http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wsbk/news/172800-0/ducati__rossi,_bayliss_duel_unlikely.html

Ducati says probably not

and Davide Tardozzi is a pretty reliable source!

Quote from: Spidey on December 19, 2008, 11:15:50 AM
That set-up would really favor Rossi.  MotoGP bikes are much more tailored than the WSBK bikes.  Rossi already has an MotoGP bike set up for him and his riding style, including all the electronics.   True, there is a massive amount of set-up and tailoring of WSBK bikes, but it's just not the same.

Besides, if Rossi wants to show he is the GOAT (which he pretty much is), what better way to do so than to beat Bayliss on his home turf?  He shoulda done it when Bayliss was in peak form, not at a point when Bayliss has been off the bike and hasn't been training. 

Bayliss just won the championship and has been of the bike same time as the rest. He is in better shape than half the grid, don't let the age fool you.

http://www.roadracerx.com/article.php?article_id=1141

"Troy Bayliss wants 1.5 million to face off against Rossi in Qatar."

I know it'd never happen, but wouldn't it be fun if Bayliss were to do it on a D16 set up to WSBK specs?

Quote from: superjohn on December 20, 2008, 03:48:29 PM
I know it'd never happen, but wouldn't it be fun if Bayliss were to do it on a D16 set up to WSBK specs?

he's better off on the 1198R.

Quote from: derby on December 20, 2008, 05:22:23 PM
he's better off on the 1198R.

Yeah, I was just thinking about the symmetry.

MotoGP Champ comes to WSBK to race a WSBK champ on a MotoGP derived bike.

Either way, I'd love to see it happen.

Quote from: gm2 on December 20, 2008, 11:14:06 AM
http://www.roadracerx.com/article.php?article_id=1141

"Troy Bayliss wants 1.5 million to face off against Rossi in Qatar."

yeah, but you and I know that is easily seemingly taken out of context...it seemed very tongue in cheek to me how I read it...

Quote from: zooom on December 21, 2008, 05:19:08 PM
yeah, but you and I know that is easily seemingly taken out of context...it seemed very tongue in cheek to me how I read it...

I personally have no problem with that number in any context.

The man, IMO, has nothing to prove.

Quote from: gm2 on December 20, 2008, 11:14:06 AM
http://www.roadracerx.com/article.php?article_id=1141

"Troy Bayliss wants 1.5 million to face off against Rossi in Qatar."

There are people living in Qatar to whom 1.5 milliom is pocket money, they would do it just for the prestige it would bring to their country.

yep... i wasn't making any judgement statement by posting that quote.  i also didn't read it as though it was so seriously said (although that article is so poorly written, who knows what it really meant) and i also recognize that $1.5M for either one of them is both worth it and not that much moolah.

i still kinda doubt it'll happen.  i also think that if it did, in only the format discussed (qatar race 2), it wouldn't really say much regardless of who won.  ...but then again, so what.  as fans we just want to see them on track together on superbikes.  we're all going to keyboard jockey the result to death no matter what it is.. 

Quote from: gm2 on December 22, 2008, 10:27:36 AM
<snip>  we're all going to keyboard jockey the result to death no matter what it is.. 

I've often thought that would be the race of races !   Dolph       

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72600

Maybe if we all chip in $10 each.