I remember when SteveO got his first look at the bike at Laguna....
"Lots of new parts," he said.
He did not say it in a happy voice.
I can't blame him...but it is a constant battle between rider and crew...
Rider wants a bike he is comfortable with, that he trusts.
Design Crew want to change any (or every) part to get more speed, more agility, more...well just more.
A rider will like that if he has lots of time to try the bike...but it seems each time SteveO touches the bike it has "lots of new parts" AND he has very little time to test the bike (if any).
Congrats...he ran hard and fast and agressive....it was fun to watch.
Eric had a great beginning too...but you could tell by his speed after about the 3rd lap, beginning of 4th, that something "happened"...he just moved slower.
I was hanging with the Brammo service people (Jenn and David) up on a hill watching the race (the pit was amazing to be in during qualifying...I didn't even ask at all for the race...tooooo much tension going on down there I'm sure). They thought he might be holding back to go really hard at the end of the race...but I didn't think so...the riding felt off...and Eric had been fast and aggressive, then suddenly much less so.
Luckily he still got 3rd with a mildly limping bike.
Gavin