Rossi's.....

Originally Posted by The Basket

I'm not sure of the benefit of the V4. Yamaha engineers must know their onions and they have said that the IL4 can be made with a narrower wheelbase giving better turn. The Kwak was also the fastest bike at Valencia too.
Have to agree that De Puniet was a good qualifiers but poor racer. Hopper will sort it.
Look at Rossi...chucking the Michelins away. Trying to get the quick answer. The engine config debate is a non starter for me because if it worked in 990 then it should work in 800. I think Rossis genius was the thing and he won races this year on Michelins and IL4. If it weren't for Stoner and his red dart then he would have won this year too.

Basket,many of the answers are stairing you in the face fella. The IL4 has won less races in the 990 era than V5 or V4.

IL4 has won less races in the first season of 800cc than V4. It was not all about the tyres. As Michelin started to turn it around as the season progressed, so did HRC. They managed to get more out of their V4,(remember young Dani got the last 4 pole positions on the trot?) Where was Yamaha's improvement with their IL4?

If it were not for Rossi's brilliance Yamaha would have both their riders way down where Colin Edwards is. Regretably I suggest that valentino could present a very sad figure next season as I do not see where Yamaha are going to get the extra power from. Them changing to pneumatic valve operation is not the end of the problem and he could be a lot further down in the final standings come next novemeber.



Some points lifted from another forum,made by a guy who knows his stuff:


Technically speaking I believe Yamaha's I4 gives up 3 important
compromises the the V4 and so it may never do better...

1 Yamaha's Furusawa re invented the I4... he introduced and irregular
firing order to mimic what V5 Honda did naturally... provide more
grip...

2 Yamaha spun the crankshaft backwards to offset the long I4
crankshafts gyroscopic procession and it's resistance to turning...
something the short forward spinning V4 crank does naturally...

3 In an effort to make the I4 as narrow as possible Yamaha moved the
cam gear drive from the side to the back side of the wide engine...
something the narrow V4 does naturally despite side mounted gear drive...

A thing that musn't be forgotten is that Stoner finished every race and his worse place was 6th. No falling off or no being knocked off. No engine or mechanical failures. That is worth points in itself. I mean, look at Capirex and how he did on a V4. Without Stoner, Rossi and a bit of luck would have won the title again.

I had an interview with the top engineer at Yam but can't find it. He clearly states that he is keeping the IL4 as it gives better this and that over the V4. I'll try and find it if I can.

Capirex's motivation was shot to hell this season in truth. His wife Ingrid expecting their first child etc. Dont tell me that does not affect a guy nearing the end of his career compared with a rider who is a lot younger? In addition Loris had big problems getting to grips with the power characteristics of the 800cc bike. That surprised me as knowing he was a former 250cc champion, Ithought he would have adapted like a duck to water.

Rossi's mechanical problems are indicative that they are trying to squeeze everything they can out of the IL4 which is pushing it at times beyond the limit. If it was the configuration to move forward with, I can assure you that Big Red(Honda) would derfinitely be using it and not a V4.

On the shorter more technical tracks the Yamaha could well be there or there abouts,especially with Rossi on it,plus Lorenzo could start showing his hand as the season gets beyone the summer break. But a consistant winner? Not any more I am afraid.

BTW Stoner was simply able to adapt so well to his new bike which just happened to come from a factory that had obviously done their homework so much better than everyone else. The difference come next season though, will be more down to riders and not tyres or electronic engine mapping.

Agree that the Yam engine failures were pushing too hard. But Rossi has questioned about Yams engineer and money situ. If a V4 is the way forward...do Yam have the money and engineers to do it? Lack of money to develop the IL4 could be a factor. And I have read nothing about a Yam V4.

Rossi is still the Legend and I wouldn't write him off. But he sounds well miffed with Yam and he will probably be moving unless things change. I think that he has a lot more race wins in his tank.

Basket another valid point about the IL4 vs V4 engine configuration is that although an IL4 can produce higher bhp numbers, it loses way more than a V4 in getting that power out through the back wheel. Something else that can't be ignored is that the V4 has a much more linear power delivery and so is way easier for racers to control.

I notice that Valentino is seemingly even more looking to manage his Yamaha exit in 2009 with comments made on crashnet. A little unprofessional in some ways as he is still contracted to the Japanese team and must show some loyalty with a whole new season ahead surely?

Of course it could all be about ensuring that yamaha pull out all of the stops. I really cannot understand why they insist on clinging on to the IL4 with such determination, unless it is as you say.....all about money.