Superbike vs. MotoGP

[ancosta]

I recently started watching some WSB and have a question...why is it that the WSB bikes appear to be ridden on the total edge of control more visibly so than the MotoGP bikes?

For example, Silverstone downhill turn had most riders in a major tail / head shake, backing it in around corners, 10x the crashes (bigger grid) etc.

I found it to be really entertaining to watch and actually pretty educational. That was a really tight track and those big 1Ks were really being pushed to their limits handling-wise.

Now that I think of it, I have race 2 queued in the DVR.... time for a and some TV

[Karaya One]

Production bikes versus prototypes. Very different animals.

[ancosta]

I understand the difference in bikes, my question is more around why do the superbikes appear to be riding on the edge of control much moreso than the MotoGP bikes, if they are slower, have less power, etc. I would guess it had a lot to do with the course they were running, it was very tight.

[highsider]

The difference is the MotoGP bikes are race-only beasts, with trick computers to reduce wheelspin and wheelies, and the AMA bikes are hopped up versons of the ones you get at your local salvage yard 4 days after they are introduced.

[Paul_E_D]

No, it's not the course. It's the bikes. Even at Laguna, I could see the 600s out of shape a lot more than the GP bikes.

The street bikes are heavy and flexy, which makes going fast a real chore for the rider and suspension. The tires are not developed as far either.

Also, the motors are poweful, but engine management is crude compared to a GP bike. Slipper clutches are not as developed, etc. etc.

All this adds up to a bike that gets out of shape much easier than a focussed racebike.

[13]

This sounds like fun! I subscribe to motoGP online and watch all the races over the intraweb. Is there any way to get the WSB, AMA or any other roadracing over the web?

[ancosta]

Just watched half of race #2 WSB Silverstone, then watched a few minutes of MotoGP back to back to compare the two.

It seems like the superbike races are a lot more competitive in some ways, they seem to make more passes in different places and mix it up a bit more. That plus the perpetual head shake and roasting rear tires makes for good entertainment. Things that would put the pucker factor into overload seem to just come with the territory for these guys on a lap by lap basis.

Could (or do) they run MotoGP on a course as tight as Silverstone? The course looks like it would be awesome for a 125 or 250 race.