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What ai is that? The ones I’ve used would make a weird looking bike with that whatever writing on it. 🤣
He's probably struggling with the track time over here vs Europe. Two days to figure out any setup issues vs almost no time at all before the gate drops.
This is why people aren’t straight up honest in American racing. He made a comment about his bike not being fast enough, and look at all the media and threads having a field day over it.
It’s not a big deal, he thinks his bike needs to be faster and he needs to be better. Not much more to it. You guys ever watched MotoGP? This place would blow up with the comments they make.
If your occupation is being a professional motorcycle racer and not wanting to get hurt is a top consideration, your career is over. While no one wants to get hurt (obviously), riding at their level with this type of reservation in your conscious thoughts is going to ensure that you get smoked, especially at the front of the 450 pack.
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He made an excuse, not a random comment. He's a world champion getting beat by a current supercross champion who has ONE 450 outdoor win to his name. The bike is not the only problem, but in my opinion his mindset is it must be the bike since it's panic button time.
I mean.... if you could mail it in and make many millions over 3 years, who wouldn't take that deal? Who cares what people think. If he retired after his contract expires, he would be walking away much more financially sound than most of us talking about it on this forum. I respect that mindset if that is the case.
I dont think he is doing what I said above, but let's be real. Being a pro MX racer is a grind like most of us will never experience. But I hope we get to see him bounce back to his GP form. Im a big fan of Prado, so no hate here. Im just trying to be objective.
You respect the mindset of mailing it in after you signed a contract for millions of dollars, when that money is coming from an entity that thought you wanted to win a championship?
Wow. You do you, man. But wow.
To make big money,he could have stayed in Europe!He wanted a new challenge,a multi year deal to settle in,nothing else.Don‘t speculate too much.😂😜
He makes more here even considering not getting any bonuses in the US per reports
I think a lot of comments come from over expectations, including directly from Prado. When I see the line up, I still think a top 5 in this year standings would be a success. Right now, he is 8th, in a group with Webb, Hampshire, Anderson and Stewart ; they are no slouch and have been racing these tracks at least 5 if not 10 times in their career (remember our results the first time on a track vs experienced guys, vs a couple years later, small things, confort and experience makes a difference even at a local level). In addition Prado is learning the Kawi and coming from injury. What he said for me is a bit goofy, or too transparent. For me there was no way he was gonna battle for the lead from the get go, there are too many new parameters. A success would be no injury, top 5 this year, top 3 next one(s). Patience is key.
Thank you.
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Track prep in mxgp is minimal. US tracks are prepped much more.
Nonsense. On the shelf they’ll already have camshafts, different compression pistons, different weight flywheels, exhausts and a laptop full of maps all already tested & green-lighted.
They can change that bike between motos if they wanted to.
i suspect Jorge doesn’t know what he wants, and to say “the bike isn’t fast enough” is just an easy generalisation to tell the press.
Sure, there is always some risk that has to be assumed but you know they have to manage within a window. Someone like Forkner for instance has to just get a season under his belt, so he has to be more risk averse. If he can make it through the season uninjured, that will ultimately be much better for his career than throwing caution to the wind and getting hurt again. Prado is in a similar situation - he doesn't need to win this year, but he needs the laps and time on that bike in race environment.
Prado is doing exactly what he needs to do.
Man, If this front page doesn't put some chill to "the bike" debate, these dudes need some therapy.
He mentioned it was really good going down hills as a joke about the lack of power! Every bike can go fast downhill. He needs the power to go fast uphill
New bike, new frame, new series, new country and just off an injury.
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Febre is leading the points in MCGP by 30 points. L. Coenen is coming on strong but he's about 50 down in points. Kawi must be doing something right over there.
The pros all ride their bikes so differently that you can't just pretend to know what Prado is dealing with. Imagine Barcia on Jett's bike. He rev the absolute piss out of it and not only would it go slower but it wouldn't handle as well. Prado has built his riding style, and the way he uses the track, around having a rocket ship of a bike. For him to adapt to a sluggish bike, he would have to change his whole riding style to make it work. His racing instincts are probably going to let him down if he makes a move that feels natural, or takes a line that feels natural, and then the bike just doesn't have the power to make it work. He rides very defensively, which requires the bike to be able to pull from tight inside lines. If the Kawi can't pull, Prado can't ride like Prado.
It's also annoying that people point to Prado getting a pretty good start a couple of times as proof that the bike is fine. The stats don't lie, Prado is literally the best starter the sport has ever seen and getting a top 5 start is actually a sign that he's struggling.
So you know its not the bike?
Literally every world class rider is super sensitive to bike setup.
If you have a certain riding style, everything is connected to that. Suspension, chassi, engine is connected. If one thing is off, the other two will be off. You are not going to go back to a standard setup on the chassi and suspension to try and make that work, and hope you can get on the podium with that, when you have a bag of championships and know how you want the bike to be working.
Try to make it rideable as is, and it might take the team 2 years to get the full package together if you go back and fwd between something you know you need, and something that works half decent on weekends so you can be a 3-5 guy.
No one here knows how far off Kawi is at the moment. They could very well deny certain changes. And no one can forsee what is needed from a test ride at a practise track.
Example: Shorty at Honda during his glory days. He wasn't allowed to run the forks if it was 2 or 3mm up in the clamps. Needed to be flush. Not allowed to move them said Japan, wasn't safe. Even though he cut seconds of the lap times at practise track.
As late as last year, Honda (Japan) could initially not give Jett and Hunter the 2023 suspension setup back. "Not possible, no parts available". Then suddenly they digged up some after much complaints. Of course they had the 2023 stuff left, they where just not allowed until all options were explored and enough pressure was put on the team. Now that was weeks before anything happend (Lars referred to it as they found some in the workshop). So take Kawi, the most rigid team in the paddock where both AC and Anderson has been complaining since the bike came out about the issues. Still not fixed. They have had years to fix it.
So I dont find it that hard to believe that Kawi isn't doing "everything possible" to make it work.
You are missing the point. Prado don't need more money. He could walk away and dont think about money ever again.
And Yet Guiollod and Savatgy on non-factory bikes are smoking the dude?
I mean have some pride. Prado's bike may have issues, but a dude of his level should be cooking all of thems, right? Even on a stock bike.
You feel like he made that as an excuse? He didn’t exactly say he’d be at the front if his bike was faster.
He accepted he’s not where he needs to be, said he’s a ways off the front guys and it’s not good enough. Asked about the bike said he wants more power. Also had positives to say. And had a cool, calm demeanour the whole time, like a multi time world champ would. There isn’t really much more to it.
AC and Anderson has been complaining about he bike years back, Including power. Tomac left because of it. Not even factory Yamaha couldnt make the power the riders wanted, until Star took over the program.
You make it sound like you just throw a lot of parts on the bike and suddenly you have torque and HP exactly where it is needed, without having a bike that overheats or risk failure.
Prado probably have both dyno numbers and curves from previous bikes. Or you think Prados only statement to team was "I want a fast bike thank you".
Heres where ignorance comes in.
Maybe he could ride better on it, but then what? All the riders that are candidates to win, needs a very custom bike. All of them. 2 clicks of or a shock to stiff and they are not winning. Jett is a good example.
You think any top rider would go back to a setup that gives you podium or top 5 but that's it?
They need to stay on the course and solve engine, chassi, suspension into one package. Anything else is meaningless if you are aiming to win.
It's like giving Tomac a stock bike and say "be happy with it". He would retire tomorrow.
"They need to stay on the course and solve engine, chassi, suspension into one package"
How can you do that when your rider quits after 4 laps? Don't you think he should have stayed out there even if he's circulating in 20th place but trying to figure out the bike and a track he has to race again next year?
He went down on a jump is what I heard.
But what good does it do?
When I test, I know within a lap if it's good or bad. Only final touches you want to do a full session on to see it works when shock gets hot for example.
RC said he could feel on his way to the track if a pipe wasnt going to work. Useless to spin laps.
Well, shit, then how do they even do it?
I mean Savatgy has to ride a bike every week. Guillod has to ride a bike every week. If it isn't up to standards, why should they risk their lives?
Those fucking non top level shitty-ass-slobs and their shitty-ass-slow-bikes. I, mean they're beating Prado, but is it even worth it given that they are so shitty and slow? I bet each time they think: "I'm glad no actually fast rider decided his bike was good enough."
He said he hit a bump that "threw him off" in his press release. I don't think he even went down, did he?
I like him and I want him to be up there battling with Jett and Eli and Chase and AP and others, but he's mentally fried. He needs to get over ego and just finish out motos and learn about the bike and the tracks and then come out swinging next year with all he learned.
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