[03swanman954]

Watch Hayden right now with the races to come , he is pissed off and hungry.
Not that he has much of a chance of winning this year,,but its going to be interesting how the next few races unfold!

[dicknose]

Originally Posted by 03swanman954

Watch Hayden right now with the races to come , he is pissed off and hungry.

Watch Hayden!

Not that he has much of a chance of winning this year,,but its going to be interesting how the next few races unfold!

When you say "change of winning" - do you mean a race or the championship?
He has no chance of winning the championship. Id say he has very little chance of winning a race.
He has won a total of 3 races from over 80 starts in 6 seasons. Its been 2 years since he won a race. The stats dont look good for him winning a race.

The next round is Laguna Seca, where he got 2 of those 3 wins, but that was also the first 2 years they were back there and he had a big advantage with previous experience at the track.

Ive still got my money on Hayden never winning another race!
But this next round is his best chance.

[TKDmasterZ]

Rossi kicked ass at Laguna. He is not only good but hungry! I think he can take the championship back this year! On the other hand, it's great to see Stoner fighting again for title. It sucks when a champion struggles to defend the title the following year.

[129CBRider]

Neither one of them, Rossi or Stoner are struggling, except with each other. No one else is in their class right now.

The Doctor has the advantage of experience but Stoner is such a quick study that I'd expect him to do some pass blocking of his own when they come back.

Barring any more injuries, I'd say the 2nd half of the season will be hotter, faster, and better than the first half.

[dicknose]

Originally Posted by 129CBRider

Neither one of them, Rossi or Stoner are struggling, except with each other. No one else is in their class right now.

Pedrosa has shown himself to be up there with them at times.

Will be interesting to see if he can get himself healed and fight it out at the front with them.

But the more the season goes on, the more Rossi looks like he still has it.
He might lose the championship to Stoner, but this last race showed that he still has "it" - that it is the ability to outride someone even when he is slower.

[dan.slabbert@gm]

"But the more the season goes on, the more Rossi looks like he still has it.
He might lose the championship to Stoner, but this last race showed that he still has "it" - that it is the ability to outride someone even when he is slower."

Dicknose, been reading some of your stuff on this forum & u seem to hit the nail on the head all the time with your observations - like the one above about #69.

I'm fully in agreement & I think that the Laguna race has effectively closed this thread. How to beat a good rider on a faster bike by having a strategy & balls. The strategy was simple - Stoner had to stay behind or he would ride away into the sunset. That's why every time Stoner did get by Rossi did the immediate suicidal overtaking manouvre, cos he knew! Having the balls to do that .... I'm at a loss for words. He has never won there before & that cork screw gives me the heebies & thats where he clearly was able to outrun Stoner. I think i'm gonna give up racing after watching those 2 - I have the talent of a gnat in comparison.

So after singing your praises, I take issue with the following statement "Pedrosa has shown himself to be up there with them at times." I think u r probably fairly correct in your assessment & I'm guessing that I take exception because I just can't stand the twat - he's sooo boring - much prefer Lorenzo & he has style too - if i rode like him I'd b happy to continue racing.

Take a look at the start of this thread - there was never any doubt in my mind that VR was done! I predicted he'd b at the top of his game till 09. Just don't understand why he rides such an uncompetitive machine - see any other Yams in the mix? Rossi'd b better off on any other bike except Kawa

[129CBRider]

He needs the challenge of the lesser machine...what's to prove if you are the top rider with the best bike?

I am also a victim of this egotistical malady, Lol. (see list of bikes I own).

[nedro]

Originally Posted by 129CBRider

He needs the challenge of the lesser machine...what's to prove if you are the top rider with the best bike?

I am also a victim of this egotistical malady, Lol. (see list of bikes I own).

Uh....He went to Yamaha. Took a crap bike from inception to chamionship challenger.
Where have you been?

[ptlcb1]

Plain and simple...Rossi is the best at the racing game. The racing game is mechanical, physical and mental. All of those guys are physically in shape to perform as they do, and thats from the top of the results to the bottom. Mechanically, the Yamaha is usually battling up front on tracks that are not considered high speed tracks. The Yams do handle well. Rossi said it in the interview just after Stoner would not shake his hand, that his advantage at Laguna was on the brakes.

Then there is the mental side of it. No one has been able to match Rossi's racecraft. Max couldnt do it. Sete did, but only for a little while. Casey should have played the game when he realized that he couldnt break away. Instead, he played right into Rossi's hand. All he had to do was stay behind Rossi and plan how and where he could make the pass. Heck, it all he did was stay behind Rossi thru the final turn, I think he could have easily powered pass Rossi for the win. The Duc was strong on the straight.

Rossi gave Stoner so much to think about, all over that track. He showed him a wheel here, then a wheel there. No doubt he got in Stoner's head. Game Over...Check Mate! For those that do have a racing license, and have been in that type of situation, whether battling for a win or the best position that you can get, it is a high speed game of chess!

[.OrgOwner]

So Rossi running off the track into the dirt was all part of his own clever plan you say? It looked to me like they were two guys on the edge who both came out swinging hard. Stoner was the one who fell over first.

[nedro]

Originally Posted by .OrgOwner

So Rossi running off the track into the dirt was all part of his own clever plan you say? It looked to me like they were two guys on the edge who both came out swinging hard. Stoner was the one who fell over first.

The plan was to win the race.
To win the race, he needed two things to happen.
1 Stay in front of Stoner (everyone else).
2 Stay on the bike.
He did both.
Stoner did not.

[129CBRider]

Originally Posted by nedro

Uh....He went to Yamaha. Took a crap bike from inception to chamionship challenger.
Where have you been?

That's what I meant, when he switched to Yamaha I'm sure he partly wanted to prove he could be competitive on any of the machines.

[ptlcb1]

I am 100% sure that Rossi running off at the bottom of the corkscrew, was not part of his game plan to beat Stoner. Something tells me you know that. Rossi is great at the race game, but he is not perfect. He makes mistakes as well...

[129CBRider]

Running off, not crashing, then getting back on the pavement without getting passed was actually pretty slick. I would have to be on my XR to do that...

[dicknose]

Originally Posted by dan.slabbert@gm

So after singing your praises, I take issue with the following statement "Pedrosa has shown himself to be up there with them at times." I think u r probably fairly correct in your assessment & I'm guessing that I take exception because I just can't stand the twat - he's sooo boring - much prefer Lorenzo & he has style too - if i rode like him I'd b happy to continue racing.

I try not to confuse "like the guy" with "think he can ride"

eg I like Hayden!

Just don't understand why he rides such an uncompetitive machine - see any other Yams in the mix? Rossi'd b better off on any other bike except Kawa

I think he got bored (or annoyed) with Honda and wanted a challenge.
I always get the feeling that Honda tell the teams/riders how things will be done.

He has a team he his happy with, a bike thats good enough (for him!) and I dont think its that uncompetitive.

Look at the Ducati. Everyone says how great it is - how often has any Duc rider other than Stoner finished ahead of say the 2nd Yamaha or Honda?
Sure the Ducati is a damn good bike, but obviously it needs the right rider to make it work. Capirossi (last year) and Melandri are good, but couldnt get near Stoner.

As for seeing Yamahas in the mix.
Damn well I do. They are dominating this year!!

Look at top 6 finishes this year - Yamaha has dominated by a long way.
Yamaha - 27 (best 7 x 3)
Honda - 23 (best 2 x 3)
Ducati - 11 (best 2 x 2)
Suzuki - 4 (best 1)
Kawasaki - 1 (best 1)

Most rounds Yamaha has 3 of the top 6, the last 2 rounds are the only times they had 1 (that due to crashes)

So Im not sure you can say that Yamaha is uncompetitive.
At the moment Id say its definitely the bike to be on. Especially if your name isnt Pedrosa or Stoner.

Based off the 2nd best finished for each make you would easily put Yamaha as the best bike, Honda not far behind, then Ducati a long way back, with Suzuki behind them and we just wont mention green!

[dicknose]

Originally Posted by 129CBRider

Running off, not crashing, then getting back on the pavement without getting passed was actually pretty slick.

The only reason he wasnt pass was that his recovery almost took out the other rider.
If Stoner has been half a bike length further back he would have been able to come inside him and power past, instead of slowing to avoid going off the track with Rossi.

It wasnt slick - it was pure luck. Both on the inside of the corner, the outside and that his opponent didnt pass.

But hey, that was one lucky corner on one lap. The rest was pure talent.
And I dont think anyone (except Casey) would begrudge Rossi a bit of luck now and then.

[nedro]

Originally Posted by dicknose

The only reason he wasnt pass was that his recovery almost took out the other rider.
If Stoner has been half a bike length further back he would have been able to come inside him and power past, instead of slowing to avoid going off the track with Rossi.

I certainly didn't see it that way.
If Stoner was behind Rossi instead of next to him, Rossi wouldn't have had to go off the track. It was Rossi's refusal to submit the corner to Stoner that cause the incident. That's why I find it so embarracing how Stoner acted after the race.

[dan.slabbert@gm]

Yo again!

The manufacturer thing is skewed by 2 things - luck & talent. Quite often the latter can cancel most of the former.

So Yam has good riders - Rossi, Lorenzo, Toseland & Edwards are all in the top 10, which has skewed the constructor's champ in their favour - all on the rise or maintaining.

Ducatti also has 4 riders, only 1 of whom can ride the thing, so they are 3rd. Dunno what happened to Melandri - looked like he was following Rossi's progression from an even younger age but he could not step up to the premier class, particularly on the Duc.

Suz only has 2 riders & is 4th in the constructor's. Verm is 7th & Capi 11 th in the rider's.

Kawa is also only 2 & we won't mention them in 5th.

Honda is 2nd in the construcor's. This is strange/sad cos its a good package & has by far the most riders! But only 4 of them are in the top 10 rider's, so basically they're a bunch of tossers. The best of the bunch is Pedrosa & Dovi. Hayden is 8th on full HRC, while Edwards & Tose are 6th & 9th respectively on satellite machinery - this is an indictment of his ability to mix it at such a high level of competition. Sure there'll be a change next season.

So by a roundabout way I have come full circle dicknose, back to your earlier blog that basically sed there were only 2 riders @ Laguna that were way ahead of the pack! So until Lorenzo & boring Dani P return, there'll be no tight racing at the front.

[dan.slabbert@gm]

Originally Posted by dicknose

The only reason he wasnt pass was that his recovery almost took out the other rider.
If Stoner has been half a bike length further back he would have been able to come inside him and power past, instead of slowing to avoid going off the track with Rossi.

It wasnt slick - it was pure luck. Both on the inside of the corner, the outside and that his opponent didnt pass.

But hey, that was one lucky corner on one lap. The rest was pure talent.
And I dont think anyone (except Casey) would begrudge Rossi a bit of luck now and then.

Not finished yet dicknose!

Those 2 guys turned in 1:22's lap after lap - then 1 eventually made a mistake. They were amazing & I couldn't put more than 4 consecutive quick laps together without losing concentration due to tiredness, sheer intensity of focus or whateve.

Rossi had a plan & not a bike. The plan was really simple - get ahead of Stoner EARLY & STAY there at all costs cos if he gets away he's gone for good. This resulted in suicidal overtaking manouvres whenever Stoner passed & ja, he was NOT in control on the rumble strip & dirt & the race should have ended there. But it didn't & I think that this further messed with Casey's head.

[TKDmasterZ]

Originally Posted by dan.slabbert@gm

Not finished yet dicknose!

Rossi had a plan & not a bike. The plan was really simple - get ahead of Stoner EARLY & STAY there at all costs cos if he gets away he's gone for good. This resulted in suicidal overtaking manouvres whenever Stoner passed & ja, he was NOT in control on the rumble strip & dirt & the race should have ended there. But it didn't & I think that this further messed with Casey's head.

And Casey had no plans, because he was so sure that he was going to win by a huge margin. Absolutely no one thought Rossi (or anyone else for that matter) could match the speed of Casey that weekend. So Casey didn't know what to do other than trying to power pass Rossi, which is not so easy at Laguna.

[deez]

Originally Posted by dicknose

I think he got bored (or annoyed) with Honda and wanted a challenge.
I always get the feeling that Honda tell the teams/riders how things will be done.

Annoyed. After he won that last championship for Honda, they told him all riders would be getting equal parts. In his mind, he had just won three consecutive titles, so he thought he had earned the #1. They also refused to give him his championship winning bike. It was only then that he decided to leave and wanted the challenge of beating his former employers.

[ptlcb1]

I do believe that he needed a new challenge. His domination while on the Honda, I think, did start to get boring to him. Just look how excited he was when he beat Casey this past race! He was like a kid again! That type of battle is what brings out the best in him. Rossi enjoys beating people down mentally! Its a chess game on wheels to him. Thats what drives him. When that part of his game is not so enjoyable for him, then he will move on to another form of motorsport.

I heard that his switch to Yamaha was as simple as this... that Honda told Rossi, it was time to put the Number "1" on the bike, and Rossi would not do that. He has said before that he will run "46" for his entire racing career in honor of his father...

[SodaO]

Will the next poll be:

God, has he still got it?

[dan.slabbert@gm]

Originally Posted by SodaO

Will the next poll be:

God, has he still got it?

Hehehehe!

Maybe underline or italicize "still" ("still" or "still")??

Oh btw, remember that he started from 5 on the grid!

[SodaO]

Hehehehe!

Maybe underline or italicize "still" ("still" or "still")??

Oh btw, remember that he started from 5 on the grid!

Cheers for the suggestion boet. I've edited the post!

[dan.slabbert@gm]

Another blerry Safrican - we're like pink & the brain - taking over the world! Cos those ou's stuffed up a great country, but thats another story.

C u have the 08 Blade - I'm envious! Was gonna buy 1 in March but the local dealer sold mine to a Saudi! Can't bitch as i had not put the deposit down. April's stock increased in price from $12,850 to $13,780. There r still 2 bikes left inc. my preferred white one & I have now got it down to 13,250 but it's summer here (50 deg C) & I'm having huge kak with the missus who wants something "slow & comfortable". but i have booked tuition with Martin Port in Qatar Nov 10 & 11 & I have just sold my 600RR & need a bike.

Question: All the press rave about 08 Blade - I don't think I have ever seen a anything better written ever! But when I start looking at track results ....? WSBK (inc 1200 cc bikes) looks like this: Duc, Yam, Suz, Honda, Kawa. In SA Superbike I get confused cos Kawa is well ahead, then Yam, Suz, Honda. Not checked Brit or AMA. But the Blade seems good in Superstock. I hate losing!! (Some fellows here with lotsa loot & hence trick bikes for the track) Wot do u think of the bike?