[Ducati] re: Jerez GP testing 800's [mostly F1 content]

[Ronald Betts]

Thanks Dude, that was interesting. I love the inginuity of the technicians. 
Remember the Elf with its underbelly fuel tank and top exhaust ? I mean the 
Bike. Thanks for the write up and link. How was the Toy run. I've always 
wanted to do that but it seems I never have the oppertunity.



Peace...Ron"Desmohead"Betts 95 900 SP
I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it!





>From: "Mikiel Kingsley" <mikielk at gmail.com>
>Reply-To: Ducati Owners Group <ducati at ducati.net>
>To: "Ducati Owners Group" <ducati at ducati.net>
>Subject: Re: [Ducati] re: Jerez GP testing 800's [mostly F1 content]
>Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2006 20:21:37 -0800
>
>On 12/3/06, Ronald Betts <ronaldebettsasalc0015 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>Whoa, Mikiel....I have an inquiring mind and would love to hear about
>>"mass
>>dampner" suspension. Heck, racing is over for now and it sounds
>>interesting.
>>Sorry for the thread jack......!
>>
>>
>>
>>Peace...Ron"Desmohead"Betts 95 900 SP
>>I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it!
>
>
>Briefly, Renault (and Ferrari independently) developed a "mass damper"
>system which was essentially a vibration damper and counter-weight for the
>suspension.  It consisted of a solid mass integrated with the spring, and
>helped vehicle stability by keeping the car more level during
>braking/acceleration and also damping vibrations from things like bounding
>over the kerbs on tracks like Monza. (
>http://www.formula1.com/insight/technical_analysis/race/2006/758/291.html)
>When the front of the car goes up, the mass goes down, and visa versa.
>Apparently it worked purely on inertia.  Initially, the FIA's technical
>delegate, Charlie Whiting, said it's use was perfectly legal.  However, the
>FIA eventually banned it based on the dubious interpretation that its use
>affected the areodynamics of the car (less pitch = more stable ground
>clearance = more efficient air flow), and no "moving parts" are are allowed
>to affect areodynamics.  (This rule was originally intended to ban
>mechanized wings which increased pitch when high downforce was needed for
>cornering or braking and decreased pitch to make running down the straight
>more aerodynamically efficient.  If the system fails, the driver may find
>himself rounding a high speed turn with not near enough downforce to do the
>job, so it was a legitimate safety issue.)  Since the car's normal
>suspension parts arguably do the exact same thing as the mass dampers (just
>not was well) I can't think of any logical reason to ban mass dampers
>without banning suspensions altogether, but this is the FIA we're talking
>about, so logic need not apply.
>
>The loss of mass dampers affected Renault more than any other team because
>Renault had integrated this component into the car in such a way that their
>aerodynamics and normal suspension functions assumed the mass damper was
>there.  When it was banned, it caused them more problems then Ferrari, for
>example, who had developed the technology more recently and added it to
>their suspension rather than designing the suspension with it in mind.
>
>There have been rumors of some F1 teams (notably McLaren) developing a
>completely mechanical active suspension with a system of counterweights
>(electronic active suspensions are already banned), but I can't imagine 
>that
>would be legal if mass dampers are not.
>
>Duc content:
>Today I did a Toys For Tots/Poker Run in Ventura County (which seems to be
>pretty much on fire right now) and was one of just two Ducatis in a fleet 
>of
>Harleys and a smattering of Japanese bikes.  The amusing thing was that my
>riding buddy on the other Duc is the organizer's cousin, and he was asked 
>to
>fill in as ride leader when the scheduled leader had to stay home to keep
>his house from burning down.  (The burning house is NOT the amusing part.)
>So I found myself in a big parade of Harley Davidson's all being led around
>by a Ducati.  (That's the amusing part.)
>
>-Mikiel
>'96 900SS/SP "Buttercup"
>Our sponsor, oncycles.com, is extending a one-time, limited-time offer
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