http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2008/may/26-31/may2808ducati-confirm-ben-spies-approach/?&R=EPI-100697

Ben Spies riding the greatest marque in motorcycling? Noooooooooooo

Have the rumours of Schwantz running a satellite Suzuki team with Spies gone away now?

Quote from: tufty on May 29, 2008, 05:59:53 AM
Ben Spies riding the greatest marque in motorcycling? Noooooooooooo

He might actually have a chance to do well on the Duc and he is an AMAZING rider.  His ability to wrestle a bike around woudl come in handy on the Duc.

Quote from: tufty on May 29, 2008, 05:59:53 AM
Have the rumours of Schwantz running a satellite Suzuki team with Spies gone away now?

Pretty much... They weren't rumors though, they were trying to make it happen but the story goes that Suzuki wanted too much $$$ for a bike.

as the article mentions there's still a chance that rizla suzuki will run 3 bikes next year...

and tufty, why 'nooo'?

Bring it!!! 

T

Wow....I thought it was just an unconfirmed rumor, and he'd for sure end up w/Rizla Suzuki...

-Should prove to be interesting....He is a sick rider, there's no denying that... I bet he'll do well in GP...

-So if Spies rides w/Alice-Ducati, Rizla will likely keep Capirossi + Vermeulen I would imagine, right??

We shall see how he does, no little fish in the Motogp, everyone is a shark.

Quote from: gm2 on May 29, 2008, 09:12:53 AM
as the article mentions there's still a chance that rizla suzuki will run 3 bikes next year...

and tufty, why 'nooo'?

I'm sure he's a super nice guy and God knows he's a super talented rider. But there's just something about his demeanor that rubs me the wrong way. I f he rode a Ducati I'd have to reinvent the wheel.

Quote from: tufty on May 29, 2008, 11:22:03 AM
I'm sure he's a super nice guy and God knows he's a super talented rider. But there's just something about his demeanor that rubs me the wrong way. I f he rode a Ducati I'd have to reinvent the wheel.

you're gonna have to 'splain that one... would you prefer him have the "total asshole" persona like mladin?

looks like there may be seats available elsewhere, too:

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Edwards+Kawasaki+discussions+confirmed

Quote from: derby on May 29, 2008, 11:26:06 AM
you're gonna have to 'splain that one... would you prefer him have the "total asshole" persona like mladin?

Heh, you gotta love a guy who speaks his mind.

how about who gives a shit about what anyone says or does off-track.  ben is a great rider.

would be interesting to see him on the other tech3 bike... bet that would give tufty conniptions   

Quote from: derby on May 29, 2008, 11:26:06 AM
you're gonna have to 'splain that one... would you prefer him have the "total asshole" persona like mladin?

you had to ruin a perfectly good thread by using the M word.   

ok, for the sake of discussion (yes, I know Corse is full through 09)

melandri is gone

who gets the seat?

Rossi? (sure sounds like he's staying at yamaha)

Hayden? (he and honda obviously aren't/haven't been jiving, dirt track experience might make him a good candidate for the d16)

Spies?

don't count on corse being full for '09...

i've heard that melandri is already out at ducati and it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see him and nicky swap seats for '09.

for some reason *cough*marketing*cough* ducati is fond of american riders.

they've offered nicky the ride once, why wouldn't they offer it to him again? he's not going to leave factory/repsol honda to go ride the same bike that isn't working for him on a satellite team, so that really only two (competitive) rides for nicky to consider if he leaves his current team: ducati and yamaha. also, don't forget, yamaha had an interest in nicky when he came to motogp and also had talks with  him prior to his re-signing with honda.

regarding ben, i'd be very surpsised if he came into motogp on anything other than a factory team. then again, given the recent developments in the dmg/ama rules proposal, maybe he'll take what he can get. suzuki is the "obvious" choice for him, but nobody has really impressed on that bike. it's unlikely he'll end up in nicky's vacated seat, but hopefully he ends up on a competitive bike (yamaha) instead of something else.