CV to Paul Bird Kawasaki

Another Rizla Suzuki rider has signed to ride with Kawasaki. I can only imagine that CV was wise enough to get a guarantee that the team will still be participatin in 2011.

LINK

http://www.motomatters.com/news/2009/10/01...reen_verme.html

Quite surprising news, I wonder if he can get decent results on what is generally considered a bad machine.

I just posted the same story in the Superbike section

lol cv to kawasaki he must be barking mad.

Didn't Vermi say he was looking at his options with the stipulation that he would go wherever he was offered a "competitive" machine?

GP Suzuki to WSBK Kawasaki...yeah that's a "competitive" move.


BTW Lex, Hacker still remains the best finish for a Kawk in WSBK.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (two-stroke @ Oct 1 2009, 10:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I just posted the same story in the Superbike section
yeah i saw it there & in the process of merging...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Oct 1 2009, 10:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Didn't Vermi say he was looking at his options with the stipulation that he would go wherever he was offered a "competitive" machine?

GP Suzuki to WSBK Kawasaki...yeah that's a "competitive" move.


BTW Lex, <span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%Hacker still remains the best finish for a Kawk in WSBK.

i was kinda hopin he might end up in wsbk.... don't look like we'll have any yanks in the class next season as it stands now........ well hopper i guess will be there...... maybe? if he can keep from hurting himself befroe the season starts.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Oct 1 2009, 10:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Didn't Vermi say he was looking at his options with the stipulation that he would go wherever he was offered a "competitive" machine?

GP Suzuki to WSBK Kawasaki...yeah that's a "competitive" move.

thought the same thing.... when was the last time kawasaki made a competitive superbike?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Oct 1 2009, 05:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i was kinda hopin he might end up in wsbk.... don't look like we'll have any yanks in the class next season as it stands now........ well hopper i guess will be there...... maybe? if he can keep from hurting himself befroe the season starts.

Kawasaki are serious and make good streetbikes. MCN reported that something major is going on for 2010. My hope is that they'll use the Hyate as a base, but incorporate the feedback from Marco regarding the swingarm and electronics. Apparently, the engine and chassis is very good. I wonder what will happen at Valencia. It'd be funny to see CV testing the Kwak! They'll probably even bring back Nakano!

Hacking could still end up in SBK, perhaps even in supersport. I'd love to see him on the Yoshimura Suzuki in SBK (with Mat Mladin wildcarding at Phillip Island

Not sure what to think of this. First off I am happy to see Vermi back in WSBK, he was outstanding in the series before he left for GP. Secondly, nothing confirmed about his going to Kawasucki at this point, but if it's true it would be very interesting to see what he can do with it. Aside from Simon Andrews this year in BSB and Jamie Hacking last year in AMA no one has been able to do much with the green career killer in recent racing history.

I imagine Chris would only entertain the idea of going to Kawa if there are promises of more funding being devoted to the team, since the demise of the GP project. So far though Kawa in WSBK has shown it can only run mid pack, maybe Chris will be the difference they are looking for.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (clarkjw @ Oct 1 2009, 11:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Kawasaki are serious and make good streetbikes. MCN reported that something major is going on for 2010. My hope is that they'll use the Hyate as a base, but incorporate the feedback from Marco regarding the swingarm and electronics. Apparently, the engine and chassis is very good. I wonder what will happen at Valencia. It'd be funny to see CV testing the Kwak! They'll probably even bring back Nakano!
i don't think kawasaki are coming back to gp clark so i doubt that CV or nakano will be testin there.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Oct 1 2009, 09:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i was kinda hopin he might end up in wsbk.... don't look like we'll have any yanks in the class next season as it stands now........ well hopper i guess will be there...... maybe? if he can keep from hurting himself befroe the season starts.

He's British now that he can't get results.

Kropotkin seems to think that some of the money spent on the MotoGP project will now go towards the SBK effort, the reason why Paul Bird Kawasaki can even afford Vermeulen and are rumored to be signing either Shakey or Sykes. For me, to sign a two year deal with Kawasaki, Vermeulen must have been given assurances that Kawasaki is 100 percent committed to the ZX10 project. The rumors I read linked him to Aprilia and Alstare Suzuki, both of which appear to be stronger motorcycles and teams than what Kawasaki has on offer. If Kawasaki continue down their usual path, which I believe they will until they prove otherwise, Vermeulen has just made a costly mistake. I hope I'm proved wrong.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bootsakah @ Oct 1 2009, 11:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Not sure what to think of this. First off I am happy to see Vermi back in WSBK, he was outstanding in the series before he left for GP. Secondly, <span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%nothing confirmed about his going to Kawasucki at this point, but if it's true it would be very interesting to see what he can do with it. Aside from Simon Andrews this year in BSB and Jamie Hacking last year in AMA no one has been able to do much with the green career killer in recent racing history.

I imagine Chris would only entertain the idea of going to Kawa if there are promises of more funding being devoted to the team, since the demise of the GP project. So far though Kawa in WSBK has shown it can only run mid pack, maybe Chris will be the difference they are looking for.
true.... nothing official yet but sounds pretty likely.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Oct 1 2009, 05:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'> i don't think kawasaki are coming back to gp clark so i doubt that CV or nakano will be testin there.
I don't expect they will. Here's my logic:
A Top Tier SBK rider, courted by Suzuki and Aprilia, signs with a sub par bike/team.
What could drive this? Big money from Paul Bird (not likely)? Thinking Hacking and current lineup suck so bad they can't finish in the top 5 ever (less likely)? He's batshit insane (no chance)?
The ZX-10 hasn't been updated in 2 years (typrical 1L4 evo cycle) while the zx-6 has been radically revamped and gotten glowing reviews. Kwak also has been so heavy in promoting all streetable bikes, I can' see a bike site or mag or show without catching a flash of green.
Add to the fact of how much investment they've put into the RR, the MCN rumours, along with Marco's decent performances, and it seems logical that they'd use this platform to advance their superbike development.
Also, an insider told me Showa is coming back in a big way.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (clarkjw @ Oct 1 2009, 09:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Kawasaki are serious and make good streetbikes.

I agree, on the "street".

I'm not so sure in Superbikes brotha, but I do think they make fairly good supersport 600s.

I'm surprised he even got offered a ride in WSBK. His only other offer was probably from Buell in that DMG/AMA series thing whatever you call it. I don't care what anyone says about Vermeulen that he's a good rider, blah blah blah. Fact is the guy got spanked by Hopkins and Oldman Caparossi.... what a disappointment that Vermeulen is.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Oct 1 2009, 09:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Kropotkin seems to think that some of the money spent on the MotoGP project will now go towards the SBK effort, the reason why Paul Bird Kawasaki can even afford Vermeulen and are rumored to be signing either Shakey or Sykes. For me, to sign a two year deal with Kawasaki, Vermeulen must have been given assurances that Kawasaki is 100 percent committed to the ZX10 project. The rumors I read linked him to Aprilia and Alstare Suzuki, both of which appear to be stronger motorcycles and teams than what Kawasaki has on offer. If Kawasaki continue down their usual path, which I believe they will until they prove otherwise, Vermeulen has just made a costly mistake. I hope I'm proved wrong.

Though I joke about Kawasaki's unceremonious departure from the bottom of the GP ranks, I think it is GP that have made a much bigger mistake by misjudging Kawasaki. Because of the MSMA's unyielding support of 800cc, another manufacturer has committed to WSBK without any real ambitions of fielding a MotoGP effort.

Any fans who want to watch BMW, Aprilia, or Kawasaki are required to watch WSBK. Any fans who like Ducati twins are required to watch WSBK. I anticipate that WSBK will also be encouraging Triumph to jump into the WSBK shark tank as well, possibly with displacement allowances that permit a triple to be competitive.

I think it's pretty clear that WSBK are trying to become a final destination for manufacturers. There are no testing restrictions on production bikes, and for the cost of developing and building a single MotoGP bike, a team could probably develop and build an entirely new street model that generates revenues instead of red numbers.

I'm really interested to see where InFront go from here. I think the deliberate addition of Aprilia and BMW signifies that they have ambitions to take the series somewhere. I wonder what moves they are going to make now that they have acquired quite a few WSBK-only manufacturers.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Oct 1 2009, 06:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I wonder what moves they are going to make now that they have acquired quite a few WSBK-only manufacturers.
They are moving on up...and based on the BMW, Aprilia, Spies' tricked out Yamaha (replaced fuel tank, new swingarm, revised airbox, tricked out forks) and Ducati's fly-by-wire, innovation is taking place more rapidly than GP. ABS may be next. If DORNA doesn't retract the eletronic suspension restrictions, Ohlins may quit the sport. IMO, Carmelo is a fool.

Pirelli is committed. Michelin is waiting in the wings.
They can add at least 3 more races to the calendar and hit more continents than MotoGP.
Yosh will allegedly be there next year.
KTM and Buell will also join in the next few years (hopefully Triumph too). MV augusta may even enter SuperSport.
SBK is looking up. That said, I don't think bike racing can sustain two world championships. If I had to choose, I'd see GP's and SBK merge (run by InFront of course).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (clarkjw @ Oct 1 2009, 11:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>They can add at least 3 more races to the calendar and hit more continents than MotoGP.

SBK is looking up.
Agree, but they just eliminated one, Qatar. They are basically a European series. If they were smart, they would replace the Qatar round with a second US event.