Ben spies.. Windtunnel

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (taki @ Mar 6 2007, 06:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Did anyone catch him with despain on windtunnel? He mentioned that motogp might not be that far away as some people are saying it will be for him. I think if he puts in another stellar year in the ama he'll get a ride with someone. He's pretty young too.

DAM..i missed it...i hope they replay it....

yeah he needs to get the HELL out of the STATES and into MOTO GP(wether he does well or not in AMA 07)...wouldn't be a bad idea to get him into the 250 class for 1 year.. the kid is FREAKING fast...met him at Texas World Speed way a few months back...

PS: his chick is HOOOOOOOOT!

If he loses the title this year in AMA i would argue that he isn't really showing motogp worthy potential. Maybe WSBK would be a solid move, they are looking for a US race soon as well. However if he coes out even stronger this year than last i would say that any more time in america would be a waste and he needs to get over to europe asap

He needs to make the move to Europe as soon as possible. Whether it be in MotoGP, 250cc or World Superbikes, he needs to gain international experience. Honestly, I think his options would be very limited in MotoGP as it stands. I can't see a factory taking a chance on him and the only satellite squads worth riding for would be Honda's and I'm not sure they'd be available to him or not. Team KR could be a possibility but they will require additional funding or a KRJR retirement.

Yea, I agree Spies needs to get out of the States at the end of this year no matter what. I'm sure if Suzuki had a slot for him on the Motogp bike thats where he would go, but WSBK would be a great oppurtunity as well.
I would say that if he dusts Mladin off this year, Mladin will be lobbying for him to go somewhere else.

Surely he brings more to the table for Suzuki than Yukio. Can anyone else picture him teaming with Biaggi in 2008?

I'd rather see him in the 250's, and this would be the hot way to the 800s, but I dought this will happen.

Spies + 250's= huge American interest in MotoGP!!!

Suzuki wont be too happy to get rid of Kagayama for Spies, they are keen to have a japanease rider. I do think he could perform well though, and i would enjoy seeing an american rider back in superbike. I would say Spies still has to do a lot to prove he has what it takes for gp's, andi don't see many teams taking a cance on him. If he goes to 250 and doesn't get on well it could end up harming his career, so its a hard move to make. Either way, he needs to get out of the US scene, if all else fails he can always just go back there.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 8 2007, 10:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Either way, he needs to get out of the US scene, if all else fails he can always just go back there.
Not necessarily true. Remember Kurtis Roberts? Factory supported Honda Superbike rider 2003, Team KR MotoGP rider 2004, satellite Honda Superbike rider 2005, out of racing 2006, privateer Superbike rider 2007.

Then again, Spies isn't a ...... bag to work with as everyone makes Kurtis out to be either. Poor Kurtis, lots of talent and the right last name, ...... attitude.

Maybe thats because Kurtis Roberts wasn't really at a high enough standard to go to europe. It wasn't like he was walking AMA championships. The AMA championships arn't that deep, so without being a serious force, or a very young talent in one of them, its probably not worth coming to europe.

Coming up he was at the same level as Nicky in rider progression. Nicky showed a bit more maturity, AmHon gave him the factory SBK ride and the rest is history.

Yeah but nicky gave mat mladin something to think about. If you can't get the better of Mladin its probably not worth going to europe, with the exception of special cases like Hopper.

Roberts was getting the better of Mladin on a regular basis during the second half of 2003. That, coupled with his last name, is what sent him to Team KR in 2004. I'm not saying Roberts deserves to be in GPs by any means. I just think it's a series of unfortunate events and a poor attitude that has put him out of competitive motorcycle racing. Which is unfortunate for Kurtis and for anyone who is a fan of aggressive racing.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Mar 12 2007, 05:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Roberts was getting the better of Mladin on a regular basis during the second half of 2003. That, coupled with his last name, is what sent him to Team KR in 2004. I'm not saying Roberts deserves to be in GPs by any means. I just think it's a series of unfortunate events and a poor attitude that has put him out of competitive motorcycle racing. Which is unfortunate for Kurtis and for anyone who is a fan of aggressive racing.

It is a shame, and i guess puts some weight behind your point that returning from europe is not always as simple as it sounds. But that was all a little off topic. Ben needs to go elswhere for 2008 and make a name for himself in the big bad world championships

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Mar 12 2007, 01:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Roberts was getting the better of Mladin on a regular basis during the second half of 2003.
refresh my memory Oostin... i don't recall kurtis bettering mladin on a regular basis. he was & is way inconsistant & crashes to much. besides the ...... attitude.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 12 2007, 05:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It is a shame, and i guess puts some weight behind your point that returning from europe is not always as simple as it sounds. But that was all a little off topic. Ben needs to go elswhere for 2008 and make a name for himself in the big bad world championships
Yeah, he needs to get out there and mix it up and see what happens. What Spies has that Roberts didn't is a good attitude and a strong relationship with the Suzuki factory. It always seemed to me Roberts felt alienated by AmHon so maybe he gave them a big http://www.motogpforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/.....gif when he left to ride for Dad.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Mar 13 2007, 01:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'> refresh my memory Oostin... i don't recall kurtis bettering mladin on a regular basis. he was & is way inconsistant & crashes to much. besides the ...... attitude.
He finished 2003 winning something like two of the final three or three of the final four rounds of the year. He ended up third in the championship behind Mladin and I want to say Yates. Maybe not regularly getting the better of Mladin, but more often that anyone without the last name of Hayden or Spies in a single season.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (taki @ Mar 6 2007, 08:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Did anyone catch him with despain on windtunnel? He mentioned that motogp might not be that far away as some people are saying it will be for him. I think if he puts in another stellar year in the ama he'll get a ride with someone. He's pretty young too.
I think Ben looks at Mat Mladin and how everybody always asks him "Why did you never go to GP?" and thinks to himself, "I never want to wonder how I would have done in MotoGP." That, and the fact that Schwantz is always talking to him might convince him to go to GP. I guess what I'm saying is, if you were Ben Spies, would you want to be the next Mat Mladin or the next Kevin Schwantz? 'Nuff said.