Hopper to race a HONDA in WSBK!!!!

jkobflys · 03-20-2009, 12:18 AM

World Superbike Even Stronger With Addition Of Hopkins
by staff
Thursday, March 19, 2009
John Hopkins will ride a Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR for the rest of the '09 WSBK season. Hopkins was a casualty of Kawasaki's failed attempt to pull out of MotoGP even though they were contractually obligated to race the series.
Hopkins will be on the grid for the next WSBK race at Valencia
John Hopkins Officially Racing in WSBK with Stiggy Honda

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Posted Thursday, March 19th, 2009 @ 8:49 pm, by Jenny Gun Racing Home » Racing » John Hopkins Officially Racing in WSBK with Stiggy Honda

It seems the rumors were true. According to Roadracing World, John Hopkins is officially racing with Stiggy Honda’s World Superbike team. John Hopkins’ agent Bob Moore confirmed the news that that Hopper will be riding a Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR in the World Superbike Championship series, starting with the next round at Valencia, which starts April 3rd.

Commenting about the Hopper’s new home and the move to WSBK, Bob Moore, John Hopkins’ personal manager stated:

“John is very happy that all his personal sponsors are continuing with him, Monster Energy, Alpinestars, Arai and Spy Optics. Judging by the first race, it seems like the bike is pretty competitive,” said Moore. “Obviously we just want to be in a position to get John over there and racing. It seems like a good bike. Everybody else was, how much money do you have? Things are tough, even though it’s John Hopkins. We feel it will give John a good solid baseline to hopefully get on the box and get some wins eventually.”

Hopkins will make his World Superbike debut alongside his new teammates Leon Haslam and Roberto Rolfo, and will test prior to his first race at Almeria course in Spain.

fotc1000rr · 03-20-2009, 1:31 AM

Well if it's true, that is a very good thing. Hopkins, Spies, Haga, Biagi....the list goes on. WSBK is an ever improving series, one which I would say is already on level terms for me with Moto GP, in terms of enjoyment factor. Definitely one of my favourite, if not my favourite motorcycle racing categories to watch.

MACI4LIFE · 03-20-2009, 9:50 AM

With the demise of AMA ( as if i really cared for the suzuki show anyways ), I'm definately most interested in WSBK this year. I just see motogp as meh this year, but superbike has the most drama by far.

denzee · 03-20-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACI4LIFE

With the demise of AMA ( as if i really cared for the suzuki show anyways ), I'm definately most interested in WSBK this year. I just see motogp as meh this year, but superbike has the most drama by far.

Nobody liked the Matt and Ben show in AMA but is it possible we were witness to the two best riders (arguably) in the world and just didn't know it? Witnessed now with Spies in SBK. Read this!

We Never Knew What We Had

I also remember Mladin beating Corser during tire testing for SBK and used to wonder how. Hmmm!

Cheers to Hopper too! Hope he does well. Honda needs all the help they can get.

jkobflys · 03-20-2009, 1:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denzee

Nobody liked the Matt and Ben show in AMA but is it possible we were witness to the two best riders (arguably) in the world and just didn't know it? Witnessed now with Spies in SBK. Read this!

We Never Knew What We Had

I also remember Mladin beating Corser during tire testing for SBK and used to wonder how. Hmmm!

Cheers to Hopper too! Hope he does well. Honda needs all the help they can get.

I

jkobflys · 03-20-2009, 1:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denzee

Nobody liked the Matt and Ben show in AMA but is it possible we were witness to the two best riders (arguably) in the world and just didn't know it? Witnessed now with Spies in SBK. Read this!

We Never Knew What We Had

I also remember Maladin beating Corser during tire testing for BK and used to wonder how. HM!

Cheers to Hopper too! Hope he does well. Honda needs all the help they can get.

I share the same opinion, Back to the early 2000's Mat was a force in AMA SBK, No doubt in my mind that if Mat raced WSBK It would be him not Bayliss, being considered the best, I prefer to watch WSBK for reasons like circuits of course i am a big fan of all the guys mentioned in the article as well, but look at what Spies is doing over there now, Imagine if Mat was racing WSBK too, it would almost be the Spies Maladin show again, maybe not right away but in a couple of seasons, a possibility.