Why are WSBK riders not given respect?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Feb 22 2007, 03:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You may the Superbikes may have been closer and more exciting racing in the recent past (i don't think so)
Exciting is a matter of opinion. Currently, both series seem close to equally difficult. I would not diminish Bayliss' win though, however, there may have been some happenstance amidst in Valencia.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rising Sun @ Feb 22 2007, 04:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Paging Richo to the white courtesy phone.
Paging Richo to the white courtesy phone.
That was exactly what I was thinking. Haha. I was just trying to hold down the fort till the cavalry arrives.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Feb 23 2007, 06:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Don't think so. Bayliss isn't smooth enough. He isn't any good at riding when the bike doesn't work right, he crashes too much, he isn't that great at finind a set up, and if he fell off he's get injured becase he is old and brittle. I don't doubt he is faster than edwards, but he is a far less comlete rider, and over a season he is inferior.

DING DING DING! Round 1!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rising Sun @ Feb 23 2007, 08:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>

Paging Richo to the white courtesy phone.
Paging Richo to the white courtesy phone.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (somedamnwriter @ Feb 22 2007, 06:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>DING DING DING! Round 1!
You are such an instigator...can I pull up a seat?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ Feb 23 2007, 10:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You are such an instigator...can I pull up a seat?

Yeah I think so...get the seats, I'll bring in the popcorns.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ Feb 23 2007, 12:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Ok, it seems you are a bit inconsistent. In one debate you seem to underrate points earned in performance over a “span of time”, but here you point to it to make your case, and not wins. Uhm, you sound very sure that Colin is a much better rider than Bayliss, even though both took each others titles in epic battles that were won by splitting hairs and trading paint repeatedly throughout several seasons in WSBK. Both have had sub-stellar careers in MotoGP, though both have had moments of brilliance, including a chalked up win for one, and an almost win for the other. But you are adamant that one is much more better than the other? Uhm, did you ever watch WSBK during the Colin/Bayliss championships?

I am fairly sure i am not one to underrate points earned over time, as you claim. But my point is that in the 6 seasons these guys raced together Bayliss came off better only twice. And when all was said and done, one guy continued as a "valued" development rider in a works gp squad, and one got demoted to superbikes.

Geez Tom you spout some utter crap! Troy Bayliss is one of the best riders in the world, regardless of class.. Surely he prooved himself at Valencia last year?? Let me guess, Toseland is a rare exception that will win a motogp title added to hiw WSBK one? Yes, sure, he cant even beat Bayliss!! You clearly just have some issue with Troy..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (antfan @ Feb 23 2007, 09:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Geez Tom you spout some utter crap! Troy Bayliss is one of the best riders in the world, regardless of class.. Surely he prooved himself at Valencia last year?? Let me guess, Toseland is a rare exception that will win a motogp title added to hiw WSBK one? Yes, sure, he cant even beat Bayliss!! You clearly just have some issue with Troy..

Actually, at Magny Cours Toseland whipped Bayliss's ..., and in Lausitzring.

It wouldn't have anything to do with Bayliss being an Auzzie would it?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (antfan @ Feb 23 2007, 09:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Geez Tom you spout some utter crap! Troy Bayliss is one of the best riders in the world, regardless of class.. Surely he prooved himself at Valencia last year?? Let me guess, Toseland is a rare exception that will win a motogp title added to hiw WSBK one? Yes, sure, he cant even beat Bayliss!! You clearly just have some issue with Troy..

Troy Bayliss is on e of the best riders in the world, and last year Troy Bayliss was a better rider than Toesland, no doubt. But JT is still young and i think shows potential for the future. I would not predict him to be GP world champ, because thats a big call to make but he is riding at a higher level now. My point is not that Bayliss is a bad rider, its just that he is not as good as the top half of the gp field and that he is certainly not better than Colin Edwrds.

And you claim i spout crap, but your under the impression that Ant West is actually really good, and that good riders seem to all come from Australia. I am not so sure

Gets out popcorn

This should be good.

What championships has Ant West actually won though?

he won the "i'll ride properley when it rains" world championship

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phleg @ Feb 23 2007, 07:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Gets out popcorn

This should be good.

oh my...jumkie! we're in for the wrong show!

Get those seats over here!

Chill it out guys.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ Feb 22 2007, 11:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hi Phleg, I agree with you in part.

That may be because as Tom said, this is a "MotoGP--forum". But I for one don't think current MotoGP is harder or easier. Yes I think MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, but just narrowly. I use to be a greater fan of WSBK because felt at moments there was more parity (that means more evenly matched teams). I certainly enjoyed watching WSBK more during 2001-05. But when MotoGP was running two-strikes, especially before 2000, it sure seemed to me GP was harder than WSBK. Two-strokes were a demonic and crude form of blunt power that really required the highest talent, grit, and balls, to manage. Today, though, it seems that both WSBK and MotoGP are much more manageable, therefore, perhaps much more in par with eachother. Bayliss, for example, in my opinion, was able to ride at Valencia almost as if he was riding his 999.


Good point jumkie, Motogp is closer to Supers than 500s were. Could Bayliss have jumped on an NSR, YZR or RGV once a year and taken off and won like that? in my opinion, only if the finish line was in the Clinica Mobile.

Brings us back to the Ducati Cup vs 2 stroke days of the 90s debate!

Pete

I agree, the gap now is certainly smaller than it has been in the past, but there is still a reasonably sized gap there and i don't see it getting too much smaller any time soon.

Just to make an example of wy people think less of world superbike riders i have an observation.

the 2007 motogp grid has 10 world champions lining up with 21 world titles in total. World superbike has 5 champions, with 10 titles between them. So there you go, the best riders are in gp, twice as many of them too.

I think GP has riders of a higher caliber. For example, compare Pedrosa's (250 GP Champ) debut stats to Edwards's (WSBK champ). Also, Biaggi who pretty much started getting his a$$ kicked in GP has moved to WSBK and is doing pretty well. Also, GP riding used to be harder becuase they ran 2stroke bikes with narrow and visious power bands compared to 4 stroke SBKs. That is not a factor anymore. But, that is not to say WSBK does not produce GP champs. IT has.

They ARE given respect, just NOT ENOUGH for the entertainment they give us.

NASCAR drivers entertain, but they are not driving at formula one level. superbike riders get there respect.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ Feb 23 2007, 05:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Could Bayliss have jumped on an NSR, YZR or RGV once a year and taken off and won like that? in my opinion, only if the finish line was in the Clinica Mobile.
Paging doctor C...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Alex @ Mar 8 2007, 11:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>They ARE given respect, just NOT ENOUGH for the entertainment they give us.
Especially since they work twice as hard racing each circuit twice.. I am still trying to figure out why they do that. On the other had, may be they should start doing that in MotoGP. Hell yeah..