Under The Radar Part 1: Riders Who Could Surprise You In 2013

Krop has answered the call and written an excellent piece outlining some up and comers that we can keep an eye on.  Great to see a lot of Nationalities represented in his potential list.


 


http://www.motomatters.com/opinion/2013/01/09/under_the_radar_part_1_riders_who_could_.html

Stop being lazy and type in their names on the Google machine to find the links yourself, you couch potato.


 


I read it earlier and thought it was a good pre-season look at the names that will surely make the news.  Sadly, and in particular for me as a staunch follower of the series, the Rookies Cup (RC) hasn't been much of a boon for American riders despite them wining title(s).  BennySolis (08 the Americas RC champ) JD Beach (08 the European/MotoGP RC champ) and Jake Gagne (2010 European/MotoGP RC champ) had no real chance to get into the world stage.  Not sure what the problem is, I'm assuming if one wins the title then they'd be considered for top billing in the feeder GP classes. Regardless of the answer, it makes something clear, the RC is of little to no value in terms of who to watch as "up and coming" talent to be promoted based on what I would assume is 'merit'.  So I really don't know what to make of the RC any more except that I love watching the races about as much as Moto2.  But as far as who is going to eventually move up to Moto3/2, well its a crap shoot unless they are Spanish or Italian. Now Kropo has been saying that Dorna is turning their attention outside of the two European .....-sulas for talent, but I'll believe it when I see it in MotoGP.  I'm not holding my breath.  And yes, of course I'm particularly interested in American riders.  


 


http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Dec/121213a.htm

The key will be when these other nationalities start getting the top rides.  It isn't happening yet but we can hope that some day Ezpeleta gets hit by a bus.
 

Jumkie

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BennySolis (08 the Americas RC champ) JD Beach (08 the European/MotoGP RC champ) and Jake Gagne (2010 European/MotoGP RC champ) had no real chance to get into the world stage.  Not sure what the problem is, I'm assuming if one wins the title then they'd be considered for top billing in the feeder GP classes.

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Just like Stoner, they need to move to Europe. IIRC Benny is an AMA pro rider on a Yamaha, isn't he? 


 


I don't know how well he will travel - he only just (December) visited Mexico for the first time, despite living right next door and having two parents that emigrated from Mexico... says to me he may find living in Europe too much of a change.


 


I hope not - I rate him, he is a little Marquez-esqe, but without all the ....

Jumkie

3401241357779965


RC is of little to no value in terms of who to watch as "up and coming" talent to be promoted based on what I would assume is 'merit'.  But as far as who is going to eventually move up to Moto3/2, well its a crap shoot...

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Merit AND money Jum. It has always been thus.

BJ.C

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Just like Stoner, they need to move to Europe. IIRC Benny is an AMA pro rider on a Yamaha, isn't he?


I don't know how well he will travel - he only just (December) visited Mexico for the first time, despite living right next door and having two parents that emigrated from Mexico... says to me he may find living in Europe too much of a change.


I hope not - I rate him, he is a little Marquez-esqe, but without all the ....

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Well buddy, im impressed u took the time to look him up man. Yeah, i agree, needs to move to Europe (easy for me to say, he and the rest of his family dont depend on me). Thats one of many things i admired about Stoner Senior. Without going to much into it regarding Benny, a man has got to eat and look after the rest of the family. Some things are a bit more complicated regarding chasing the dream in Europe.


I dont know enuf about Stoner's immediate family (is he only child) and financial situation when he left Oz for England. On that alone its Very commendable success story. Why some peeps accused Casey of being a spoiled brat i honestly will never understand.

easy jums, caseys a peenarse

digger

3401461357804741

easy jums, caseys a peenarse

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Sorry bro, i dont speak Aussie, what is "peenarse"?

haha .....

digger...peenarse translates to "dickass"  if we take the Aussie slang for "....." and the Scott slang for "..." and wash them thru the global cuss word data base....or does the database need updating? No matter, it's why I'm still here after 6 years!


 


Back on topic, I would love to see more nationalities compete in the world scene, but ones geographical location does seem to be the biggest complication when wanting to do so.  The the current economic crisis still ongoing, not many would pull up stakes and pay for their own non-competitive ride on unfamiliar tracks for a season and tarnish their reputations.

digger

3401491357805135


haha .....

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Yes Stoner has one I assume, after all he's recently fathered a child

Jumkie

3401241357779965


Stop being lazy and type in their names on the Google machine to find the links yourself, you couch potato.


 


I read it earlier and thought it was a good pre-season look at the names that will surely make the news.  Sadly, and in particular for me as a staunch follower of the series, the Rookies Cup (RC) hasn't been much of a boon for American riders despite them wining title(s).  BennySolis (08 the Americas RC champ) JD Beach (08 the European/MotoGP RC champ) and Jake Gagne (2010 European/MotoGP RC champ) had no real chance to get into the world stage.  Not sure what the problem is, I'm assuming if one wins the title then they'd be considered for top billing in the feeder GP classes. Regardless of the answer, it makes something clear, the RC is of little to no value in terms of who to watch as "up and coming" talent to be promoted based on what I would assume is 'merit'.  So I really don't know what to make of the RC any more except that I love watching the races about as much as Moto2.  But as far as who is going to eventually move up to Moto3/2, well its a crap shoot unless they are Spanish or Italian. Now Kropo has been saying that Dorna is turning their attention outside of the two European .....-sulas for talent, but I'll believe it when I see it in MotoGP.  I'm not holding my breath.  And yes, of course I'm particularly interested in American riders.  


 


http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Dec/121213a.htm

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This has always bothered me. 


 


Anyway, yeh good read, although im surprised i didnt see sandro cortese on that watch list.  He wont be a contender but i think he will do well his first year.  Unlike Terol

Mick D

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Merit AND money Jum. It has always been thus.

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Exactly. I spoke to Joe Roberts a couple of times (his dad is British so I suppose he's a bit of a Hopkins) and they said that the US rookies all go back to America to race for cash. Want to ride in Moto3? You need to bring money, or else be so ridiculously talented that teams will take you anyway. There is a huge problem with US riders coming into the series, so I expect Ezpeleta to start paying some Americans' wages in the near future.

Kropotkin

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Exactly. I spoke to Joe Roberts a couple of times (his dad is British so I suppose he's a bit of a Hopkins) and they said that the US rookies all go back to America to race for cash. Want to ride in Moto3? You need to bring money, or else be so ridiculously talented that teams will take you anyway. There is a huge problem with US riders coming into the series, so I expect Ezpeleta to start paying some Americans' wages in the near future.

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It is a ridiculous situation.  Could you imagine a team saying to the engine supplier "you want to put your engine in our chassis you are going to have to pay" or to suspension supplier "you want us to use your suspension you are going to have to pay".  This is motorcycle racing where the rider is the most important component in the mix.  If Ezpeleta ever needed to create a new rule, and believe me I hate it when he thinks, he needs to implement a minimum salary immediately.  No rider should have to pay to get a ride.  Then we might get merit based selection of riders because why would you put an inferior rider on your bike if you have to pay them?

This is a good thread, the rider payment issue is a double edged sword. 


 


Australia is riding a financial wave on the back of mining and so on, but Australian companies will not sponsor motorcycle racing. 


 


Australian companies would much rather pay mindless life support systems for a ...... like Lara Bingle millions to say "where the bloody hell are you" than use our Motorsports elite to do the same thing. 


 


Dorna is also impacted by this, they want an Aussie in there, but they have to get a Spaniard to pay for him, and our economy is heaps better than the Spanish one. It is a ridiculous situation but when a rider pays for a ride he brings sponsors along with him, that is all, they simply have sponsors lined up to support them whereas the Oz, U.S riders don't.


 


The merit system for the differing nationalities is therefore chalk and cheese and it won't change any time soon. 

Andy Roo

3402611357893791

This is a good thread, the rider payment issue is a double edged sword. 

 

Australia is riding a financial wave on the back of mining and so on, but Australian companies will not sponsor motorcycle racing. 

 

Australian companies would much rather pay mindless life support systems for a ...... like Lara Bingle millions to say "where the bloody hell are you" than use our Motorsports elite to do the same thing. 

 

Dorna is also impacted by this, they want an Aussie in there, but they have to get a Spaniard to pay for him, and our economy is heaps better than the Spanish one. It is a ridiculous situation but when a rider pays for a ride he brings sponsors along with him, that is all, they simply have sponsors lined up to support them whereas the Oz, U.S riders don't.

 

The merit system for the differing nationalities is therefore chalk and cheese and it won't change any time soon. 

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the problem is that road racing.just doesnt have the audience to justify spending a shiteload of cash on a rider. i have experience in this with my sponsorship of an Aussie rider. the costs involved in top level sponsorship would make your hair fall out if you guys knew how much it was.


even if you fork out the cash, u then have to have your logo splashed all over the tv to make it work, which, as u guys know, is ....... difficult unless the rider is running in the top 5.


sponsorship is definately needed, but at the end of the day, you are not getting value for money and just paying for the riders bike. therein lies mentals point about minimum salary.

It is true that bike racing in Australia and other countries struggles to attract the audience and the sponsors. In my opinion this is 100% due to the inability of those that run it to sell it. There are so many products that are inferior but do so much better. People will do what they are told/sold. We have been programmed to do this since birth. It is what makes capitalism possible. We don't go to school to learn reading writing and arithmetic. We go to learn how to consume, to be good employees and ultimately to comply to what we are told to do.


Bike racing and bikes suffers from poor sales. There is no narrative that compels the people to watch. If people don't watch sponsors don't pay. Bikes offer the solutions to so many of societies transport problems. Yet bikes are seen as dangerous and anti social. That is the narrative and that is the problem.

Mental Anarchist

3402701357897989

It is true that bike racing in Australia and other countries struggles to attract the audience and the sponsors. In my opinion this is 100% due to the inability of those that run it to sell it. There are so many products that are inferior but do so much better. People will do what they are told/sold. We have been programmed to do this since birth. It is what makes capitalism possible. We don't go to school to learn reading writing and arithmetic. We go to learn how to consume, to be good employees and ultimately to comply to what we are told to do.


Bike racing and bikes suffers from poor sales. There is no narrative that compels the people to watch. If people don't watch sponsors don't pay. Bikes offer the solutions to so many of societies transport problems. Yet bikes are seen as dangerous and anti social. That is the narrative and that is the problem.

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and uncle ezy knows this, hence the whole rossi thing. he is putting all his efforts into a man, when really he should be pushing the real stars, the bikes. i reckon 80% of riders dont even know what its like to be next to a 250hp motogp bike. that .... is a religious experience. riders will come and go,but the bikes will always be there. this is where he can sell the brand after he is done with rossi imo.

Mental couldn't agree with the post above (oops above digger's - he's a quick draw!) any more if it came outta my own keyboard. Now this one though...
Mental Anarchist

3402211357859085


 


Could you imagine a team saying to the engine supplier "you want to put your engine in our chassis you are going to have to pay" or to suspension supplier "you want us to use your suspension you are going to have to pay".  This is motorcycle racing where the rider is the most important component in the mix.  If Ezpeleta ever needed to create a new rule, and believe me I hate it when he thinks, he needs to implement a minimum salary immediately.  No rider should have to pay to get a ride.  Then we might get merit based selection of riders because why would you put an inferior rider on your bike if you have to pay them?

Click to expand...

 


Bold part: problem? There are way more talented riders out there to be used as fodder than there are component manufacturers. Horrible analogy. It is an issue of economics: there are way more talented riders than there are seats so the buyer is in control. Caution required in a min salary 'cause unintended consequence could well be fewer teams as the less well funded teams need the cash. Less teams, less seats seems like a catch-22.

Mick D

340277

Mental couldn't agree with the post above (oops above digger's - he's a quick draw!) any more if it came outta my own keyboard. Now this one though...


 

Bold part: problem? There are way more talented riders out there to be used as fodder than there are component manufacturers. Horrible analogy. It is an issue of economics: there are way more talented riders than there are seats so the buyer is in control. Caution required in a min salary 'cause unintended consequence could well be fewer teams as the less well funded teams need the cash. Less teams, less seats seems like a catch-22.

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Is there that many? I mean World Class? There are about 80 odd seats in the 3 classes of MotoGP. Sure each class is filled with riders at different stages of their career. The question is, are those 80 odd seats filled with the top 80 odd riders in the world?


Despite this the real problem is, and I know you agree from your first comment, is that there is not enough money because bikes and bike racing aren't being sold.


The next problem for a team is if they put a less than world class rider who buys the ride on their bike then they have next to no chance of running at the front and attracting sponsors. It is self defeating.


A team should organise the bike package, find a rider that can be sold as a front runner, combined this is their product, then go to market and sell it. You can't secure funding for a bike. You secure funding for a bike/rider package. The teams have it all wrong. If I was a potential sponsor and a team knocked on my door for money my first question would be, who is your rider? If they didn't have one and only had a bike I would say no. A bike means nothing as as a sponsor I can't do anything with it. But a rider standing on a podium I can use.