Motorcycling Ruined by TCS and Electronics??

[DisPlaCeD]

I'm just putting it out there as probably a fairly contentious subject... MotoGP being my main example, and in particular Jorge Lorenzo's high side at Laguna Seca in "practice"... While the rider's are far more experienced and better riders than I can only hope to be, can we attribute perhaps some of their overwhelming skills to things like traction control and electronics? Jorge did a practice start and forgot to turn TCS back on, whacks open the throttle and high sides...

Having not ridden a bike with traction control (therefore fairly biased to not using it), which is strange, considering the Hayabusa and my B-King to be some of the most powerful bikes out there, and you'd think would be prime candidates for traction control, but still haven't got it, and if the purpose of traction control is to limit power to stop wheel spin, doesn't that make having a mega power bike slightly redundant?

I've read an article linked at the bottom, I think it's pretty relevant, but what do people think? ARE traction control and electronic aides taking over from throttle control and the like of riders?? Is it more relevant to a road rider than a track rider?

Personally I don't like it in premier class racing... but for a road bike? *shrugs*
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[Aussie Steve]

Bit like F1 and when they removed all that stuff Sennar rammed it into a wall at 330 klms plus...so the moral is... get used to it and then crash if its removed.

[Shifu]

The fundamental question here is of somewhat philosiphical nature - Who is really in control of yor bike?
While a lot of electronics were introduced to increase the efficiency and power of the engines like fuel injection, ignition, variable timing etc. now we are seeing systems that "help" the riders to ride. Like ABS brakes, traction control and "drive by wire". What it ultimately means is that less and less real skill is required to ride. They try to protect idiots from harming themselves by making the bikes (and the cars) more "forgiving". Is that a good thing? I think not for two reasons. One is the old natural selection process that ensures a good healthy geens pool and the other is that it increases the number of morons on the roads who otherwise would never be there in the first place. Somehow having the driving licence become a right and not a priviledge earned by possessing and demonstrating the skills required to controll the vehicle in all situations. How many drivers would retain their licencess if given to drive a manual transmission cars?
Ultimately it is about the numbers and dollars. They make it easier so more can manage to do it - pass the joke of the driving test so they will buy the car or the bike thus creating more jobs etc.
In a sport racing all these aids in my view should be banned. How much of the winning world champoinship is due to the pure riding skill and how much to the computer power of the bike? It becomes meaningless. Why don't they give guns to the UFC fighters?

[busa80]

I'm just putting it out there as probably a fairly contentious subject... MotoGP being my main example, and in particular Jorge Lorenzo's high side at Laguna Seca in "practice"... While the rider's are far more experienced and better riders than I can only hope to be, can we attribute perhaps some of their overwhelming skills to things like traction control and electronics? Jorge did a practice start and forgot to turn TCS back on, whacks open the throttle and high sides...

Having not ridden a bike with traction control (therefore fairly biased to not using it), which is strange, considering the Hayabusa and my B-King to be some of the most powerful bikes out there, and you'd think would be prime candidates for traction control, but still haven't got it, and if the purpose of traction control is to limit power to stop wheel spin, doesn't that make having a mega power bike slightly redundant?

I've read an article linked at the bottom, I think it's pretty relevant, but what do people think? ARE traction control and electronic aides taking over from throttle control and the like of riders?? Is it more relevant to a road rider than a track rider?

Personally I don't like it in premier class racing... but for a road bike? *shrugs*
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i think the raceing was much better on the old 500s without traction control
thay took real talent to ride

[1300hayabusa]

Im not sure I agree with not having the electrics,half the manoeuvres they do today wont be even possible if its not for the electronics IMO.Secondly resisting technology seems an archaic attitude and maybe just maybe thats why casey was so successful on that Ducati,he seems to have used all the electronics available on that bike and its pretty clear now as its taking Rosssi a while to find his feet.
Keep in mind that if all those motorcycle gurus in each racing stable are using these goodies Im sure that they are more qualified to say if or not they should be there.....they obviously do and I don't think that it takes any of the skill away from the riders,they still have to adapt and overcome.The 500cc days are gone and lets be clear,I rather see a rider on the bike racing,uninjured and helped up by some electric wizardry than down and out cause tech was not available at the time or allowed!!They have a place and if its not done that way than us road riders will not get that transition from track to road if these guys dont have them on first....the goddies that is

[Ward P]

Personally I don't like it in premier class racing... but for a road bike? *shrugs*
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Maybe there should be races with and without all the electronic goodies? so the skills of the riders could really shine. Maybe even a "control" bike race?

A switchable contol for road bikes makes sense though for safety. (although with "big brother" out there it's a wonder it won't become law in the future! - with my car it is not possible to turn the traction control off - which shits me no end - only because I'm a hoon )

[Maj]

Ward i agree about the car traction control, i find it positively dangerous, as a speedway driver for 10 yrs and living in an area with many dirt roads i have found if you get in a situation where positive throttle is needed to steer the vehicle the TC will put you in the gutter.. Proper driver training should come first...

[grumpy]

all the goodies or not those blokes are good riders remember some of them were around before all the new age goodies and they were great riders then. with all the HP thats coming out of the bikes nowadays anything that can help to get all that power to the ground fast has got to be good most of us would be shit scared to grab a handful of throttle at the apex of a corner but with traction control we might push the bike alittle further and after all you,ll either arse off or think shit thats fun. most of us like to push our bikes to what we might think is the limit but most of us get no-where near it. i,d love to give a bike ago with all the bells and whistles and think in time they will all have them maybe oneday the busa will be stock with 230HP too.