Moto GP Indy

[Erik]

Me and 2 friends (one from the Isle of Man) flew down to Indianapolis for 3 days of racing, including the Indy Mile flat track dirt racing... all phenomenal!
Too bad about Rossi and Pedrosa, but Nicky on the podium is good for the sport over here in North America. The Merrikans went insane with Mr. Hayden coming in 3rd... well deserved, throwing that crazy Ducky around.
I have to admit the new Yamahas sound like The Engines Of God, and Lorenzo did Him proud.

 

[strangelove]

So in your opnion are the yamahas the best dirt bikes now ?

These used to be a heated argument when I was riding.

 

[Erik]

I don't have enough experience in the dirt to say about their dirtbikes, but the guys I'm with do: one rides a YZ450 4-stroke; loves it but misses his 2-stroke, and the guy with the aircast rides a KTM 250 2-stroke. They argued all weekend lol.
The Yammie R-1 sportbike engine sounds like a big twin now and was super-smooth-looking at Indy.

 

[foxfish]

That must of been a truly amazing experience mate what with the bikes going well over 200mph & an American on the podium.
As you know I just love the Ise of Mann TT & always wanted to see a modern GP bike take part but the old 500 2/s wouldn't work due to the changing altitude!
The superbikes they use now go 200mph for extended periods not just for a micro sec like on a track so no sure if a GP would sand the pace but I think it would be many peoples dream to see Rossi blasting down sulby straight at 220mph.

 

[Erik]

I heard Rossi was at the '09 TT as a spectator. I'm sure his Team Manager might have something to say about him running a TT on the side lol (ie :NO F##KING WAY!!).
Rossi is something else, even in defeat. His attitude towards riding has a much different flavour than say, Pedrosa or Biaggi. Rossi's so smooth- almost like he's in love with the bike. Which he stated he is, the other day- has 1 in his bedroom

 

[Erik]

At the Indy Mile, Kenny Roberts came out and did 3 laps with that TZ750 2-stroke.... I have never heard anything like that! Amazing.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uesfZUjMbVw]YouTube - indy mile 2009.08.29 - Kenny Roberts TZ750[/ame]

 

[foxfish]

Those were the days when you really needed skill just to complete a lap let alone win a race!
My mate had a Suzuki 750 watercooled triple once - Suzuki Kettle as they were known - best thing about it was the reg number - 999.
We dont have letters in our reg plates, I once had 750 on a Honda scooter!
The only triple 2/s I owed was a Kawasaki 350, it produced about 40bhp & was as fast as they came in 1974!!

 

[Erik]

I should say also, that the people, wherever we went in Indianapolis, were some of the warmest and most welcoming bunch I've ever met anywhere. My cynicism initially made me suspect that someone was trying to sell something, but this was not the case at all.

My question is: since it's way east of Kansas, why is it called the Mid-West?

 

[strangelove]

Good memories, yamaha now is a four stroke factory, they used to be the king of the two strokes. I recall reading a motorcicle magazine, yamaha attempt to race two strokes on a long distance race, they came close to winning but the bikes broke.
Roberts is also a legend of his own, his kid was racing I think.