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is hayden the best paid test-rider ever?

M

mse

Joined Jul 2007
146 Posts | 0+
Bavaria - Germany
isn´t Hayden´s slump on the old Honda not the best what could happen for Pedrosa and Honda at all?

Nicky decided to use the new pneumatic enigne, because he knewed it cant get more worse.
Now he is riding the not ready developed engine under real racing conditions.
He took the risk, and paid with running out of fuel in Assen.

This all bring Honda a lot of information for the future, and Pedrosa can use the "safe" bike and can ride for the title.
Hayden on his hand develop the new engine, and may get a kick in his ... end of the season!
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlexdeAngelis-Fan @ Jul 18 2008, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>isn´t Hayden´s slump on the old Honda not the best what could happen for Pedrosa and Honda at all?

Nicky decided to use the new pneumatic enigne, because he knewed it cant get more worse.
Now he is riding the not ready developed engine under real racing conditions.
He took the risk, and paid with running out of fuel in Assen.

This all bring Honda a lot of information for the future, and Pedrosa can use the "safe" bike and can ride for the title.
Hayden on his hand develop the new engine, and may get a kick in his ... end of the season!

Though this seems to be blatantly true. u are going to invoke a lot of wrath from hayden fans.

Only good thing for him is that he can have a bike that he likes to drive rather than a bike forced on him!!! (my take)
 
I am a Hayden fan and I totally agree with the post above.
Kid is in a catch-22 situation. The old bike sucks, the new sucks too, but at least decides to suck while going really fast.
Dani and Dovi are going to get themselves good bikes next year.

No idea where I read it, but somebody pointed out that Honda managed to break just about every rule in the FOM handbook by having a new bike tested on race tracks in race circumstances
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Although what Nicky is doing may work out very well for HRC (although not as desirable as 2 competative riders) in terms of testing data, I very much doubt testing was one of Hayden's motives for the switch. His results have been much better at Assen and Donington and more importantly a bike he is more comfortable on gives him a better chance to display his skills to potential employers.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Jul 18 2008, 11:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Although what Nicky is doing may work out very well for HRC (although not as desirable as 2 competative riders) in terms of testing data, I very much doubt testing was one of Hayden's motives for the switch. His results have been much better at Assen and Donington and more importantly a bike he is more comfortable on gives him a better chance to display his skills to potential employers.

sure, testing wasn´t his motive to switch the bike, it was more desperation.
and btw. Nicky is my 2nd fav. rider, and i feel kind of sorry for him.

but highly admire him for his great work and motivation to not give up with Honda.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlexdeAngelis-Fan @ Jul 18 2008, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>sure, testing wasn´t his motive to switch the bike, it was more desperation.
and btw. Nicky is my 2nd fav. rider, and i feel kind of sorry for him.

but highly admire him for his great work and motivation to not give up with Honda.

I like Nicky too, he comes across as a decent guy and he definitely works hard. I don't like to see riders fall so rapidly from the top of their game but the sport moves quickly. We can only hope that he could return to the top as quickly as he dropped from it.
 
When you think of all the testing that Marco and Sete are doing for Nicki's ride next year it may even itself out.

He'll still be second fiddle but on a bike that has most of the bugs ironed out, and a bike that suits his dirt sliding style.

Pending of course a decision on the shift to Ducati....
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Andy Roo @ Jul 18 2008, 12:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>When you think of all the testing that Marco and Sete are doing for Nicki's ride next year it may even itself out.

He'll still be second fiddle but on a bike that has most of the bugs ironed out, and a bike that suits his dirt sliding style.

Pending of course a decision on the shift to Ducati....
Like the avatar.
 
He had absolutley nothing to lose, so why not.Even running out of gas he had his best run of the year so you could say it has paid dividends.Unlike when he was testing for Pedrosa in 06 and still somehow brought home the title.Know that Colin has resigned,we will have to wait and see if the terms leak out before we can determine who is the highest paid test rider.
 
It was his decision to use it...he insisted on using it and pushed for it. The additional data they'll get while he uses it is a benefit to HRC. But he benefits somewhat too. Now that he has it the spectra looming in his mind of "what if" is now real. Now he has it and he sees that it may or may not be the answer to his problem(s), it's up to him to improve his riding and/or adapt.

It's already been stated that the 800cc bike was built for Dani, we already see that he's most likely the number 2 rider on that team and his '06 championship really didn't seem to mean much as far as his value to HRC goes (which may be debatable as there's no fact on this, just majority consensus)...beating a dead horse here really

All thats left to see now is what he does with his future in motogp. Stay with HRC, satellite Honda or Ducati?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Jul 18 2008, 10:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He's not the most overpaid test rider.

He's the most underpaid world champ from a key market.
The market you are talking about is becoming less and less "key" every year.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Jul 18 2008, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The market you are talking about is becoming less and less "key" every year.
How so? I mean I don't have any figures but from what I've seen and read, the sportbike population in the US is growing leaps and bounds.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Jul 18 2008, 09:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>How so? I mean I don't have any figures but from what I've seen and read, the sportbike population in the US is growing leaps and bounds.

With the gas prices lately, motorcycles have been getting more mainstream attention lately her in the US...and it's not the bad kind. So I can see this happening if it's not already.

I've been reading articles about how the motorcycle industry in the US is already over the sales numbers they did last year. Scooter sales are up 20%.

DMG's takeover of AMA (hopefully more racing exposure). CBS and NBC airing motogp this year.

Lot's of factors are gonna contribute to a motorcycle ownership increase and you don't have to ride a sportbike to be a racefan.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Jul 19 2008, 01:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>How so? I mean I don't have any figures but from what I've seen and read, the sportbike population in the US is growing leaps and bounds.
It's growing in leaps and bounds from what? From last year's figures? What are last year's figures?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Jul 18 2008, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The market you are talking about is becoming less and less "key" every year.
I have to agree with Austin on this one man, the US market is pretty much untapped in terms of professional motorcycling audiences. I'm not going to throw a powerpoint presentation together for ya, but its pretty clear Dorna wants to grow the market here.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kawzx7R @ Jul 18 2008, 10:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>With the gas prices lately, motorcycles have been getting more mainstream attention lately her in the US...and it's not the bad kind. So I can see this happening if it's not already.
I can personally attest to this. $4.01 per gallon up here.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kawzx7R @ Jul 18 2008, 07:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>With the gas prices lately, motorcycles have been getting more mainstream attention lately her in the US...and it's not the bad kind. So I can see this happening if it's not already.

I've been reading articles about how the motorcycle industry in the US is already over the sales numbers they did last year. Scooter sales are up 20%.

DMG's takeover of AMA (hopefully more racing exposure). CBS and NBC airing motogp this year.

Lot's of factors are gonna contribute to a motorcycle ownership increase and you don't have to ride a sportbike to be a racefan.

Errrrmm, Scooter sales are up %200 in the US but that isn't selling in MOTOGP.

Doohan, you would have to be a fool to not see the recent market and potential in growth over here. Especially now that gas prices are forcing people to look to other trasportation modes.

Edit: Oh, to answer the question, NO. Hopkins is the best payed test rider, we all knew this anyway.
<
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Jul 18 2008, 09:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It's growing in leaps and bounds from what? From last year's figures? What are last year's figures?
The best article I could find was from 2005. In 2005, 1,088,994 motorcycles were sold in the US, up 4.5 percent from 2004. Can't find much more recent information.

Story here.

There's also a story from USA Today that claims sales in 2004 were more than one million, up 4.7 percent from 2003. Read it here.
 

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