BAM,Spies to the top of the charts

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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThePhorest @ Nov 5 2008, 03:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm already starting to feel bad for Tom Sykes.

I wouldn't. Tom has already shown that he can hang with the world class riders if the bikes up to it, and i think the Yamaha will be. Spies could well head the team as he is a 3 time champ who walks all over his national series, we know he should be in world championships. I'd still be surprised if either are championship contenders in their rookie seasons, but i believe they will both impress.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Nov 5 2008, 11:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I wouldn't. Tom has already shown that he can hang with the world class riders if the bikes up to it, and i think the Yamaha will be. Spies could well head the team as he is a 3 time champ who walks all over his national series, we know he should be in world championships. I'd still be surprised if either are championship contenders in their rookie seasons, but i believe they will both impress.

True, Sykes' wildcards showed some serious potential, and I think he caught a raw deal on the first test, as it rained later in the day and ruined his chances of showing that he was at the same level.

However, I honestly think Spies is going to outshine him next season. Just IMO. He's never seen Portimao before and is 2/10ths off Bayliss' time. That tells me a lot about the kind of pace he's going to be on with other tracks he's never seen (most of them) in 2009. I wouldn't be surprised AT ALL if Spies is a championship contender in 2009. I'll say that right now.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThePhorest @ Nov 5 2008, 04:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>True, Sykes' wildcards showed some serious potential, and I think he caught a raw deal on the first test, as it rained later in the day and ruined his chances of showing that he was at the same level.

However, I honestly think Spies is going to outshine him next season. Just IMO. He's never seen Portimao before and is 2/10ths off Bayliss' time. That tells me a lot about the kind of pace he's going to be on with other tracks he's never seen (most of them) in 2009. I wouldn't be surprised AT ALL if Spies is a championship contender in 2009. I'll say that right now.

I will wait for a more comprehensive amount of testing before i draw any conclusions. No doubt Spies' performance is hugely impressive, but there are no prizes for quick adaptation and everyone has until next spring to sort out their bikes and their riding. I don't want to draw to many conclusions from one day of mixed condition testing, but if things continue like this Sykes could well be second best in that team. I still hesitate to believe any rookie is a serious champiosnhip contender though.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Nov 5 2008, 12:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I will wait for a more comprehensive amount of testing before i draw any conclusions. No doubt Spies' performance is hugely impressive, but there are no prizes for quick adaptation and everyone has until next spring to sort out their bikes and their riding. I don't want to draw to many conclusions from one day of mixed condition testing, but if things continue like this Sykes could well be second best in that team. I still hesitate to believe any rookie is a serious champiosnhip contender though.

The Santander Yamaha team will be extremely interesting to watch in 2009. We have two rookies on top class machinery. One is the BSB's golden boy, and the other is the AMA's golden boy. It'll provide plenty of fodder for those that like to argue about which class has a deeper field of talent.

I see your point about not drawing many conclusions. There's lots of time to go before the first race of WSBK 2009, so we'll see. My heart/mind just tells me that Spies is going to absolutely rip next season. I'd say the same even if I hadn't seen his first testing times, so take it with a grain of salt.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThePhorest @ Nov 5 2008, 04:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The Santander Yamaha team will be extremely interesting to watch in 2009. We have two rookies on top class machinery. One is the BSB's golden boy, and the other is the AMA's golden boy. It'll provide plenty of fodder for those that like to argue about which class has a deeper field of talent.

The difference being that Spies leaves all competitors looking average in the dust, while Sykes is one of 3 youngsters who fought tooth and nail for second place in our series this season (and eventually lost). If Sykes can get on terms with Ben it will be seriously impressive.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>I see your point about not drawing many conclusions. There's lots of time to go before the first race of WSBK 2009, so we'll see. My heart/mind just tells me that Spies is going to absolutely rip next season. I'd say the same even if I hadn't seen his first testing times, so take it with a grain of salt.

More than fair, i was raving this weekend watching the BSB boys mix it with the world.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Nov 5 2008, 08:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>but there are no prizes for quick adaptation and everyone has until next spring to sort out their bikes and their riding. I don't want to draw to many conclusions from one day of mixed condition testing

Spies' time is being compared to Bayliss not to Sykes. Bayliss, the guy who rode the Ducati to a championship. I understand that this could have been beginners luck, or maybe he just clicked with the bike on that day on that track, temp, surface, etc. And we need more time to come to any conclusions but it looks very promising.

Ben does have a some very large obsticles to overcome. He needs to learn a new bike, new tires, new tracks, and new riders. I also think that he is going to have to learn racecraft in the most important way because there is going to be competitors now.

The anticipation is very exciting though.
 
I also think the side by side racing in WSBK is more of a dogfight than the AMA series, a good thing IMO. Spies will have to adjust to the fact that a little rubbin' is the norm across the pond. I can't wait for next years' season! I think the side by side racing is second to none in WSBK.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Nov 5 2008, 10:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Spies' time is being compared to Bayliss not to Sykes. Bayliss, the guy who rode the Ducati to a championship. I understand that this could have been beginners luck, or maybe he just clicked with the bike on that day on that track, temp, surface, etc. And we need more time to come to any conclusions but it looks very promising.

I'm not trying to damper the excitement of how well Ben has done, but I assume be was using suspension tec that will be outlawed in 09? Haga had unfair advantage in the last race tthat was soo easy to see...
 
Sorry, I've been soo busy as of the past few weeks that I realized the last SBK race I watched was Mangny Cours. Excuse me while I crawl back under a rock to watch the race
<
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tlrwinder @ Nov 4 2008, 11:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hmm....Very interesting stuff here.

Now, of course I am a Ben Spies fan, now that he's onthe world scene...so, i am happy to see hime coming to grips with a new bike/tires/suspension/team/track so quickly.

I really am looking forward to him shutting up all of the Nay-Sayers that think the AMASBK series is a joke with a bunch of mediocre riders (Mladin, duHamel, Neil Hodgson, Eric Bostrom, etc.)

++ that and then some. I had a little dialog with someone in this forum about a year ago and they were going on endlessly about what a provincial little series the AMA was, saying that the unwashed hillbilly AMA guys couldn't possibly be competitive with the cream-of-the-crop Euro-ristocrats of WSBK and how Spies only dominated in the USA as a result of his unfair advantage in having the Yoshimura people behind him. I have always said from the start that I've never been a big fan of Spies who always struck me at a dead-faced frat-boy with date-.... eyes - but the Texan can ....... ride. I look forward to seeing him kicking some Eurotrash ... in 2009.
<
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Keshav @ Nov 5 2008, 07:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>++ that and then some. I had an argument with someone in this forum about a year ago and they were going on endlessly about what a provincial little series the AMA was and saying that the best AMA guys couldn't possibly be competitive with the cream-of-the-crop Euro-stracracy of WSBK and how Spies only dominated in the USA as a result of his unfair advantage in having the Yoshimura people behind him. I have always said from the start that I've never been a big fan of Spies who always struck me at a dead-faced frat-boy with date-.... eyes - but the Texan can ....... ride. I look forward to seeing him kicking some Eurotrash ... in 2009.
<


Kicking eurotrash ... ? That would be Haga, Nakano, corser ?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dion @ Nov 5 2008, 04:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Kicking eurotrash ... ? That would be Haga, Nakano, corser ?

Dude don't get all pedantic. It was a joking reference to the European origins of the series. Nakano isn't even a consideration. Haga for that matter - too inconsistent to worry about. And the Ozzies are 2nd class expat tea-baggers from the UK.
<
British cowboys. It's the cowboy in them that makes them so great.
... The point being, that after having been spanked by Roberts, Spencer, Koscinski, Schwantz, Lawson and Rainey - you'd think that folks would think twice before ranting on about the superiority of all the European racers.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Keshav @ Nov 5 2008, 09:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The point being, that after having been spanked by Roberts, Spencer, Koscinski, Schwantz, Lawson and Rainey - you'd think that folks would think twice before ranting on about the superiority of all the European racers.

you'd think that people wouldnt say things like this with the records of Rossi and Agostini just to name 2 "eurotrash" riders.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigAl @ Nov 5 2008, 09:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>you'd think that people wouldnt say things like this with the records of Rossi and Agostini just to name 2 "eurotrash" riders.
....then there's Graham, Masetti, Hailwood, Duke, Surtees, Sheene, Nieto, Saarinen etc etc
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigAl @ Nov 5 2008, 05:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>you'd think that people wouldnt say things like this with the records of Rossi and Agostini just to name 2 "eurotrash" riders.

Like I said - don't be so freakin' pedantic. It was said tongue in cheek. Get a sense of humor why dontcha?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ Nov 5 2008, 05:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>....then there's Graham, Masetti, Hailwood, Duke, Surtees, Sheene, Nieto, Saarinen etc etc

Same goes for you.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Keshav @ Nov 5 2008, 10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Like I said - don't be so freakin' pedantic. It was said tongue in cheek. Get a sense of humor why dontcha?

so when the barbed humour is sent your way its pedantic?

lighten up, you got a new prez and all is happy in the ameriverse now..

<
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ky_savage @ Nov 5 2008, 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I don't understand why more AMA SBK riders don't try to get to the world stage. I get bored watching the AMA races. Especially when the Suzuki's were always out front by a mile.

I was reading an article about Josh Hayes, who recently ran a few races with the Parkalgar Honda team in WSS. Josh mentioned he would love to ride in the WSS but the pay simply isn't as good as the AMA. Granted who knows what the AMA will be paying next year, but that's another subject. Also, I am not sure how this compares to WSBK but if WSS is any indication?

From article: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Nov/081104c.htm

"Hayes would love to race in the World Championship, but it comes down to a matter of economics. World Supersport rides pay about a quarter of what a ride in the US will, and Hayes seems to be holding out for a ride in the US. He says he has good interest there for a 2009 ride."
 
Spies will definatly impress next season, he's too talented for WSBK and I can't wait for him to duke it out for the title with Kiyo, Neukirchner, Haga etc.
 

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