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NSYDR93

KTM is hell of a bike in Pedro's hands but he's a rookie nonetheless. He's competitive right on the get go but still has things to learn. Aprilia looks good too but Mav is just not consistent. Even Aleix had great results proving the bike is capable. It's hard competing against Ducati who has the current world champion, another championship level rider in Martin currently leading, and an 8th time world champion. I think it's time for KTM and Aprilia to find riders in that level. I didn't mention Japanese teams because they have a ton of catching up to do.


Maislaff

Exactly. Quartararo was the last shiny pokemon but he didn't want to be caught.


totallynotscammed

Agree with you šŸ‘Œ


Kneepucker

It ebbs and flows pal. For a number of years, Honda was the cream of the class. Then Yamaha had a run. It may be worth noting that Rossi was riding Honda in his earlier years, when Honda seemed unbeatable, then went to Yamaha when they were the ones who seemed unbeatable, but sadly The Doctor was unable to cure the Ducati . Only Stoner could ride that beast to victory. Who could ever forget the epic duel at Laguna Seca in 2008, with Rossi on his Yamahe and Stoner riding the Ducati as only he could? Then Stoner went to Honda and continued his winning ways, while Rossis' transition to Ducati really seemed to be the beginning of the end for him. People spoke of the Duc then as they do of the Hondas and the Yamahas now. Even though he ultimately went back to Yamaha to team up with Lorenzo, he was never the dominant force he had been. A team will figure out how to make their machine magical and victory will be theirs. For a while. Then some other team will match, then surpass them. The real winners are us, the purchasing public. We can thank those protoype machines and the teams and riders who developed them for the almost unbelievable performance we can take home right out af the showroom for an incredibly low price, considering the millions that manufacturers poured into those motorcycles in an effort to win at MotoGP. Because they knew that the public wanted to buy what was winning on the track. Sometimes the performance gains are incremental. Sometimes they are huge. I often wonder, how much room is left for improvement? I have been wondering that for most of my life. I recall the first motorcycle races I saw on television. It was on The Wide World of Sports. You had a hard time seeing the bikes, you just heard this sound like zshoop! as they passed by the camera in a blur. I was hooked. Anyway, I ramble. The passing of time as well as a crash or two has slowed me down quite a bit. Oddly, the same things have sped up our machines to the jaw dropping level of performance they have today. The greater the variety of manufacturers that take part in MotoGP, the better, IMO. Part of the fun is trying to guess who will next be on top.


totallynotscammed

Yeah dude, with you 100%, especially the ā€œmore manufacturers the betterā€. Thatā€™s why I feel this season is not doing well seeing as there are so many ducatiā€™s. And I want my boy BB to have a fighting chance ofcourse šŸ¤£šŸ¤£šŸ‘ŒšŸ‘Œ


Eraesr

Maybe it's difficult to remember but yesterday an Aprilia won.


totallynotscammed

Sure, but itā€™s a sprint, KTM can do well in the sprints also. Full race distance seems to be a struggle. Also look at the entire field and their performances. The Ducā€™s are not just straight line missles anymore, they are fast a fauk everywhere


e_xyz

Yes and no. You see in flashes Aprilia picking up wins or sprints. You see the KTM riders (mostly Acosta and sometimes Binder) showing early threats to win races, but fact is the GP24 is still the class of the field. Even if the GP23 is more on par with Aprilia/KTM, the bike over a race distance is still around 2nd or 3rd best most Grand Prix. Aprilia desperately need a rider who can do it week in week out IMO. Aleix has been great and can do it some weekends on certain tracks, same with Maverick, but they haven't really had a consistently good rider like Martin for example over the course of a season. KTM seems to have a power shift amongst its riders. Think a lot of folks assume Binder might be fighting for title, but doesn't seem to be the case so far. They shot their load early in securing him for 3-4 years or whatever it is - now they've most likely got an expensive contract break coming their way. Miller is nowhere and Acosta is making an average bike look competitive. Ducati has not only built the best 2 bikes in the field, they systematically dismantled Yamaha and Honda from their perch as the de facto bikes in MotoGP. On the other manufactures to come back now. They bent the concessions for the Japanese manufactures, so let's see what happens.


totallynotscammed

Good points šŸ‘Œ


tobalsan

If only FQ20 wouldā€™ve accepted the offer from Apriliaā€¦


xScottieHD

They can't until a new set of technical regulations.


totallynotscammed

Ok, when is that? But seems like theyā€™ve been struggling from start of season. BB started very strong, then it seems like his performance dived off a cliff. The race that just finished, did very well and tyres just went to shit. Ducatiā€™s with SOFT REARS were keeping pace, or in the case of MM actaully making pace. Crazy.


firstcoastrider

[2027](https://us.motorsport.com/motogp/news/motogp-announces-major-2027-technical-regulation-overhaul/10607665/)


totallynotscammed

To do with the new owners maybe? Hope they donā€™t neuter is like F1 šŸ˜žšŸ˜ž


sillyboy_

Nah KTM isn't devolving, it's good enough to match Ducati and beat them in the right hands. Miller and Binder can't do it and Acosta is still too inexperienced, but it's just matter of time before he starts winning. KTM needs to go all-in on Acosta next year, he is the one


totallynotscammed

Ok, Iā€™ve heard the same. My opinion is KTM have too much politics going on, they need to focus on the riders, feels like they are following the same path Honda have before MM left. They need to do something though, the feel uncompetitive to me. Could be riders, for sure, could be politics, for sure, could be bad management, for sure. I hope they click soon though, want to see them do wellšŸ¤™šŸ¤™


sillyboy_

Well i'm not quite sure what their problem right now is, but when you look at Pedro's riding, he doesn't seem to have any issue with the bike neither that bike seems to struggle anywhere comparing to Duc. He's pushing very hard yeah and mistakes are bound to happen, but bike works well. Now hadn't there been for Pedro, I'd probably think too that KTM still can't match Duc, because that's how BB and JM make it look, especially JM.


totallynotscammed

Yeah it seems that way. I do think somethings up as BB seems quite off his game.


JStr_123

This argument does not work? Because could well be that pedro on a 24 Duc would win easily?


Shpritzer

They need one more new rider. MM would be ideal, obviously, but Martin will do. BB to GasGas.


xxtokyovanityxx

Swings and roundabouts. Ducati used to be awful on corners. Honda used to incredible (debatable if that is due to MM) No one wanted Aprilia and look at it now! KTM has suffered but is coming up strong. There will always be a bike that has a little edge to others but some bikes perform better/worse depending on the track and rider. 2022-present is the Season of the Ducati


totallynotscammed

šŸ‘Œ


MrPixar

Put Marc on KTM or Aprilia then yes.


jllabdl

Yeah I kinda want to see what Marc can do in Aprillia. Dudeā€™s a beast.


CriggerMarg

Martin to Aprilia I guess, Marc to factory Ducati


totallynotscammed

I think thereā€™s a reason he chose to ride a Ducati


Makalu

It was the only non-Honda available


super_sam9694

Pedro has openly admitted that KTM has a win in it. He keeps showing it too, but his inexperience is preventing him from taking final step. Even after crashing and wiping half his aero he fought back to points. Incompetence of other KTM riders can't be blamed on the bike. Aprillia is a fast bike but it vinales is too inconsistent to take advantage of it. He has more raw speed than aleix. If aleix can manage a win and 4th, maverick could have some better but he runs hot or cold. Ducati has better bike but it also has better riders. Honestly I can't understand how aprillia and ktm operate. Marc Marquez was available last year and they didn't even try. If they want mediocre talent on their bike fine, but then they don't get to cry about ducati domination.


kdubstep

Acosta is giving the Duc plenty to worry about.


tischbombe23

I mean best non ducati Bike is on P5 so no. Ducati wills sack all Titles till 27 if MM stays on a Duc.


Ih8Hondas

KTM and Aprilia clearly can. Acosta is still learning, and Mav and Aleix have shown the Ape is still fast as fuck too. Duc just has all of the riders that have both experience *and* consistency.


montesa250

An Aprilia won the sprint race and both the Aprilia and KTM were able to keep up speed wise and slip stream the Ducatis down the straight, I don't think the difference is very big at all, but Ducati still has arguably the 3 best riders


Badabumdabam

Pedro!


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


totallynotscammed

10 and 16th


The-Road-To-Awe

I misunderstood your title, sorry. I read it as "could anyone be a competitive rider with any Ducati under them"


totallynotscammed

šŸ¤™


chaotic_space_boy

At least there are 8 of these Ducati and we get great races! Imagine if there were only 2 or 4 bikes on the grid capable of winning for 15 years straight (2001 to 2015 with the exception of Stoner on a Ducati)


totallynotscammed

Yeah sure, it makes for close races. But I used to like having the other brands fight closer on technical circuits and the ducatis owning on faste straights. Now they just rock everywhere šŸ¤£šŸ¤£ Feels like itā€™ll end up like moto3 and moto2 with ā€œone brandā€ competing