I have to laugh...

[Paul_E_D]

I know this is obnoxious, but I have to rub it in to all the Ducati haters out there that thought desmo valve gear was a folly. "Modern valve springs can cope with high revs, and anyway, pneumatics will kill anything in its path when the time comes", you said. You were dead wrong!!!

The japanese are all abondoning springs for pneumatics and still just trying to catch up with Ducati, but the desmo is still pulling away. Stoner's new bike looks to be crushingly fast. What excuses do you have to offer?

[Honclfibr]

I remember that thread. I thought the question was what advantage Desmo valves provided for a modern *streetbike*.

[Doc]

What thread. Show me the thread...

[Karaya One]

Pneumatics are old race tech thanks to Renault.

[Degsy]

Pneumatics?

Do you mean hydraulics?

[Degsy]

Yep, Renault had pneumatics in f1.

I 'think' paul means hydraulics though.

[Honclfibr]

Don't you have anything better to on your vacation?

What thread. Show me the thread...

[Paul_E_D]

"Hayden has been working with both the new pneumatic valve motor and the old school motor"

This is the first I've heard of hydraulic valves, but hey, I don't really know what the diff is, I'm just punking on the Honda humpers and Ducati haters!

[akira700]

Well still a bit to go till Race 1.

In prototype development time...whether that's F1 or Moto GP its
still long enough for something big to happen.

Michelin could still make big jump, or Honda could get
the new engine righted... though you are right, Paul, Stoner
and the red machine still is the odds on favorite.

But I'm thinking there will be some
interesting cinderella stories this year.

I think Nakano might make a comeback. Also watch out
for Toseland and DePuniet!
Maybe even Colin on the top step of podium?
Should be a more exciting year than last year.
Ducati is gonna have to work a bit more to hold the title.

[Paul_E_D]

Not from the looks of testing so far. Stoner is crushing the field on race tires and rain tires at Ducatis weakest track. He's running 1.5 seconds faster than Rossi. That's runaway victory territory.

[slowrider]

I hope its some sort of elaborate game of poker between the different manufacturers and they're holding back. I don't want to watch a bunch of races that over after 10 laps.

Kudos to Ducati though for having the engineering talent to shame HRC into working a lot harder.

[Karaya One]

When you read the trouble Honda has with the new valve train, it makes you wonder why they cannot make it work. They have used it in their own V10 and now V8 F1 engines for many years. It is a very proven technology.

And now they go back to conventional springs? Pneumatics let it rev without any of the harmonics issues springs give. Unless they built a motor that made all its power up high by revving, with no low end or driveablity.

Time will tell.

[brewmaster]

I think part of the problem is the compactness required for the motorcycle chassis. There are some additional plumbing requirements to keep the pneumatics operating properly.
I agree that the pneumatic engine seems like a good answer to the rpm problem but as you said it might narrow the torque band too much.

Where is Kevin Cameron when we need him......

[Paul_E_D]

I thought the whole point of pneumatics was the infinitely variable valve timing, which should give the broadest power possible PLUS the ability to rev?

[Paul_E_D]

Wow, Win on Sunday, sell on monday!!!

Ducati recently reported a profit of $19,553,128 for fiscal year 2007, compared with a loss of $12,496,360 in 2006. In addition, Ducati’s revenues (+30.5%); motorcycles sold (+18.7%); and parts, accessories and apparel sold (+27.0%) were up from 2006.


Of course, it could be that they introduced 3 gorgeous new bikes to the line!

[DucDave]

Wow, Win on Sunday, sell on monday!!!

Of course, it could be that they introduced 3 gorgeous new bikes to the line!

The Multistrada was actually introduced 4 years ago. I don't know what other two you are talking about....!

[Paul_E_D]

Lol!!!

[OreoGaborio]

The Multistrada was actually introduced 4 years ago.

Well, now we know why they had huge losses up until & including 06

[TLRMan]

Yep, Renault had pneumatics in f1.

I 'think' paul means hydraulics though.

Nope pnuematics...AIR...

Don't need all that spring pressure to hold a valve closed...Like desmo, but a cam still opens them, the pneumatics close them, and they can vary the pressure needed to close them. Helps with parasitic drag too. Fun part of the process is that you can use the "blower" that keeps the crankcases in a negative (vacuum), and use the same pump to provide air for the valve closure....