What's up with those Pro Circuit bikes?

KlootZak
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Edited Date/Time 6/2/2014 9:30pm
It all started with Wilson's bike cutting out during Supercross. The bike cut out and he lost the lead to Anderson. Lucky he did not crash. At Glen Helen, the bike started to cut out again and Wilson had a devastated crash (and an end for his title hopes). I also read somewhere (interview Wilson or somewhere ...) that they had it before during training and now in Hangtown Baggett had to stop because the bike was also cutting out ...

What the heck? That's like 4 months and they still have the same problem. I don't think the Kawasaki bikes at the GPs have the same problem? How can Mitch expect his riders to be out front when the bike does not cooperate?
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Jroc
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6/2/2014 7:28am
I was thinking the same thing after Bagget pulled off with a mechanical.
6/2/2014 7:29am
You know what they say.

Once is an anomaly
Twice is a coincidence
Three times is a problem.

The tough thing about these sort of incidents is that they are tough to duplicate in the "lab". When Dungey's bike wouldn't start at Southwick, I remember an interview with Mike Webb where he said they tried everything to recreate the issue and couldn't do it. When something mechanical breaks, they can see it, inspect where and why it broke, and fix it. It's hard to fix something like this because there are a number of different parts of the electrical system that could have failed.

Still gotta be frustrating like nothing else to Mitch who expects perfection.
IWreckALot
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6/2/2014 7:38am
TriRacer27 wrote:
You know what they say. Once is an anomaly Twice is a coincidence Three times is a problem. The tough thing about these sort of incidents...
You know what they say.

Once is an anomaly
Twice is a coincidence
Three times is a problem.

The tough thing about these sort of incidents is that they are tough to duplicate in the "lab". When Dungey's bike wouldn't start at Southwick, I remember an interview with Mike Webb where he said they tried everything to recreate the issue and couldn't do it. When something mechanical breaks, they can see it, inspect where and why it broke, and fix it. It's hard to fix something like this because there are a number of different parts of the electrical system that could have failed.

Still gotta be frustrating like nothing else to Mitch who expects perfection.
You are absolutely right.

Baggett speculated that it was a rod or something engine related. Seems more consistent with an electrical problem to me than mechanical. Didn't Cianciarullo have a mechanical of some sort at some point also or am I misremembering.
robkinuk
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6/2/2014 7:43am
Heard pro Circuit got a great deal on a batch of that fuel Tommy Searle's Kawasaki team were using in Thailand!Wink

The Shop

Ramrod
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6/2/2014 7:45am
I hope they can put a stop to this, it's hurting their reputation a bit.

I still can't believe that guys want to jump ship from that team. The latest podcasts said that Hill and now possibly Baggett are looking at changing. Either other teams are throwing big $$ around or riders are thinking the bikes are better elsewhere? A few years ago you would have to be really really stupid to choose to be off that team.
CrashMaster
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6/2/2014 7:50am
I wonder if it could be something with all the New GET software they are running. A glitch in the system software malfunctions somewhere.
Mr. Info
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6/2/2014 8:05am
IMO they are running the bikes to lean and as they get hotter they seem to suffer a vapor lock type symtoms. Grant had this problem or something like it his second moto. Sometimes pushing the limits might slow you down.
IceMan446
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6/2/2014 8:46am
I wonder if it could be something with all the New GET software they are running. A glitch in the system software malfunctions somewhere.
None of the other teams are having the issues they are and quite a few teams are running GET software.
The Rock
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6/2/2014 8:56am
Mr. Info wrote:
IMO they are running the bikes to lean and as they get hotter they seem to suffer a vapor lock type symtoms. Grant had this problem...
IMO they are running the bikes to lean and as they get hotter they seem to suffer a vapor lock type symtoms. Grant had this problem or something like it his second moto. Sometimes pushing the limits might slow you down.
JGR was the first team to use the fuel cooler that circulates the fuel through a radiator packed in dry ice. I meant to ask J Bone if they were still using it but spaced.
peelout
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6/2/2014 8:59am
would be tough to be confident in your bike after all these malfunctions. sucks to see happening to such a great team
kawasa84
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6/2/2014 9:43am
Hope they get if figured out. Like the team, like the riders.
If it is the same issues that plagued their SX bikes then this is really bad. Not sure if it is, just sayin.
JW381
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6/2/2014 9:54am
I'm not sure either but it definitely doesn't look all that good as a fan. Not that I'm losing any faith in Pro Circuit products, but just the reputation of their team takes a hit. Between the bike problems, and all the injuries (out of their control, I know), it can't be all that great under the PC rig.

Like Ramrod said, it's hard to imagine the PC team not being the best rig out there. That's been the case for so long, it's weird to not really expect them to win week in and week out.
IWreckALot
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6/2/2014 10:17am Edited Date/Time 6/2/2014 10:17am
JW381 wrote:
I'm not sure either but it definitely doesn't look all that good as a fan. Not that I'm losing any faith in Pro Circuit products, but...
I'm not sure either but it definitely doesn't look all that good as a fan. Not that I'm losing any faith in Pro Circuit products, but just the reputation of their team takes a hit. Between the bike problems, and all the injuries (out of their control, I know), it can't be all that great under the PC rig.

Like Ramrod said, it's hard to imagine the PC team not being the best rig out there. That's been the case for so long, it's weird to not really expect them to win week in and week out.
Good point. I'd be curious to see if anyone else would hesitate sending their motors to PC. I could see both sides of the argument.

And there has to be a limit of how far you can push a bike. Maybe they're pushing a little too far.
BroFoSho
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6/2/2014 10:28am
Don't forget, Davalos also crashed out of the series because of a bike problem while testing .
lappedrider
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6/2/2014 10:44am
Their engines are facing the wrong way based on the results.....
6/2/2014 11:54am
Their engines are facing the wrong way based on the results.....
much like the mono shock changed the sport...so will these motors....the bakerdz onez...
FGR01
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Fantasy
6/2/2014 12:25pm
BroFoSho wrote:
Don't forget, Davalos also crashed out of the series because of a bike problem while testing .
Davalos was the victim of a broken chain.
seth505
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6/2/2014 2:12pm
I'm waiting for the PC interview, has anyone asked them straight up what's the deal?
6/2/2014 2:16pm

Otherwise please just bring them on the 11 bike or something like that when they killed it. The more battles the better !
KlootZak
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6/2/2014 2:25pm Edited Date/Time 6/2/2014 2:25pm
seth505 wrote:
I'm waiting for the PC interview, has anyone asked them straight up what's the deal?
In pulpmx podcast Mitch told Matthes that they tought it was gone / solved
seth505
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6/2/2014 2:27pm
seth505 wrote:
I'm waiting for the PC interview, has anyone asked them straight up what's the deal?
KlootZak wrote:
In pulpmx podcast Mitch told Matthes that they tought it was gone / solved
ah damn!
FullThrottle
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6/2/2014 2:29pm
Would be tough for any of the remaining PC guys to race without that at the back of your mind.
IceMan446
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6/2/2014 3:26pm

I bet $20 on tank / fuel temperature.
Doubt it.

Wasnt hot enough for that this weekend. Barely reached 90 on saturday.

If they are having those issues at that temp, good luck for the rest of the summer.
TeamGreen
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6/2/2014 3:39pm Edited Date/Time 6/2/2014 3:52pm

I bet $20 on tank / fuel temperature.
IceMan446 wrote:
Doubt it. Wasnt hot enough for that this weekend. Barely reached 90 on saturday. If they are having those issues at that temp, good luck for...
Doubt it.

Wasnt hot enough for that this weekend. Barely reached 90 on saturday.

If they are having those issues at that temp, good luck for the rest of the summer.
And the fuel they run these days is a helluva lot better than the stuff you guys are thinking of. The thermal stability is waaaaaaaay better.
FGR01
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Fantasy
6/2/2014 3:44pm
This is the point where I'd like to note that EFI and shit loads of electronics are the best thing to ever happen to MX bikes.

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