MotoGP Ciruit of Americas ***SPOILER ALERT***

[Ulvetanna_imp]

I love Michelins, and have had great luck with them. Run them on every vehicle I own, motorcycles, cars, my truck and have for years. If the vehicle doesn't come with them, it gets them at the first and all subsequent tire changes.

LOL I'm pretty sure we ride very differently! But in all fairness, I used Pilot Road3's on a sportbike, it had a front end shake around 110 mph that just could not be sorted. Switched to Dunlop Roadsmart 2's, same issue.

Switched to Dunlop Q3's, no more shakes. Rock-solid up to 130 mph which was fast enough. The carcass design is very different on a production race tire, although the load rating is the same. The amount and distribution and compound of rubber is also very different.

I don't have any brand loyalty, whatever works the best is what I'll run. The Conti RA2 CR's are as good on the CB1100 as the Dunlop Q3's are on the track bike, which is to say, very, very good. Never thought the CB1100 could feel so exquisitely linear and planted at full lean. And the grip...whew.
So just finally finished watching the race video with Videopass, and was ever more impressed with Vinales. His style very much reminds me of the young Freddie Spencer, he is obviously very comfortable, right in his element, but not at all reckless. Notice how he lifts the outside foot of the peg and points it upward; both Spencer and Kenny Roberts did that back in the day.

Marquez reminds me more of Schwantz. He is not a magician, any more than Freddie was in 1983-85. He's on the right bike, with the right team, at the right time. There are some very eager riders looking ahead to move in on him.

Looks like Maverick will be moving to Yamaha next year, which is too bad for Suzuki, as they are really starting to get their bike sorted. The one thing that bike has is handling. I would love to see the telemetry from the top five bikes in that race. I will wager a plug nickel that Vinales' cornering speeds were equal to #93 in many places.

[Cormanus]

I saw what you did Old Bird. Naughty, naughty.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Ulvetanna, you're right. Viñales is a force to be reckoned with. It will be interesting to watch him develop. Great corner speed true, but not as late on the anchors as MM. Viñales is the complete package though, temperament, race craft, passing skills and more if, at this stage, a little slow on the start. His style is remarkably similar to MM. The only area that we haven't yet seen is whether he has that ruthless edge that is there in spades in the very best. Dedicated and intense, but ruthless? He is reputed to be a man who learns from his mistakes, something that Jack Miller might lack. Viñales is unlikely to have the six DNFs that MM had last season. He is dedicated, whereas Jack is not adverse to a late night or two. But Jack is a natural. I hope he develops well.

Good season coming up.

Cheers

Actually, "ruthless" is not the right word. In OZ we say, sometimes affectionately, "bastardry".