Will see this be topped across the weekend at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley? It’s the first time a Moto2™ bike has reached and surpassed the 300km/h mark as the Triumph-powered Moto2™ engines stretch their legs at Mugello. Keep an eye out to see if Bulega’s speed is topped at some point across the weekend.
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Lüthi’s teammate, Marcel Schrötter, also found a big improvement from FP1 to jump from eleventh to fourth. Nicolo Bulega rounded out the top five, marking a great first day for the SKY Racing Team VR46 squad after a testing start to the season. Neither Marini nor Bulega have finished inside the top five so far this season, but the team look to be back to their best at their home Grand Prix.
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Petrucci and Quartararo then exchanged fastest session times before an Italian was on the march, Bagnaia launching himself to the summit with seconds to go to take top spot honours on Friday ahead of Quartararo and Petrucci, with Pol Espargaro claiming a fantastic fourth. Bagnaia improving drastically from a P17 in FP1 to delight the home crowd, with Quartararo, Petrucci and Espargaro cementing top ten places.
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There are countless YouTube videos showing epic failures of riders attempting to back their motorcycles down ramps from trailers or truck beds. And I’ve personally witnessed numerous riders at motorcycle gatherings and in campsites lose it as they tried to back down damp, grassy slopes. I’ll even admit to having a very awkward moment of my own a few years back in front of dozens of my fellow riders when I nearly dominoed a row of parked BMWs because I couldn’t keep the front tire from sliding as I rolled and slid backward down a steep gravel driveway. Not pretty.
The problem presented to riders when backing down a slanted surface is that the motorcycle’s weight shifts to the rear, simultaneously lightening the front wheel. Not a problem if the rider could maintain use of the rear brake, but both feet are needed on the ground to walk the bike backward and keep it upright. That leaves the rider with only the use of the front brake to keep the machine from rolling rearward too quickly. Unfortunately, with less weight on the front end, the front brake provides very limited grip, especially the steeper and the slipperier the surface. So what’s a rider to do? Here’s the perfect technique to use in a clutch.
To simulate the use of the rear brake without actually requiring a foot on the rear brake pedal, follow these clever steps. With the bike’s transmission in first gear, turn off the engine (engine cutoff switch is simplest) and ease out the clutch lever. The engine’s compression with the engine off will hold the bike in position on the hill—no need for brakes at all! To back down the slope with complete control, slowly pull in the clutch into the friction zone. This will partially disengage the engine and transmission from the rear wheel, allowing the bike to drift backward. Control your speed with the clutch position, releasing the clutch lever slightly to slow more or squeezing it in slightly to allow more speed. With a little practice, you’ll have the confidence and control to back down virtually any angled surface like a pro. Just don’t forget to restart the engine before you attempt to pull forward again!
Source: RiderMagazine.com
Suzuki’s table-topping time was 1.6 seconds quicker than he went in the morning, with second place Zannone going great guns at Mugello to go over two seconds faster. It was a similar story for Arbolino who also went over a second quicker in FP2, with FP1 pacesetter Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) ending Friday fourth fastest. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) consolidates a top-five place at Mugello after finishing third in FP1, the Scotsman 0.181 off Suzuki’s time, with Kömmerling Gresini Moto3’s Gabriel Rodrigo ending the day sixth after a P2 finish in FP1 – a good day for the Argentina rider.
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The second fastest speed in history was Desmo Dovi’s Ducati teammate Danilo Petruci, with Petrux firing through the speed trap on his Pramac Ducati in last year’s race at 355.8km/h. Test rider Michele Pirro clocked 355.2km/h in last year’s second free practice session at Mugello to be the third fastest man in premier class history, before Andrea Iannone, from 2016, and Pirro again, from 2017, round of the top five with 354.9km/h and 354.7km/h.
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Le Mans winner Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) ended second quickest, just 0.041 of a second adrift of Marini, proving the Spaniard looks likely to continue his French form in Italy this weekend. Class rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio impressed in third place, making him the first of the MB Conveyors Speed Up machines.
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“We decided we will wait until after Barcelona, we aren’t in a hurry but we understand it’s important for the riders to know. So, after seven races we will have all the information we need to assess the races and take the best possible decision for the future…In principal, it’s between the two of them.”
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“We decided we will wait until after Barcelona, we aren’t in a hurry but we understand it’s important for the riders to know. So, after seven races we will have all the information we need to assess the races and take the best possible decision for the future…In principal, it’s between the two of them.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
It was glorious Tuscany weather for the premier class as they went out for FP1 at Mugello and it was the Honda of Marquez who set the pace throughout, eventually beating Petrucci by over a tenth as the factory Ducati man jumped to second on his final flying lap. It was a strong opening session for Ducati test rider Pirro who, while sporting a new rear wheel cover, managed to finish third fastest.
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