Any Moto GP Fans?

Honestly, fuck Suzuki. It's so sad to see them go out like that and then destroy most of their bikes. One of their riders won a championship on it and the other just won 2 out of the last 3 races. What a slap in the face to the team.[/QUOTE]

I am with you too, even though I ride a gsx-r. To boot their final race win was overshadowed by the series winner.

Wish they still made the R6

 

I am with you too, even though I ride a gsx-r. To boot their final race win was overshadowed by the series winner.

Wish they still made the R6[/QUOTE]

I feel your pain. I ride an Aprilia.

I just can't make sense of the whole thing with Suzuki. They've all but made a complete exit from 2 wheel racing at a factory level. It must be more than financial. Why crush the bikes when you could have sold your whole championship-winning outfit to another manufacturer looking to enter into MotoGP...like BMW who already race an inline 4 superbike.

 

I feel your pain. I ride an Aprilia.

I just can't make sense of the whole thing with Suzuki. They've all but made a complete exit from 2 wheel racing at a factory level. It must be more than financial. Why crush the bikes when you could have sold your whole championship-winning outfit to another manufacturer looking to enter into MotoGP...like BMW who already race an inline 4 superbike.[/QUOTE]

I am beginning to think they have their priorities out a wack. They used to be the dominant powerhouse. The GSX-R for ‘23 is basically the same as the ‘22 which is mostly compatible back to ‘16. I had an RS660 on order before I came across my current bike. Tons more tech for a bit less in price. Just got scared about the reliability of the Aprilia.

 

I am beginning to think they have their priorities out a wack. They used to be the dominant powerhouse. The GSX-R for ‘23 is basically the same as the ‘22 which is mostly compatible back to ‘16. I had an RS660 on order before I came across my current bike. Tons more tech for a bit less in price. Just got scared about the reliability of the Aprilia.[/QUOTE]

My last two bikes have been a 2016 RSV4 Factory and now a 2020 Tuono Factory. Never any issues (knock on wood), but I'm spoiled for choice if it ever needs to go to a dealer. I've got my choice of like 4 or 5 dealers within convenient driving distance. At least you can sleep well at night knowing your bike is just as, if not more, reliable than any other Japanese bike on the market. There's a reason the GSX-R has been so popular for so many years.

 

My last two bikes have been a 2016 RSV4 Factory and now a 2020 Tuono Factory. Never any issues (knock on wood), but I'm spoiled for choice if it ever needs to go to a dealer. I've got my choice of like 4 or 5 dealers within convenient driving distance. At least you can sleep well at night knowing your bike is just as, if not more, reliable than any other Japanese bike on the market. There's a reason the GSX-R has been so popular for so many years.[/QUOTE]

If I had somewhere to really run it, RSv4 factory is the way to go. Dealer tried to sell me a Tuono factory since they didn’t have any RS’s in stock. Was nice but not what I was looking for.

 

Those RSV4 Factory bikes are FAAAST. I coached on a R6 or SV650 and one of our other coaches had the RSV. He wasn't that great at corners, but damn he made up for it on exits. lol

 

If I had somewhere to really run it, RSv4 factory is the way to go. Dealer tried to sell me a Tuono factory since they didn’t have any RS’s in stock. Was nice but not what I was looking for.[/QUOTE]

That was part of my problem with it--nowhere to stretch it's legs and the stakes were too high wringing it out on the track. It was uncomfortable as all hell, but when you twist the throttle, everything around you becomes a blur.

What the Tuono lacks in top end is made up in the bottom end and mid range. I can and would ride it all day. Maybe one day it will get RSV4 heads and internals.

 

That was part of my problem with it--nowhere to stretch it's legs and the stakes were too high wringing it out on the track. It was uncomfortable as all hell, but when you twist the throttle, everything around you becomes a blur.

What the Tuono lacks in top end is made up in the bottom end and mid range. I can and would ride it all day. Maybe one day it will get RSV4 heads and internals.[/QUOTE]

That's exactly how I got into racing. Most people will never know what a bike is capable of until you hit the track.

 

That's exactly how I got into racing. Most people will never know what a bike is capable of until you hit the track.[/QUOTE]

I'm planning on trying to make it up to a track day at Laguna, but I need to sort out my exhaust situation first. No way in hell it passes on the 95dB days...MAYBE on the 105dB days.

 

I'm planning on trying to make it up to a track day at Laguna, but I need to sort out my exhaust situation first. No way in hell it passes on the 95dB days...MAYBE on the 105dB days.[/QUOTE]


Haha! I paid $300. for a Laguna Seca track day. TLR w/full M4 system. I did 3 laps. Lap 1, warm up. Getting a lot of looks from track staff. Lap 2, came by sound gun 5th gear, off throttle. Track staff scrambling around. Lap 3, waving meatball flag, fingers pointed at me to pull in. Told to go home. Never offered a refund. Go stock exhaust or don't go at all lol. 3 laps, $300.

 

If they're that anal about sound restrictions, they should be checking all aftermarket exhaust bikes at tech inspection. They do have a tech inspection before the morning meeting, correct?

 

Oh I was warned. But a friend said go by the sound gun in 5th, pull the clutch in, lay off the gas, you'll be fine etc.

 

If I had to guess, I'd bet that sound is regulated by track officials, not the organizer's tech staff.

In years past, they've put the sound gun right outside of T6 heading up the hill when you're full gas. The car guys have create work arounds like you see below--some more crude than others. Haven't seen a moto version...yet.

If I needed to, I could just yank the servo out of the stock exhaust and put it on for a day.

 

Damn, I'd just put the stock back on if Laguna is that much of a pita. Or go to Infineon / Sears Point or whatever it's called these days.

 

Infineon isn’t Laguna Seca and it never will be. I’m only 90min from Willow Springs but I’d much rather make the 6hr drive to Laguna—especially now that it’s being repaved. There’s just something about that place for me.

 

I agree, Laguna is iconic as far as tracks go. I assumed you were up in the bay area and maybe Infineon wouldn't be too far away.

I did my first car track day at Willow Springs with S2K.com folks on New Year's Eve 10 years ago. Did my second at Buttonwillow Raceway. It seemed hard to line up a track day at Laguna Seca from what I recall.

 

I'm in OC. Buttonwillow, chuckwalla, willow and auto club are all closer, but Laguna is a bucket list thing for me. Just a matter of finding a 105dB day with an organizer that has a spot open in a C group since I don't have actual track experience. The bigger issue for me is dropping the 30lbs or so i need to get back into my suit.

 

Well, Laguna is setting the bar high for a first track day. Epic, it would be. I'm bummed I never made it to a MotoGP race there before they quit hosting. Foolishly, I didn't think it would come to that. I made it to every Indianapolis MotoGP weekend except one. Good times!

I lived in Vista on the edge of Oceanside, Oakland and Occidental for a little while. I just couldn't handle the traffic around LA. Even passing through at 2am, I'd get caught in construction traffic somewhere. lol....

Good luck fitting in the suit. We all have that oh shit moment at the beginning of the season of "will it fit???" past 40. Hahaha

 

Laguna has sort of become a second home over the years. Lots of great memories. My dad and I have done our father son weekend for the motorcycle races every year since 1999. Back then it was WSBK headlining the weekend. MotoGP came and went then we followed them to COTA but still go to Laguna every year.

This was our campsite for a long time. Right at the bottom of the corkscrew. There was a running joke amongst the camping crowd that the only way to get one of these spots was if someone died and didn't renew it after the previous year's race.

 

Heck yeah! I'm sure we've crossed paths at some point over the years then. We used to roll in Wed night and they'd stage us over there before our camping opened. Idk about you guys but we used to get pretty wild in general camping. Dudes on mini bikes shooting off roman candles while getting chased by the cops was a special one. Something about motorcycle racing, day drinking and fourth of July weekend just brought out the best in people. We've got so many stories of that place to last a lifetime.

The guys a few spots down from us would take up 3 or 4 consecutive sites and set up a bar and hand out food out the wazoo. They'd hire strippers to come bartend free alcohol for tips and donations to their setup. A few years back none other than Kevin Schwantz showed up with a check from MotoAmerica and a plaque recognizing their contribution to the general camping "community" and their support over the years. Pretty cool stuff.