Kenny Roberts Jr: “We were the computer back in the day!”
The American, whose career included 250GP (Yamaha), 500GP (Team KR, Suzuki) as well as the opening six years of MotoGP (Suzuki, Team KR), reflected on how the data sophistication o🔯f modern prototypes means every ‘limit🌌ation’ can now be identified in minute detail.
"The technology they have now, compared to us, [still] limits them in ways we were limited from tyres, chassis, the feel from the bike,” Roberts said of his conversations with current Moto🌃GP riders.
“We weren't so precise with computers and understanding, but we knew there were limitati༒ons from the rider.
- Polꩵ makes MotoGP return at Goodwood: "Just to open the throttle… It's insane!”
- ▨Official: Sam Lowes to Worl𝄹d Superbike with Marc VDS
- Brad Binder: Blessinಌg to have a fast team-mate - and Jack Miller’s Ducati knowhow
“Now they can recognise the limitations and attack one area... So let's say now you concentrate on [rising] fro🎀nt tyre pressur👍e. We didn't know about a lot of that. When we had one day or one session from the next with conditions hotter that we didn't understand... Now they can say 'this is why'.
“We just had to rely on the rider. So we were the computer back in the day! If we were given informa♚tion we didn't quite understand, it was difficult to find out what was happening."
The American, 49, is making his first🎐 appearance at Goodwood and confessed to not even gಞoogling the famous event prior to his arrival.
It's my first year here, me and my family arrived in England yesterday and drove down last night. I didn't look at any videos or google it... so we arrived, and itꦇ's amazing!” he saꩲid.
“I couldn't have imagined how big it is, and how involved it is. I♎ know, for my two 🧸kids and my wife to come with me is a lot [of organisation], so I couldn't have imagined organising all this!”
The Hillclimb may only be a demonstration, but like 💦any racer Roberts ꦰhas some set-up changes in mind for his Suzuki on Friday.
൲"You know every rider, we have to make changes and blame everything on the bike!” he said after being pipped to the line by fellow Legend Randy Mamola. “But the gearing we're going to make a little shorter, and tomorrow I know the direction a bit so it'll be a little more fun! I just hope the weather's nice."
Fellow MotoGP Legends Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, Ke🔯vin Schwantz, Wayne Gardner and Alex Criville will join the Goodwood activities as 𒊎the weekend continues.
Peter has been in ♔the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront ඣof the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
