Editor's Blog: Another Update On Site Upgrade Progress - Nearly There

By David Emmett | Mon, 23/01/2023 - 17:52

Dear MotoMatters.com readers,

First of all, sorry for the delay. Figuring out the site upgrade took longer than I thought, mostly because I chased a couple of dead ends and made some boneheaded mistakes. But that is how we learn, of course...

The good news is that the site upgrade is nearly finished. The migration to a newer version of the site software has been tested and works, and is ready to be done on the live website. The new layout is good enough to go live, and the remaining refinements can be done after the site has been relaunched.

A couple of things remain to be done. Firstly, a slightly different (and better) way of managing subscriber material. Subscribers will be at the heart of MotoMatters going forward, so getting this right is important. Fortunately, I have a very solid grasp of the logic I will be using, and so it is now only a Small Matter Of Programming. Then there is migrating the current subscriptions over to the new website. For this too, I have figured out the how, it's just a matter of implementing it.

I am currently at the Ducati Campioni in Pista launch, at the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort in Italy, where I have managed to combine a little bit of working on the website with the presentations and a couple of interesting interviews, which will appear on the site once it is relaunched. It is probably going to take until next weekend for me to finish everything up, so the target date (which is realistic this time, I promise) is Monday, January 30th.

Once again, thanks for your patience, and especially, thanks for your support.

David Emmett, Mediocre Programmer Extraordinaire

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Comments

Looking forward to the new site!

One question: will old comments migrate over to the new site as well? I’ve got some very important and 100% accurate MotoGP predictions to keep track of and I want to make sure I don’t lose them.

As a professional software developer of many years, your jargon link could not have been any closer to the truth! (See also The Pareto Principle: 20% of the work will take 80% of the time). Good luck! Looking forward to the new site

That was amusing. Good luck with your Small Matter of Programming. Here's hoping all goes well, looking forward to the "couple of interesting interviews" you mention. Cheers.

The greatest shock (a good one) is that you are doing this yourself. I define IT as Impenetrable Trouble and rely on experts (who sometimes are and sometimes are not). Pareto - extraordinarily pertinent in so many things. It probably takes 80% of the effort to get to the front in a race and only 20% will get there, be that riders or teams.

Is everyone else waking up every morning and hoping that Santa brings you a new website? Not that I'm impatient, but C'MON!! :-)

Mark

Hey David - Really looking forward to the new site and I think the timing is great!  As Twitter continues to implode with the recent news that API access is no longer granted to my favorite app, Twitterrific, among others, I will rely more on following you directly at the website.

Thanks for your continued work.

WSBK/WSS 2023 Test underway at Jerez. Just getting reports in the last hour. It is interesting, lots of rookies and riders on new bikes. Toprak top today. Beautista 2nd, one crash, and he has a nice hair cut thank heavens. Rinaldi 3rd. Rea was 4th, Lowes 5th. Danillo Petrucci 6th. Honda riders 7th/8th.

"Rookie" Petrucci happy and quick. Rea said he wasn't feeling mmotivated. Lots more to see, tomorrow will have more. Some riders were running 2022 bikes today and zeroing in on the 2023 tomorrow.

We made it!

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At the Yamaha MotoGP presentation Boss Nishida was asked what happened at the last test in which Quartararo found zero improvement in power. Answer? Basically an apology that the bike wasn't set up well enough for the track and conditions, they just didn’t do enough w the bike after putting the motor in it. He apologized, said it was engineering's fault, they have that sorted, and engine/power improvement is going well. 

Again, hope he's right. Or we have a boring Red Armada season. (Last yr Ducati started the season faltering, and had 3-4 different disjointed bikes out there. This year, they hit Round 1 running).

KTM launched today. They should just put a huge ?QUESTION MARK? on the side of their bikes. With this front tire, there is NO indication of how the Orange bike arrives now. Only breadcrumb? That development and testing is more focused, methodical, prioritized and particular. No more "throwing many parts at it to see what works." Anyone have breadcrumbs yet? Binder Q pace at Round 1 will clarify, until then it is looking for wee revealing bits. Fingers crossed! (Luck wouldn't be needed if Dorna just brought the fookin front tire announced FOUR YRS AGO, still seething here).

I think a lot is going to depend on that first test. Yes yes it's only testing but Ducati are in a very nice position right now. No need to take risks. New development...question marks...hmm it's ok, they don't need it, they have a nice margin already. Better to start the season in solid fashion, no repeat of 2022. What happens if the other factories start rolling out bits that look like a big jump and act like a big jump ? Those new developments might not seem excess to requirements. Then there is risk. I don't think they need to worry. They are better off going for the good solid start to the season. That would reward them with a bag of points which could not be overhauled. History shows that....ahhh then again.

Ok Mutterers. Did Rea saying he wasn't feeling motivated strike you as frigging extraordinary? And not in a good way? This is a bloke for whom professionalism has been a bottom line. And he says this? I wonder how the team who fettled and prepared his ride felt. I wonder how Kawasaki felt.This is one of those times when someone says 'taken out of context...' except there really is no context for this sort of a comment. IMHO. 

Hiya Tony! Yes, it struck me as unusual. Differently though.

As "wow, ok, Rea is aware that he has begun his decline." Didn’t think for a moment about criticism. I think he's a good bloke and Kawasaki is most grateful for having his exceptional lovely Green bloom so long. Everything wilts.

Many are eagerly eyeing the WSBK rider lineup - it holds exciting promise! Bikes too. There is quite a bit going on over there.

There have been multiple brief discussions bubbling up of WSBK meeting MotoGP in popular interest. Right now I am glad Toprak is over there for instance.

Supersport! THAT is of big waxing interest. I really like Moto2, but my head keeps getting yanked over to the other Paddock's middeweights.

Can you imagine what the Christmas party must have been like at Ducati Corse in Italy a month ago? Wow. Kings.

He said it again at this Test. He didn't do many laps, sat out the AM. Noting that Toprak and Beautista are fast, and saying that the newer riders arriving are strong. Still plenty fast! But he has... been bested? 

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Our friend Petrucci has tires to adjust to, race pace is there but not yet pushing that Q hot lap. You know who is adjusting quickly? Expecting good things from GRT Yamaha riders Aegerter and Remy Gardner. That team must be excited indeed. Aegerter, coming from an R6, was just 6th and smiling. Some 2nd Teams are on the rise. 

I think it is healthy to have a bit of planful turnover of riders. MotoGP too.

Aside, I am still grieving our loss of Suzuki. Often. Sadness right now. It feels like a friend died, because one did. Keeping an eye on the GSXR750 arrival in Supersport as a small salve. I still have some old Zook stuff on the walls of the garage, even the old sticker package they would give you for your racebike to be elible for Contingency money. A small part of me holds on to them as important still, without thinking. Nostalgia is a bitter sweet echo. With that awareness, I turn to the bikes and racing we DO have here and now. As it is. And it is...good.

J Rea seems to be playing the modesty card, it suits him very well. He's not the reigning champion, just one of the fast guys, no ego in his interviews, all credit to him. I think he would like to be seen as the underdog, kinda like when he joined Sykes so many years ago. 

Still wish effing WSBK would consider an actual race in North America...

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Throwing chicken in the deep fryers at KFC, 15 yrs old, paid for my first new motorcycle, a Suzuki. In college a used GS400 (with forks that did not move...), my daily non-winter commuter until it got stolen. Always a soft spot for Suzuki. Saw Schwantz, KR jr ride them and cheered loudly. Will they return to motogp again?

^ Agreed on all counts St Steve. 1st bike at 15 yrs, HUGE nostalgia! I always thought those old front ends were pogo-divers?! I had ine of those 1989 and onward GS500's, it was pretty cool in it's time! Bullet proof. Cool look.

When I bought my Triumph 675R, the other bike on the shopping list was GSXR750. After bouncing between 600's and 1000's, I zeroed in on Goldilocks. 675R's handling and power delivery feel won out.

SUPER glad Mir/Suzuki stole an unlikely Title out of the tight grips of the Goliaths! 

(I wish the USA fulfilled the potential/promise of COTA such that it was spoken of in the same breath as The Great Tracks. It ISN'T)

Bradl said this about his last Test outing at chilly Jerez on the Honda. A few insights?

"We did 100 laps, but that's not relevant because we weren't really fast because the tyres didn't work well in these weather conditions, it was cooler here on the two days than in Phillip Island in October, when it's really cold there. In addition, at Phillip Island you have other tyre compounds."

“I got the same tyre compounds here as at the Grand Prix, but in May it is 30 or 35 degrees here. The test was very borderline because of the weather. Everything went well, but conditions were not good, especially on Thursday; a very cold wind was blowing. It was partly cloudy, and the Michelin tyre compounds did not work ideally in this weather. That was difficult. We made attempts to get started. Because it was so cold in the morning, we thought we would use the time for launch attempts. I always drove such slow laps, and since the outside temperature was only 9 degrees, the tyres cooled down completely."

(This part, promising/interesting?)

"You won't see from the outside that the motorcycle is completely turned upside down. Because that's not possible in such a short time. You have to be realistic and make sure that you don't get even more lost. We are trying to get one problem after another under control and make the whole package a bit more powerful. But not just in one area, but we have to bring all the pieces together everywhere. More power is always the goal. I don't think it has become less. But at these low temperatures with a maximum of 12 degrees, the air is very oxygen-rich. In Sepang it will look very different at 35 degrees and high humidity. There, because of the heat, it's a completely different story."

(And re moving forward)

"We have now placed the test parts on the table for the Malaysia test and pre-sorted them. But all new parts have to be confirmed and clarified again in Malaysia."

Honda is busy. They are signaling and showing that they are changing their plan and methodology with this bike. The brand new revolution bike a year ago? Step 1. Recently they have paused, looked in the mirror for a change, and changed course again. Add that there is some fresh blood in the program AND a dose of humility and "wake up call?" Here comes Honda.

Who do YOU have as T O P  I N D E P E N D E T  R I D E R ? Martin? Safe pick. Anyone saying Miguel Oliveira yet? You might soon. But by Summer break, don't count out Alex Rins. He is either crashing his brains and parts bin everywhere, or finding footing on the Honda. (Give him the "turned upside down" 2023 bike ASAP HRC! We know LCR gets one. Let him and Mir have a healthy competition, Bastiannini/Martin redux). 

Rider Salaries 2022, who do you think is of good/poor value?

Marc Marquez - €12.5m

Maverick Vinales - €10m

Fabio Quartararo - €6m

Joan Mir - €6m 

Francesco Bagnaia - €5m

Pol Espargaro - €3.5m

Jack Miller, Alex Rins , Franco Morbidelli - €3m

Johann Zarco - €2m

Alex Marquez, Jorge Martin - €1m

Aleix Espargaro - €750,000

Miguel Oliveira - €625,000

Takaaki Nakagami, Brad Binder - €500,000

Enea Bastianini , Fabio di Giannantonio - €375,000

Luca Marini - €300,000

Darryn Binder, Marco Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez, Remy Gardner - €250,000

Me? Oh, gosh. Best value? Bastiannini and Binder! Bezzechi. A.Espargaro (poor guy, watching Pol get over 4x his money!). 

Poor value, it has to be Maverick doesn’t it? Morbidelli. You know who else? Raul Fernandez.

Then there is the curious case of Marc Marquez. Expensive? Yes. Can HRC pockets afford it? Yes. Value? Not bad really. Just a pissed on and pissed away one! You don't take a gem asset like that and then try to break their limbs off. Obscene Honda. Immoral. They don't deserve him. Aprilia or Suzuki did. Ducati WOULD have gotten him had Honda not done the longest deal we've seen as long as I remember. Anyone know the last 5 yr signing? (Of course, then comes the "careful what you wish for" thought - if they got him just before his violent high side --> bike smashed his humorous skittle re-break? Back to Marc in 1st, no one 2nd domination boredom --- yeah or no?).

The link that Larry provided references a source article that can be found here: https://www.gazzetta.it/Moto/moto-GP/storie/22-01-2023/motogp-ingaggi-e…

Translated through DeepL, the Italian site reported that Marquez earned 25 mil for 2022, that the 10 mil salary for Vinales was for '21 and '22 (which included both his Yamaha salary and personal sponsorship money), that both Vinales and Espargaro are contracted to 2 mil each for 2023, and that Morbidelli's 3 mil salary was for 2020 and was paid by Yamaha. And while the Italian site stated that Bagnaia's base salary for 2022 was 5 mil, Crash itemized Baganai's pay last year as a base salary of 2.5 mil and bonuses (including the value of the BMW) of another 2.5 mil. 

What conclusions can be drawn besides the fact that information is easily distorted when it passes from one source to another? Without actually reading the contracts (and hiring a lawyer or three to decipher them), probably not much. It seems though that a rider's final standing and ability to win championships (even in the lower classes) drives higher pay in Motogp. And the scuttlebutt was that Morbidelli's win bonuses in 2020 put RNF in a financial bind (which may have contributed to the managerial fallout and restructuring). I wonder if Morbidelli is still owed money and that is messing with his motivation and his head. Maybe he did get paid. And I believe that Aprilia paying both riders an equal salary is a fair way to approach the situation. Reward Espargaro's dedication, loyalty, and development capabilities and Vinales' past achievements and obvious talent equally. And there may be some truth to what Gardner's manager was saying about the KTM contracts.

Aprilia paying Vinales 10 mil for last year just didn't feel right, did it? Well, considering the variation in the information being reported by both sites, Who knows what is true...

Whatever you think of it, Chinese "real motorcycles" are here and rapidly improving. CFMoto and KTM are in productive cahoots. Before you scoff, know where your Honda OEM parts are made? Taiwan often.

Know what is really cool, but too expensive? MV Agusta. Know what is uncool but cheap? QJ Motors in China. Qianjiang is owned by Geely, the shitty scooter company from 1985 thru a handful of years ago. The biggest producer of 2 wheeled motor vehicles in China.

Click, and see the faired collab knock off Brutale. The "QJ Moto SRK 1000 RR" with single-sided swingarm, beefy fuel tank, and tail section identical to the Brutale 1000 RR.

Interesting? It is happening in dirt bikes too. Are they just stealing? Yes. But in collabs now, synergistically.

https://www.topspeed.com/a-ducati-panigale-v4-rival-is-coming-through-a…

I now have 2 MV's, a 2020 Dragster and recently a 2013 Brutale 1090 RR with only 13000km and looks like a new bike. It is a beast. The trick with MV's is to pick them up second hand and well cared for. Then you can get bargains.    I've bought hospitality tickets for the Supers at PI. Excited to see all the new player at work and also to see and hear the variety in SuperSports.

You have a DELICIOUS set of bikes there RustyT. Really, well done. Especially plucking used "garage queens" at good prices.

Request, if you are up for it can you please share observations and reflections from WSBK at PI here with us? Means a lot to feel connection to it. Might perk up your experience too noticing what could be found interesting to us. That track is...(insert hyperbole) mega.

:)

Btw, did you note Forward Racing dropping MV Agusta in Moto2 last week? No big loss, right? Kind of an odd venture.

Wishing them sincere luck w their WOW F3 800 in Supersport. We Triple fans need to stick together in solidarity! Sexy bike. 

:)

The Chinese MV Agusta is tantalizing. How soon can I pick up a write off to use as a stunt bike? Gotta work on my wheelies! CFmoto is all over the web and the telly in Oz. Selling 4 wheeler farm things. The bread & butter of rural motorcycle shops.

Maverick gets 10 million Euros per annum? Who is his manager? I want that phone number! Miguel is probably a bargain. Nice guy Oliveira gets Raul for a team mate. Lets wait & see how the Buzzword buzzword RNF satellite Aprilia team goes. I hope both Aprilia teams go well & rapidly!

Sepang next week Motoshrink nearly there. It should be warm. Warmer than Jerez at least. Will they get some dry tracktime? I predict the Honda will have more power, not necessarily easier to ride. Or a calm beast. I expect an angry beast that tries to throw any rider that gets in the saddle. HRC has form.

My Independent? Oh yes I picked nice guy Miguel Oliveira on the Really Need Funds Aprilia. Really need friends, followers & financial support.

 

SBK Jonathan has some insight, knows he won't be the Godking of SBK forever. Rea has been beaten in the championship two years in a row. Despite his best efforts, despite lifting his game and pushing so hard he does crash. Still only 35, how much time does JR1 have left at the pinnacle of our sport? Nothing left to prove, records already set, spending more time with the family may look enticing.

New riders in SBK will be interesting to see racing. The level in SBK is very high as of last year. I'm keen as to get down to Philip island in Feb and check it all out!

WATCH THIS (7:45 long, from his website). Solid Wintertainment...

Inspired! Never before have we gotten such a view into the current fitness level of Marc Marquez in such thorough, technical and intimate fashion. 2 days at the Red Bull athlete training/diagnostics center.

He is FIT. It is a beautiful and compelling narrative. Time to start talking of this Lazarus like we do of Doohan. I really like this kid, warts and all.

I am going to workout today! You should too. He certainly is, and DAMN is he ever! His non-physical self has gone through quite the steel tempering too. It is called "sublimation." Utmost of matured human defenses. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cji866PPYA

Hey Shrink, After seeing the video I'm more convinced than ever that this is The Comeback year. I wish I could cheer for him,,,well, I did pick him so I guess I have to. This is going to be fun. Very, very interested to compare Mir with him. Rins, too. Big year for Bezzecchi in my crystal ball. Cheers!

Right? Really cool peek into Marc!

Bezzechi, yes. That "who is poised to surge forward" crystal balling is lovely. Sorting hopes from actual sense of things...

Bezz looks good. M.Marquez. Oliveria! Another big step for Bastiannini.

There are curious mutterings re A.Marquez. He ought to pop forward, unsure how significantly, but it will offer another nice measuring stick for the Duc vs Honda. As little as we all like the brat, Fernandez ought to find his feet in Black. But behind both Aleix and Oliveira. Yeah?

This is a bit of an odd time for me as a fan. About the BIKES. I loved the Suzuki, wholly and unabashedly. Loving seeing this Aprilia flourish, and how. But outside of that, I am not a fan of ANY bike. By default, due to absence of a beloved bike, "I guess the Aprilia is my favorite bike? I suppose Oliveira, but uhm, if he had a Factory bike?" Know what I mean? Something is ringing hollow.

Instead, I regret bitter grumbling frowning brow struggling with focus upon our 2018 front tire, and goddamn ride height gizmos. I don’t really like the Ducati project! Happy for them to cleverly steal the show from Yamaha/Honda, but the NASA rocketry is diametrically opposed to lovely Suzuki. May the Hamamatsu MotoGP program rest in peace.

So I picked Marc Marquez AGAIN to win it. I do picks 1st just after the last Round. Got a bit suckered by the Revolution Honda end of 2021. Actual sense of things belief? Bagnaia/Bastiannini look STRONG w this 2023 Duc on sweet hot song. I WANT Bastiannini to win it all, says heart and fancy. Bagnaia is likely says mind. But, favoring the narrative of this broken Skittle-Alien bursting the current bubble with wisdom tempered passion. There would be TEARS all the way around.

Not sure how closely they'll be working but I wonder how the 2 divas will share the spotlight...MO88 fastest Aprilia with Aleix close behind...It was a good peek into MM. I had to use that machine after a shoulder operation - it is brutal. He may have 2 or 3 championships left in him. No one else is close, not Quarty, not nobody...when Marc's more than 70% healthy. Alex Marquez is going to be very interesting to follow. I think he's going to make a big leap. Get ready for top tens covered by .3 seconds. There're gonna be some scintillating last lap scraps this year. Woohoo! Let's effing go

Krop, the site looks and feels like a Suzuki. Just right, conventional. Handles great for everyone that gets aboard. Minimized gadgetry. Et al.

Is it seeming that way crafting and tinkering deep within it? Or is it more like a Ducati for you under the fairings? 

No ride height adjusters please. Especially w the Forum/"Discord potential nightmare" - may Motomatters ever be a Suzuki for us readers!