Hayden has done it again!!

'Coffin dodging' McCoy (born 72)
'Grampa' Bayliss (born 69)
Alex Barros (born 70)
Troy Corser (born 71)
Max Biaggi (born 71)
Carlos Checa (born 72)
Loris Capirossi (born 73)
Colin Edwards (born 74)

And the baby of the bunch Ruben Xaus (born 78)

I love watching retirement racing!

more likely Nicky Hayden come up on top.
1) More experience with the tracks
2) Repsol Honda is a much better bike than Suzuki

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Corr @ Apr 2 2008, 10:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Thanks guys

Although, Austin, McCoy is riding is World Supersport on a Triumph. (OR did I miss something ie: he is no longer riding in WSS?) But yes McCoy he is not WC like Nicky
I forgot about the Triumph ride he got. Not to discount WSS, but when you're McCoy's age with McCoy's reputation, WSS might as well be club racing.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Corr @ Apr 2 2008, 10:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>skdt, mate, don't write stuff like that. By writing things like this people will say that you're saying Hayden gave up during the race and then we'll have a thread about heart, risk taking and being a racer's racer.

I will agree with you, Hayden did close the gap down before he ran off. I really don't have many "favourable thoughts" for Hayden (in other words I don't have nice things to say about him so I don't say anything... until I have something nice to say) I was impressed with his ride closing the gap, I was impressed right up until he made a mistake in the corner and ran wide. After that I did not take any notice of him, (I still don't know where he finished)
But why bother risking a position (as you have pointed out, 4th) the answer is simple. He's a racer. And it's his job. Didn't Hoffman get sacked last year for not trying?
If Hayden doesn't want to try, I'll fill his seat. I'll try my heart out, I'll finish last and a few laps behind, but no one will ever be able to say I never tried.
Hell, Repsol & HRC wouldn't even need to buy me leathers, I'll fit into Danny's no problem, I'll just tape his name over and with a 'Sharpie' I'll write my name on the tape!
Ran wide? That seems a bit of understatement. He lost the front and was fortunate to stay on the bike.

It's one thing to fight for position, another to ride over the limit to fight for a position you don't have enough laps left to regain. Hoffmann quit, pure and simple. He pulled into the pits. Hayden was catching up, clearly up to and over his limit (as evidenced by the near crash), and lost more time than he had any shot at making up over the remaining laps. Pointless to crash out at that point trying for a position he didn't have the pace to make up.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Corr @ Apr 3 2008, 06:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>'Coffin dodging' McCoy (born 72)
'Grampa' Bayliss (born 69)
Alex Barros (born 70)
Troy Corser (born 71)
Max Biaggi (born 71)
Carlos Checa (born 72)
Loris Capirossi (born 73)
Colin Edwards (born 74)

And the baby of the bunch Ruben Xaus (born 78)

I love watching retirement racing!

WSBK happens to be some of the best racing happening right now. I look forward to all those "old farts" racing this year.

Wait a minute, what was this topic about, oh ya, Hayden. This is his year to prove he can at least have a 2005 or 2006 season (consistently finishing in the top 5), else its time to give up the seat to an up and comer, as he once was.

WSBK has been WAYYYYY better than Moto GP lately.....

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Apr 3 2008, 04:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>WSBK has been WAYYYYY better than Moto GP lately.....

The relatively close racing doesn't make the riders any younger or better.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Apr 3 2008, 10:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The relatively close racing doesn't make the riders any younger or better.

WTF does age have to do with it you twit

better racing is better racing....the fact that KIDS are actually fast out of the box in the "primer" class no a days shows just how easy it's become....it used to take a MAN to handle what just a couple years ago were beasts of motorcycles....get over it

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Apr 3 2008, 09:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>WTF does age have to do with it you twit

better racing is better racing....the fact that KIDS are actually fast out of the box in the "primer" class no a days shows just how easy it's become....it used to take a MAN to handle what just a couple years ago were beasts of motorcycles....get over it
2 Years ago a rookie finished 2nd in the first race of the season and another rookie started the second race from pole. They both finished in the top-6 for each race. Also, one of them finished 2nd in the third race, the other won the 4th from pole. In the 5th race they went 3-4.

Maybe we have to go back a bit further...

Heck, a decade ago a rookie finished second in the championship, albeit one with a lot of success and seasoning in 250s.

Oh come on...yes theres always the exception to the rule..yes at times there have been riders to come up into the class and do very well....but not ALL OF THEM.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Apr 3 2008, 10:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Oh come on...yes theres always the exception to the rule..yes at times there have been riders to come up into the class and do very well....but not ALL OF THEM.
Yeah, DeAngelis is really dominating so far.

Mostly your choice of "2 years ago" was just kind of weird, considering the early-season success of that year's rookies.

omg, it's like trying to debate with a ....... ..........

IN GENERAL THEN for .... sakes... the GP bikes are too easy now...period.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Apr 3 2008, 10:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>omg, it's like trying to debate with a ....... ..........

IN GENERAL THEN for .... sakes... the GP bikes are too easy now...period.
You're the one that said that "the fact that KIDS are actually fast out of the box in the "primer" class no a days shows just how easy it's become....it used to take a MAN to handle what just a couple years ago were beasts of motorcycles" when, 2 years ago, the 2 class rookies had a grand total of 6 fewer championship points than the top 2 rookies this year (and were younger to boot!). They were podiuming, taking poles, and winning races early-season 2 years ago. Either 2006 was anomalous or the GP bikes had been tamed quite a bit by then already.

I'm not the ...... claiming that GP bikes took a MAN to handle 2 years ago while lamenting the success of KIDS today (even though younger kids were having quite a bit of early season success...2 years ago).

The fact that new riders can go so fast so quickly speaks more about danger than ease of riding. The new riders are not longer affraid of the bikes because mistakes do not result in skin grafts and plaster casts like they used to. To actually ride the bike at the top level is as hard as ever, thankfully modern safetey allows more riders to demonstrate their abilities.

idiots...i'm done with this thread..i wash man hands of it.

3056:argue091204.jpg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Apr 3 2008, 06:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'> idiots...i'm done with this thread..i wash man hands of it.

classic

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mattsteg @ Apr 3 2008, 09:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You're the one that said that "the fact that KIDS are actually fast out of the box in the "primer" class no a days shows just how easy it's become....it used to take a MAN to handle what just a couple years ago were beasts of motorcycles"
Mat,

I think Curve used this word colloquially not literally. It may have made more sense to you if he used the word "few" years ago. I agree in general that the bikes have become very user friendly for the feeder series that is 250s. Which is very unlike the 500/990 eras. A former 250 rider can jump on a bike now 800cc, and be fairly competitive. They are familiar with the tracks and the system (circus) of MotoGP. As usual, Tom and a few others erroneously think that WSBK riders are second tier to MotoGP riders. And site a few examples here and there, but there are examples that go both ways. They are both distinct disciplines, however, MotoGP is become so narrow in focus, that the unusually thin and lightweight jockey-look-a-likes have all but eliminated real talent coming out from superbikes. One needs to purge like Toesland to have a chance to be competitive while the dwarfs of the sport weaned from 250s can enjoy weight parity. (Not their fault, but rather this is the result of design from a series that caters to its feeder series). It’s not by coincidence that “normal” fellows don’t compete in MotoGP but remain in superbikes.

Anyway, I’m aware this is way off topic.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Apr 3 2008, 08:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The relatively close racing doesn't make the riders any younger or better.
True, it doesn't make them younger, but it also does NOT make them worse.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Apr 3 2008, 02:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Mat,

I think Curve used this word colloquially not literally. It may have made more sense to you if he used the word "few" years ago. I agree in general that the bikes have become very user friendly for the feeder series that is 250s. Which is very unlike the 500/990 eras.
I'd say the 990s were starting down that path already, and in their last year were a fair bit tamer than they started at, which in turn was tamer than the old 500s. It's more of a continuum than 990=monster, 800=wee little baby. There's been a ton of ongoing development aimed at increased ridability and the transformation hasn't necessarily been overnight. We don't really have a ton of quality riders that were rookies in the 990s, so it's tough to gauge how many early-career struggles were just due to sucking overall. If you stick with the guys that started their GP career on the 990s and were successful enough to still be around, most of them had a first year in-line with what dovi/toseland are having thusfar in terms of championship position (or started with a .... ride).
Just stepping through the grid in order of current championship position:
Pedrosa: 5th
Stoner: 8th
Hayden: 5th
Edwards: 13th on the damn cube (5th next season on a honda)
Melandri: 15th on yamaha factory, but broke his leg in the first race.
de Puniet: 16th on a kawa
Vermin: 11th on a zook (right behind his teammate)
Elias: 12th
Bayliss was 6th his rookie year, as an addendum.

If you look at the guys who didn't start out high-midpack or better, you've got mediocrity and/or ...... rides. Sure, we have a lot of rookies doing well this year, but one outstanding performer and a couple of people performing like most of the guys who ended up being decent GP riders did over the course of their rookie season did doesn't make it a huge departure from the 990 era. Yeah, it's kind of weird how much success they're having RIGHT AWAY but not quite unprecedented.