

I read in TW sometimes ago the kwaka bike simply does not have the HP and refinements. But the good news is the development team are the same people who developed street bikes like the ZX10s. Alas cheaper team to run and more benefits for the mere mortals ...

Rossi · Post by **Rossi** » Mon May 15, 2006 5:01 pm

Simple really mate

A 20 Year lay off from racing

smek · Post by **smek** » Mon May 15, 2006 5:22 pm

The kwaka's top speed really hurt at china, seeing nakano get swamped down the straight was painful. You can make up the difference on other parts of the track, but not for 20 odd laps in a row.

It also seems to me that whenever nakkers is in a group, he's always the one at the back. Anyone else noticed this?

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Mon May 15, 2006 7:41 pm

You would have to look at the rest of the teams and work out where bridgestone tyres finished and then if they where up ther with the michelins go to the next step.

Do the kawisaki engineers consult with the riders or do they produce a bike and expect the rider to go fast on it regardless with just minor tuning as per the track requirements or do they take on board what the rider says and make modifications.

Watching early in the season and in testing randy was getting chucked off it every session that says to me its not user friendly......so if its a hard thing to ride it may not be the way to go so you have to ask the rider what they want and modify.

It starts at the front and progesses backwards but knackers seems to have top 10 cased out .

gearbox · Post by **gearbox** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:20 pm

It,s simple go West,he would ride the screw the shit out of it,then we all would know!if it wasn,t a Kwaka nobody would be interested in them,they are just toooooo slow

Pabs · Post by **Pabs** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:39 pm

They may need to do what Spewsuki has done,and bring in their technical & mechanical team from production side of the company over to their MotoGP team. Look at the improve performance's of Vermullen and Hopkins lately.

It could be all to late because of the new rules next year,Yamaha and Honda are not spending to much this year as they also working on the 07-bike, this is why Yamaha & Honda released their engines to Satellite teams.

Anyhow as I am known as a bike slut (ask d Coasties)

go go the Kwaka and there is a lot of races to go as yet

ps
I can see Stoner stepping into Rossi's team specially if Jeremy Burgess stays & Rossi leaves for F1.

ZZRCHIKKY · Post by **ZZRCHIKKY** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:40 pm

what efort ???

nobby · Post by **nobby** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:40 pm

Grab Ben Spies from AMA, or Ryuichi Kiyonari from BSB, I love the way these guys ride, then again, a bit more top end speed and better traction wouldn't hurt either.

Keep Nakano I like his style, and I don't really dislike Randy .... but he's European, he'd be much better suited to a Duc.

Ment · Post by **Ment** » Mon May 15, 2006 10:29 pm

Its hard to say, tyres are definatley a big factor but maybe its the riders?

We know the bike isnt too far down on top speed, just look at the qualifing times.

Watching China, Nakkers looked like he just never got into a rhythm. arkward lines etc, he had a few good laps in the middle, mainly when rossi got past him, seem to wake him up a bit, but then he faded again.

Look at what OJ did last year in china, i think this proves what a rider with a real hunger can do.
Casey and pedrosa are hungry for it, but are nakkers or randy?