Don't Understand Comment - Ben Spies

zorozing · 05-19-2008, 08:02 AM

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.

R1100S-Rider · 05-19-2008, 08:07 AM

AMA is a joke compared to MotoGP. MotoGP are multi million dollar machines, and riders. AMA are a couple ten thousand dollar riders, and machines. And Yes Rossi, Pedrosa, and Stoner are much better, and faster than Spies is.

FatHawk · 05-19-2008, 08:41 AM

Spies will be humbled thats for sure, but I don't think it will be a HUGE difference.

And your not making the right comparisons either, just last GP, Rossi was hitting lap traffic in a GP race. He's that fast. Right day, right bike setup and the right conditions make up a big part of it.

Spies is fast and being on Laguna will help a little. NOONE knows Indy cuz it's a new track, so there will be no help for him there. He will have a new bike to deal with as well, but I really don't think he's going to impress as much as he does in AMA. He won't be slow either, by any stretch of the imagination.

636blurr · 05-19-2008, 08:50 AM

Spies will do just fine, he will be in the top 50 percent. maybe more.
Moto GP everyone is all hard and bothered over it. they will get over it when spies does well. And I hope he does, I wanna laugh when the Italians are wondering what the fuck just happend.

Randomchaos · 05-19-2008, 09:16 AM

I would love to see spies do good in MotoGP. Go Elbows!

malik ross · 05-19-2008, 09:32 AM

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.

rocket1243 · 05-19-2008, 10:45 AM

Just look at it this way. AMA is the cream of the crop in the USA, Moto GP is the cream of the crop of the entire world.

nee_ dragon · 05-19-2008, 11:02 AM

almost like comparing Nascar to F1 basically, I hope he does well but he is going from the best bike in AMA Superbike to the 4th or 5th best bike in MotoGP

Ghost_Rider · 05-19-2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocket1243

Just look at it this way. AMA is the cream of the crop in the USA, Moto GP is the cream of the crop of the entire world.

+1

malik ross · 05-19-2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nee_ dragon

almost like comparing Nascar to F1 basically, I hope he does well but he is going from the best bike in AMA Superbike to the 4th or 5th best bike in MotoGP

Indy/Champ car to F1 would be a good comparison as well.

its not an issue of how good a rider Spies is. he is a very good rider and for the last 4 years has been riding against a guy who is very good and the most competitive guy in AMA racing. Mladin has the mindset of a GP rider. he wants to bury you every time he sits on the bike. practice, qualifying, warm-up, in the race and on front of the microphone. Spies has learned that he has to get out in front anytime a wheel is being turned and be the fastest guy. that drive will serve him well in GP. Superbikes are a lot different than MotoGp bikes. the power may be the same but the delivery is different, the size and weight of a GP bike is a lot different. the balance is better and the bike is more adjustable. all of those things may seem like a bonus and they are if you have the ability to set up a bike and a crew chief that can analyse data to make the bike better. his wild card rides will show if he has the skill to go fast on a bike that is not 100% optimal. if he has the speed then he'll have more speed once the bike is built around him.

tarosean · 05-19-2008, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R1100S-Rider

AMA is a joke compared to MotoGP. MotoGP are multi million dollar machines, and riders. AMA are a couple ten thousand dollar riders, and machines. And Yes Rossi, Pedrosa, and Stoner are much better, and faster than Spies is.

I wouldn't go that far....

Lost of good riders have came up through the AMA Superbike series. Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz, to name a couple. Nicky H. and Colin E. as of late.

I think spies will do well AFTER a season or two.. He is not going to jump on and dominate anyone IMO. The difference in bikes/power/weight/handling is night and day..

GrandeGixxer · 05-19-2008, 11:49 AM

Is he going to be running the GSX-V?

jk750 · 05-19-2008, 12:21 PM

Its a big step up because the machines are the ultimate race bikes, the racers are the ultimate competitors, and the tracks will all be new to Spies.
Plus the travel, the food, the culture, the languages will all be foreign.

He has the talent to succeed there.

ElTejano · 05-19-2008, 01:43 PM

Running in a Suzuki, his first time at this level and style of racing, the fact that he will race these guys might be too much for him.

636blurr · 05-19-2008, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElTejano

Running in a Suzuki, his first time at this level and style of racing, the fact that he will race these guys might be too much for him.

Yea he's an american champion Im sure he's gonna just buckle under the pressure.
Think before you post.