MARCO MELANDRI

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (antfan @ Jun 13 2007, 09:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Yep.. And when u thnk about it, 600 WSS bikes are probably more similar to the new 800's than WSBK bikes.. Sofuoglu is younger and keep in mind, its purely a speculated rumour.. Eurosport posted 'possible/likely lineups' for 2008.. But it wouldnt be unfounded..

makes sense, but it too early for this kind of talk.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Jun 13 2007, 03:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>There are actually a few reasons. First, the US is their biggest market, one of the reasons why they maintained such a close relationship with Ben Bostrom despite his (it hurts me to say it) mediocre results. Popular American riders sell bikes in the US. Secondly, with the season Hayden is having, he will come on the cheap. Thirdly, there isn't the risk of him slagging off the Ducati as Melandri has historically done. Finally, he has the pace to run up front. He's shown it in the past and with the Ducati suiting a more 'point-and-shoot' style than any other 800, it might be the right combination.

It worked for Stoner, why couldn't it work for Hayden. I mean things cant get much worse than they are now, gettoing blown off the back of his bike because the faring was designed for a midget.

From a highly technical point of view, that Ducati is a man's bike, it takes a man to ride it properly, and with his motogp championship being preceeded by a AMA championship, not a 250 GP championship, Hayden is fully qualified in maniliness. I can see it working for him. He might even fit his almost-human sized body behind the faring.

Only problem would be that Repsol Honda wouldn't be cool if Hayden left

Neither. I think he will also partner Stoner at Ducati next season, that will make for a fantastic battle.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThePhorest @ Jun 13 2007, 06:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I can see the Nicky at Ducati part, but the Melandri at Repsol part is what gets me. Why would Honda reward him with a factory seat after he's been talking smack about them publicly, and repeatedly?

BTW, where did you pick up the Nicky-Ducati factory rumor? Sounds cool...I wonder if he got a 1098 or what.
Who else would they give the ride to? Dovi? I get the feeling HRC are tired of grooming riders with the Repsol seats (Hayden in 2003, 2004 and most of 2005 then Pedrosa in 2006) and are ready to have the team slotted with proven winners and championship contending riders. I don't see any potential moves from other factories unless they make a bid for Vermeulen or Hopkins and as I said, I don't think they want to put Dovi in the factory squad just yet.

It was in a usenet forum, I would assume picked up from a Spanish/Italian tabloid as most of these sort of stories are.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TP70 @ Jun 13 2007, 01:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Honda are at the mercy of Repsol in many respects and a non-repsol Honda will never win a championship. You have more chance of winning the MotoGP Championship on a Kawasaki then any Honda other than Dani's

Well I guess 2001 is an exception because West Honda Pons won the Teams’ Title over Marlboro Yamaha Team, Nastro Azzurro Honda (in which Rossi won the Riders Championship with this satellite team and not Repsol), and in 4th place was Repsol YPF Honda Team. Although Criville and Ukawa may have had something to do with it, or Barros and Capirossi having Oficial treatment in West Honda Pons I don’t know.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (richo @ Jun 13 2007, 03:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Only problem would be that Repsol Honda wouldn't be cool if Hayden left

They’ll have lots of smiles! Sorry, not really, in fact non from Pedrobot!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Louise @ Jun 12 2007, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm not sure about this one.
Lets see:

<strike>Pramac D'Antin Ducati</strike>. He's more than capable of getting a better ride.
<strike>Fiat Yamaha</strike>. Well, Rossi there and talks of Lorenzo moving to that team..
<strike>Tech 3 Yamaha</strike>. He can get something faster for sure.
<strike>Repsol Honda</strike>. I think they'll keep Dani, but I'm not sure about Nicky since this season's not going well. Maybe he woud move, but the discussion about him wanting to move away from Honda indicates that it's unlikely that he would go there.
<strike>Team Roberts, LCR Honda and Konica Minolta</strike>. He can get faster rides and Team Roberts has the Roberts in it..

That leaves Rizla Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati. I don't think that he would do well on a Kawasaki. Take Nakano as an example, he didn't really do well on that bike otherwise he wouldn't have moved. The Kawasaki's are rarely in the top 10, which could just be down to the riders.
Rizla Suzuki: a good chance that he would go there, but I have a feeling that they would want to keep Chris and John because they're both doing well.
Ducati: maybe Melandri could replace Capirossi. Loris did say in an interview that he would like stop MotoGP and be with his family, but not yet. Maybe Ducati would sign a deal with someone else because Loris isn't riding as well as he has been for the last couple of years and they need someone who isn't worrying about their family at home. I'm not saying that's all Capirossi thinks about, it's just that since his wife had their baby, he hasn't been the same. And he even admitted this.
So therefore, I think he would go to Ducati.
interesting post lou
i think capi would retire rather than go to a non factory of un-competitive ride, i feel its ducati or nothing.
i disagree what you say about nakano, i think he rode the wheels off the 990 kwak but has just not got to grips in his new team.
as for marco. anything less than marlbro ducati or repsol honda will be a bad career move imo.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (raven46 @ Jun 12 2007, 08:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>everybody knows he is only world champ by pure luck and chance
oh please..... pull yer head out...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skidmark @ Jun 7 2007, 09:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Ok, you're absolutely right. I owe frosty a buck then

What is a life without possibilities?


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Richo33 @ Jun 12 2007, 12:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think that season would have been very different if Gibernau didnt take out quite a few people at Catalunya.
IFFFFFFSSSSS DON'T COUNT!!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (raven46 @ Jun 12 2007, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i would like to see that happen
me too!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (antfan @ Jun 13 2007, 03:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Ive even heard Sofuoglu's name thrown around..
very doubtful... he's a long way away from being ready for gps.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Jun 22 2007, 03:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>oh please..... pull yer head out...

IFFFFFFSSSSS DON'T COUNT!!!
me too!
very doubtful... he's a long way away from being ready for gps.

I don't know about that. He's leading by a mile, even after his crash in England, and he's probably the one who could fight with West in the dry, and where is West now?
Another thing that will play an important role from now on is his nationality. While that could have been againsthim in the past, at the level he is at now it is a pluss. Dorna and Flamini both want to add new nationalities as top contenders to the list.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Jun 20 2007, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i think capi would retire rather than go to a non factory of un-competitive ride, i feel its ducati or nothing.

I'm not so sure, i think in the next two years a big name rider will take a risk and ride go to Kawasaki, when they do i think it'll pay off and they'll win races on it, then suddenly people will think veyr differently about the green machines.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Jun 22 2007, 11:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm not so sure, i think in the next two years a big name rider will take a risk and ride go to Kawasaki, when they do i think it'll pay off and they'll win races on it, then suddenly people will think veyr differently about the green machines.
i very much hope your right tom,
rossi earned massive respect from me when he went to yam despite every one saying the bike was crap, it would be great to see a top draw rider do the same for kwak,but it's a massive gamble.

Melandri has opened his mouth again in regards to his Honda and the lack of support in comparison to Dani.

"Since I first rode the 800 I've asked for many things to be changed, but they are working too much with Dani. They have no time. They have to win one race with Dani first, then maybe they can work with us," Melandri told Crash.net.

Full story on crash.net

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Jun 22 2007, 04:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He's leading by a mile, even after his crash in England
his nationality is a plus i'll give u that. but his level..... no way. west kicked his ... proper, with little time on the machine, in the wet & dry & west, at the moment & probably because his equipment is sub par, is an upper mid packer in the 250s. let this guy (sofuoglu) go to sbk & prove himself 1st then maybe i could believe.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Jun 22 2007, 05:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>then suddenly people will think veyr differently about the green machines.
maybe west will shed some light on the green beast...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Jun 22 2007, 05:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>rossi earned massive respect from me when he went to yam despite every one saying the bike was crap
oh rog rossi had ur massive respect regaurdless.... please....

If hes beat Nicky at nearly all if not all the races so far this season i cannot see why Honda are not giving him their best bits. Lets face it even their new things are nothing special but still...

I would like to see Marco get that new exhaust system.