Joined Oct 2007
63 Posts | 0+
Not looking to good for the RSV4 in WSB...http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/News/142635/1/aprilia_turn_attention_to_aerodynamics.html
Aprilia turn attention to aerodynamics
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I think it may be a little unrealistic to expect too much from the V4/riders this year.
The engine has been somewhat fickle in testing with warm up proceedures akin to an F1 car to prevent it lunching itself on the first straight.
It's a new engine config for Piaggio so they are still finding their feet and they have 2 riders somewhat past their peak and probably riding for the pay cheque more than any realistic expectation of winning.
For me they should have 1 experienced development rider and 1 young upstart who is willing to lay it on the line.
Top 10's for the most part is realistic and i think that has been mooted as the goal of the team this year. They are seeing it as a development year and if it looks a sound prospect then they might get someone capable of winning on it next year.
With most teams shelving development in season this year they have a half decent chance of catching up mid/late season if they can continue to have a devlopment budget ongoing.
At the end of the day BMW's budget is huge compared to Piaggios's and their bike has been developing for a considerable time but they are not setting the grid alight so far.
Time will tell either way i guess.
The engine has been somewhat fickle in testing with warm up proceedures akin to an F1 car to prevent it lunching itself on the first straight.
It's a new engine config for Piaggio so they are still finding their feet and they have 2 riders somewhat past their peak and probably riding for the pay cheque more than any realistic expectation of winning.
For me they should have 1 experienced development rider and 1 young upstart who is willing to lay it on the line.
Top 10's for the most part is realistic and i think that has been mooted as the goal of the team this year. They are seeing it as a development year and if it looks a sound prospect then they might get someone capable of winning on it next year.
With most teams shelving development in season this year they have a half decent chance of catching up mid/late season if they can continue to have a devlopment budget ongoing.
At the end of the day BMW's budget is huge compared to Piaggios's and their bike has been developing for a considerable time but they are not setting the grid alight so far.
Time will tell either way i guess.
its funny how people expect so much from the bike alone, I don't expect biaggi to win the championship this year at all, maybe the odd race, same with nakano, you gotta remember the competition this year is immense, the amount of riders, it can go anyones way.
I totally agree with spoonz (again). You can't expect a brand new bike and engine to be any higher than top 10.
I didn't think Max had a decent reputation as a development rider so I was always surprised with his appointment but we can hope can't we? Actually, why should we? Do we have an RSV4? Still I suppose we should support the manufacturer, not the model.
I can't subscribe to the theory that they may be hiding their light under a bushel either. It's too late NOT to show your stuff now. Rossi may have put this theory on it's head sometimes in the past but he's never really had the depth and quantity/quality of challengers as there in WSB. By that, I mean that no rider in WSB is in a class of his own - they're all so darned equal. Which makes it more exciting.
Rant over, let battle commence!
I didn't think Max had a decent reputation as a development rider so I was always surprised with his appointment but we can hope can't we? Actually, why should we? Do we have an RSV4? Still I suppose we should support the manufacturer, not the model.
I can't subscribe to the theory that they may be hiding their light under a bushel either. It's too late NOT to show your stuff now. Rossi may have put this theory on it's head sometimes in the past but he's never really had the depth and quantity/quality of challengers as there in WSB. By that, I mean that no rider in WSB is in a class of his own - they're all so darned equal. Which makes it more exciting.
Rant over, let battle commence!
Joined Jan 2009
67 Posts | 0+
Norn Iron
Biaggi's a very skilled rider before Gibernau Biaggi was the only rider that really took Rossi on, I would definitely have higher expectations than top ten as in maybe top 5 with Biaggi there. Nakano is a strange choice and would agree that the likes of Ulsters (he'll become British when he does well as it happened with McWilliams and Ulsterman when he binned it which was all too often) Johnny Rea would have been a better choice as in a youngster who's not afraid to push to the limit.
I think Piaggio have more to lose if its a dog quote "Foggy Petronas anyone" and much to gain if they pull it off. Piaggio bosses could have sat scratchin their arses sellin scooters and be happy enough. Fairfux they had the balls to go racing with an unproven bike in the closest racing environment.
Altho Aprilia made a whole balls of the RS cube thing so fingers crossed:thumbup
I think Piaggio have more to lose if its a dog quote "Foggy Petronas anyone" and much to gain if they pull it off. Piaggio bosses could have sat scratchin their arses sellin scooters and be happy enough. Fairfux they had the balls to go racing with an unproven bike in the closest racing environment.
Altho Aprilia made a whole balls of the RS cube thing so fingers crossed:thumbup
Joined Jul 2007
2K Posts | 0+
Northamptonshire, England
Aah but the name on the bike is Aprilia NOT Piaggio....so if it goes **** up then they can go back to selling scooters with a very lightly besmirched pedigree & drop back out of WSB....Hope this doesn't happen as although I think Biaggi had his day a looooong time ago and Nakano is at least approaching 'the hill'....Aprilia is a name I would love to see doing well on a world stage!
Biaggi was and is still a good rider wobbly but he's no development rider.
When a bike is not working the rider needs to be able to communicate why to the engineers. Honda's experience of Biaggi on a not working bike was "i won't speak to you" and lock himself in his motorhome.
Take Rossi out of the equation. Valentino can make any bike seem better than it really is as can Stoner (As Hayden will likely prove) but also remember Valentino also has a history of great development with Burgess.
He's never got on a bike and it not got better in his time there.
Biaggi cannot say the same. He can win when everything is perfect like his head.tyres,bike.team but on a new bike those days will be few and far between. The races haven't even started and the press realease at the start of the thread says "moral is low"
Never heard that said about a team with Biaggi in it before :dowhat
Be optimistic for sure but Honda/Ducati/Yamaha/Suzuki are all very strong.
When a bike is not working the rider needs to be able to communicate why to the engineers. Honda's experience of Biaggi on a not working bike was "i won't speak to you" and lock himself in his motorhome.
Take Rossi out of the equation. Valentino can make any bike seem better than it really is as can Stoner (As Hayden will likely prove) but also remember Valentino also has a history of great development with Burgess.
He's never got on a bike and it not got better in his time there.
Biaggi cannot say the same. He can win when everything is perfect like his head.tyres,bike.team but on a new bike those days will be few and far between. The races haven't even started and the press realease at the start of the thread says "moral is low"
Never heard that said about a team with Biaggi in it before :dowhat
Be optimistic for sure but Honda/Ducati/Yamaha/Suzuki are all very strong.
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