Get it up ye stoner! - ye bikes kack

[muzikill]

The man you love to hate ...... just thought i would start a thread to air your views about the current reigning champ ......

Likes to mouth off doesn't he? - things not going his way all of a sudden and look at him. Thought his boot kicking incident was a taster of what he is like when the toys are out the pram broken......

Oh and well done pedrosa!

I have said this all last seaon but nobody believed me! I'm not saying he isnt a good rider but he isnt an "excellent" rider. If he doesnt have the bike..... I'll stop here as it will just get me into rant mode again.

I think how well a rider performs is dependant on how well he feels on the bike. Casey was fast on a honda, but fell off. He was just too agressive. Stick him on the duke, and he is right at home - the duke likes to be slapped about, revved half to death and generally treated like trash. Casey does that!

I think its a rider + bike combo that made casey world champ. Look at melandri; stonking fast on the honda, but now not doing well at all (except china).

Theres more to it than whether or not the rider is great, the bike plays a big part. Not saying the duke is the best bike, but the match of bike to rider / rider to bike is very important.

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

Theres more to it than whether or not the rider is great, the bike plays a big part. Not saying the duke is the best bike, but the match of bike to rider / rider to bike is very important.

Unless you're Rossi.

[fizzwheel]

I think this year the other manufacturers have upped their game and caught Ducati up, and I dont think Ducati have made such a big leap forward with this years bike and thats why Casey isnt running away with it.

He does come across as a whinger though I'll have to agree.

Casey is indeed showing us another side of his personality,but it is understanding in many ways. One cannot expect the out of the ordinary..."champ being shafted and not given a chance to even defend his title" niceties that Nicky Hayden so amazingly was prepared to come out with. Most Aussies and Americans are only normally entertaining when they are winning,they hate being also rans.

I think Ducati have lied as to which direction they went with the 2008 bike,they suggested that they only "tweaked" when I think the truth is that they tried to go too far and have screwed things up,(too much front end weight balance and engine mapping too extreme.)

This season is far from done but everyone has to beat the Yamaha's which are for sure once again the strongest overall package. HRC must be reasonably pleased though to be leading the championship when still using the museum piece spring activated valve engines. I expect them to be even stronger as the season progresses.

Valentino is nicely settling in on those Bridgestones and if he is within less than 10 points of the leadership before the summer break,then my money would be on him for another title.(All that from someone who is not a N?46 leg humper)

[Supervox]

I think it's also worth mentioning that since the fuel regs have been 'tightened up' (ie now all breather tank hoses must be fitted with a non-return valve) Ducati seem to have lost their top-end advantage

Why are Honda sticking with springs?
Do they know something no-one else does?

Hard on Stoner...

My cash was on Lorenzo taking a first MotoGP champ...but that may have gone up in the air...a bit like he did!

It will be interesting to see if he can recover and get winning again. But to ride through those injuries proves his cajones...champion cajones!

Basket, indeed, I was stunned by the determination of Lorenzo in taking part in the qualifying session and the race. Absolute legend. But then that's what he's paid to do I suppose?! Bad analogy but I guess it's like me having a terrible migraine and having to come to work and look at a computer screen all day - if it needs to be done then it's mind over matter. V. impressive though!

I think that it's going to be a very good battle between Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Rossi for the title. I think Lorenzo has the talent, pace and the machinery. Pedrosa has talent, pace and consistency, but I think Rossi has the talent, pace, consistency and the machinery. Which makes me think the number 46 will win the title.

Shaping up to be a very good, close season at the top of the pile. Although it seems to me that the MotoGP grid as a whole is becoming more like the Premiership, ie, one of four riders will win most races and there seems to be a gulf between them and the rest of the pack. What's happened to the Suzukis and the Kawasaki's? And I don't think it's necessarily the riders, it's the machinery too. Like Alpinestarhero says, combination of matching rider to machinery. I don't think Hopper is suited to the Kwak, he was better on the more agile Suzuki. Melandri was also better on a weaker Honda - what's that all about?!

The Yamaha's are undoubtedly the best all round at the moment which is so exciting and brilliant for Toseland. His ability to learn the new tracks has impressed me a lot and I think he will be on the podium at tracks he already knows well, ie Philip Island. Can't wait for this weekend!

I have respect for Stoner for his consistency and pace last year and he was obviously a worthy title winner, but I can't see him going down as a 'legend'. He just doesn't seem to be able to grit his teeth and pull something out of the bag when conditions aren't close to 100%. He's undoubtedly fast with a clear track and he can overtake the people in mid-pack but he's rarely had to / been able to catch up to the front and have a go at leaders like Rossi has done time in time out

Just my thoughts,

Cheers,
Matt

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Unless you're Rossi.

Yea, he's a slight exception to the general rule, it would seem...