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J

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Will Matt go to WSBK

I know they (Suzuki-Yosh) has been given the yes to go WSBK racing next year, so will they? Will Mat try to run with the big boys since he thinks he and his team have no comp here in the USA? For some reason I think Matt will stay at his stomping grounds, where he know he can win. Next year, I think Honda will figure out how to make that VTR go, and may Nicky and Kurtis will give him a run for sure... Eric Gets him on an ancient bike and Nicky gets him on an unrefined bike... It will be sorted out sooner or later. What do you guys think?

Oh yeah, first post.
 
M

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#2 ·
THIS JUST IN!!!

Matt Mladin of team Yoshimura Suzuzki will quit AMA Superbike after winning his 3'rd straight title, and go to the tightly contested Vespa 125cc scooter race series held in mall parking lots across Southern California.
 
B

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#5 ·
I have heard a few things. First one is the main man, The Texas Tornado. Honda bosses want him on the V-5. Rossi and Edwards will team up for the Suzuka 8 hour endurance this Sunday in Japan. BTW, no TV coverage of it, damnit! Colin has stated that he is unsure right now. He said that he likes the laid back atmosphere of WSB and that he doesn't like the paddock area of GP races. He also said that he wouldn't mind at all remaining in WSB. What does this mean, jack! We will know something in a couple of weeks. He also said in an interview that if he would have won this year's WSB championship again that he would make the jump. 2nd, Rossi has stated that he will not ride the V-5 unless he knows for sure that it's competitive among the rest of the pack. He said that he doesn't want to waste a season developing a bike, he wants to win. I'll bet that he wants to stay on the NSR but Honda will wave some bones and push, so he'll probably be on the RC211V. The Honda bosses want Edwards and Rossi on the V-5 but they both state that they are unsure right now. Capirossi and his team definitely want on the new V-5. They have stated that if they don't get the ride then they are going to look around for another ride, IE it would piss them off to not be offered. As for the rest of the manufacturers, who gives a sh1t.
 
B

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#6 ·
Oh forgot one other Honda rumor flying in England.

Castrol Honda is trying to snag current front runner, Neil Hodgson. Neil Tuxworth(Castrol Team manager and very cool guy) tried to nab him before the 2001 season. Colin gets along with him well and has said many positive things about him prior to the season. It may be by Colin's influence that they are trying so hard to acquire him. There is a story about it on MSN. Here is the link.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/racing/detail?sectionID=52497&=76911&navID=36
 
M

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#7 ·
Re: Will Matt go to WSBK

Suzuki is the only company that makes superbikes that are really meant to be sold to the public. The VTR, 7R, R7, 996R, etc... are not available to most people. (The VTR and 7R are a little more, but they cost alot and are hard to find, comparatively.) Only Suzuki really sells superbikes to the general public, ergo more money, time, R&D, etc.. are spent on development than any others (Ducati aside on this, but Ducati doesn't have a factory presence, or much presence at all for that matter, in the AMA). It's very easy to be the champ with that kind of factory commitment, when the other contenders (Nicky, Bostrom, Roberts, DuHammel, Chandler, Gobert) are on machines that don't even belong in the same league.
 
S

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#8 ·
Re: Will Matt go to WSBK

I have to disagree with you on what bikes are "really meant to be sold to the public". The RC51 (or VTR1000SP1/2 whatever they call it outside the US) is sold in large quantities. So it the 996 in one form or another. How different are these street bikes (as sold) from the Superbikes that are raced? No more different than the GSXR-750.

I can't (not sure anybody can) explain why Mladin and the Yosh-Suz team are tops for 2+ years now.

If Suzuki had such an overall advantage over the other bikes, then why aren't they dominating in WSC?
 
J

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#9 ·
Re: down on mladin

interesting comment maxx.

vtr won wsb at first attempt. mmm maybe honda spent serious time and money to get it right last year. evryone on vtrs are having handling problems, usually lack of rear grip.

the kawasaki is a 7 or 8 year old bike, gradually refined in that period. it is still a fast bike and has on occasion been the fastest at meetings in the hands of yanagawa (wsb).

the r7 must go alright if haga can take it to second in the wsb, and thats still after being docked 45 points, or was it 25? and then not being allowed to contest the last round of the series last year. there was a fairly good chance haga would have won the lot if it wasnt for the dietary supplement dramas.

the 996 aka 955, 916etc is an 8 year old design that has improved each year and managed to win multiple ama, wsb, bsb titles in the hands of many riders.

now mat mladin rides a newly updated gsxr. in wsb and elsewhere the suzuki struggles, often behind old 996s, zx7rs and usually an aprilia. the ama suzuki seems to be better developed than the wsb bike.

i would have liked to see mladin run problem free at laguna seca.

and please give mladins competition some credit. gobert has won races at wsb level, finishing 4th one year, on an old zx7r no less.

and hayden, duhammel and chandler have run at or near the front of the ama for some time.

maybe, just maybe mladin knows what works for him on his bike and is able to ride at a higher level for longer periods.

after all he has won two ama championships, they werent handed to him.

he has also won a superbike title in austalia in 1992 as a 19 year old on a zxr750.

the ama is a strong series and all of the riders and bikes are capable on their day..
 
S

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#11 ·
Re: Rumors of the moment, 500/250/125 GP

Since they are now allowing 800 to 900 cc four stroke motors in the 500 cc two stroke GP classes, I was just wondering, will they be allowing four stroke motors in the 125 and 250 classes. That is, might we see 250 cc four stroke singles in the 125 two stroke class and 500 cc four stroke twins in the 250 class?
 
L

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#14 ·
New 4stroke Rules

no, that would be completely unfair!! It's going to be turbocharged nitrous-injected 750cc 4strokes in the 250cc class. The 4strokes will be given a 5 second head start, and all 4stroke riders will be allowed to park up to 5 replacement bikes at strategically located areas on the track. Any 2stroke that show's a hint of superiority on any given lap will automatically be given a 10 second stop-and-go and assessed a 50lb weight penalty. A proposition to have the 2stroke riders complete all laps on a wheelie were met with overwhelming disapproval, as the tire technology is just not sufficiently advanced, though Dunlop and Michelin are working hard as we speak
 
9

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#15 ·
Roberts (Kurtis) to Suzuki!

Now that would be a major publicity coup! Let him run around on a WSB team with Mladin for a couple of years. I don’t know what his contract status is, but he’s playing third fiddle over here behind Hayden and Duhammel not to mention Honda has a deep talent pool at the World level (Rossi, Edwards, Barros, Katoh, etc). It may be a premature jump, but Suzuki is not exactly setting the world on fire with Chambon, Chili, or Gibernau.

Speaking of youth movement, was I mistaken or did Speedvision report that Red Bull Yamaha was scouting John Hopkins at Brainerd? Can you say NBA Draft?
 
E

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#17 ·
Uh huh

Wow, such a striking blow at GPs decision making! I'm sure that your well thought out satire will change the way those Moto GP bastards will make their decisions from now on! Oh, and we are all joining you in wallowing in sarcasm and cynism as you shed a tear for the demise of the archaic 2 strokes. Boo hoo! Boo hoo!
 
S

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#19 ·
Re: Roberts (Kurtis) to Suzuki!

Yeah, I've seen a few reports regarding Hopkins being scouted for GP by Yamaha. Will he go straight to the GP1, or will he do 250cc first?

Or might he even get a better deal to stay in the US? That kid is amazing, even better than young Nicky Hayden was back in 98 when he started road racing.

I loved how he reacted to Kurtis Roberts at Mid-Ohio after Roberts tried to stuff inside him at the Keyhole turn. Next chance Hopkins had he stuffed Roberts good, and gave him a little look.
 
H

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#20 ·
Re: Will Matt go to WSBK

Yamaha is the only one at this point that makes a superbike that is out of reach for the average person. The R7 simply cost to much. In years past it was just Kawasaki and Suzuki but with the introduction of the RC51 at a very affordable price Honda joined the club. Maybe Yamaha will follow suit one day.

There are GSXR's, ZX7's and RC51's all over the place. Just don't see any R7's. R1's yes but no R7's.
 
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