Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > Just for discussion (rain riders ?).

[antonye]

Originally Posted by ells

Perhaps should be brought up if we have an end of year meeting like last year?

Yes, I'm sure we will have the end-of-year meeting.

[bally71]

I think it's crazy that DD doesn't allow the use of wets

quite apart from the safety aspect they are simply amazing fun and promote much better racing which is surely what it's all about.

I havn't turned a wheel in a DD race yet but I can't imagine it being much fun wobbling around on road tyres and looking at the times it would seem to back up what I think.

[banger san]

Got to say I agree with Kev, we had fewer crashes in the wet than in the dry, so I don't think weather is an issue, better tyres only mean people will go quicker and push harder; ride to the conditions and to what you feel comfortable with. No matter what we try and do or what we put in place, it is a dangerous sport and while we hope it doesn't happen unfortunately every now and again people will get hurt. my two penith

[Spjallen]

Wet weather creates its own challenges. Riding in the wet just isnt as simple as putting wet tyres on. Ride to the condtions, find the grip, use different lines, different throttle control the list goes on and on.

[bally71]

but is it fun racing?

the times suggest that most people are nervously circulating and happy to get back without falling off.

just my opinion but that's not what it's about.

put wets on and you can still get knee down and the confidence and feel is great.

average lap times at the weekend where 2:10 to 2:20 .. I'd expect to drop that to around 1:50 to 1:55 ... 20 seconds a lap is a lot

[dunlop0_1]

Having been part of the "tyre" debate for a few yeras now I have to say my opinion has changed and totally agree with Kev P.

1. The series is designed to help maintain a low budget with subsidised tyre prices and no need for spare wheels.

2. If it's wet you can choose if you wish to go out or not.

3. There is now an option for the use of wets with the C1 class.

4. I had 5 crashes racing in DD all of them in the dry.

[banger san]

I'm not sure how putting wets on promotes closer racing, those that are happy in the wet go quick those that aren't don't, changing tyres will not change that.
Also part of what attracted me to this class was the way it had been set up to try and keep a lid on costs, if we are allowed wets, then you have spare wheels, tyre warmers, if you're not in a garage you need a genny. Once we've played with better tyres in the wet and have tyre warmers will we then want to use the latest rubber that's stickier that our current Dunlops all which just do one thing, push the cost up and the quick guys will be even quicker but the rest of us won't be any closer.

[Cranker V2]

Rules is rules............if you dont have wets in the rules you cant use them. Makes no difference to me, when its wets my arse clamps up and I ride like a pussy, or fall off. I dont think the cost thing comes into it really, have you seen the number of spare wheels with new sets of tyres on in the DD paddock? A weekends wet racing could save some people 3-400quid by not using multiple sets off new tyres thougout the weekend.....Gennies not really an issue too, plent of people have them as well plenty of people booking onto garages.

For me, wets would be fun. BUT i am also happy enough with the rules as they are.

PS, my 620 now running...............

[antonye]

The other point to remember is that the rules reflect the wishes of majority of the paddock and not just a few individuals. If the paddock votes for wets, warmers, grid girls, naked riding, etc, then we would implement that as the rules.

As far as I am aware, there has never been a majority vote for wets in the paddock.

Some of the points here are worth noting - just having wets doesn't suddenly stop you falling off: the reason you fell off is because you didn't ride within the limits of the tyres you have, and wets have limits too! It may also increase the gap between the front and the back of the grid, so maybe having road tyres as a handicap is better for the racing? And statistics show that DD riders fall off just as much, if not more, in the dry than they do in the wet...

[bally71]

Originally Posted by antonye

The other point to remember is that the rules reflect the wishes of majority of the paddock and not just a few individuals. If the paddock votes for wets, warmers, grid girls, naked riding, etc, then we would implement that as the rules.

As far as I am aware, there has never been a majority vote for wets in the paddock.

Some of the points here are worth noting - just having wets doesn't suddenly stop you falling off: the reason you fell off is because you didn't ride within the limits of the tyres you have, and wets have limits too! It may also increase the gap between the front and the back of the grid, so maybe having road tyres as a handicap is better for the racing? And statistics show that DD riders fall off just as much, if not more, in the dry than they do in the wet...

Do we get to vote do we?

They may not stop you falling off but 20 secs a lap says they're more fun.