[47218]

Rossi all the way to the wire...

 

[44815]

Too bad for that big wreck that took Loris out of it for a couple of weeks. He's looked like the only one who can scrap with Rossi at the end and have a chance to win. Does anyone have any notion as to if the switch to 800s will work for/against the main contenders (Rossi, Loris, Dani ...)?

 

[50744]

I have a feeling that Pedrosa will be really fast on the 800!

 

[55028]

Nicky's pace wasn't bad. The starts have been atrocious. I think back to that practice start early in the year when he almost flipped the bike. Honda can't fix a clutch problem? He's got to poduim at the least from here on out. I want him to win, but Rossi is not of this world. Imagine if Loris hadn't been hurt.

 

[pdad13]

Yup. Nicky wheelied at the start and looked like he had to back out of the throttle to get the front wheel back on the tarmac. Then he got stuck behind Elias for too long. Whether it was the clutch or just him trying to get an unreal jump, I don't know. But they're going to have to find something for the next two races. Third-row qualifications aren't going to cut it now.



Loris was nearly flawless. Good for him. And it looks like Rossi and Yamaha have got things sorted nicely. It's gonna be real interesting from here on out. It's good fun, ain't it?

 

[39328]

Why would Nicky re-sign with Honda for less money, especially after they have made him ride experimental/future/test equipment while he has been in a fight for the title? I would love to see him win but with a 3rd row start this late in the season it doesn't look good!

 

[acecycleins]

Nicky's clutch once again let him down on the start. He is as loyal as a blut tick hound and HRC rewards him with nothing but money and a promise. Could be worse. I'm sure Nick would like to thank one unlucky Kawi rider. Down to the wire, let's all hoe for a podium.

 

[56279]

Did he re-sign for less money? I haven't read whether it's less or more money. Please let us know!



I am encouraged by quick Nick's constant progress. If not a championship this year, then next!

 

[39328]

Another article I read said Honda gave him more money but not as much as Yamaha was offering.

 

[38500]

Come on! Honda gives "experimental" stuff to Nicky and that's why he's not winning???? In other situations that would be "Honda is giving to Hayden stuff that others can't get," no? I mean the top rider is *supposed* to get newer, better stuff. Maybe it didn't pan out (does anyone else, like me, doubt that the problem is really that they cannot give Nicky a decent clutch?). Rossi sometimes has horrendous starts and charges back to the front. Hayden takes forever to get past *Elias*, a guy on a non-factory *Honda*, for Pete's sake. The problem is that Hayden is not able yet to excite the fans. He might yet win, but is this a championship of the Schwantz-Rainey type? Of the Gibernau-Rossi? He has won three races in two years (two of them at Laguna Seca). The Italian magazine motociclismo (www.motociclismo.it) has an interview with Rainey, who is saying the same things: good rider, but not yet a real exciting champion. He likes arriving 4th, 5th, 6th, being safe, and he settles for that. Look at the way Melandri and Capirossi and Rossi ride, look even at the poor Stoner: goes all out and makes mistakes, but makes you take notice.

 

[schizuki]

Back in May when Rossi was in 8th place, I said - oh, wait, let me rephrase that it MOronese - Back in May, Schizuki the Stupendous Motorcycle Swami predicted;

"If Rossi shakes the bad luck and his tires and bike don't let him down, he will be the champion at the end of the season. And that's exactly what I think will happen. I predict either Pedrosa or Hayden in second."

I'll stick with that.

 

[56599]

The battle of the Titans...i.e. There can only be one MO GMP

I say Hayden will win

 

[schizuki]

Re: The battle of the Titans...i.e. There can only be one MO GMP

I hope you're right.

 

[pdad13]

Apparently, "playing it safe" is the way Honda wants it. They frown upon "win or crash" riders.



Since none of us actually know what problems may or may not be real with Hayden's bike, it's hard to say what the issue is. But Pedrosa and Puig, given the choice between the standard RCV and the Evolution version, chose the standard version. Hayden, as the lead development rider, didn't have that choice. It's even been reported that Pedrosa, after riding the Evo, has said that he couldn't believe that Hayden had been so fast on it.



I didn't see Pedrosa anywhere near the front today, either. Neither Repsol bike had been at the front this week. Let's not put it all on the riders.

 

[25850]

the momentum belongs to rossi. too bad. it looked to be hayden's best shot at it. he (and/or his bike) just don't seem to have the speed.

 

[acecycleins]

Read some euro blog thus morning and in the most basic terms the HRC boss was so p!ssed that the clutch failed again he's already told the team that if they let Nicky down and he looses the Champ title to Vale that "heads will roll". So the boss knows there is a problem. Now, how do you fix it?

 

[acecycleins]

CONFIRMED: HRC's new bike is a V4 (GP- anyway). The Interceptor lives...... Kpaul mentioned a few days ago that he believes that a new 800 class is coming. I thought I read something, somewhere a few weeks back about Kawi testing a 800 Ninja platform. Suzuki is probably all over that since the 750 is already a track weapon. Maybe, we can get Honda to make the Interceptor the bike it should be. Figure V-4 machines would make a comeback.

 

[christian_gates]

Keep in mind that Rossi's bike, regardless of how well developed, appears to be fundamentally inferior to the Honda's and not better than the Ducatis.



A Rossi championship on Yamaha is an upset in and of itself.



Goooooooooo!!!!!!!!!



cdg

 

[5117]

All they have to do is give Hayden a decently working bike and have him stick to Rossi like Glue and he wins.



He doesn't even have to win, just stay within striking distance of Rossi.

 

[acecycleins]

Drinking the Kool-aide, huh? No one has bought the inferior M1 thing for 2 seasons. The first year Rossi was on the bike it WAS inferior and Rossi was incredible. But outside of some glitches early in this season, even Rossi believes the bikes are on the same playing field. It may have slightly less power but the delivery of the power to the ground is spot-on. Rossi gets better grip off corners and has great straight line power. Honda and Ducati have great power numbers but no corner drive (without spinning up). Sell that "inferior" line to someone who doesn't pay attention to the sport.

Rossi is THAT good, however. I like the guy but I want Nicky to pull through.