Current situation of the GP11/11.1 - Ducati.ms

dburkland · Jul 25th, 2011, 3:08 pm

I was browsing the internet on my lunch break here and came across this interesting article about the current situation of the GP11/11.1. It was interesting to read what Capirossi had to say about the bike and its shortcomings along with what the Duc riders are calling for.

dv8ryan · Jul 25th, 2011, 3:11 pm

Someone on here said there were rumors flying around the paddock this weekend that there's a possibility that Ducati will try a traditional aluminum frame next year instead of the carbon "frameless"

romancommander · Jul 25th, 2011, 3:33 pm

At this point, Duc should at least crank out an aluminum trellis prototype in Bologna and have Bayliss ride it.

Matt_P · Jul 25th, 2011, 3:43 pm

They better get fuckin cracking right away with a couple aluminum prototypes unless they want to be 2 seconds off the Hondas next year.

If they do make an aluminum twin spar it's gonna shit all over their new superbike concept though.

NSP · Jul 25th, 2011, 3:46 pm

I wonder if Ducati will drop the carbon frame idea and switch over to a titanium frame....then they can use can use the exhaust as a stressed member and still be different from the japanese bikes eventhough they are using a metal based frame.

DaC · Jul 25th, 2011, 3:50 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by dv8ryan

Someone on here said there were rumors flying around the paddock this weekend that there's a possibility that Ducati will try a traditional aluminum frame next year instead of the carbon "frameless"

Boy, this is one big mess they've gotten themselves into.

The 2012 bike has completely replaced the traditional steel trellis frame (which put plenty of GP bikes on the podium when they ran the 990s) with some form of "frameless" design and now they backtrack on their asenine decision to push forth with the crap CF/frameless GP bikes.

The longer they wait to turn this around, the more criticism they will earn.

It was even more pathetic to watch Rossi and Hayden, live, this weekend. We walked around to many different corners and it was CLEAR how much harder the Hondas and JL were pushing it during practice and qualifying.

Good on Caprirossi for having the nuts to say it like it is.

NSP · Jul 25th, 2011, 5:08 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaC

Boy, this is one big mess they've gotten themselves into.

The 2012 bike has completely replaced the traditional steel trellis frame (which put plenty of GP bikes on the podium when they ran the 990s) with some form of "frameless" design and now they backtrack on their asenine decision to push forth with the crap CF/frameless GP bikes.

The longer they wait to turn this around, the more criticism they will earn.

It was even more pathetic to watch Rossi and Hayden, live, this weekend. We walked around to many different corners and it was CLEAR how much harder the Hondas and JL were pushing it during practice and qualifying.

Good on Caprirossi for having the nuts to say it like it is.

at least he can be a front runner with something in MotoGP again.....

I do agree with his thoughts.

romancommander · Jul 25th, 2011, 5:45 pm

They could stick with Carbon and make it work, but it would require making a carbon trellis just like a metal one. Carbon when designed to, can store energy and flex like an alloy or metal, just look at the A-Arms on an F1 car.

If I were DUC and I wanted to be competitive and stick with carbon, I'd drop the damn "monocoque" and go to a carbon trellis or "spar frame". Then they could have the best of both worlds.

It is easier however to just build an aluminum frame, cheaper too.

They do have to do something though, those bikes suck.

I predict if they stick with the GP12 chassis they have, Hayden and Rossi leave in 2012 and the best front man they'll be able to buy is Loris Capirossi or Tony Elias. Or they'll have to bring up some moto 2 guys and pray. I think they know this, which is why they are trying like hell to make Rossi happy. If the Doctor leaves and declares your bike a POS it is a kiss of death.

CAlexio · Jul 25th, 2011, 5:53 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaC

It was even more pathetic to watch Rossi and Hayden, live, this weekend. We walked around to many different corners and it was CLEAR how much harder the Hondas and JL were pushing it during practice and qualifying.

it was clear... coming out of turn 5, Rossi was first taming his rear, then trying to stop the front from wheeling before switching gear, while the hondas were passing him in rat-tat-tat consecutive upshifts like they were on the proverbial rail... really sad to watch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by romancommander

I predict if they stick with the GP12 chassis they have, Hayden and Rossi leave in 2012 and the best front man they'll be able to buy is Loris Capirossi or Tony Elias. Or they'll have to bring up some moto 2 guys and pray. I think they know this, which is why they are trying like hell to make Rossi happy. If the Doctor leaves and declares your bike a POS it is a kiss of death.

watching Rossi move his hands while talking to Burgess in garage following race, it was CLEAR what the message he was conveying was. he was motioning back and forth in a jerky fashion, then showing how he would dive into a curve and the bike was all over the place by waving his hands frantically. whole team was sitting there rapt watching him, while Burgess was slumped back in his chair. sorry sight.

CAlexio · Jul 25th, 2011, 5:56 pm

one small, somewhat funny detail I had forgotten to mention. I asked Del Torchio to sign my hat while at Ducati Island, and he chatted with me for exactly 25 seconds... asking where I was from, encouraging me to testride Diavel saying it was a "real" ducati with 162hp... basic pointless salesy canned message. Anyway, at the end I joked with him and said "I hope the SBK you sell us next year goes a bit better than valentino's"... he just kind of dropped his smile and said "grazie, ciao"...