The third and final part of our beginner’s guide to some of the slang used in MotoGP™ is here! Enjoy:
TANK SLAPPER:
This happens when a rider has a big wobble. The bike is seen to be shaking from side and side, as a result making the rider’s arms and legs slap against the fuel tank/bike.
What a scary moment for @FabioQ20!! ????????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) July 7, 2019
Despite the pain caused by this monumental tank slapper in #GermanGP FP3, the Frenchman managed to qualify in second! ???? pic.twitter.com/32gskfeZom
TEAR OFF:
These are plastic strips that are added to a rider’s visor on their helmet. During a race or practice session, visors can become dirty, so a rider can tear off the strip in order to clear their vision and have a new tear off to use.
TELEMETRY:
The collection of data from multiple sensors on the bike. It can then be checked and analysed by members of the team, and used to make whatever changes they and the rider feel are necessary.
TC:
An acronym for ‘traction control’. This is a form of electronics that regulates how much the rear tyre spins. Too much spin and the system will reduce the power from the engine to stop a rider from crashing. No traction control would lead to a lot more crashes.
TRACK LIMITS:
Those dreaded two words! During Free Practice and qualifying, riders lap times are disqualified if they exceed track limits. Green areas on the outside of the asphalt can’t be used to gain an advantage, and if a rider does so too many times during a race, Race Direction will penalise them.
TRAIL BRAKING:
This is when a rider continues to brake whilst entering a corner and applying lean angle to their machine. Any time a rider is braking into a corner and isn’t upright, it can be referred to as trail braking.
TUCKED THE FRONT:
A form of crash when the front tyre gives way – the most common crash. This can occur when a rider is entering or midway through a corner when the front tyre loses grip, folds underneath the rider and – most of the time – causes a crash. Some riders are lucky and skilful enough save themselves from crashing in some situations.
VISOR:
The part of the helmet that allows the rider to see where they’re going. You can get different types of visors: tinted visors are used in sunny conditions, clear visors are mostly used when it’s overcast or raining.
WARM UP LAP:
The lap right before the start of the race where the riders will look to increase the temperature of their tyres, and get themselves set for the upcoming battle.
WET RACE:
If the track is wet or rain is falling, the race will be declared a wet race. This means for Moto2™ and Moto3™, the race will not be red flagged if rain begins or the rain intensifies.
WHEELIE:
Riding a bike on the rear wheel only while the front wheel is suspended in the air. A wheelie is often seen when a rider is celebrating or showing off to the fans. A wheelie can also refer to when the front wheel comes off the ground during acceleration. This is something that riders and teams don’t want, as it reduces acceleration times.
WILDCARD:
A rider that is participating in a one-off event. They will be making a wildcard appearance or the rider will be referred to as a wildcard.