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250 vs 500 racing

366 views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  swerve 
#1 ·
I actually don't get to watch much racing because I have just basic cable, so when I was at a friends house this weekend watching Speed Vision, I watched a 250 race in Czhek I think. In watching the 250 guys of course it's a bit slower, but I also noticed that most of the time their knees really weren't coming down all that far. They definately didn't seem to be leaned over as much as the 500's. Now someone was saying that it drizzled for a few minutes or something like that during the race, but in looking at the track it seemed pretty dry. I thought the 250's would be pulling through the corners a bit slower but still to max lean angles...am I missing something?
 
#2 ·
I didn't get to see the race, but I can tell you that the 250's typically burn through kneepucks just as quickly as the MotoGP guys (note: There are no more 500's :D)

Not sure why they weren't getting down. Could have been the weather, could have just been a fast track. I'm sure others will be along shortly to clarify. Those bikes rail though - no question. As much as I like to see the big bikes sliding around, there's some amazing racing action in the 250 class.
 
#3 ·
MotoGP (big bikes) is now 1000cc 4 strokes, not 500cc two strokes. SPOILER IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE RACE.




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The race you watched was very goofy. The race control didn't stop the race when the race leader put up his hand either time he tried to stop the race. The second time, the guys behind him said, screw you, I'm passing ya. The leader was hoping the guys behind him would put their hands up, but they didn't want to stop the race. I guess there was a torential downpour in one section of the track, but not raining anywhere else. It takes a couple corners to dry the tires off. Also, if you noticed, the race was a crash festival. Watching all that carnage probably gave them the idea to tone it down a notch. While the track LOOKED try, cameras can be deceiving. Unless there's a downpour or water on the lens, you never really can tell.
 
#4 ·
First of all there are no more 500's in MotoGP. Secondly, you can't tell how wet or dry a track is even from the sidelines at the track let alone from a television broadcast. The slower lap times produced by the 125 and 250s are due to the slower straight line speed and not their cornering speed. The MotoGP bikes actually have the slowest corner speed out of all three classes.
 
#5 ·
Ok, I haven't been keeping up with the 500's going away. Are they gone completely? I thought there was the option to race either a 500 2 stroke or a 1000 4 stroke?

Otherwise I figured that it was something else of why they weren't getting down as far.
 
#8 ·
As far as I know the manufacturers destroy all their racing bikes (or at least the go fast goodies) after the season. Too much $$ in R&D to let someone else tear it apart.

Besides, it'd be about the most worthless bike on the planet to anyone but the most advanced racer. (I'd still like to ride one though!)

Hmm... 320lbs and 200+ hp with a 20K+ redline? Oh yeah, I'd rock that at Strats.
 
#9 ·
BIGGY said:
So wouldn't there be a lot of 500cc 2 strokes out there for sale? :) Seems that the price would depreciate a bit too :)
The only 500GP bike that you could actually buy was a Honda NSR500V which was a 500cc two stroke V-Twin. It went for around $80,000. There are still used ones for sale. The factory 500GP bikes were never for sale and were basically crushed and destroyed after they became obsolete. Aprilia is actually selling Jeremy McWilliams' and Tetsuya Harada's Aprilia RSW500 for an obscene amount of money. Besides the ones that are in museums and owned by guys like Mick Doohan ( who received the bikes as a gift from HRC after winning championships) I don't think there are any in private hands. I know Rocky Stargel has a Harris YZR500 from the early 90's but that's not a works 500GP bike. Even if you were able to get one.. what the hell would you do with it?
 
#11 ·
I can personally tell you and TZDeSioux can attest that the 250cc two stroke bikes are something else in a corner expecilly if you have the suspension set up right. The bike will lean all the way over, it is scary fast in a corner. The straight away speed is the only concern but in the corners the two strokes are so light and nimble you can lay them down and gas the crap out of them. Grover was following me at Blackhawk and can tell you they can really get down.
I am actually more afraid to lean my 929 or the r6 I was riding last time at the track that far, it fells alot slower and like they aer going to fall over in the turn, beacuse I can't carry as much speed in the corner.
 
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