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Honda didnt try to hide it by running the opposing company's stickers on them.
Might be a thing for the more Eagle Eyed here to start having a squizz at what's on the KTM / KTHusky and KTGG Teams in the MXGP, and various European series this year.
I can't see why KTM would have a contract out on Michael for taking / showing pictures of something anyone can take pictures of, whether they are in the pits or beside the track. Their 'eff up', basically, if it's supposed to be a 'secret'. There's a few CF 'shoes' out there that you can get to cover axle / fork leg lugs, or they could easily have their own made up.
This is what makes me so mad about our sport. You do an awesome job reporting and finding out these pit bits as new stuff riders are running then I’m sure are treated like trash once it gets reported. F1 teams are always taking photos of other teams stuff and the media is doing the same. Every week in f1 there is something new and it gets reported about. But someone doing a great job in Moto reports this a there treated like a black sheep. Not cool teams….
Yeah this pisses me off. You have a responsibility ML to the public as a journalist to the sport that so many of us have so much invested in. With new bikes costs rising to the $15K mark, boots and helmets exceeding $500 easy, etc. etc. some of us with families riding with us can have $100K invested into this sport easy. We are not like football or baseball fans, we participate, and the companies doing likewise are SELLING. Arguably we have a right to know what the companies participating are using. especially with the "production" rule, and especially if the companies race to promote and sell their product. Austria or any of the other companies hiding what they use is not in the true spirit of the production rule or of promoting a product to sell. If they want to hide what they use to race go full prototype like MotoGP. Does Austria think it is a big secret many of us who own Austrian bikes do KYB conversions anyway? If the Austrian team is genuinely pissed at ML it makes it pretty convincing to buy Triumphs. You did nothing wrong ML, you did your job, you fulfilled a responsibility.
How about “more bigger” or “more faster”?
No matter what suspension you have…..it was still only Jett that pulled the trigger most every lap on that quad last night!
This is a really cool tech bit, well spotted. It’s such a shame people will get upset. Good work ML, keep pushing them.
I’ll go and I’ll do pit bits like this
Have cameras, will travel. 😂
Would you look at that! Would you just look at it.
Did anyone listen to DeCoster on DMXS a week or so ago? He was asked about the 52/48 issue and said they need to run what the production bike runs so it keeps the integrity of the bike they are selling (not an exact quote, but very close). This is hilarious considering a week later they are lying with WP stickers on KYB forks.....and the fact they denied these type of changes for Webb....and allegedly denying Barcia this year.
I think it's great they are running the KYB Internals (or whatever works for each rider) and suspension is still "works" in the 450 class, so just don't hide it. Nobody buying a KTM will care if it's out in the open and riding at their level is nowhere near the same as 99% of the planet is capable of.
This is same level of BS of them saying Sexton moved to Aldon's for "shipping cost" of parts lol. The Team spends more in that shipping cost in one tank of fuel for their hospitality semi. My opinion is he moved there to test a bunch of stuff they didn't want others to see to get the riders comfortable.
Hey, gotta get the apples and oranges level of mangling the English language squared away before we can think about those who screw it up exponentially!
This whole sport is absolutely bush league when it comes to information. Sometimes I think they think they are actually curing cancer or something with how they guard information.
The only one that truly understands the game is Lars, that guy is awesome.
Yea don't ever question Saint Roger and how he runs a team on this forum, people get all sorts of pissed.
Pit Row
So last year Webb had to fight to run 48’s and even basically got asked to take a seat because of it and now they have to run it. Can’t make this stuff up.
Yep.....and Sexton should have stayed with Honda instead of hiding around Jett moving up. The only one on an Austrian 450 that seems solid is AP.
Just got 3rd at Daytona and says his hand is only 85% so think that isn't to bad considering?
Definitely not bad, but also still struggling with setup which he also struggled with at Honda. I was just saying change is not always the answer. How many laps has he led this year compared to last year especially if you remove the torrential rudder in San Fran?
I think we can all agree Sexton was faster on a Honda, even before the hand deal.
Well, well, well…
How would we all feel if KTM “crew management” was seen YELLING at Michael over this? Late in the night…as the teams were packing up…?
I’m hearing stories of Michael getting a COMPLETE RATION OF SHIT…getting yelled at…for simply reporting what was RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS FACE (aka, Obvious to anyone that knows what there looking at)…someone at the KTM Team was pissed that…
SOMEONE NOTICED THE NEW HARDWARE ON THIER BIKE?! You know, obvious hardware on their bike that was rolling around the pits, sitting under their canopy, rolling down the chute, thru the tunnel…in front of ALL THOSE CAMERAS…
And they’re gonna give Michael shit for DOING HIS JOB?!?!
Hey, KTM…we don’t appreciate how you lost your shit on Michael in front of other team’s “personnel” & media…as in other teams…& other media…and people that I know that are actually kinda embarrassed…for you…NOT Michael.
Someone…ahem…a certain Crew Chief, owes Michael an apology. Period.
About the few Journos we’ve got that actually report the good stuff…the stuff that teams sometimes don’t want reported…
That’s a fairly short list…Michael…Matthes…even some of those podcasts/podcasters that sometimes get it right…sometimes get it wrong…
I am grateful that some of them are willing to step out over the line and show us…the fans…what’s going on.
Aren’t you?
Manny
"Struggled with his setup at Honda" while finishing 1st in SX and 2nd Outdoors. It appears he's got the Chad flu. Never happy while kickin' butt 🙂
KTM team is the definition of insecurity
We need to see inside the air boxes on the KX450's
After the racing is done, Pit Bits are the highlight of my week and have been for many years. Seeing all the special stuff teams run is interesting as hell.
The fact KTM is mad about the reporting is BS. Are they under the impression that other teams don't see the changes and new stuff they try out then talk about it regardless if someone in the media reports on it or not?
ML please keep doing what your doing!
Next week's Pit Bits will be a bike covered by a blanket. See where your moto/photo journalism got you ML 😅
This is a worse look for KTM than trying a different component on the bike will ever be.
shitbaggy.
just ‘own it’ KTM.
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