Who should and who should NOT get a ride in 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Checa_7 @ Aug 1 2007, 06:35 PM) [snapback]82610[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Yes... thats Checa's excuse... its the bike, blame the bike...


funny that,because stoner said the same last year,
so is checa performing badly or is it a .... bike and was stoner last year performing badly or was it the bike.
motogp wouldn't seem the same without checa barros & capi, they have been there what seems for ever but it will happen one day but we have some great new riders waiting for the chance and i can't wait

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roger-m @ Aug 4 2007, 09:06 AM) [snapback]83127[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
funny that,because stoner said the same last year,
so is checa performing badly or is it a .... bike and was stoner last year performing badly or was it the bike.
motogp wouldn't seem the same without checa barros & capi, they have been there what seems for ever but it will happen one day but we have some great new riders waiting for the chance and i can't wait

Stoner last year did perform badly that is true he also performed good last year between crashes. ha ha! he has turned it around now don't look back you might run into something!!!! where you look is where you go on a bike they say!!!!ha! anyway i think there is still room for capi and barros but checa is past it now in my opinion teams shouldn't employ someone they dont think is capable of winning a championship. checa even barros do not fit into this category the struggling teams should take a punt on some young shining talent that just may raise eyebrows every now and then. i guess you have sponsor dollars saying they want a rider who is known also. but whats the saying the children are our future. I was gonna say the aussies are our future but that might piss use off too much.... anyway the future looks exciting whatever corner of the globe your from... Go Casey !!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dd73oz @ Aug 4 2007, 12:25 AM) [snapback]83141[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Stoner last year did perform badly that is true he also performed good last year between crashes. ha ha! he has turned it around now don't look back you might run into something!!!! where you look is where you go on a bike they say!!!!ha! anyway i think there is still room for capi and barros but checa is past it now in my opinion teams shouldn't employ someone they dont think is capable of winning a championship. checa even barros do not fit into this category the struggling teams should take a punt on some young shining talent that just may raise eyebrows every now and then. i guess you have sponsor dollars saying they want a rider who is known also. but whats the saying the children are our future. I was gonna say the aussies are our future but that might piss use off too much.... anyway the future looks exciting whatever corner of the globe your from... Go Casey !!

you make some good points but where does this leave teams like kr tech 3 ect, even if the riders are capable of winning a championship (of which there are only 2 this year) the bikes are not capable.
i like to look at motogp like 3 races are happening at the same times, 1 race is the rich factory teams 2nd is the satilite teams and 3rd is the poor teams running on a shoe string trying to get good enough to get a sponsor let alone win a championship.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dd73oz @ Aug 3 2007, 06:03 PM) [snapback]83106[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
ok 1st thing i am biased an aussie.. if we're gonna bag someone bag Checa (crasher),Hayden, tamada and i hate to say it because i admire him but nakano is a shadow of his former self this year...

sorry to rave on but i am passionate and love the sport the greatest show on earth...

So let me get this right, Keep West on and get rid of the guy who has finished the championship 3rd and 1st in the last two years. I never would have guessed you a biased Aussie!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dd73oz @ Aug 3 2007, 11:25 PM) [snapback]83141[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Stoner last year did perform badly that is true he also performed good last year between crashes. ha ha! he has turned it around now don't look back you might run into something!!!! where you look is where you go on a bike they say!!!!ha! anyway i think there is still room for capi and barros but checa is past it now in my opinion teams shouldn't employ someone they dont think is capable of winning a championship. checa even barros do not fit into this category the struggling teams should take a punt on some young shining talent that just may raise eyebrows every now and then. i guess you have sponsor dollars saying they want a rider who is known also. but whats the saying the children are our future. I was gonna say the aussies are our future but that might piss use off too much.... anyway the future looks exciting whatever corner of the globe your from... Go Casey !!


I think this is a good observation, but how much of this "bring in the rookies" mentality is driven by trying to beat the Rossi of years gone by? In other words, are teams shopping these kids to beat a Rossi that is not as dangerous as he once was? (that's my opinion based upon his mental state, the state of the Yamaha team, and his age)

I think the ultimate compliment to Rossi was when Burgess said Motogp teams need to go shopping for young kids, b/c there aren't many people who can actually beat Rossi.

But what happens to the kids when they bring them in? If they recruited 5 or 6 rookies a year and throw them on satellite bikes that are not competitive? At least 3-4 are going to turn out to be a bust b/c you can't expect a relative majority of them to beat, Hayden, Rossi, Pedrosa, Stoner, Melandri, Hopkins, and even Vermeulen, Edwards, and Elias.

I have this feeling that many of the teams, especially Honda, need to get back to building solid reliable bikes that their riders can depend on to be consistently fast instead of shopping around for the next Rossi and trying to build him a magic bike.

Ducati's strategy speaks for itself. They have copied a hybrid of the Yamaha and the Honda strategy whereby they have certain uncompromising technical specifications, and they try to listen to their fast riders in order to improve the bike slowly and methodically.

This is only their 5th year in the premier class and it appears as though they are on the fast track to a world title! (and last year they were competitive too)

Right for next year I reckon both Alex's should be dropped, neither have done anything this year. Slot Capirossi into the D'antin squad in their place and give him one more chance, because we all know he can be an amazing rider when he's on form.

Checa should retire or go over to WSB and free up a seat for a youngster. Anthony West deserves a ride for sure. Shinya it pains me to say, as he is a good rider just shame he can't get to grips with the honda, should probably also look at WSB. The same goes for Edwards. I've got a feeling when he says in the press that he has other options with yamaha apart from tech 3, that we will see him in WSB alongside nori haga on an R1.

I reckon both Roberts should go KR JR is embarrassing himself at the back of the grid this year.

In 250s, I think Dovi, DeAngelis, Lorenzo and maybe Hiro Aoyama should move up.

On the brit front, I think Chaz should be given a ride after his showing at Laguna, Toseland's already at tech 3 but Johnny Rea should stay an extra year in BSB, cus if he doesn't win it this year he will for sure next year, as I don't see Kiyo staying in Britain any more. I believe he'll go WSB with Ten kate taking JT's place, as Ten Kate are rumoured to have HRC support next year.

I think somebody needs to bring Bayliss back. Last year, he led more laps in a single MotoGP race than Hayden did in the entire season.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CSCVAW @ Aug 3 2007, 04:00 AM) [snapback]82967[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Braker ...we are not saying that Nicky was lucky...(btw I really respect our past champ, he’s a really great guy!!)...but what you have to take into consideration is this:...Nicky’s world championship wim was by a whisker...it was more to Val’s giving the WC’p to Nicky then Nicky wining it...yes I know that my statement is controversial but mate “It’s True”...if that little so and so Elias wouldn’t have beaten Val then it would have been even Steven!!!...so in saying all this it’s not so much Nicky winning the WC’p as it was given to him on a platter!!!...and please don’t come with what about...Pedrobot’s anal mauver etc etc...but and please I’m not trying to drum any cause but....

Now let’s talk about 2007...and if Mr. CS wins the WC’p then “This Is How It’s Done”...perfect comparisons, examples of how it’s done by skill and luck...take your pick mate...I know which I would pick!!!..btw: I predicted after the 2006 season ended (and I was really pissed off with Val for crashing btw!!!) that poor Nicky will never win another gp in motoGP 2007!!!...Sorry Nick I love you!!! But you’re on the wrong bike mate!!!...


This has been debated here so much that it's not even worth debating any longer. I'm going to leave it alone because Nicky is the 2006 World Champion enough said.

I think Nick has a bright future, he's still young and I wouldn't rule out another championship, but I'm a fan so of course I'm going to say that.

I ask you this though, do you doubt Hayden so much that if he would have wound up on the Duc this year he wouldn't have reeled off multiple wins this season so far? We all know the bike is stout, and the Ducati guys would have been listening to everything Hayden had to say to make the bike better, not Hayden waiting until Pedrosa has gotten the parts first. Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking anything away from Stoner, the boy can ride, but the Ducati was on top of it's game right out of the gate this year, and so far has maintained that pace.

Never in the running?! What are you smoking? He was top of the championship until the crash at Catalunya, and consistently top three in races. That'd be like me saying if Vale beats Casey this year that Casey was never in the running. Besides, Capirossi finished second in Valencia..... not too shabby for someone who's "never in the running". I don't get why all the Stoner fans are so jealous of Capirossi that they're not willing to admit he was a genuine contender for the title last year?

Capirossi WOULD have been world champion last year, if it wasn't for that crash at Barca, no doubt.. Just like Rossi would have been world champ if it wasnt for his regular mechanical failures.. Nicky was in the right place and the right time in 06 and its showing this year.. Sadly..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(antfan @ Aug 13 2007, 11:06 AM) [snapback]84364[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Capirossi WOULD have been world champion last year, if it wasn't for that crash at Barca, no doubt.. Just like Rossi would have been world champ if it wasnt for his regular mechanical failures.. Nicky was in the right place and the right time in 06 and its showing this year.. Sadly..


No Nicky (and btw I like Nicky very much, he’s a great likeable guy!!!)...but Nicky had the "Luck of the Irish, the 2 million to 1...what else can I say???

And the proof is in his performance in 2007!!!...and even though the Hondas, Michelins etc etc...or better still on the Ducati!!!...and whatever other excuses most give for Nicky's performance in 2007???

I still think that even if Nicky had the best bike in 2007 he wouldn’t be leading the championship at this point in time!!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CSCVAW @ Aug 13 2007, 03:22 PM) [snapback]84432[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
No Nicky (and btw I like Nicky very much, he’s a great likeable guy!!!)...but Nicky had the "Luck of the Irish, the 2 million to 1...what else can I say???

And the proof is in his performance in 2007!!!...and even though the Hondas, Michelins etc etc...or better still on the Ducati!!!...and whatever other excuses most give for Nicky's performance in 2007???

I still think that even if Nicky had the best bike in 2007 he wouldn’t be leading the championship at this point in time!!!


Everyone always focuses on the wrong things when it comes to Nicky's season last year. Without Pedrosa torpedoing at Portugal and all the stupid parts Honda kept throwing on his bike, there's a good chance Hayden would have dominated.

Besides, conventional wisdom seems to be completely wrong when it comes to the 800. Everyone says Honda was going to dominate, and you can't slide an 800 and be fast, etc.

The legitimate criticism of Nicky has always been that he is too hard on his tires, and he fades late in races. Well now there is significantly less power, I see no reason to believe the 800 won't help him stay strong for the entire race distance.

I've said it once, I'll say it again. If Nicky had taken the pen from Livio's hand he would be on his way to being the next Lawson not the next KRJR.

A motogp bike that is relatively slow at the apex, but puts other bikes to shame when you pick it up and exit? It's almost like it was built for Nicky.

Its not entirely surprising that even people who are not Rossi fans have trouble accepting that he beaten by a mere superbike rider, especially when Rossi still had had the edge on raw speed. But Nicky had him covered elswhere, made it work and will be remembered in the long term as the guy who de-throned Rossi.

Things are different know though, Casey has Rossi covered on every angle and Rossi knows it, he will need to be perfect in the second half of this year to even get a chance at the end. It is possible though, the bikes will have changed over the summer and anything can still happen, its not over till its over.

The most important thing for Casey to do is to keep it rubber side down. If he can do that, (no reason he can't) it's his to lose.

Doesnt really matter how well Rossi does, if Casey keeps racking up the points, he's gonna be ok. A crash and a mechanical DNF fo Casey and it's all to play for.

Game on!

Pete