Modern Vespa

How are they able to do this in the rain?

How can Vespa owners like us do the same? Is it a special tire?

Yes, and a special kind of madness.

The wet tyres used in Moto GP don't perform very well in the dry at all. See a wet race that turns dry and watch how quickly the riders come in to change bikes.

The tyres they're using last about an hour and are made of a special sticky compound that elves and pixies make.

Also MotoGP riders have something called talent which makes them better than us.

Bill X

It's called glue

And much as I've tried, I can't knee slide on my GTS

they also have a big cut out at the front of their seat for their balls

+1

I have to agree

Race tyres like MotoGp wets are a very pronounced "V" shape, much more pronounced even than their dry race tyres, and lots more than a road tyre. When upright the tyre contact patch is like a smokes packet on it's side, but when leaned over it's more like the packet flat down. As well the rubber is so soft, as mentioned, it will literally melt off within a few laps in the dry, even hot and wet like Malaysia they will sometimes not last the distance.
I have had a Supermoto wet race 120/70R17 on the front of a Ducati S4R on the road, and after 350km on the highway in temps of 30*c it was completely shot. A MotoGP race wet front is much, much softer than that.

Oh yeah, and they're all aliens.
Complete nutters.

+1

We do not.
They are accustomed to riding with both ends sliding around.
And their center of mass is more foreward than a scooter.
And the track is a mostly uniform, predictable surface--no paint, covers, etc.
And, the aforementioned talent, balls, sticky rubber come into play.

They're definitely not crazy, rather more attune to what they're doing and riding in a dimension where most will never be. This years Moto-GP season produced a young man that took the envelope to yet another dimension. Youngest rider to win a race, the championship and to spank the entire field of competitors. Everyone perceived to be at the top of their game had to reach a little deeper because the bar was raised. Truly fantastic season unless you were a Rossi fanatic

You talking about Marc Marquez?

Yes?

very talented rider,and very entertaining to watch,,but very dangerous and takes no prisoners...next year will see him push the envelope even further. I hope he stays upright.

I saw what he did the previous year in Moto2. Considering Moto2 is a spec series, this spoke volumes of what he would bring to MotoGP. He's obviously quite mature for such a young lad, considering he overcame the intimidation of seasoned riders to take his career to the next level. He made that fine line even finer by pushing as he did. Next season looks to be an exciting one and considering there have been a few that have moved around, hopefully we'll see an exciting upcoming season.

I am...but it was a fantastic season indeed.

Aside from the sheer joy of Assen, I wished he'd taken a move into WSB some time ago, like in time for one last scrap with Biaggi.

Agreed.

I can't wait for WSB to start, should be a real exciting season with some new teams added. I am rooting for the rookie team of EBR.

Beautiful bike that sounds amazing, hopefully they'll have a fantastic season.

that bike is not very far from stock either. the new 1190RX has more HP and they also just signed a deal with Magneti Marelli , so the electronics will now be on par with everyone else.

They had one on display at this year's Moto-GP. Very pricey but definitely top shelf bike.

And even they lay it down quite a bit in the rain. Usually a couple of them go down and then everyone goes into the pits for rain tires.