The Prado Mystery

Saz wrote:

I was watching MXGP of Czech Republic yesterday and JT mentioned that Conen's bike was at 700 RPM. Obvious a joke but leads me to understand...

I was watching MXGP of Czech Republic yesterday and JT mentioned that Conen's bike was at 700 RPM. Obvious a joke but leads me to understand what Prado means by power. The KTM in MXGP seems to be a monster. We all know that depending on what gear you're in and where in the power affects how your suspension moves across the ground especially the rear swing arm. Harder on the gas tends to bind up the rear swing arm. MXGP guys also tend to run their suspension softer from what I've seen and heard.

 A good way to show that is hitting a rough section in 2nd gear on the gas, vs hitting a section in 3rd on the gas. If the KTM in MXGP can hit everything at such a low RPM, it lets the suspension soak up and absorb everything and give him the torque to pop out or over stuff. Like Jett Lawrence being in such a low RPM. If he's trying to ride it like his old KTM its understandable him missing the power or struggling without it, and how the bike could be beating him up viciously throughout the moto with the bike bound up. Then him fading late because hes just getting absolutely abused the entire time, then add everything else. In short a cycle. Kawi missing power and torque low so bike can't flow like he wants doesn't soak up suspension wise, forced to drop gear for power, bike binds up, beating him up. Rinse repeat. Factory Kawi has thought of this though. 

Obviously this doesn't excuse Prado seemingly giving up the race a few times, he's an amazing rider and is probably trying to work through it and frustrated. A lot of people have grilled him for his interviews but his last one with Lewis he complimented the team greatly and recognized how hard they are all working multiple times. They'll get it and figure it out, I don't have doubts about that. 

Just some paragraphs of 2 cents from a slow not factory suspension guy.

Saz wrote:

I was watching MXGP of Czech Republic yesterday and JT mentioned that Conen's bike was at 700 RPM. Obvious a joke but leads me to understand...

I was watching MXGP of Czech Republic yesterday and JT mentioned that Conen's bike was at 700 RPM. Obvious a joke but leads me to understand what Prado means by power. The KTM in MXGP seems to be a monster. We all know that depending on what gear you're in and where in the power affects how your suspension moves across the ground especially the rear swing arm. Harder on the gas tends to bind up the rear swing arm. MXGP guys also tend to run their suspension softer from what I've seen and heard.

 A good way to show that is hitting a rough section in 2nd gear on the gas, vs hitting a section in 3rd on the gas. If the KTM in MXGP can hit everything at such a low RPM, it lets the suspension soak up and absorb everything and give him the torque to pop out or over stuff. Like Jett Lawrence being in such a low RPM. If he's trying to ride it like his old KTM its understandable him missing the power or struggling without it, and how the bike could be beating him up viciously throughout the moto with the bike bound up. Then him fading late because hes just getting absolutely abused the entire time, then add everything else. In short a cycle. Kawi missing power and torque low so bike can't flow like he wants doesn't soak up suspension wise, forced to drop gear for power, bike binds up, beating him up. Rinse repeat. Factory Kawi has thought of this though. 

Obviously this doesn't excuse Prado seemingly giving up the race a few times, he's an amazing rider and is probably trying to work through it and frustrated. A lot of people have grilled him for his interviews but his last one with Lewis he complimented the team greatly and recognized how hard they are all working multiple times. They'll get it and figure it out, I don't have doubts about that. 

Just some paragraphs of 2 cents from a slow not factory suspension guy.

Pop Shmoke wrote:

All of this is true. Whats interesting though is that a lot of the US guys have much stiffer suspension than the euros AND rev the...

All of this is true. Whats interesting though is that a lot of the US guys have much stiffer suspension than the euros AND rev the piss out of the bike. This makes the rear suspension even stiffer. The euros with softer suspension would have more room to rev the shit out of the bike and stiffen it up, but they dont. So the euros riding with softer suspension and staying in low revs means their suspension is even softer whereas the Americans riding stiff bikes are making it worse by revving the shit out of the bikes. Jett and hunter are obviously different as they ride in low revs, but you can see it on the track how much better jetts bike tracks with the ground. It seems like if anything since the US guys rev way more and have better/smoother tracks they should be riding with even softer suspension than the euros to make up for it. Pretty weird. Maybe thats why ppl like eli get accused of running choppered out bikes? Because the forks are stiff but he has to run a soft shock to make up for revving the shit out of the bike? 

Anyways nicoletti mentioned how prado is used to the wp air forks and is on spring forks now and not gelling with them. He made that choice, so thats on him. He also says he practices at a much reduced pace so thats on him for not testing the right way. I wouldnt be surprised if the US suspension guys are also more used to running stiffer setups for sx and our guys in moto so maybe thats also beating him up and wearing him out.