[ Kenny Sagawa, Webike News Chief Editor ]
I've found an interesting article on the official webpage of REDBULL. It was about the transition of the riding style at the MotoGP nowadays. I would like to make review comments on this topic subjectively, tracing back my memories.
The history of the riding style renovation
First I would like to talk about elbow dragging, represented by the riding style of Marc Marquez. It can only be done with the latest MotoGP machines whose maximum bank angle reaches up till 70 degrees. Though extreme, it is a style which the riders discovered after undergoing many twists and turns. The history of the MotoGP could be said to be the renovation history of the riding style, and even Marc Marquez is still struggling to establish one.
According to the article, once a "game changer" with a superb talent appears on the scene, the riding style until then becomes outdated at once. Yet, a different changer of the next generation who uses that radical technology proficiently appears before long, and raises the technology level to the next stage. The article says that this type of transition has been taken place in the world of the road race championship over and over again.
The electronic controlling technologies provided by various manufacturers enabled a normal-level rider to compete against the game changer, by replicating the genius riders' riding performance with the use of technologies. They say that it is an endless conflict between "techniques" and "technologies".
It does have a point there. Here's a familiar example: the track race time. Lap times that were once achieved only by professional riders, are now being easily marked by amateur riders who enjoy recreational track racing. Thanks to the progress of machines, tires, or other electronic devices, this kind of thing happens.
The origin of the "MotoGP Style" riding
This article cites Kenny Roberts, an American motorcycle champion of the late 1970s, as the person who leads us to the current MotoGP riding style. The extreme power of his 2-stroke 500cc bike exceeded the performance level of the vehicle body or the tire of those days. Yet his dirt track-based riding style completely changed the way Grand Prix motorcycles were ridden. While controlling the throttle exquisitely, he hanged off his body weight towards the inside of a turn, and moved to a greater extent by dragging his knee.
This, I've seen it in real time, and it was quite impressive. There were riders who used to shift their body towards the inside, or riders who dragged their knees, but Roberts was the one who changed the hanging-off style into a sophisticated and the latest style technique.
The new style trend derived from dirt tracks
In the early 1980s, many challenging riders inherited the style of Roberts, and tried to refine his method. It was when the classical riding style and the new riding style originated from the dirt track competed fiercely.
I vividly recall the days when Freddie Spencer, a young genius rider who thrusted Roberts to retire, performed his three-point sliding (In those days, he used the front wheel, rear wheel, and his knee as his supporting points to slide and change his direction). I was also completely absorbed by the artistic power slides performed by the quarter final riders: Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz, Wayne Gardner, and Mick Doohan who won the WGP 5 times in a row.
It was when dirt track riders from United States or Australia dominated the road race all over the world.
The European riders who were trained to perform the traditional grip riding style were all experiencing great difficulty then. Power was not electronically controlled, and European riders were no match for the US riders who rode the bike as if twisting down a raging horse at a rodeo performance. By the way, Eddie Lawson, who won the championship three times with Yamaha and Honda drove in this grip riding style.
Progress of the technology and the integration of all past riding styles
Doohan was forced to retire before the 2000 season due to injuries, and Valentino Rossi entered the limelight as the ace rider of HONDA. While winning a sweeping victory in the races of 125, 250, and 500, he swiftly adapted himself to the new MotoGP regulation that was to be competed with 4-stroke 1000cc machines, and easily acquired the first champion trophy.
According to the article, the greatest advantage of Rossi was "his ability to cope with the progress of technology, ability to compose a race scenario, and also his ability to integrate the riding styles of the past." He had full command of using the grip riding style and the sliding riding style.
Whereas, Jorge Lorenzo rode the MotoGP machine in a swift manner as if it was a 250cc bike, by making best use of the latest technology of the motorcycle. He skillfully rode the bike to the level it reached its performance limit. In other words, he confronted Rossi in his own smart riding style.
And then comes Marc Marquez again. The article says that he is challenging to pursue the tire traction ability, which has already been progressed to an unbelievable level. His rare superior sense of balance and strong mentality has made it possible for him to slide the front wheel, a style that was considered impossible up till now.
It concluded that the world was now waiting for the arrival of a new genius, while repeating this evolution of the riding style and technology over and over.
Continuously emerging motorsport breakthrough
The real thrill of a motorsport for a man is to work together with a machine to exceed the limit. Maybe in the future, an artificial intelligence will be added to this cooperative activity to create a completely new riding style. But until then, we are giving much attention to the technique that comes next to the "elbow dragging" style. Keep a close watch on the breakthrough!
