| Author | Message | ||
     Trojan |
I think they ought to run the MotoGP series like the ALMS where there are separate classes all racing at the same time and the racers vie for the top 3 spots in their respective class. That is probably the best way for CRT to work until they get closer to the performance of the factory bikes (or the factory bikes are restricted to be closer to teh CRT bikes). Of course there will always be better riders who will make their way to the front, but usually these are supported by the better teams as well. Marquez Moto2 team probably spends 3-4 times more than any other Moto2 team in the paddock, and gets the very best of parts from Suter before anyone else does. Rarely do you see an very talented rider running at the front on inferior equipment. | ||
| Jaimec |
Over the past couple of years, whenever the magazines do their annual "Superbike Comparisons," the Yamaha YZF-R1 nearly always ranks either at or near the bottom. Watching Hayes EMBARRASS the rest of the field in AMA Superbike seems to the the exception to your rule, Matt. | ||
| Trojan |
Watching Hayes EMBARRASS the rest of the field in AMA Superbike seems to the the exception to your rule, Matt. Road bike comparisons and race bike comparisons are very different indeed. Remember a couple of years ago the R1 won pretty much every championship it entered including WSB and BSB. Since that time the WSB team no longer exists, but the bikes woudl certainly be competitive if they did. Tommy Hill is currently leading the BSB championship on an 'uncompetitive' R1 too. The AMA bikes have all that experience in additon to a very well funded team, together with good riders. Also you have to look at the level opposition in AMA racing. No Aprilias, no Ducatis, no Hondas, and relatively old Suzukis are not exactly WSB level competition (this isn't an anti EBR comment, so don't start!). | ||
| Trojan |
Watching Hayes EMBARRASS the rest of the field in AMA Superbike seems to the the exception to your rule, Matt. Road bike comparisons and race bike comparisons are very different indeed. Remember a couple of years ago the R1 won pretty much every championship it entered including WSB and BSB. Since that time the WSB team no longer exists, but the bikes woudl certainly be competitive if they did. Tommy Hill is currently leading the BSB championship on an 'uncompetitive' R1 too. The AMA bikes have all that experience in additon to a very well funded team, together with good riders. Also you have to look at the level opposition in AMA racing. No Aprilias, no Ducatis, no Hondas, and relatively old Suzukis are not exactly WSB level competition (this isn't an anti EBR comment, so don't start!). | ||
| Xb1125r |
if Rossis team has not figured out the ducati by now dont waste your hopes. Dovi is a different rider so don't start giving Rossi credit when he accomplished 0. Rossi is no Stoner | ||
| Trojan |
Rossi is no Stoner Oh please....... yawn. | ||
| Jaimec |
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Aug/120831e.ht m I wonder if the changes were inspired by a certain rumored drawing by Furosawa-san? | ||
| Bads1 |
Matt He does get ya tired doesn't he ???LOL | ||
| Davegess |
You could always do what the US dirt tracks do, start the field in reverse quailfing order and if your race laps are too much faster than your qualifing laps you get flagged off unless you had a good explaination before hand. Makes for some real agressive passing! | ||
| Jaimec |
Imagine if all the factory prototypes had to wade through the CRT bikes on the FIRST LAP? Geez... | ||
| Svh |
That would be interesting at least. I would watch that for sure | ||
| Xb1125r |
it would not bother lorenzo or Stoner. even when the haver crashed they gained 8 spots in just a few laps | ||
| Trojan |
Imagine if all the factory prototypes had to wade through the CRT bikes on the FIRST LAP? Geez... Trouble is they would do that quite easily as things stand now, as we have seen this season when others have had bad starts. Crutchlow started at the back of the grid and dispatched the CRTs in 5 laps, so the factory Yamaha/Hondas would do it quicker probably. By 2014 things should be a lot closer, if we have any teams still running CRT bikes by then of course  Maybe they should take an idea from the Olympic cycling Omnium event, and red flag the last rider every two laps. It wouldn't make things more exciting up front, but it certainly livens things up at the back! Back on subject.....Rumour has it that Ben Spies will this week sign for the Ducati 'Junior' tema for next year, which will be one of the strangest decisions I have ever witnessed in GP history if it happens. Having said he was leaving GP racing, he ten said he might stay if the package was good enough, then signs for the worst team on the grid (in factory terms). As they say in Yorkshire....There's nowt stranger than folk  | ||
| Jaimec |
There is a difference between one rider threading his way through the pack and SIX (or more) riders on prototype machines charging down the front straight TOGETHER behind the moving roadblock of CRT bikes ahead... | ||
| Davegess |
It would make for an interesting few laps. Certainly more so than what we see now. | ||
| Jaimec |
Supposedly, Spies on the "Ducati Junior Team" is a done deal. WTF is he thinking?? I thought he wanted to contest for WINS?? Unless he signed a one year (only) contract and he's just biding his time till Suzuki reenters the fray in 2014? That's what the rumor mill would have us believe anyway. If he signed a two-year deal, he really does need his head examined. Why would he switch from the most competitive factory prototype on the grid to the LEAST competitive?? | ||
| 46champ |
Jamie I think there is a lot more going on in the background of Yamaha than any of us will ever know about. We will probably never here about it till Spies retires because he doesn't want to burn the bridge to bad or too soon. If he let out what is really going on it would be burning the bridge and blowing up the approaches and a quarter mile of highway on each side. | ||
| Svh |
I don't think the working environment was that great for Spies there at Yamaha. To be told after racing with food poisoning that he better give 100% next race or not even show up by a senior Yamaha guy has to be discouraging. I can't even do my job with food poisoning let alone race a motorcycle. My guess is that there were more instances of discord than just that one that Spies told and he wanted to be away from it. Maybe because of Haydens one yr deal he will be moving up to the big team in 2014 with Dovi. | ||
| Jaimec |
Very odd, because nearly everyone else who's ever raced for Yamaha has wanted to stay with them in some capacity or another. Even Colin Edwards worked out a deal so that Y.E.S. still sponsors his Texas Tornado Boot Camp, even though he races for Forward now. And look at all of the "Yamaha Legends" that continue to show their affiliation with Yamaha: Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson (who left them at the end of his racing career, but is now closely associated with them since his retirement), Wayne Rainey, etc. Very strange. I wonder if we'll ever know what happened? I can't imagine one knucklehead (the aforementioned executive) could be representative of the entire company. Ben certainly enjoyed himself on the WSBK team, for example. | ||
| Trojan |
If he let out what is really going on it would be burning the bridge and blowing up the approaches and a quarter mile of highway on each side. Spies has already burned his bridges and scattered the ashes to the winds as far as Yamaha are concerned. I don't think he will ever be offered another ride on a Yamaha for the rest of his career, regardless how good he is. To announce that you will not be riding for a team by e-mail to a web site and on twitter, without discussions with the team or waiting for an official team press release is tantamount to professional suicide, especially with Japanese teams. Whatever had gone on inside the team it is obvious that Ben was not reaching the goals set by the team for him in 2012. There has been food poisoning and mechanical isues but there have also been poor performances, bizarre happenings (misty visors and 'overheating clutches') and too many crashes this year. Ben has failed to live up to expectations and had to go from the factory team, but his best option for next year would have been to keep quiet and wait for a good offer, or sit it out and wait for Suzuki, not blot hi scopy book with twittering, then grab at any chance to stay in GP on a bike that could really end his career. He obviously isn't thinking straight and you have to wonder about the role his mother/manager has played in all this. Where was she when these announcements were being thought up? | ||
| Jaimec |
I know both Ben AND his team have ruled out intentional sabotage... but you really do start to wonder after awhile... | ||
| 46champ |
role his mother/manager has played in all this That statement I agree with completely. Sometimes you look and just go what? | ||
| Jaimec |
So much for a MotoGP round in Texas: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Sep/120908.htm | ||
| 46champ |
Well Dorna was right there will be only 2 rounds of MotoGP in America. | ||
| Bads1 |
Its a bit vague..... need more for sure. | ||
| Trojan |
So Chaz Davies has signed for BMW next year, which closes another door on the 'Where will Ben go' merry go round. Looks like Ben is left with a choice of either the Ducati Junior ride or a year off now. Chaz Davies is fully deserving of the BMW ride though, and it is about time he got a factory (ish) ride. Sometimes you can forget that he is only 26 years old when you look at how long he has been racing and what he has achieved so far. He ran brilliantly in both races this weekend and got his first WSB win too. Well done Chaz, couldn't happen to a nicer guy | ||
| Bads1 |
Matt, I wouldn't doubt him coming back to AMA and fill Blake Young spot which hes doing terrible considering he can't even touch Hayes at the moment. | ||
| Jaimec |
Not to hijack the thread but... wouldn't you just LOVE to see what Mr. Hayes could do in WSBK? | ||
| Bads1 |
yep!!!! | ||
| Svh |
Dana- I would put money on Ben NOT doing that option. I don't even think AMA was/is a consideration. We will supposedly know more by this weekend as Spies has said he will reveal his plans this week. |
