BBC - Matt Roberts Blog - Motogp - Off-track issues suggest season of transition | Ductalk: What's Up In The World Of Ducati | Scoop.it
I was asked a question on Twitter last week by @robostarred, who said this: "Is MotoGP a credible sport now? Given [there are] only 3 manufacturers left, and road bikes [are] now being used."

It is an interesting and a contentious question that is being asked as much inside the paddock - from riders to journalists - as it is among fans, as premier-class grand prix motorcycle racing moves away from 100% prototype racing in 2012.

However, the first thing to point out is that the Claiming Rule Team (CRT) bikes that are being prepared in readiness for next season - the ones that will fill the grid in the not-too-distant future - are certainly not road bikes.

They remain largely prototypes, albeit currently with tuned Superbike engines, and although they have made a predictably slow start to life in testing with inexperienced riders on board, they will soon be lapping quicker than any production model at most circuits.
Read the rest of this entry.....

...