Ducati MotoGP Bodywork

[05 Busa LE]

Anyone notice the multiple holes drilled into Casey Stoner's MotoGP bike for today's Phillip Island race in Australia? They were on both sides of the bodywork, just below where the windscreen meets the bodywork. I didn't see them on Nicky Hayden's bike, but looking at pictures on the MotoGP website, they were on both bikes.

Any idea of what function they might have performed, or the effect they would have had on the bike?

 

[SGTSARV]

Looks like what honda used to do with the 900 rr

 

[kromdom]

Looks like what honda used to do with the 900 rr

brings back memories when it came out in '93, admired it a lot

BikePics.com

 

[05 Busa LE]

Wow--I never realized the 900RR had the same type of holes. Excellent catch. But, I'm still wondering what function they perform on the Desmo GP.

 

[aussiekeeper]

Possibly hand cooling??

 

[05 Busa LE]

Definitely would direct air that way--or maybe by passing over the holes, it sucks out the hot air. Can't seem to find an answer anywhere. I wish MotoGP would either have a 1/2 hour pre-race show to highlight these things, or at least publish it in a technical section on their website. Now there's an idea for a website--all the technical aspects of MotoGP and World Superbike. Sort of like what Steve Matchett does for Speed's coverage of F1 races.

 

[PandaNin]

Everything I can find indicates that the holes are used, escpecially at Phillips island, to lessen crosswind interference.

 

[MC MUSTANG]

That would make a lot of sense, especially in any lean angle!

 

[Hobo]

I always thought they were for wind resistance, in the sense that the air flows thru the the holes instead of being hampered by the solidness of the surface.
If that is the case, I would think they would create more drag. Although I am no wind tunnel expert !

 

[Hobo]

Were has his little wings gone off the lower fairing ....

 

[skydivr]

Whatever the purpose, they were working...He was hauling aaaazzzzz.....

I suspect that the holes would lessen the surface area of that part of the fairing to remove sudden pressure on the upper when hitting a crosswind spike....

 

[Commuta_Busa]

everybody likes speed holes

 

[05 Busa LE]

Everything I can find indicates that the holes are used, escpecially at Phillips island, to lessen crosswind interference.

Sounds like that could be it. Pramac Ducati had the same holes, but I didn't see them on any other bikes.

 

[skydivr]

Given the way some of the front ends of those other bikes were whipping around coming out of some of those corners, might have been a good idea to have tried it...