Shame on Honda: Open Class MotoGP Bikes

[redbirds_imp]

This is a bit disappointing.......

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2014/02/a...o-failure/

Yamaha and Ducati open class riders get full factory spec machines, while:

Honda took a very different approach by building and developing an entirely different, lower spec bike for the Open category featuring traditional valve springs, standard gearbox, lower spec engine and lower spec suspension. Nakamoto also stated that “secrets” inside the full factory Repsol engines would not be shared with the Open class teams.

Not quite. Yamaha will supply motors but the buyers will supply the chassis. Honda is supplying a complete race bike that was tested by Casey Stoner. If they had supplied the same motor with it's pneumatic valve springs no team could have afforded the price of entry and Honda probably does not want prying eyes on that technology. The Honda Satellite teams will receive the same basic bike that Pedrosa and Marquez ride just as the Tech 3 Yamaha satellite team is equipped with a reasonable copy of the bikes that Rossi and Lorenzo ride. Ducati will probably enter the season at less than full factory status which will allow their riders to have a greater fuel supply than the full factory bikes. Their bikes will also be required to run a race spec ECU rather than customized factory electronic controls. The rules are so complicated and the non-factory teams weigh the cost and performance advantages when they decide which route to take.