BSB Movers and Shakers (Rumors)..

Karl 'Bomber' Harris is apparantly signed for Rob Mac Yamaha.

[Supervox]

I wonder if there will be a direct swap then between Watanabe & Michael Laverty ?

Originally Posted by Supervox

I wonder if there will be a direct swap then between Watanabe & Michael Laverty ?

Maybe, but Watanabe is contracted directly to Suzuki like Kiyonari is to Honda. Watanabe goes where ever Suzuki want him to go!

According to BSN James Ellison is off to GSE Yamaha along with Camier, with the former due to sign at Brands this weekend.

I'm still reckoning Ellison will go to HM Plant. Surely Hondas best bet at the title for '09?

[Supervox]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dave

Maybe, but Watanabe is contracted directly to Suzuki like Kiyonari is to Honda. Watanabe goes where ever Suzuki want him to go!

I know that - but the flip side is that Suzuki have to find him a ride somewhere & it's pretty obvious that his move to TAS signals either a major redirection from Suzuki as to which team will be their 'primary' or a downright demotion.
I'd have to say that the latter is my guess - I can't see Suzuki snubbing Crescent.

Originally Posted by Pete_58

I'm still reckoning Ellison will go to HM Plant. Surely Hondas best bet at the title for '09?

Whilst I would lean towards agreeing with you - Colin Wright & his boys are no slouches when it comes to making bikes perform. Even though they've been working on V-Twins for the last few years I still expect them to be at the front right from the start of the season & even though it's a whole new bike next season lets not forget what the R1 has done this year in WSB.

Apparantly Crescent are still going to be the official Suzuki factory team but without the Rizla sponsorship.

I still reckon Ellison will go to HM Plant. He rides for Honda at the moment, and next season, along with Camier IMO, is a title contender. Surely Honda will want to retain his services, rather than lose him to a rival manufacturer?

Suzuki losing the Rizla sponsorship, must mean they must be after another title sponsor? Rizla were the main financial backer werent they? Will this be the same for the MotoGP team? Are we seeing a ban on tabacco and related compaines (Rizla and Marboro are the last two IIRC) leaving motorsport for good?

Haslam, Byrne, Sykes and Crutchlow gone.
That seriously drops the overall standard of the BSB field. Surprising that they should all jump at the same time, particularly the younger ones. If any one of them stayed for 2009 they would be massive favourite, and be a good benchmark against which we would compare all the other riders, but money/budgets must be playing a big part.

Motorsport in general feels like it's reaching a crisis point. Lots of people pulling out here and there, I fear BSB has troubled waters ahead, but I hope not.

nuts - i refer you to the answer i gave some mmoments ago...- you could have Hodgson , Walker , Lavilla and Guintoli as well as Ellison, Camier and more on factory bikes - thats a better line up than this year in my book !