Quote from: DRKWNG on March 05, 2013, 05:12:58 PM
I'm cool with that.

Quote from: ZILBERT on March 06, 2013, 06:07:45 AM
I think 2013 is shaping up to be a return to the good ol' days when more than 1 person was battling for the lead. Let's hope so at least...for all our sakes.

Doubt it. Even with last year's improved racing, past the half way point the race would be over. There were some rare exceptions where someone would reel in the leading rider. Those were the days where the MotoGP subscription was worth it.

Quote from: duccarlos on March 06, 2013, 09:51:32 AM
Doubt it. Even with last year's improved racing, past the half way point the race would be over. There were some rare exceptions where someone would reel in the leading rider. Those were the days where the MotoGP subscription was worth it.

You subscribe for moto2/3, not for GP.   

Today on cyclenews.com and SBKplanet.com. Go Valle!!

http://www.cyclenews.com/61/20957/Racing-Article/Valentino-Rossi-Back-To-The-Top.aspx

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Mar/130324a.htm

Twenty bucks says it will be another long hard year for The Ben. Still say he should have listened to me and gone back to WSBK!

Quote from: fastwin on March 24, 2013, 04:28:31 PM
Today on cyclenews.com and SBKplanet.com. Go Valle!!

http://www.cyclenews.com/61/20957/Racing-Article/Valentino-Rossi-Back-To-The-Top.aspx

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Mar/130324a.htm

Twenty bucks says it will be another long hard year for The Ben. Still say he should have listened to me and gone back to WSBK!

...and be another Mladin?

He made the right move.

I wonder more what happened to the Hondas. Bautista was off by more than a second and with a Ducati sandwiched between him and the Turd. They either made a change or the others made a ton of improvements.

Quote from: ducpainter on March 24, 2013, 04:36:50 PM
...and be another Mladin?

He made the right move.

Some really good riders don't make it in Big Boy GP racing. Because of them, the bike, the team, crew, bad luck, etc. And what's wrong with what Matt did? He found his niche over here in the States with Yosh and did a fantastic job.

By your reasoning you must think Bayliss is a wanker because GP didn't work for him but rumor has it that he did OK in WSBK. Checa and Max seemed to do OK too following that same path. All I'm saying is The Ben possibly made a "risky" move staying in GP on a bike that's not much better than a CRT. On the other hand I also think he could have several more world titles in WSBK had he gone that route. I don't see him ever doing that in GP. Just saying...

Quote from: fastwin on March 25, 2013, 07:34:50 AM
Some really good riders don't make it in Big Boy GP racing. Because of them, the bike, the team, crew, bad luck, etc. And what's wrong with what Matt did? He found his niche over here in the States with Yosh and did a fantastic job.

By your reasoning you must think Bayliss is a wanker because GP didn't work for him but rumor has it that he did OK in WSBK. Checa and Max seemed to do OK too following that same path. All I'm saying is The Ben possibly made a "risky" move staying in GP on a bike that's not much better than a CRT. On the other hand I also think he could have several more world titles in WSBK had he gone that route. I don't see him ever doing that in GP. Just saying...

I understand that. I just think that Mladin was a cherry picker. He definitely went as far as his talent would allow him because he never made an impression on the world stage at any level, and he had the chance.

I think Ben is better than Mat. He got to GP and if he leaves he might never get another chance. He can go back to SBK when his opportunities in GP play out. That worked for Max, and Checa isn't doing too bad either. Ben is young...plenty of time before he has to head to the farm.

As far as Bayliss goes. He showed everyone just how good he was in his wildcard ride on the Duc. A wanker wouldn't have taken the risk.

Quote from: ducpainter on March 25, 2013, 09:02:23 AM
I understand that. I just think that Mladin was a cherry picker. He definitely went as far as his talent would allow him because he never made an impression on the world stage at any level, and he had the chance.

I think Ben is better than Mat. He got to GP and if he leaves he might never get another chance. He can go back to SBK when his opportunities in GP play out. That worked for Max, and Checa isn't doing too bad either. Ben is young...plenty of time before he has to head to the farm.

As far as Bayliss goes. He showed everyone just how good he was in his wildcard ride on the Duc. A wanker wouldn't have taken the risk.

i very much agree with nearly everything you just said 


for everyone who wants to kneejerk tell ben to stay in SBK, go have your entire shoulder reconstructed and then try to ride a GP bike in anger 3 months later.  let me know how it goes.

Quote from: gm2 on March 25, 2013, 10:21:16 AM
i very much agree with nearly everything you just said 


for everyone who wants to kneejerk tell ben to stay in SBK, go have your entire shoulder reconstructed and then try to ride a GP bike in anger 3 months later.  let me know how it goes.

Keep in mind...

I wouldn't piss on Mladin if he were on fire...

and Bayliss might be god.

Quote from: ducpainter on March 25, 2013, 10:32:04 AM

and Bayliss might be god.

^ this.

And I do understand if The Ben went to WSBK he may or not get the chance to return to GP. Especially given how few rides there are these days. Everyone knows it will be the Yammyhammers and Hondas. Everyone else might as well stand in line at the concession stand for a soda and hot dog. Unless a miracle happens the Ducs will just be grid fillers like the CRT bikes.

I'm a Spies fan (not a leg humper! ) and I do wish him well this year. He's got lots of talent but never got to show it last year playing second fiddle to Jorge and all the bad luck.

Back to thread topic... I think this could be a very good year for Rossi. You KNOW Yamaha is happy to have him back on board and will treat him 100X better than Spies. And you know damn well he's happy to be there! Sometimes dream teams don't work out as planned. That's been proven over and over again in all sports. Looking forward to a good year of racing.

Quote from: fastwin on March 25, 2013, 11:28:35 AM
Back to thread topic... I think this could be a very good year for Rossi.

it cracks me up that there was ever the slightest doubt about this.

short memories....

Quote from: gm2 on March 25, 2013, 01:15:49 PM
it cracks me up that there was ever the slightest doubt about this.

short memories....

I just started watching GP last year.  Why does everyone keep talking about this Rossi guy?  From what I've seen so far, he sucks.  He finishes 6th in pretty much every race.  <confused>

I hear he did pretty well on mini bikes when he was a kid.

Quote from: Spidey on March 27, 2013, 07:54:19 PM
I just started watching GP last year.  Why does everyone keep talking about this Rossi guy?  From what I've seen so far, he sucks.  He finishes 6th in pretty much every race.  <confused>

While reading the Ben thread, I found myself musing (really) about your 'idea' - Rossi's time at Ducati.  If Rossi had been a rookie in 2011 and had spent his first two years on the Ducati (no wins, a few podiums), the odds are better than 50:50 he wouldn't have gotten a factory ride from Yamaha or Honda.  His career would have been over before it even got started...

I hadn't thought of the Duc as having the potential to demolish a rider's career so effectively.