How good is Ben Spies

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Jul 2 2009, 06:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>WTF is Biaggi doing in all your predictions? And Nakano
Aprilia is testing in Brno, not Imola. They will do well.

I only watch SB between the GP so I can't really comment, but he did ride really well last week end,



I always think of it as more of a retirement home for the GP guys!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnnyKnockdown @ Jul 1 2009, 09:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I agree with you.
I would love to see him stay in WSBK and flip the bird to the unwatchable, uncompetitive Euro jockey fest that has become MotoGP.
If he was to jump ship to MotoGP (which he will) and he was unable to win at that level than it only makes the MotoGp series less relevant.
If the best SBK rider to come along in some time was unable to win in MotoGP because the bike
was too small or his non 250 style rendered him incapable of competing amongs't those types of riders, than surely it shows that MGP has gone down a path that is no longer showcasing the best
rider talent in the world.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Jul 2 2009, 09:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>
rubish. you know this argument is ridiculous. rossi is an average size guy. as is colin edwards, sete gibernau& chris vermulen. hayden is not all that small & stoner & lorenzo are just a little skinnier than him. pedrosa & biaggi are the true midgets & how have they done? you actually think that if spies struggles that it means that the talent in gps is no longer the best? damn johnny pull yer head out man!


You both make good points. Frankly Frost & JohnnyK, I don't know what to think. I found myself agreeing with both of you.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bill88 @ Jul 1 2009, 07:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>oh, then i was wrong! he has to win almost every race from now on, in order to beat this! not impossible though! well if someone can do it, that's mr spies!

You avi is so distracting. Haha, ...., every time I read your posts I find myself checking out that chick. Can you post a larger pic please. I think I might recognize her.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Jul 2 2009, 07:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You avi is so distracting. Haha, ...., every time I read your posts I find myself checking out that chick. Can you post a larger pic please. I think I might recognize her.

hahhahah

she is patrizia ruiz.. and i'm absolutely in love with her!

she's valentino's umbrella girl in most of the spanish rounds..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bill88 @ Jul 2 2009, 12:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>hahhahah

she is patrizia ruiz.. and i'm absolutely in love with her!

she's valentino's umbrella girl in most of the spanish rounds..
Sweet. Yeah, I thought I recognized her. What a great ASSet to the team!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Jul 2 2009, 12:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>rubish. you know this argument is ridiculous. rossi is an average size guy. as is colin edwards, sete gibernau& chris vermulen. hayden is not all that small & stoner & lorenzo are just a little skinnier than him. pedrosa & biaggi are the true midgets & how have they done? you actually think that if spies struggles that it means that the talent in gps is no longer the best? damn johnny pull yer head out man!

No it's not. The talent in GP is the best 250 riders in the world. CE, Hayden, Vermeulen and
Toseland are obsolete in MGP. If Spies fails it just further proves that you have to be a 250
rider in order to be successfull.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnnyKnockdown @ Jul 2 2009, 08:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No it's not. The talent in GP is the best 250 riders in the world. CE, Hayden, Vermeulen and
Toseland are obsolete in MGP. If Spies fails it just further proves that you have to be a 250
rider in order to be successfull.

I think Ben realizes this. And, I think he is out to prove the theory wrong.

BTW...did anyone realize how much BIGGER he is when compared to the other podium finishers?? Or, are Haslam and Fabrizio just pedrosa-like midgets??

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tlrwinder @ Jul 3 2009, 01:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think Ben realizes this. And, I think he is out to prove the theory wrong.

BTW...did anyone realize how much BIGGER he is when compared to the other podium finishers?? Or, are Haslam and Fabrizio just pedrosa-like midgets??
Haslam is tiny, fabrizio isnt big either.

I think we are all forgetting Troy Bayliss people!!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnnyKnockdown @ Jul 3 2009, 01:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No it's not. The talent in GP is the best 250 riders in the world. CE, Hayden, Vermeulen and
Toseland are obsolete in MGP. If Spies fails it just further proves that you have to be a 250
rider in order to be successfull.

It'll simply show that grand prix riders are generally better than world superbike riders (as has been the case since world superbikes began).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rickyduck @ Jul 3 2009, 09:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think we are all forgetting Troy Bayliss people!!!

How is he relevant? He hasn't raced against spies. Was he particularly big?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Jul 3 2009, 10:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It'll simply show that grand prix riders are generally better than world superbike riders (as has been the case since world superbikes began).


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Jul 3 2009, 10:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>How is he relevant? He hasn't raced against spies. Was he particularly big?


Try double quoting, all you have to do is press two buttons instead of increasing serverload.

Everyones saying SBK racers cant succeed in MotoGP, however Valencia 06 he won his wildcard.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rickyduck @ Jul 3 2009, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Try double quoting, all you have to do is press two buttons instead of increasing serverload.

Everyones saying SBK racers cant succeed in MotoGP, however Valencia 06 he won his wildcard.

Thats one race. It was impressive, but Vermuellen has won one too, as have a few others. Troy's motogp career was about usual for a world superbike rider...average

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Jul 3 2009, 10:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Thats one race. It was impressive, but Vermuellen has won one too, as have a few others. Troy's motogp career was about usual for a world superbike rider...average
Haha.
Some people...
Well then your a formula 1 fan.
Maybe Hamiltons career was [is] average. Maybe Schumacers career was average,

\No - theres two types of world class riders - the GOOD, and the BRILLIANT.

If they were neither, they wouldnt be world class.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rickyduck @ Jul 3 2009, 10:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Haha.
Some people...
Well then your a formula 1 fan.
Maybe Hamiltons career was [is] average. Maybe Schumacers career was average,

\No - theres two types of world class riders - the GOOD, and the BRILLIANT.

If they were neither, they wouldnt be world class.

What have Hamilton or Schuey got to do with this? I didn't say Troy Bayliss was an average rider, in the context of motorcycle racing he is an excellent rider, a champion and a legend. He was little more than average in motogp though. Thats nothing to be ashamed of

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Jul 3 2009, 10:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What have Hamilton or Schuey got to do with this? I didn't say Troy Bayliss was an average rider, in the context of motorcycle racing he is an excellent rider, a champion and a legend. He was little more than average in motogp though. Thats nothing to be ashamed of
Sorry Tom, misread that post.

I thought you said his SBK career was average,

God I'm a .... sometimes

We dont get much coverage of the AMA's over in the UK, so I wasnt really clued up about Spies. Id seen him ride the Suzuki at Donington GP but nothing more. When I heard he was coming to SBK I didnt know what to expect.
Im now definately a fan. That boy can ride !!
What I really like about him is the fact he's never big-headed about anything. He's got no attitude at all. That guy is so laid back he's almost asleep. Great racer.
With no prior knowelge of him, Is it a case of him just being the perfect match to the bike and tyres, like Stoner on the Desmo?, or was he just as dominant when he rode in the AMA?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SprogTheDog @ Jul 3 2009, 07:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>We dont get much coverage of the AMA's over in the UK, so I wasnt really clued up about Spies. Id seen him ride the Suzuki at Donington GP but nothing more. When I heard he was coming to SBK I didnt know what to expect.
Im now definately a fan. That boy can ride !!
What I really like about him is the fact he's never big-headed about anything. He's got no attitude at all. That guy is so laid back he's almost asleep. Great racer.
With no prior knowelge of him, Is it a case of him just being the perfect match to the bike and tyres, like Stoner on the Desmo?, or was he just as dominant when he rode in the AMA?

3 time Champ in AMA... the place where the "slow" guys are

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SprogTheDog @ Jul 3 2009, 08:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>We dont get much coverage of the AMA's over in the UK, so I wasnt really clued up about Spies. Id seen him ride the Suzuki at Donington GP but nothing more. When I heard he was coming to SBK I didnt know what to expect.
Im now definately a fan. That boy can ride !!
What I really like about him is the fact he's never big-headed about anything. He's got no attitude at all. That guy is so laid back he's almost asleep. Great racer.
With no prior knowelge of him, Is it a case of him just being the perfect match to the bike and tyres, like Stoner on the Desmo?, or was he just as dominant when he rode in the AMA?

He won 3 straight AMA Superbike titles against one of the top Superbike riders whos has ever slung a leg across one. BUT, he did not dominate Mladin, he just beat him when he had to. As a matter of fact, in that 3 year time frame, Mladin won more races than Ben did, which to me is a testement to just how good Mladin really is, considering what Spies is doing to the top world talent.As far as it being a perfect match, he seems to be a match to anything he gets on. Im not convinced he would be great on a GP bike,no one from WSBK ever has done much.The styles to ride each machine are night and day and when you cut your teeth muscling a Superbike around,its damn hard to switch to a totally different style of riding and a totally different type of bike. You dont just pin a Superbike coming out of a corner like you do the current GP machine, the Superbike guys that rode wildcard GP races last year said it was very hard to mentally make yourself do that when you have ridden a bike that will spit you into the front row of the grandstands if you apply to much throttle. Another factor you cant ignore is Rossi himself. When you start comparing rider success against the best that ever rode,quite a few dont stack up. I tell you what would be just the ..... At the end of each perspective series season, have an All Star Shootout. Take the top five in points, from WSBK and GP. Run 4 races on 4 different track, 2 that GP visits and WSBK doesnt and vice versa. In 2 of the races run GP bikes, in the other 2,run Superbikes. I would pay huge money to see that on pay per view.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bootsakah @ Jun 30 2009, 05:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It's contract time, if not already past it for some, and I am really curious where Spies will be next year. Another year of WSBK (with a chance to win if he doesn't this year, or double championships?) or off to MotoGP on a undetermined ride?

You reminded me of a niggling thought that's been at the back of my mind for
weeks now. At contract time - should Spies be offered a ride in Moto GP -
would he in fact have to be on a satellite team as some have mentioned.
Since he's already ridden two GPs on factory bikes - legal contract-wise
it could be argued that his eligibility to be on a full factory effort - might
be "grandfathered" into the legal equation.