posted Apr 14, 2008

The tyre issue is far from set at this stage. Rossi's best tracks follow shortly and with the summer months coming and more favourable Bridgestone tracks you'd be mad to count him out. 3rd at this stage and only 14 points off is good and Rossi knows it. I think he expected more from Estoril given the Yamaha ability but tyres weren't up to the task.

Don't take anything away from Lorenzo, his overtake on Rossi was excellent and he rode a great race. If that was Rossi many would be drooling and yes I was.

Denwyn, nice of you to drop Stoner and give JT a 6th. Don't get supped in by the Brit hype just judge his performances from a balanced point of view and you'll see he is doing well. Stay in WSB - completely nuts, with that attitude why would anyone bother to test themsleves. You don't like the guy we get it, I don't like the BBC hype as I'm sure most agree with.

I've said it many times before but it isn't all about who finishes top or on the podium. If it was then do we right off Stoner? Why should Hopper bother to turn up, whats the point of Capirossi riding, yep that's the answer lets reduce the grid to top 3... that'll be fun. Or do we allow Stoner a wild card? maybe Rossi should get dropped as he ain't got it anymore? Pedrosa is clearly a midget and wins due to size so drop him. If you're prepared to throw dishwater at 52 all the time what about 69? And no that's not an offer, I barely know you.

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posted Apr 14, 2008

comment by AndyRAC (U7186829)
posted 3 Minutes Ago

As for British sponsors, interesting point – British companies don’t seem to be interested in the sport. Same with the 125cc boys look at their sponsors – virtually all foreign. If it’s not F1, they don’t want to know.
_____________________________

Good point, and that I think is one of the main reasons for our failure to do well at the top level, there is no investment from the governement, the mayor, track day prices are ridulously high, bikers are associated with noise, hooliganism, tax dodging and road deaths. TBH some of that is true, as I know, but nothing to do with BBC inability to show every motogp race live and choosing the marathon over biking. The majority of the british public do not want to watch bikes.
All this anti-bike feeling will adversely affect sponsorship, stakeholders, investment and how people in general see bikers.
Instead of reducing track days prices or giving us an alternative, they make it difficult to ride a bike,reduce parking spaces in london because they are free and they make no money obviously, rather than promote its use as a viable means to decrease congestion and improve global warming, why the heck cant bikers use bus lanes? They took away friday nights at Chelsea bridge, because residents complained, Bar Italia in Soho became no go zone and now all we have is Ace Cafe.

Unlike Italy, Spain, France, biking is embraced, kids learn to ride from an early age and they do seem to produce the best riders.

RANT OVER.

Quick Check on JT official website reveals the following sponsors:

Bennets
HM Plant
Suomy
BKS
Hannspree
keith Martin....

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posted Apr 14, 2008

Small riders.

JDF seems to think anybody with a different view to him is an "armchair racer". I suggest we give credit to anybody's reasonable and sensibly expressed opinion. Having been involved in motorcycle sport for more years than I care to remember I, like most of us, care passionately for the sport and only suggest improvements for the sake of the sport. As it happens I do ride a very fast 1000 cc bike but that doesn't give me the right to ridicule any body who disagrees with me whether they are riders, ex racers like me, or just armchair viewers. I will be travelling some 8000 miles to see GP racing this year - it would be very sad to see the big bikes at the front all being ridden by riders smaller than my grandsons. You see I know the little guys have to work hard round the corners (but not so much with modern machinery) but being 40 lbs lighter is a phenomenal advantage - ask Ducatis or Hondas R $ D department. We will have to do something about it ! We musn't just bury our heads in the sand !

Incidentally I think Lourenzo and Pedrosa are fantastic riders and as I have said before anybody competing at this level is extremely brave and talented.

Peace !

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posted Apr 14, 2008

I'm not here to blow smoke up JT's "but" again I ask - what do you expect? Ignore the commentary tripe. He still finishes ahead of the majority of the field incl. CV LC De puniet and Elias who many muppetts pipped as the next big thing last year. Balanced assessment is what we need, otherwise why don't we just right off Stoner here and now. He can't get near a podium unless we have a massive straight OR TWO -yep that's sound reasoning.

Tired of the over hype, YES, but for gods sake give the boy a break. Personally, I believe it's the image of piano playing etc that gets peoples back up.

Funny how now Lorenzo is proving most muppets wrong from last year who said he'd never do a good job, he's no Rossi, he's not a great rider, Pedrosa and Stoner beat him before and they'll do the same again are all crawling over his shirt tails now.

No, I'm not comparing JT with Lorenzo but unlike many I'm prepared to give the guy a break, let him prove himself or not, before I bury him or others for providing me with my Sunday race day fix.

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posted Apr 14, 2008

JT did a sterling job on a track he didn't know and didn't have much time on... if he'd have not been a bit of a jessie on lap one, he'd have been up with colin i think... can forgive him that given the rain spots... but now he knows... softly softly... he's keeping it upright, he's 5th in the championship, 7 points above his team mate; it's a cracking start... wait till Brno, Donington and Philip Island... he will be on the podium at one of these. If the BBC hype him up then so be it... for goodness sake... after Jermey, Neil, Shakey and James's efforts, he's doing grand. Let's get behind the dude. Us Brits are so ready to moan. Git'up JT i say... you're shooting the lights out so far fella!

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posted Apr 14, 2008

Hilarious!

On the one hand the beeb subscribes to the predicatble dumbing-down of journalism associated with hyping local heroes, as seen by the number of JT articles on the sports page.

On the other hand they have completely failed to notice the significance of Dovisioso and Hayden's crash outs - although JT finished 7th, slightly down from his two 6th positions in previous races, he is now 5th in the championship standings!

Lorenzo 61
Pedrosa 61
Rossi 47
Stoner 40
Toseland 29

Just goes to show what hard work and an occasional bit of good luck can do for you. JTs fans should take heart from this but not get too carried away. Hopefully he will just keep his head down, continue working hard at it, and get the results befitting of him (unlike another motorsports star last year).

Presumably this post will self destruct and the contents will mysteriously appear on some journalist's thread somewhere. Won't be the first time (not that i care)

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posted Apr 14, 2008

having read all of the riders post race "woulda, coulda, shoulda" comments i estimate their should of been about 9 riders in the top 4 in estoril!!

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posted Apr 14, 2008

Mainsheetrim - No profile, no clues? Safely hidden behind - perfectly fair - confidentiality, but it's a shame we'll never know the heights to which you and your mighty iron aspired. Grandchildren bigger than 'the midgets', huh? Noble 7R's at Snetterton? Farting great Manxes at Brands? Or a Jampot with knobblies in the local quarry. Do enlighten us. We really would like to know where you picked up your 'size-ism'. Maybe post yourself on YouTube to the accompaniment of Randy Newman's 'Short People'.

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posted Apr 14, 2008

I so enjoyed Lorenzo last year, he is just lovely to watch, the way he rides a motorcycle....

I had a feeling that he'd do well on the 800 - I have a Fiat Yam fantasy team and I don't expect them to let me down!

As for JT - yes the BBC is hyping him, but at least on bit of the media is reporting on him - the papers are too full of football to pay attention to anything other than Hamilton not being as quick as the Ferraris. plus, you have to remember that James is getting top 10 finishes on a satellite bike, he's admitting his inexperience where he makes mistakes and he only got the quick engine at Estoril (where he stated he didn't know he could puch harder and would learn from the experience). We can't compare his rookie year to that of someone like Lorenzo, coming from WSB is a whole heap different than coming from 250's. We should just be bloody pleased that we fnally have a Brit on a halfway decent bike getting at least a little close to the podium.

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posted Apr 15, 2008

I think it's a long season.

I think we can't read too much into bikes and tyres just yet.

I think none of the top riders have proven conclusively they are out of the championship, with the possible exception of Melandri.

What we can say is that Lorenzo looks extremely competitive, and to a lesser extent Dovi looks the business at this level too (but not 08 champ).

I didn't spend 6 months waiting for the new season just so we could award the trophies after 3 races.

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