Are we in for the greatest motoGP season ever?

[rsheidler]

Very good points -- I agree with almost all. Only exceptions are:



Colin's style is actually closer to Max's -- more of a smooth, precise, 250 gp style, although, like Rossi, he is also able to back it in when appropriate. If you recall from watching the WSB battles with Troy, Colin's style was much more controlled than Troy's.



The Proton actually looked pretty good by late season, although I agree that Kurtis is over his head. I think that the Proton is currently argueably the 4th best bike, ahead of the Aprilia.



I also pick Xaus to do better than Hodgson, but I won't put any money on that prediction!

[fuzzyjim]

Here here!!!

No wait, hear hear!!!

[fzcaster]

I think that if all the factories backed out of WSB and AMA we'd have much better racing especially with the now competetive bikes by Yamaha Honda and Kawasaki. Super stock will probably be the most competetive races to watch.

As for GP, oh baby what a year it's going to be, it's almost a crapshoot, but aside from the winer in yaller I hope they all pick up a podium or 2 which may be the case with Rossi getting off last season's best bike.

Has Yamaha made the M1 more competitive in this offseason? We'll see.

I certasinly disagree with the statement that American riders haven't earned their GP rides.

There's a lotta lame ,ass cryin', whinen', excuse makin' bozos in the GP class, and Colin and Nicky aren't in that group.

If, Honda gives everyone their best bikes and parts, well, then it's a crapshoot.

Zaus will need to stay on the bike, and not bump into others knocking them off if he's going to make his mark otherwise he will quickly become a target himself.

There don't seem to be many votes for Bayliss here, but I think if Ducati can improve their chassis and suspension to handle the awesome power of the V4 desmo, he'll be up at the top as well. He knows all the tracks now so he'll push.

My picks:

Edwards

Bayliss

Rossi

Zaus as the spoiler if he can stay on

[rsheidler]

I certainly did not mean to imply that any of the riders who ARE in MotoGP do not belong there (although I question Kurtis), or that Nicky, in particular, did not earn his ride in terms of riding talent -- my reference was to the business side of it. Since Repsol doesn't sell much oil in the US market, which is the only place anyone knew much about Nicky this time a year ago, there is no way they would have chosen him without the push (and $$) from American Honda.



Similarly, Kenny Jr has proven himself -- hell he is a former World Champion -- but without his name, he never would have gotten that Suzuki ride in the first place.



In my opinion, all the American riders who have "earned" (in terms of talent and results) GP rides already have them -- with the exception of EBoz.