Hodgie back on a bike....

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>Hodgson back in MotoGP action with Ducati

By Toby Moody Friday, April 27th 2007, 10:48 GMT

Neil Hodgson has returned to MotoGP action by completing a two-day test at Oschersleben in Germany this week, autosport.com can reveal.

The Briton rode a 2007 specification Ducati as he stands in for the injured Shinichi Itoh, the regular Bridgestone test rider who has broken his hip.

Hodgson has not ridden MotoGP machinery since his 2004 campaign with the Pramac D'Antin team, and said he was amazed at the new 800cc prototypes.

"What an easy bike to ride - I'm not joking," Hodgson told autosport.com. "You know when journalists jumped on a 990cc bike, they said that it was actually easy. Well, the 800 seems even easier. The power is more tame all the way through.

"There is a 10,000-rev window of torque from 10 odd to 19 odd thousand revs. On a 500cc bike there was a 2,000rpm window. Because of the electronics now in MotoGP, the power is tamed in first and second gear though."

Hodgson has almost missed a generation of electronics on motorcycles, as the developments in MotoGP are further ahead of the AMA Superbike he rode last year in America.

"Its (800cc electronics) are so good that it's so bad - because it's definitely easier (for the rider). I think it could eventually spoil racing just like it has in F1.

"During the first few laps I just smiled: it's the best bike I've ever ridden."

Hodgson, who tested on Wednesday and Thursday, said that his ride has confirmed how corner speed is vital and that a front end 250 riding style can really be the key to winning races.

"It's (the 800cc formula) designed for 250 riders to come over. What I learned is that you've just got to be confident on the front end. If you can brake really late and carry corner speed you can win a MotoGP."

Team Boss of Ducati MotoGP, Livio Suppo, said that Hodgson will be testing during May at the team's official nominated testing circuit for the summer, Mugello.

As yet there are no plans for Hodgson to ride as a wildcard at the British Grand Prix in June, a plan that would excite Hodgson and further increase attention for the sport in the UK.

Teams are allowed to nominate two test circuits for the winter and summer, Jerez being Ducati's winter preference.

It is against the rules now for a MotoGP bike to test at any MotoGP circuit apart from the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after a MotoGP race, or the aforementioned official test circuit of a team. Oschersleben satisfies the MotoGP rules as the championship does not race there.

These rules have been introduced as a cost and sporting measure after a Yamaha M1 ridden by Jurgen Van Den Goorbergh last year tested at some circuits where Michelin had tyre worries, sometimes testing only a matter of days before the Grand Prix arrived in town.

so there you have it - Neil says.........

"It's (the 800cc formula) designed for 250 riders to come over. What I learned is that you've just got to be confident on the front end. If you can brake really late and carry corner speed you can win a MotoGP."

simple as that

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (baldylocks @ Apr 27 2007, 01:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>so there you have it - Neil says.........

"It's (the 800cc formula) designed for 250 riders to come over. What I learned is that you've just got to be confident on the front end. If you can brake really late and carry corner speed you can win a MotoGP."

simple as that

Interesting to hear how far the electronics have come. Wonder when the regulations arrive.

think neil will really complement ducati and talk up there bike cos he wants a motogp ride on a good bike.

yeah he needs outa the .... house!

would be nice to have toseland & hodge in moto gp next year

What an arrogant prick .. Oh, its EASY to win in MotoGP and this bike is SO easy to ride, id love to see him have a go in a race and see him humiliate himself.. What a crock.. He needs to just realise he's never going to have a competetive ride again.. If Bayliss struggled in GP then Hodgson has ABSOLUTELY zero chance of any success.. Go with Toseland, at least he has some time to improve.. Neills a lost cause..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (antfan @ May 1 2007, 10:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What an arrogant prick .. Oh, its EASY to win in MotoGP and this bike is SO easy to ride, id love to see him have a go in a race and see him humiliate himself.. What a crock.. He needs to just realise he's never going to have a competetive ride again.. If Bayliss struggled in GP then Hodgson has ABSOLUTELY zero chance of any success.. Go with Toseland, at least he has some time to improve.. Neills a lost cause..


I agree. Hodgson always bugs the .... out of me. He complained that Bayliss didnt want him as a team mate this year, now MotoGP is a piece of piss. Hope Nicky Hayden doesnt read this, once he finds out the class is designed for 250 riders hes screwed.

Hodgson makes me laugh, hes such an ......

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (antfan @ May 1 2007, 10:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What an arrogant prick .. Oh, its EASY to win in MotoGP and this bike is SO easy to ride, id love to see him have a go in a race and see him humiliate himself.. What a crock.. He needs to just realise he's never going to have a competetive ride again.. If Bayliss struggled in GP then Hodgson has ABSOLUTELY zero chance of any success.. Go with Toseland, at least he has some time to improve.. Neills a lost cause..

What he said... except more politely.

Oh piss off Hodgson, go amd do Rossi's, Soner's and Pedrosa's times, then tell us it's easy. ........ WSB was easy when he had the best bike in the paddock by a mile, all he's done is traded on that 'easy' title ever since. He only bagged his BSB title because Walker's Suzuki .... itself.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ May 1 2007, 09:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Oh piss off Hodgson, go amd do Rossi's, Soner's and Pedrosa's times, then tell us it's easy. ........ WSB was easy when he had the best bike in the paddock by a mile, all he's done is traded on that 'easy' title ever since. He only bagged his BSB title because Walker's Suzuki .... itself.

Although i agree that Hodgson is an ....., and is full of .... (easy to win motogp??) i disagree that the world superbike championship was easy. It may have been a dull year, but Niel rode like a champion almost faultlessly and deserved the trophy he got for it. And i think that his BSB title was actually even more impressive, he was the strongest almost all year and rode better than Stalker.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 1 2007, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Although i agree that Hodgson is an ....., and is full of .... (easy to win motogp??) i disagree that the world superbike championship was easy.
he only won that championship because edwards defected to motogp.
i like hodgson but i feel sorry for him,he is like biaggi,second best if he's lucky.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 1 2007, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Although i agree that Hodgson is an ....., and is full of .... (easy to win motogp??) i disagree that the world superbike championship was easy. It may have been a dull year, but Niel rode like a champion almost faultlessly and deserved the trophy he got for it.He won it but against who? and what where they on? He had that title handed to him on a plate, the Ducati was so good compared to everything else.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 1 2007, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>And i think that his BSB title was actually even more impressive, he was the strongest almost all year and rode better than Stalker.More impressive for sure but Walker was cheated. that whole season was about those two guys so to have the title decided by an engine failure is crap, especially if youre chris walker.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ May 1 2007, 09:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>he only won that championship because edwards defected to motogp.
i like hodgson but i feel sorry for him,he is like biaggi,second best if he's lucky.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ May 1 2007, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He won it but against who? and what where they on? He had that title handed to him on a plate, the Ducati was so good compared to everything else.

Well it may not have been the best grid seen in the series history (perhaps the worst), but he still rode better than any other rider and proved himself both worthy of his factory seat and worthy of being the best superbike rider in the world. I don't think he was as good as Edwards and Bayliss at that time but they weren't there so thats a waste of time. The circumstances were right for Hodgson in 03, and he capitalized on it, and a world championship is not an easy thing to get.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ May 1 2007, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>More impressive for sure but Walker was cheated. that whole season was about those two guys so to have the title decided by an engine failure is crap, especially if youre chris walker.

It was a shame for the title to be decided in those circumstances, but those two guys were on fire that year and when all was said and done Hodgson had more points. Walker and Hodgson were almost inseparable on performance that year, and for either to win would have been a well deserved title, and Niel pulled it off.

Wow, why is everyone taking a pop at Neil? Yeah he whines, but he makes some valid points.

He is better than any of us here will ever be and if he thinks they are easier to ride than the 990's (which he has ridden), then his opinion is valid.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phleg @ May 1 2007, 08:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He is better than any of us here will ever be and if he thinks they are easier to ride than the 990's (which he has ridden), then his opinion is valid.
i think he sounds a bit over confident & it comes off sounding like he can come here to gps & kick ... & take names with ease. which i seriously doubt he could.

I can see that, but it all depends on how you look at his comments.

Some of you see the whiny, arrogant ..... saying he's the best.

Personally, I see a rider who hasn't ridden anything in anger for ages, and he's had fun, and is telling them how it is.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 1 2007, 02:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well it may not have been the best grid seen in the series history (perhaps the worst), but he still rode better than any other rider and proved himself both worthy of his factory seat and worthy of being the best superbike rider in the world. I don't think he was as good as Edwards and Bayliss at that time but they weren't there so thats a waste of time. The circumstances were right for Hodgson in 03, and he capitalized on it, and a world championship is not an easy thing to get.I'll give you that Tom


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 1 2007, 02:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It was a shame for the title to be decided in those circumstances, but those two guys were on fire that year and when all was said and done Hodgson had more points. Walker and Hodgson were almost inseparable on performance that year, and for either to win would have been a well deserved title, and Niel pulled it off.Only becuase walkers gixxer .... itself, I have to say IMO he was robbed.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ May 1 2007, 05:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Only becuase walkers gixxer .... itself, I have to say IMO he was robbed.

Both riders had both bad and good luck hit them at some point in the year, walker got some tough luck right at the end, but these things happen.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (baldylocks @ Apr 27 2007, 06:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>so there you have it - Neil says.........

"It's (the 800cc formula) designed for 250 riders to come over. What I learned is that you've just got to be confident on the front end. If you can brake really late and carry corner speed you can win a MotoGP."

simple as that

I´m with you on this Locks… ‘Simple as that’… “If you can brake really late and carry corner speed you can win a MotoGP”… that’s what makes him look as a moron arrogant for me (besides a lot of his older comments), but this time is like if he knew and could certainly!