Mick Doohan to sample current-spec MotoGP Honda

http://www.speedcafe...c-motogp-honda/



Australia’s five-time 500cc World Champion Mick Doohan will sample a current specification MotoGP bike next month during the Air Asia Australian Grand Prix weekend.

Doohan has accepted an invitation from the factory Repsol Honda squad to complete demonstration laps of the Phillip Island circuit on one of its RC213Vs.

The now 47-year-old enjoyed all 137 of his premier class starts on Honda machinery, winning 54 Grands Prix and five consecutive titles (1994-1998).

Doohan believes that this year’s AGP will be well attended with Australia’s modern day star, Casey Stoner, hoping to return from injury for the event before retiring at the end of the season.

“The last time I rode a Grand Prix bike at all was in the mid-2000s in Japan so it’s been a long while, and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Doohan of his impending demonstration run.

“The fans and the riders always enjoy getting down to the Island, so hopefully this year with Casey’s retirement announcement, it’s going to be a big event.

“It’ll be good to play a little part in that, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone down there.”

The 2012 Air Asia Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is set to take place on the October 26-28 weekend, and serves as the penultimate round of the MotoGP World Championship.

Mick wasn't much of a showman, but a true ambassador for the sport, I think. For example, I heard him talk about Stoner a few times. Before Stoner's retirement announcement, Doohan was saying that Stoner was gonna beat his records - and he actually sounded pleased about it. After the retirement announcement, Doohan was clearly disappointed - I get the feeling Doohan loves bike racing so much that he doesn't care if people pass his records. I miss the guy.

mad mick said:

Mick wasn't much of a showman, but a true ambassador for the sport, I think. For example, I heard him talk about Stoner a few times. Before Stoner's retirement announcement, Doohan was saying that Stoner was gonna beat his records - and he actually sounded pleased about it. After the retirement announcement, Doohan was clearly disappointed - I get the feeling Doohan loves bike racing so much that he doesn't care if people pass his records. I miss the guy.

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He was a moanin grumpy bugger with the strangest way of sitting on a bike due to his injuries and wasn't much of a character.



He is also one of my favourite bike racers of all time. A proper gritty hardy ....... who could dish it out and take it back. He could even handle his milk.



I was so dissapointed we never saw Mick vs Vale on NSR 500s.



Legend

basspete said:

I was so dissapointed we never saw Mick vs Vale on NSR 500s.



Legend

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+1



loved his riding style though....even as a kid i just knew it was special that you can throw a bike in so hard.

its because of him that i can't keep my butt on my seat when i ride

A hard ..., but it just makes you respect him that much more. Reminds me of my father I guess

basspete said:

I was so dissapointed we never saw Mick vs Vale on NSR 500s.



Legend

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Somewhat of a moot point but and interesting thought hypothetically. If Doohan hadn't have retired then he would have retained his crew. I don't think the satellite squad would have been nearly so successful for Valentino without this nor do I think the parts/improvements from HRC would have been so forthcoming. Mick would have had substantial comparative advantage.



Or with no full factory opening at HRC or Yamaha, Valentino would have ousted Loris at Honda Pons or OJ at Tech 3 and failing to live up to his own hubristic hype by 2007 would've have found himself as a delivery rider for a San Marino pizza firm with Manuel Poggiali for company at night and noone to keep him company during the day other than an ailing incontinent Guido to salivate into his glass of Nastro Azzuro. Saurday Night specials would be a distant memory, bar occasional clandestine visits from a cross dressing crack cocaine fuelled call girl originally known as Uccio Salucci.

gold



seriously, i would expect he would have done just fine on a satellite bike and called into the repsol team in 2002 for the 4 stroke era. doohan would not have raced into the mid 2000s anyways i guess.

or would biaggi have been the one to land the repsol ride and rossi in the factory yam team?

that would have been really interesting to see. i rate rossi a fair bit above biaggi , but in that scenario i can very well imagine max beating him and rossis career to have taken a very different route

.... Mick. He injured two of my fave riders back in the day. Lawson at Suzuka and Schwantz at Donni.. Prick.

Arrabbiata1 said:

Somewhat of a moot point but and interesting thought hypothetically. If Doohan hadn't have retired then he would have retained his crew. I don't think the satellite squad would have been nearly so successful for Valentino without this nor do I think the parts/improvements from HRC would have been so forthcoming. Mick would have had substantial comparative advantage.



Or with no full factory opening at HRC or Yamaha, Valentino would have ousted Loris at Honda Pons or OJ at Tech 3 and failing to live up to his own hubristic hype by 2007 would've have found himself as a delivery rider for a San Marino pizza firm with Manuel Poggiali for company at night and noone to keep him company during the day other than an ailing incontinent Guido to salivate into his glass of Nastro Azzuro. Saurday Night specials would be a distant memory, bar occasional clandestine visits from a cross dressing crack cocaine fuelled call girl originally known as Uccio Salucci.

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Absolute gold.........

Arrab, you're a funny ...... !!!

cliché guevara said:

gold



seriously, i would expect he would have done just fine on a satellite bike and called into the repsol team in 2002 for the 4 stroke era. doohan would not have raced into the mid 2000s anyways i guess.

or would biaggi have been the one to land the repsol ride and rossi in the factory yam team?

that would have been really interesting to see. i rate rossi a fair bit above biaggi , but in that scenario i can very well imagine max beating him and rossis career to have taken a very different route

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.... Biaggi, Doohan's ride coulda woulda shoulda gone to Gary McCoy. Imagine the sultan of slide on a factory Honda, woulda coulda shoulda become the next goat.

cliché guevara said:

gold



seriously, i would expect he would have done just fine on a satellite bike and called into the repsol team in 2002 for the 4 stroke era. doohan would not have raced into the mid 2000s anyways i guess.

or would biaggi have been the one to land the repsol ride and rossi in the factory yam team?

that would have been really interesting to see. i rate rossi a fair bit above biaggi , but in that scenario i can very well imagine max beating him and rossis career to have taken a very different route

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Exactly, mick himself has said the trick of staying at the pinnacle of the sport for over a decade is a difficult one, and apart from anything else he was never going to go on forever with his pre-existing injuries regardless of the injury in 1999. Rossi is just plain better than max, and would have found his way to the top via a real satellite bike if he had to, or won more 250 championships and come to the premier class a year or two later as you imply.How motogp history might have changed is that criville and/or his crew wouldn't have been given the opportunity to develop the factory honda backwards.

Awesome news. I'll be there to see it. Hopefully he pushes a little...

for sure he was one of the best riders out there,winning multiple championships in spite of his injuries,but i dont think honda had much of a technological development during his time,as he was reluctant to try new innovations to his bike such as electronic shifting.i had read somewhere that HRC guys were frustrated with his this aspect as his bike was more or less the same during 94-98.It was after rossi arrived that they were able to develop the electronics and try new innovations.

I read somewhere that Swantz called him "that ....... tool bag Doohan" interesting.

thedeal said:

I read somewhere that Swantz called him "that ....... tool bag Doohan" interesting.

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Winners are grinners (EDIT actually not much in it, 2 titles to 1, 26 races to 23, 4 seasons to 3 in mutual competition in the premier class).

Mighty Mick's little set-to in a strip club a few years ago proves that he is anything but boring!



http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77895/1/doohan_fined_for_strip_club_headbutt.html

Goatboy said:

Mighty Mick's little set-to in a strip club a few years ago proves that he is anything but boring!

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Wasn't he charged with assault on a bouncer in a Darwin nightclub? I may have imagined this - but I'm sure PI was a few weeks after and he appeared in his capacity as HRC ambassador with a black eye. Either that or it was all over the tabloids at the time.

Arrabbiata1 said:

Wasn't he charged with assault on a bouncer in a Darwin nightclub? I may have imagined this - but I'm sure PI was a few weeks after and he appeared in his capacity as HRC ambassador with a black eye. Either that or it was all over the tabloids at the time.

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I think thats about right,funny as.

he was straight up. but his comments post race or qp were like stoner. straight up whiny ......

Arrabbiata1 said:

Wasn't he charged with assault on a bouncer in a Darwin nightclub? I may have imagined this - but I'm sure PI was a few weeks after and he appeared in his capacity as HRC ambassador with a black eye. Either that or it was all over the tabloids at the time.

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yeah I added the link after I originally posted:



http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77895/1/doohan_fined_for_strip_club_headbutt.html