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General SportbikesThis area is made for sportbikes in general. Posts that dont really belong anywhere else besides here. Questions can be answered and addressed to fully understand certain aspects. If your question is Manufacturer specific please post it there.
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When I got into riding Freddie Spencer was winning championships, preceded by King Kenny Roberts, then Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz. I will admit they probably had the best equipment, but Lawson switched to Honda (traitor) from Yamaha and won. I think Spies has the talent. I know Mladin rode GP some and didn't do so hot. He's been so dominant in AMA Superbike that is the only thing that gives me pause about Spies. I don't think he'll win a WC in the first year but I do think he will at some point.
AMA Superbikes are 1000cc making about 200HP whereas MotoGP bikes are 800cc and are rumored to make around 260HP. And while the Suzuki Ben rides in the AMA series has probably the most advanced electronics package, it isn't shit compared to what a GP bike carries.
...another big difference is carbon brakes. I read an interview with James Toseland (no slouch, he's a double WSB champion) and he said one of the biggest differences coming from a Superbike is just how much later you can brake on a MotoGp bike, and if you've spent a few seasons on a Superbike you really have to re-calibrate your brain to get used to the difference.
When I got into riding Freddie Spencer was winning championships, preceded by King Kenny Roberts, then Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz. I will admit they probably had the best equipment, but Lawson switched to Honda (traitor) from Yamaha and won. I think Spies has the talent. I know Mladin rode GP some and didn't do so hot. He's been so dominant in AMA Superbike that is the only thing that gives me pause about Spies. I don't think he'll win a WC in the first year but I do think he will at some point.
Good post.
I started paying attention to this stuff during the Sheene/Roberts era. Kevin Schwantz probably did the most with the least.
Mladin went to the GP circus too early in his career, after having a stellar run in Australia against riders like Anthony Gobert and Troy Corser. His GP team was second/third tier behind Doug Chandler and John Kocinski, without proper support from the factory (Cagiva) or his crew.
I was watching the AMA over the weekend and the commentator was talking about Ben Spies joining MotoGP in 2009 and the guy said, "This is going to be a big step up" then the other guy said "ya, a VERY BIG step up for Ben." What did that mean? Are Rossi, Pedrosa, Stoner, etc that much better than Spies, Mldadin, Yates, etc? Can someone provide an analogy that will help me understand this?
P.S. I thought the track that Spies raced on was absolutely amazing.
They aren't saying that he is gonna get his ass handed to him, but that he will be racing with the best riders in the world on the fastest machines that man can cobble together. It's one of the only venues that Spies can walk into with a REAL chance of getting wupped. The AMA is a VERY small pond, bush league even, by comparison to MotoGP. Its a massive step up, and it remains to be seen how well he does. I have high hopes, but they are just hopes.
Ben Spies will eventually surpass Nicky Hayden. Unfortunately, Nicky's future is in jeopardy, as he is in the final year of his Honda Repsol contract and not looking very strong. His next season depends on his performance this year.
Ben on the other hand will need time to learn a year's worth of new tracks, new tires, and a whole new culture. He will also most definitely need Suzuki to step their shit up and become one of the top 2 bikes to have a chance at winning.
Toseland has adapted well, but he had the benefit of knowing most of the tracks from racing them on his WSB bike.
Given the right equipment, Ben Spies is a possible future GP world champ.
There will be a space for Hayden for years to come, just maybe not with Repsol. Even getting mid-pack in MotoGP takes talent, thats way guys like Nakano still have a home in GP. Personally, I think Hayden will go to WSB before he settles for a satelite team in MotoGP, but thats gonna be up to him. Really, I'm hoping that he gets a ride on the Ducati. He couldn't do much worse than anyone else who has tried it aside from Stoner. The bike is hard to ride, but if it suits his style, it is a championship quality machine.
...another big difference is carbon brakes. I read an interview with James Toseland (no slouch, he's a double WSB champion) and he said one of the biggest differences coming from a Superbike is just how much later you can brake on a MotoGp bike, and if you've spent a few seasons on a Superbike you really have to re-calibrate your brain to get used to the difference.
And braking really separates the wheat from the chaff. Watch any series and you'll see that this is were the best riders do their overtaking and where they make it stick. Not by over cooking the corners and running wide, not by drafting or over powering their opponents. Braking! Rossi has always done this as well as anybody. Pedrosa, not so much, but better than many.
Watch Bayliss and Haga out brake their rivals in WSB. It's demoralizing to lead after the straight and be out braked by your competitor into the turn. Rossi practically ruined Gibernau's career under braking. Biaggi still hasn't recovered from Rossi's braking prowess. Watch Biaggi on the brakes. He has nightmares about it!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by malik ross
how good Spies does in Motogp will depend on the equipment he has when he gets there. The GSRV is not as good a bike as the Honda, Ducati or the Yamaha. Suzuki seems to have hit a wall in base set-up. he will also have to adjust to different tires as well. i think Ben has enough talent to finish between 7~10 in his wildcard race.
as far as the talent is concerned take a look at the top four riders from the last race. Rossi has 7 World championships. Lorenzo has 2 world championships. Edwards has 2 world championships. Pedrosa in 4th place has 2 world championships. yes, they are that good and to compete with them Ben has to have everything damn near perfect. James Toseland is a perfect example of the gap between superbike riders and Grand Prix riders.
+1 Malik. That was well said! MotoGP changes every year too. Hayden in '06 and Stoner in '07. Where are they in '08? AMA Superbike is a more stable platform - you kinda' know what you're getting.
GSXR
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