Ducati want Toseland in Motogp for 08

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>Well he is beating the 'best WSBK rider ever' by a fair margin.

Phleg i disagree, Foggy is the best WSBK rider ever and Edwards is definitely better than bayliss who comes in third or fourth depending on how you feel about Troy Corser.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 15 2007, 09:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Phleg i disagree, Foggy is the best WSBK rider ever and Edwards is definitely better than bayliss who comes in third or fourth depending on how you feel about Troy Corser.

Disagreeing all-bloody-ready.

I rate Bayliss better than Edwards, but Edwards beat him in 02, so that point is defeated.

Nontheless, he is beating one of the greats.

Fair enough

I think toseland should start worrying about winning the Wsbk champonship this season before thinkin about MotoGP cause there is a Little Nitro Man who i think may just give him a run for his money!

By the way!.... Whats the worst title defence ever? Are we about to see it in MotoGP this season?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ May 15 2007, 01:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Tom I have a question. I like Toesland, but I seem to read his praises allot lately on this forum and I'm wondering if perhaps there is an over enthusiastic hope for him by fans of the sport. Its not like there have been many WSBK champions that have lit a fire in MotoGP. Former champions like Bayliss, Edwards, haven't done much and others like Hodges haven't been invited to the party. Has Toesland been all that better than the championship runs Edwards and Bayliss had? So what makes people think (it seems) he will be more successful than these guys? What's up, is this more a facade of hope or do you really think this guy is for real? I hope he didn't turn down a satellite team cuz then he would be going the way of Mladin. You mentioned in another post, and I agree, its important to start somewhere, and if a satellite team gets you in the door to MotoGP, then I say go for it.It's a good point Jumkie but as the years go by that's a trend that's changed. Look at Supers 15 years ago. Basically streetbikes with the nuts tuned out of them and fairly basic chassis, if you were racing one of those and jumped on a '92 NSR you'd crap yourself because it was so fast it scared the .... out of you and you basically didn't understand it. WSB is a different story today. About 210ish bhp and just a bout as many engine/electronic and chassis variables as a gp bike, and seemimgly just as fickle to set up, definitely as critical. The argument that guys from WSB will struggle in GP's is an old one and doesn't hold nearly as much water as it used to. Guys like JT will have an easier time moving to GP's in the next year or so before they change WSB rules again and make them superstockers which is going to happen. It's happening in the BSB next year.

On the over-entusiastic point, who knows? He's by far the best British rider in years, better than Foggy(cough-......) or Hodgson in my book, I just want to see it all happen. Like I said earlier it's too soon to be considering one bike over another, these 800's are still brand new. Factories have a lot of playing around with them so what seems to be the best package right now may well be a heap of ..... compared to everything else at the end of the year.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Morgo @ May 15 2007, 09:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think toseland should start worrying about winning the Wsbk champonship this season before thinkin about MotoGP cause there is a Little Nitro Man who i think may just give him a run for his money!

By the way!.... Whats the worst title defence ever? Are we about to see it in MotoGP this season?Good point and good point.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Morgo @ May 15 2007, 09:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think toseland should start worrying about winning the Wsbk champonship this season before thinkin about MotoGP cause there is a Little Nitro Man who i think may just give him a run for his money!

By the way!.... Whats the worst title defence ever? Are we about to see it in MotoGP this season?

JT is a professional and a level headed guy, i do not doubt that he is focusing fully on the job in hand. Regardless i think he had already done enough to prove himself worthy of a gp ride, unless he does some really silly things later this season.

As for bad title defense, there was a thread about that elsewhere, but i will remind you the season is very very long, at this point last season even Rossi wasn't doing much better.

Good post Skidmark.

Do you think Haga has a chance at the WSBK title? Or do you like me, think he's too inconsistent for it? Although I am supporting JT heavily!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 15 2007, 09:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Phleg i disagree, Foggy is the best WSBK rider ever and Edwards is definitely better than bayliss who comes in third or fourth depending on how you feel about Troy Corser.Bollox Tom, he had the best bike in WSB ever when everyone else was on 750's and the only one of those that hadn't starred in mad max was the RC45, even it wasn't as fast as the 916. The Yamahas and Kawaskis were museum pieces.
Foggy " I could beat Doohan week in week out " Give me a break. A guy who got so wrapped up in himself he believed his own PR. Grrrrrrrrrrr.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phleg @ May 15 2007, 09:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Good post Skidmark.

Do you think Haga has a chance at the WSBK title? Or do you like me, think he's too inconsistent for it? Although I am supporting JT heavily! I really enjoyed the racing on sunday because I've always been a huge fan of Hagas since he came to WSB as a replacement for an injured Edwards and kicked FOGGY'S ass on a prehistoric YZF750. I've also started to like JT after years of indifference, I just like the way JT goes about his business this year. I think if haga can keep doing what he's doing, between his own riding and what the guys have done with the R1's chassis giving him a tyre for the last third of the race, he's going to be very dangerous. he always was but he's had a few years in the wilderness with a crappy stint in GP's into the bargain. He should've got the title in 2001 only for the ........ ephedrine rap so he's got a score to settle, albiet with himself. JT is on different page, he's trying to win back a title. You can tell he knows he's riding better than he ever has and it's obvious how hungry he is so my money would be on Toseland though I would dearly love to see Haga win A title.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ May 15 2007, 10:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Bollox Tom, he had the best bike in WSB ever when everyone else was on 750's and the only one of those that hadn't starred in mad max was the RC45, even it wasn't as fast as the 916. The Yamahas and Kawaskis were museum pieces.
Foggy " I could beat Doohan week in week out " Give me a break. A guy who got so wrapped up in himself he believed his own PR. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

I agree that Foggy was an idiot, and that he couldn't dream of touching Doohan. I also agree that his performance on the RC45 was laughable, but on his day (and he had 4 years of these) he was fantastic. The only question mark for me is if Edwards was actually a better superbike rider but didn't rack up the numbers because he moved on.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 15 2007, 10:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I agree that Foggy was an idiot, and that he couldn't dream of touching Doohan. I also agree that his performance on the RC45 was laughable, but on his day (and he had 4 years of these) he was fantastic.Idiot will suffice


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 15 2007, 10:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The only question mark for me is if Edwards was actually a better superbike rider but didn't rack up the numbers because he moved on.Or Bayliss, or Haga, or Corser on his day, or because their bikes weren't the best bike to be on at that time, it's a good point Tom. Look at Bayliss this season. Put any of those guys on the best bike on the best tyres with regulations in their favour and they'd all win championships. Edwards would have won a handful for sure but at least he had the balls to go to GP's, even when he must have known he could've continued winning in WSB.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ May 15 2007, 04:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He should've got the title in 2001 only for the ........ ephedrine rap2000 was the year paul.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ May 15 2007, 04:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I would dearly love to see Haga win A title.+1 he's long overdue...


1 thing is for sure no matter what happens in this years sbk championship, jt must move to gps next season. no matter which team.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ May 15 2007, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>2000 was the year paul.thank you kev...my bad.

ats alright..... whats a year amonst friends!!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ May 15 2007, 01:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>but as the years go by that's a trend that's changed. Look at Supers 15 years ago. Basically streetbikes with the nuts tuned out of them and fairly basic chassis, if you were racing one of those and jumped on a '92 NSR you'd crap yourself because it was so fast it scared the .... out of you and you basically didn't understand it. WSB is a different story today. About 210ish bhp and just a bout as many engine/electronic and chassis variables as a gp bike, and seemimgly just as fickle to set up, definitely as critical. The argument that guys from WSB will struggle in GP's is an old one and doesn't hold nearly as much water as it used to. Guys like JT will have an easier time moving to GP's in the next year or so before they change WSB rules again and make them superstockers which is going to happen. It's happening in the BSB next year.
Excellent, I fully agree, the gap between the WSBKs and GPs is increasingly narrow. (ie Bayliss Valencia 06, Max 07).

Well I wish him the best. Its time to start seeing a Brit on the top step in MotoGP (even though some of you tried to claim Hopkins last race, haha, yeah, we all noticed).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phleg @ May 15 2007, 08:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I rate Bayliss better than Edwards, but Edwards beat him in 02, so that point is defeated.

But Bayliss has more Motogp wins so.........Bayliss is technically better in Motogp?

I think Ducati are going to end up quiting WSBK at least temporarily. It isn't bringing sales, and I don't think WSBK is going to increase twin displacement to 1200cc like Ducati want. I think Ducati are moving to four cylinders and the twins will be relegated to super sport status for the hardcore Ducatisti, so they will return to WSBK.......to win.

I think Bayliss gets a look on the GP8 before Ducati force him to retire. Whether or not he tests well will determine what happens. Loris is expensive and he can't race now that he's knocked Ingrid up. Stoner will get a huge raise after this season and Ducati might get Bayliss for cheap and use him to act as a mentor to Stoner.

So I don't believe these rumors about Toseland. It makes sense because Britain is an important market for Ducati and they want to increase interest in the team. I have this really strange feeling Bayliss is coming up for one last go round or Capirossi will stay for one last hoorrah. After that I really believe very strongly Ducati are going to try to pick off Hayden.

If you look at the North American motorcycle market, and you look at exponential sales growth for Ducati NA, even during their tremendous sales slump since introducing the 999, it seems to make sense. Plus, America has low motorvehicles taxes, so Ducatis are more competitively priced, relative to the competition.

I can hope, can't I ?

from the paddock JT not daft,this ducati d'antin thing being doing the rounds he's got a lot of irons in the fire and honda very happy with JT,ALSO PADDOCK FACT DUCATI NOT FULLY OVER THE MOON WITH JT'S WSB CHAMPIONSHIP WIN OVER Regis Laconi they wanted regis to win really to boost sales of ducati in france