Kato Update

[rsheidler]

You are correct that the bikes were very close at this point, and from what I have read, the opening laps were unusually aggressive (a rider as experienced as Colin Edwards was totally blown away by how insane the riding was in these laps). Colin also mentioned the unanticipated braking points of many riders -- sometimes way late, next time way early.



My speculation, and it is only speculation, is that someone ahead of Kato (from what I read, possibly Checa) may have braked earlier than Kato expected, and that Kato's front wheel may have contacted the rear of the other bike, deflecting the wheel and causing him to steer into the wall. Normally bike-to-bike contact would not deflect the bike that far off course.



I agree that if they have not interviewed the riders in proximity to Kato, they should do so.



Bob

[gooseman_1]

"Sounds a lot like a statement from the airlines after a plane dropped out of the sky and killed everyone on board."



That is a really, REALLY bad comparison. Motorcycle racing and flying in an airliner couldn't be more different, especially from a safety perspective. In one case, a person has made a choice to engage in an extremely dangerous sport and is solely responcible for their own safety. A person's chance of dying per unit time/distance in an airliner compared to motorcycle racing is, literally, *millions* of times smaller.



As a commercial pilot I can tell you that the ONLY comparison that can be made between the two is that they are both tragic.

[stormyboy]

The guy behind him (I think it was Ukawa)said he got into a speed wobble and went off to the left because of how violent it was. I doubt very much that the 2001 250 World Champion, not to mention the guy Rossi picked to give him the hardest competition this year, would ever brake too hard and go over the handlebars.....

[jmeyn]

Bob, please post links to any mentions of the wall or contact with other riders. I've seen none. I hope MO can continue this thread in some way. Someone in Motorcycle journalism should keep the heat on until this is resolved.



The riders who saw the accident should report it without being asked. The word coverup in my original post includes them in some kind of really ugly informal conspiracy. If one or more were at fault, noone should blame them for causing the accident. They all sign on for hazard pay when they go racing.



The way it stands now, it's the fault of Kato alone. At his level of skill that is well nigh impossible to believe.



If the spotty riding was caused by inadequate practise on new bikes at a new track under untested conditions then tell the world. The idea is to get the info out and reduce the chances of repetition. It stinks of the Dale Earnhart death non-investigation.

[Dervish]

Yo, gooseman. I wasn't comparing the risk of racing a motorcycle to flying on a commercial airliner.



Instead, I was trying to compare the lame STATEMENT made my Honda to the LAME statements that come spewing weakly out of the spokespeople for the commercial airlines whose plane just crashed.

[dardas]

Which race where you watching? No disrespect, but you can see the wall in the actual race footage, and in any of the pictures of the medics carting poor Daijiro away.



http://www.crash.net/news_detail.asp...a nguage_id=1

[gooseman_1]

Fair enough.



I really don't understand why the airlines (and other companies) make these post-crash statements before any evidence has been gathered. It certainly doesn't make the families of the victims feel any better; worse perhaps. They'd do better to say "We're sorry" and leave it at that.