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Mav- that Stew clip was a little confusing. Understood about when he's out front he can manage, but in traffic running on instinct it's not coming together. Didn't understand as much about knowing the problem and riding around it; perhaps he means he doesn't know what the problem is to ride around it.
I absolutely love stew and love his insight, but at times he seems like he is talking for the sake of talking.
Or maybe I just don’t get it..
I do think James sees things we can’t, Chase is just a very unique rider and definitely more picky than most when it comes to setup.
It's probably because he has his own genius thoughts but has a challenging time conveying them through speech.
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You don’t remember those odd races on Kawi where Tomac looked like a mere mortal all of a sudden?
It came out after he went to Yami, that it was usually because the setup was off and he got arm pump.
Those races happened semi- regularly and cost him championships.
At this point i think its clear that the reason PC doesnt run a 450 , is that they dont want them making the Factory Bike look bad.
I know that they did that one year, but i cant remember who for, was it McElrath? Was 1 year into a 2 year deal and had to go 450.
I thought it was Davalos who rode a PC450, no?
Serious question to anyone who would know. When you swap a part, are the 'knock-on' effects actually predictable?
It feels like there are SO MANY variables. You’ve got the terrain (ruts, clay, wood chips), then you’ve got the corner stages (entry, mid, exit), plus the chaos of braking and acceleration bumps.
When you throw on a new shock, how do you actually know if what you’re feeling is the shock itself doing its job, or just the rest of the bike reacting weirdly to the new part? Is it even possible to isolate one change when everything else on the bike is forced to react to it?
Broc Tickle 2012.
He won the 250 SX title in 2011 and was forced up to the 450 class for 2012. So PC fielded him in the 450 class.
We all know Chase’s setup window is very small. For me this is where his head case begins. If it doesn’t feel right, his response is very negative, and he doesn’t adjust himself to the bike.
I remember an interview a couple years back with Jett and he was saying that when they test, he goes out and feels what the bike is doing and then focuses on adjusting his riding to optimize what the bike can do. Like if it’s feeling twitchy, he would shift his weight rearward to lighten the front and stabilize it, so that he could push harder. He rides what the bike gives him…
I think it’s fair to say that Chase doesn’t do that well.
Makes me wonder where those PC 450s that Mitch built for Kenny ended up. Weren’t those current platform builds?
No they were the 19-23 generation. The current gen is 24->.
Rattray raced a PC Kawi 450 as well.
probably a combination of Chase having a very specific feel he's looking for, and the bike may have a very narrow window. Even Jett and Hunter struggled mightily last year at A1, but were able to very quickly right the ship and get back to the top of the box. Seems likely that it's a combination of a lot of things - Chase, the Kx450, the Kawasaki organization, etc. That's usually how these things go....
If I were KHI brass I'd be looking hard at a wholesale organizational shakeup. I like the outsourcing to Pro Circuit idea....
Now it starts… 🤣🤣🤣
F A K E of course…
I thought Rattray filled in at factory Kawi on the 450 that summer? Mitch ran a 450 for Broc cause he signed him to a 2 year deal without thinking about if he won the title that he’d be moved up, so he honored that contract. I think Ratters filled in at factory Kawi tho
https://www.motoonline.com/au/wilson-and-rattray-to-spearhead-pro-circuit-450-campaign/
https://www.dirtrider.com/features/factory-bike-friday-tyla-rattrays-monster-energy-pro-circuit-kawasaki-kx450f/
Filled in for RV in 2012.
https://www.fullnoise.com.au/fullnoise-news/pro-circuits-tyla-rattray-gets-the-call-up-to-cover-the-injured-villopoto/
AI art has gotten scary good. This almost looks real for a second
Pit Row
This is the first time since joining Kawasaki that Chase had said anything about good week of riding or “being ready to go” so maybe he will show some signs of life this weekend. Even after his win he just said starting to feel more like myself. Could be nothing or maybe the found something.
Ohh yaa I forgot about that, DeanO rode a 450 outdoors for Mitch in 2013 too but got hurt after the first couple of rounds, I think his bike locked up on the face of a jump.
Thanks, i didnt think it was that long ago, but yes now you say it , i remember.
Reminds me of Bud Racing's 125 "KX"...
😏
While admittedly it isnt as easy for MX as tarmac racing, half of the skill is understanding what changes what.
i will say that what works for one guy , will not work for another, irrespective of them being the same speed, style and preference make such a difference.
I spent 30 years getting the best out of a stock bike, rather than throwing money at parts, understanding how much fork height and rear ride height matter, and bar position . That was before you could buy aftermarket parts to change things.
So when you are a top guy, you have to test everything you have to see what makes a difference, but you always have to start with what you know, and go back after to see if it really made a difference. But when you cant even get a parts to try , where the hell do you go from there.?
Good test riders can work a bike to a position where someone who doesnt ride like them , will like it, because they know what they want, some of the best test drivers i have worked with in Rally, would set out the order that we should introduce parts to the main drivers , so they can feel what is doing what, rather than just give them everything at once.
But you cant test what you dont have.
From DV’s insta:
And shorter header pipe?
Edit: Yes...
Is there anything worth listening in Stjernstrom's interview apart from "Kawi's great, we do all we can for our riders"?
I have a hard time deciding if I should spend half an hour of my life with the guy.
🤔
Seemed like for about 4 years in a row Yamaha would drop those damn radiators .200" and brag about how much better it handled. Didn't Dubach make a killing selling a kit to lower those damn radiators even more every model year!!😂😂
Not taking any sides, but Headcases like Chase are WHY people like Roger D get rigid with the window. He doesn't know what he wants and apparently can't communicate it well. Not saying teams should be so rigid, but it becomes a self reinforcing thing bc the tech nerds don't want a rider thats stuck in his feelings to lead them on a wild goose chase. The more clear and articulate and specific and convicted a rider is the more likely the team will bend. Lewis Hamilton struggles because he gives shitty feedback. Max verstappen excels partly because he gives good feedback. Hell he builds his OWN car setups in iRacing sim.
Would love to know what the chiz / roczen dynamic was like. And what the tickle / kawi dynamic is like now. Would also love to know what tomac wanted that kawi wasn't willing to provide.
To me it seems like shim stacks make a lot of the difference in feel that a rider is looking for and are easy to change. The Lawrence's I guess wanted more gussets on their frame and/swingarm. That's where it gets harder, but how often do things get to that point really.
when you tip over and all RC says is "Oh boy...." you know that even he is shaking his head.
Darren Lawrence said something along the lines of it being harder to test with Jett because after 2-3 laps he starts to adapt to whatever change they made. I could see how this could make testing difficult but would definitely be a benefit come race day.
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