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Speed inflation

Interesting responses so far.
 
As progress was made in suspension, frames, engine power, and tires, the riders who did the best were the ones who were best able to adapt to the new behavior. And I'm convinced more than ever that radial tires made a bigger difference in lap times than any other one thing.

I'm also pretty sure that any of those top riders would only need a few hours riding the new bikes to be faster than today's backmarkers.
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PhaTeLeSS said:
I completely disagree. Evolution happens as a RESULT of the environment - it does not cause it. Make sense?

The old guys learned to ride the way they did because of the bikes that were available. You put them on new bikes and once they get used to them they would kick ass. Their physiological characteristics that allow them to be good riders would still apply on newer machines.

Nobody is "programmed" to ride a motorcycle. We have senses, we have reflexes, and we have physical traits like eyesight, strength, etc. Different people have different strengths, weaknesses, and sensitivities. The better riders are just more able to adapt to their equipment.

Stoner can apparently adapt to anything and ride it well - he's more versatile. He didn't come out of the womb "programmed" to ride a motorcycle. Nobody does. Rossi hopped into an F1 car and was nipping at the heels of record times, with virtually no car experience. The same psychical characteristics that make him great on a motorcycle also helped him in the car.

This goes back to Socrates' (correct me if I'm wrong) question about knowledge. Is it inherent and we just have to remember it? Or is it completely fresh? I believe we have certain characteristics that lend themselves well to certain talents.
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Well said by both....... :applause


Absofookinlutely my belief. :x
 
Kestrel said:
If motorcycle racing ever turns into NASCAR, please shoot me in the face :thumbdown
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I'll off myself in the process. I wasn't saying that I liked NASCAR or hoped that mc racing would go that route, but the concept is interesting... why not just stop the clock on technology and race whatever came out of that era?
 
DucatiHoney said:
I'll off myself in the process. I wasn't saying that I liked NASCAR or hoped that mc racing would go that route, but the concept is interesting... why not just stop the clock on technology and race whatever came out of that era?
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Who'd pay to watch that?
 
choochdog said:
Did'nt 15 yr. old bikes have 'drum'brakes? I don't think they worked after a lap.
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Yes, but they weren't actually powered by gasoline, so speeds didn't get that high. Brakes were more of a luxury than a necessity, back in those days.

Seriously though, this is a 15 year old sport bike.

1994_GSX-R750SP_450.jpg

You'd be hard pressed to find a road race bike made in the last 40 years with front drum brakes.
 
Human endeavor is usually a building on experiences of other humans. Thus, our ability to go forward with scientific ideals. Human physiology has not changed much, in like, forever.

Among other things that have changed greatly is tire technology, in all forms. Old motocross bikes had less than one-half the travel of a new bike, and they were made from inferior materials. It would be impossible to do the tricks of today in the past. Flat tracking is probably the motorcycle racing form that has received the least from technology, except increased horsepower. This would be the closest test to evaluate any evolution in rider improvement, between a new rider and an old generation rider.

Personal experience tells me that it is all technology. Period.
 
If you're fast, you're fast.

A fast guy 20 years ago... riding today on a race-prepped 1987 Ninja 250 is going to spank me on a 2010 GSXR1000 around Sears Point.

Fast guys know how to tell what the limits of their machinery are... common folks don't.

It's been mentioned above, but I'll repeat: Tire technology in the past 10, 20, 30 years has been todays street-riders biggest ally.

1997 AMA Superbike lap times around Laguna Seca were... what, 1'26/27's.... today (12 years on ) they're into the 25's? That's comparing 750's to 1000's.
( Just looked on Soup... Chandler qualified 3rd in the WSBK event with a 1.26.9)
 
I'd say the technique of riding hasn't fully evolved yet...
 
V4 said:
I'd say the technique of riding hasn't fully evolved yet...
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So there's something to the left foot hanging off when Rossi goes into a turn? Notice how that shyte's gone viral? I swear everybody's doing it now.
 
I'm gambling the top racers of yore would take some time getting adjusted to the new techniques but then they'd be pretty quick. Not as fast as the top guys today who grew up in this environment, but faster than you or me.

You take Michael Schumacher and put him on a MotoGP bike and he's turning in lap times 5 seconds slower than GP racers. What does he know about riding? Not a whole lot. But he knows a LOT about being a fast mofo in general. Hell I'll bet you could take some kid who throws down the best lap times in gokarts on a bike and he'd be whupping my ass in a week or two.
 
I thought this thread was going to be about disproving Milleracer's speed-induced tire deflation. :(
 
All it takes to understand the issue is jump on a nice old bike one thats been well maintained and compare it to a modern sport bike. The best tires 20 years a go were crap a 600 now produces much more power than a liter bike did and weighs almost 200 lbs less the modern brakes and chassis are way more capable than we could even dream of back then. Then theres the issue of safety gear and training safety gear was leathers a helmet,gloves and a pair of work boots. Back in the day the only way to get on the track was prep your bike get a competition license and go racing there were no riding schools or trackdays. I think the fast guys from days gone by would still be fast with some time to get aclimated riding has changed techniques have changed as technology has improved but the drive to go fast would still be there. racers beinng racers would figure it out. They are for the most part the reason we have the incredible machines available to us today. What works on the track is at the most a couple years from being introduced on production bikes in many cases.
 
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I agree with tires, tires, and tires. Hell, my fzr 600 seems a lot more capable than you would have thought, now that it has some modern rubber on it.
 
i mean look at the x-games.


every year its like how did the person do a back flip while the bike is doing a front flip????
 
DucatiHoney said:
So there's something to the left foot hanging off when Rossi goes into a turn? Notice how that shyte's gone viral? I swear everybody's doing it now.
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you should see me getting ready to take an exit on 101 :cool
 
DucatiHoney said:
So there's something to the left foot hanging off when Rossi goes into a turn? Notice how that shyte's gone viral? I swear everybody's doing it now.
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The problem with imitating the racers is that you never know whether you're imitating what makes him fast, or the one habit he's been trying for years to break. :laughing

For all you know he's just trying to get his balls to unstick from his thigh.
 
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