Silverstone bumps
Discussion
chunder27 said:
What does that matter?
As you probably know I don't ride a bike, to much hilarity from the knee draggers and race can twerps on here.
Given that probably 100% of people in here ride, some pretty good as well I would imagine, is it any wonder you get treated the way you do?As you probably know I don't ride a bike, to much hilarity from the knee draggers and race can twerps on here.
I did my direct access some years ago and the difference between what I THOUGHT riding a bike would be and what it ACTUALLY was were light years apart and gives you a whole new perspective when watching bike racing.
Without that experience to give you even a little insight into what's going on when watching racing it's little wonder your opinion is given the level of scorn it does.
OK, let's clear a few things up.
I offer opinions based on all sorts of things. I rode for about a year hated most of it and flogged the bike and moved on.
I have raced low powered bikes and ridden off road for years, spent a couple of years around the BSB paddock in the early 90's (sort of fettling for mate) and that got me into top level racing.
So I do know a bit.
I also have raced cars and driven on a few race tracks and also been an avid watcher of bike racing since the late 80's
That, in my eyes stands for something.
Sadly, biker are some of the most "non biker racist" people you will ever encounter. I have experienced this numerous times as a car driver over many years.
Not all of them obviously, but as with idiotic car drivers, the knee down, race exhaust, mirror clipping tossers and youtube vigilantes spoil it for most of you, including me. Thankfully as with the same car drivers they are in the minority, but they do exist.
Does it mean I have a bad opinion of bikers? No, just that I am wary of certain types of them them because they often have a chip on their shoulders about people who don't ride. We all know what types I mean.
And that is a fact, no matter what anyone on here says.
I offer opinions based on all sorts of things. I rode for about a year hated most of it and flogged the bike and moved on.
I have raced low powered bikes and ridden off road for years, spent a couple of years around the BSB paddock in the early 90's (sort of fettling for mate) and that got me into top level racing.
So I do know a bit.
I also have raced cars and driven on a few race tracks and also been an avid watcher of bike racing since the late 80's
That, in my eyes stands for something.
Sadly, biker are some of the most "non biker racist" people you will ever encounter. I have experienced this numerous times as a car driver over many years.
Not all of them obviously, but as with idiotic car drivers, the knee down, race exhaust, mirror clipping tossers and youtube vigilantes spoil it for most of you, including me. Thankfully as with the same car drivers they are in the minority, but they do exist.
Does it mean I have a bad opinion of bikers? No, just that I am wary of certain types of them them because they often have a chip on their shoulders about people who don't ride. We all know what types I mean.
And that is a fact, no matter what anyone on here says.
The point is that you proffer opinion as fact in a thinly disguised and leading question. When others disagree, no matter how many, you continue to stand by your initial statement rather than adapt as more information comes to light.
This thread is a good example where you continued for a long time to position the bumps as the main reason for the cancellation last year when it wasn’t. It was standing water causing bikes to aqua plane. Ironically a billiard table smooth racetrack with poor drainage would cause identical issues.
This thread is a good example where you continued for a long time to position the bumps as the main reason for the cancellation last year when it wasn’t. It was standing water causing bikes to aqua plane. Ironically a billiard table smooth racetrack with poor drainage would cause identical issues.
Bumps for a bike are a very different proposition to bumps for a car...
Consider mass and inertia and wheelbase of a bike compared to a car to begin to understand the problem.
As said earlier, then the type of bump makes a huge difference as the effect of a slow undulating event is wholly different from a fast ripple when we go back to the issues of bike vs car.
Regarding MotoGP bikes, they use a markedly different suspension system compared with normal bikes which presents a unique set of challenges again.
As for fixing bumps, this Is a very challenging job on existing pavement layers and can be nearly impossible to eradicate without major excavation and fill work which is very expensive and time consuming. Asphalt is a 'living' material compared to concrete and the interaction between asphalt and the sub layers is tricky to manage through the yearly temperature variations
So like all things it comes to cost vs impact and unless it is significant, cost usually wins out.
Consider mass and inertia and wheelbase of a bike compared to a car to begin to understand the problem.
As said earlier, then the type of bump makes a huge difference as the effect of a slow undulating event is wholly different from a fast ripple when we go back to the issues of bike vs car.
Regarding MotoGP bikes, they use a markedly different suspension system compared with normal bikes which presents a unique set of challenges again.
As for fixing bumps, this Is a very challenging job on existing pavement layers and can be nearly impossible to eradicate without major excavation and fill work which is very expensive and time consuming. Asphalt is a 'living' material compared to concrete and the interaction between asphalt and the sub layers is tricky to manage through the yearly temperature variations
So like all things it comes to cost vs impact and unless it is significant, cost usually wins out.
Edited by Steve Bass on Friday 19th July 16:08
The bumps in the new surface are generally pretty small at about 4mm, they can be fixed fairly easily by planing out and re_laying 40mm of surface course.
The longer term problem isn't particularly with annual temperature variations, it's more the state of the underlying WW2 airfield.
The longer term problem isn't particularly with annual temperature variations, it's more the state of the underlying WW2 airfield.
Lindun, I'm sorry but I will stand by my original post. The bumps WERE a problem at Silverstone and always have been on bikes as the F1 happens usually a few weeks before. And more so than at a lot of other tracks GP attend.
Agreed it was not the reason the race was cancelled. But they have always been an issue at Silverstone on GP bikes, ally that to the wind, and it can cause horrendous problems there.
Agreed it was not the reason the race was cancelled. But they have always been an issue at Silverstone on GP bikes, ally that to the wind, and it can cause horrendous problems there.
Look at BSB today at Snetterton. Really bumpy entry into the 1st corner. I raced there last week it’s a fast, fast corner. It’s not causing the end of the racing there. You just ride around it / set your bike up to cope. I’m a rank average club racer with no support team and a few spanners, MotoGP are the creme de la creme with multi-million pound set ups.
They’ll cope, despite your hyperbole.
They’ll cope, despite your hyperbole.
Lindun said:
Look at BSB today at Snetterton. Really bumpy entry into the 1st corner. I raced there last week it’s a fast, fast corner. It’s not causing the end of the racing there. You just ride around it / set your bike up to cope. I’m a rank average club racer with no support team and a few spanners, MotoGP are the creme de la creme with multi-million pound set ups.
They’ll cope, despite your hyperbole.
Perhaps you can give Crutchlow a few tips on how to set up his bike for the bumps. They’ll cope, despite your hyperbole.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/917423/1/crutchl...
Zarco said:
Perhaps you can give Crutchlow a few tips on how to set up his bike for the bumps.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/917423/1/crutchl...
As has been said earlier the only ones you hear whingeing are the underperformers, and no, that doesn’t mean that I’m better than him. If his multi-million pound team are dumbfounded by bumps then maybe it’s time to go back to drawing board, after all he’s not the only rider riding that track and the others all get a billiard smooth track. https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/917423/1/crutchl...
Maybe he could complain about some of the corners being too tight as well, or not enough run off, or the tarmac being too old, or something else that he’s whinged about in his time.
chunder27 said:
Sadly, biker are some of the most "non biker racist" people you will ever encounter. I have experienced this numerous times as a car driver over many years.
So bikers are now a 'race' of people are they ? And I thought that it was a chosen hobby or interest that some had, or just a means of getting from A to B. Stooping to a new level now
Lindun said:
Zarco said:
Perhaps you can give Crutchlow a few tips on how to set up his bike for the bumps.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/917423/1/crutchl...
As has been said earlier the only ones you hear whingeing are the underperformers, and no, that doesn’t mean that I’m better than him. If his multi-million pound team are dumbfounded by bumps then maybe it’s time to go back to drawing board, after all he’s not the only rider riding that track and the others all get a billiard smooth track. https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/917423/1/crutchl...
Maybe he could complain about some of the corners being too tight as well, or not enough run off, or the tarmac being too old, or something else that he’s whinged about in his time.
I take it back.
Zarco said:
Lindun said:
Zarco said:
Perhaps you can give Crutchlow a few tips on how to set up his bike for the bumps.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/917423/1/crutchl...
As has been said earlier the only ones you hear whingeing are the underperformers, and no, that doesn’t mean that I’m better than him. If his multi-million pound team are dumbfounded by bumps then maybe it’s time to go back to drawing board, after all he’s not the only rider riding that track and the others all get a billiard smooth track. https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/917423/1/crutchl...
Maybe he could complain about some of the corners being too tight as well, or not enough run off, or the tarmac being too old, or something else that he’s whinged about in his time.
I take it back.
I see you’ve deliberately ignored my points though about every rider having to ride the same track and set up being a part of that. Also ignored all the things he’s moaned about. He’s not on his own as a moaner, but he was the one rider you picked.
I think the thing with Cal is that he is very honest and does not do the whole PR thing, he plays his cards very cleverly in my book.
Stoner used to "moan" and people hated it, I didn't, I was used to it from years of Gardner, Doohan, et al who were simple, honest Aussies, he just would say thing as they were. And all the Rossi lickers didn't like it.
Cal for me is riding out of his skin most of the time, look at his background, he has nothing like the racing backgrounds that the younger riders have, spent most of his career on road bikes, was never a prolific winner, was in an insanely talented batch with Laverty's Sykes, Rea, Camier, Jones et al, hard to stand out in that group. One only one series and not many wins on anything.
Came to GP's later in his career and has carved out a remarkable career for himself in my opinion. I rate him up there with guys like Petrucci, a grafter, a man who takes the talent he has (self admits he has less than most out there) and does the best with it.
IN doing that he bins it a lot, but he gets very good results, is highly rated by HRC, and is a good bet for a few podiums a year, about as much as Tech 3 or Petrons would want or Pramac. You may say, "you moan about Lowes all the time", well yes, but he crashes ALL the time, nearly every weekend and has hardly had a result of note for years.
He is over achieving in my book. I can take a few moans for that.
Stoner used to "moan" and people hated it, I didn't, I was used to it from years of Gardner, Doohan, et al who were simple, honest Aussies, he just would say thing as they were. And all the Rossi lickers didn't like it.
Cal for me is riding out of his skin most of the time, look at his background, he has nothing like the racing backgrounds that the younger riders have, spent most of his career on road bikes, was never a prolific winner, was in an insanely talented batch with Laverty's Sykes, Rea, Camier, Jones et al, hard to stand out in that group. One only one series and not many wins on anything.
Came to GP's later in his career and has carved out a remarkable career for himself in my opinion. I rate him up there with guys like Petrucci, a grafter, a man who takes the talent he has (self admits he has less than most out there) and does the best with it.
IN doing that he bins it a lot, but he gets very good results, is highly rated by HRC, and is a good bet for a few podiums a year, about as much as Tech 3 or Petrons would want or Pramac. You may say, "you moan about Lowes all the time", well yes, but he crashes ALL the time, nearly every weekend and has hardly had a result of note for years.
He is over achieving in my book. I can take a few moans for that.
Bumps do a lot of things to bikes, invariably set off chatter, which is inherent in a lot of MotoGP bikes in all classes.
But combine it with the wind at Silverstone, chatter and wind really don't mix well.
If you had the choice I don't think anyone would CHOOSE Silverstone as a venue for the British GP on bikes would they?
But combine it with the wind at Silverstone, chatter and wind really don't mix well.
If you had the choice I don't think anyone would CHOOSE Silverstone as a venue for the British GP on bikes would they?
Steve Bass said:
And we’re back to why bumps affect MotoGP bikes....
Do a little reading as to how GP suspension works, then watch the bikes carefully and you’ll get the issue.
I’m not saying they don’t affect bikes. What I’m saying is that they didn’t cause last years round to be cancelled. Equally though, all tracks have bumps and having to deal with them applies equally to all riders. One doesn’t get a bumpy track and the rest a smooth track. Silverstone is likely to be smoother this year than it ever has been. Do a little reading as to how GP suspension works, then watch the bikes carefully and you’ll get the issue.
This is a non-issue.
Steve, I admitted I was wrong this guy just has a bee in his bonnet, leave him to it.
I would love to see GP at Donington again, but the logistics for parking and commuting there for it would be woeful, it's a single carriageway road, two lanes at best, take hours to get in and out!
Dreaming, would love to see them at Thruxton, best bike track in the UK for racing and sliding!
I would love to see GP at Donington again, but the logistics for parking and commuting there for it would be woeful, it's a single carriageway road, two lanes at best, take hours to get in and out!
Dreaming, would love to see them at Thruxton, best bike track in the UK for racing and sliding!
chunder27 said:
I would love to see GP at Donington again, but the logistics for parking and commuting there for it would be woeful, it's a single carriageway road, two lanes at best, take hours to get in and out!
So the same as Silverstone then? Luckily I've worked out exactly where to sit and exactly where to park now so that I'm back in the car 15mins after the last bike goes round and have to deal with no more than about 10mins of traffic jam and we're on our way home!chunder27 said:
Dreaming, would love to see them at Thruxton, best bike track in the UK for racing and sliding!
I'm not sure I could think of a track I would like to see them at less.Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff