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Febvre uses a production frame and swingarm this year according to Kawi test rider (Swap interview). So no, I doubt there is much performance difference.
On Showa suspension too baby!
But Febvre rides completely diferent style.
Seated mid far back, elbows down, handlebar so low...
His style and his position on the bike has nothing to do with Prado.
This setup is for Febvre and his riding style, is that simple
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This. The rider on Febvre’s bike doesn’t quit after getting passed, though.
Pay no attention to all the people that win on the Kawi (MXGP points leader, Canadian Nat Champ, PC riders on the same chassis, countless ametures around the globe). They are all clearly freaks. The only person in the world that can be the judge of the Kawi is Prado and he says it sucks so it must suck.
Nicoletti said he wouldnt be competitive on his version of the canadian Kawi, if he would go and race US nationals on it. Bikes just not good enough.
So just because he is champ in Canada on one version of the kawi, means the bike is great everywhere else and for anyone else.
Prado wasn't riding the Canadian version either. Phil also said that he thought the US bike would be better due to budget of the teams.
Point is comparing bikes between teams and series is almost pointless.
And higher budget is no guarantee for a better bike.
Gifting just turned down factory Yamaha because his JK privateer bike was better.
All other mxgp Yamaha riders wants of the bike.
Either way, there is no way a factory Kawi is so bad you have to quit. Period.
This. Once Chase is putting the 450 all over the podium next year, what will the Prado defenders say?
I will say this,
If your job is an underwater welder let's say. And your emplyer is basically giving you just about enough oxygen in your tank to survive but not any extra or better quality, how motivated would you be to go underwater and just risk it. If you do not drown then everything else is a bonus already.
Cause If you have to go at those speeds like these guys go, no matter if it's Prado, Jett, Kullas or local Joe at the backyard on his YZ-F 450 with the powercore exhaust doing just 85mph hours, you would like to trust the equipment to go and push.
Well, you bring up Canadian Champ who, if I recall correctly never won on it. PC riders on the same chassis only had 2 people podium outdoor on it and the best was 3rd overall 6 times. The MXGP bike is non-comparable to what Jorge raced here. Sure they have some similar stuff, but you'd be surprised at what they do to make Febvre and Jonass happy.
But besides that, did we need another Prado thread? Aren't you guys sick of saying the same thing over and over and over?
I’m definitely sick of all the Prado threads. Also tired of people crapping on the bike when it’s clear to any reasonable person that it’s very capable of winning. Prado didn’t like the bike, others like it just fine. Time to move on.
These "comparisons" are so off base it's not even funny
In nearly 20 years of professional racing here in the US Phil never won a race here, either. The fact remains that he won his first ever national championship on a privateer/production based Kawasaki KX450.
Throw Prado's attitude out for a minute.You still can't compare Febvre to Prado. Febvre has been on that chassis since 2020. 5 years is allot of development. Down vote away.
Except for the fact Febvre hasn’t been on the same chassis for 5 years. The chassis changed in ‘23.
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I agree, as i just can not understand, he is a 4 time world champion, he doesn't want to get paid millions of dollars to just cruise around, if he can not win on that equipment, throw it away, and start from scratch. Bring Chase over and be 1,2 in mx sx respectively in 2027
So, Jorge can change the peg position, seat height, bar risers, bar bend, races, add bracing to frame, suspension settings, and engine character. You're telling me there is no setting in there he can ride? He must be looking for a unicorn.
No, im not saying that.
Im saying that whatever is Febvre riding meana nothing to Prado.
Even Taka said in swapmoto live that some things cant bring to Prado's bike in Usa.
I know is Prado work to setup the bike and Team to do what Prado ask for but sometimes isnt work like that.
I dont defend neither of both( Prado and kawi) because i dont know nothing from the inside.
Fair enough. I agree Febvre’s settings won’t necessarily be Prado’s settings. I just feel that at the factory level they can do a LOT to change the nature of the bike, even with production rules. Enough to make it safe to race at a top 5 level. It may not be the absolute most comfortable bike for him, but enough to compete.
Well, besides febvre it has actually proven otherwise. But, what happens next year when chase says it’s not good enough and doesn’t win? Do you all you kawi defenders apologize to Prado?
You’re trippin if you think Chase won’t win on that bike lol Anderson was getting on the podium in sx this year on it and was too 5 and got a outdoors on it in ‘24 in its first year. I think it’ll be the other way around and all the people thinking that Kawi was Prados problem will eat crow. Chase will win indoors and out on the Kawi, just as he did on the Honda and KTM. Winners win on anything. Prado showed he’s a quitter of shit isn’t going his way.
I personally agree that chase can and probably will win on it. I also agree that Prado should have won on it. But I also understand that if you don’t gel with a bike at that level, it won’t go well. But like I said, if chase doesn’t win on it and says it’s not good enough, then what happens?
The electronics, airbox, motor, and suspension on Jorge’s bike were different than from what Febvre and Jonass are riding with, and Romain’s bike has a different swingarm- well at least it did on the #3 race bike I was allowed to see close up in Loket the Friday before the race.
I doubt it would have mattered for Prado what version of the green bike he rode…
I agree that if you don’t gell with a bike that it won’t go well, but if you’re a Jett, Chase, Eli, Webb, Roczen, Gajser, Febvre, Herlings, RC, MC, (Prado), meaning top talent, top of the elite you find a way to win or at least podium. I could understand the results Prado was getting if he had signed with Beta this year, but not factory Kawi. I just don’t buy that the bike was that horrendous. Tim and Jeffrey have been on the same brand forever, and I bet they win races and get podiums next year on their new brands and don’t do what Prado did.
So all those other riders you mentioned tried not to qualify for a race too?
Well, take Jeremy seewer for an example. The guy podiumed a round and then in the sand struggles to get points. I cant imagine the Ducati being that bad. But that’s what is happening. I think Prado coming in underprepared, mixed with a bike he didn’t like, new tracks and formats was the problem. I do think the kawi was not a good fit for Jorge, I didn’t think it would go as bad as it did. He showed us a few times he had the speed to podium, but I think about half way through the series he was already over not getting what he was looking for and started throwing in the towel. I said it in another thread. Imagine being at work day after day telling your boss you need a drill but he keeps bring you screw driver after screw driver. Eventually you may throw your hands up too. Having said that, I don’t know anything behind the scenes of the situation. I am looking forward to hearing chase say how good everything is on the kawi in the off season and then 3 or 4 rounds in saying “I’m still just trying to get comfortable and learn the new bike” like everyone does. I like chase and I like Jorge, but we will find out next summer how the kawi is. You can bet that chase will have more kawi resources to get that bike dialed in to make up for Jorge this year.
Also, take those first years Webb moved up to the 450 class on Yamaha. That was a factory team that made a bike look absolutely terrible. So bad that the factory took the factory team away from themselves and gave it to Star to fix. So yeah, they can be that bad. You have a guy that went from probably having a brake system fully designed to the exact way he wants it (yes I have seen some factory bikes in GPs with a brake system designed for that specific rider) to a team that has been known (in the past at least) to keep riders in a box.
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