2010 WSBK Silly Season... - Page 4

jhansen · 3 Dec 2009, 16:30 (Ref:2593482)

The question that always comes to my mind about Hopper is if he was so talented, why was he on the Suzuki for so long? Did he ever get other offers for a more competitive bike, but was loyal to Suzuki; or was Suzuki the only choice he had?

2000yellow360 · 3 Dec 2009, 17:06 (Ref:2593514)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhansen

The question that always comes to my mind about Hopper is if he was so talented, why was he on the Suzuki for so long? Did he ever get other offers for a more competitive bike, but was loyal to Suzuki; or was Suzuki the only choice he had?

PM me

Art

racer69 · 4 Dec 2009, 07:13 (Ref:2593827)

the Australian Suzuki team, which won this years Australian Superbike Championship, has indicated it wants to run as wildcards in next years WSB round at Phillip Island, but running the ASB round on the same weekend might can the idea....

...a shame, its been 10 years since we had some proper Australian wildcards

jhansen · 4 Dec 2009, 16:48 (Ref:2594036)

Seems like the only serious wildcard entries have been coming from BSB.

As for Australian Superbike wildcards, don't they run rules that are closer to superstock than superbike?

**gomick** · 4 Dec 2009, 20:31 (Ref:2594135)

I think so - Maxwell's pole time at Phillip Island was a 32.6, Spies did a 31.0 but was half a second quicker than anyone else. ASBK times havent been that close to WSBK since mid 90's...

jhansen · 8 Dec 2009, 15:25 (Ref:2596117)

Testing starts up tomorrow at Valencia. Aprilia, Ten Kate, Alstare, and Yamaha will be present. The note said no Ducati and nothing mentioned about BMW. Supersport will test along with Moto 2.

jhansen · 9 Dec 2009, 18:41 (Ref:2596823)

Day 1 testing times from Valencia. Haslam much quicker than Guintoli while it's interesting to see Toseland ahead of Crutchlow this time.

1. Leon Haslam (Suzuki) 1min 34.5sec
2. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1min 34.7sec
3. James Toseland (Yamaha) 1min 34.8sec
4. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1min 34.9sec
5. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1min 35.1sec
6. Leon Camier (Aprilia) 1min 35.8sec
7. Max Neukirchner (Honda) 1min 35.8sec
8. Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 1min 36.1sec

Dani Filth · 9 Dec 2009, 20:33 (Ref:2596891)

no Moto2 times ?? .. even if not everybody ran in legal spec ..

**gomick** · 10 Dec 2009, 09:24 (Ref:2597175)

I would expect Haslam to be faster than Guintoli all season - any times for Vermeulen on the Kwaka?

jhansen · 10 Dec 2009, 19:28 (Ref:2597417)

Day 2 times from Valencia, and Biaggi goes quickest of the test. Haslam back in front of Toseland. Apparently Camier had several crashes on the Aprilia. As for Kawi, not sure they are there?

1. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1min 33.8sec
2. Leon Haslam (Suzuki) 1min 34.0sec
3. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1min 34.1sec
4. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1min 34.2sec
5. James Toseland (Yamaha) 1min 34.3sec
6. Max Neukirchner (Honda) 1min 34.7sec
7. Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 1min 35.0sec
8. Leon Camier (Aprilia) 1min 35.2sec

2000yellow360 · 10 Dec 2009, 22:27 (Ref:2597524)

I'd look for Biaggi to win the title this year, unless he does something stupid. Ben is gone, and the Ducs arent' quite that far ahead of everyone else, so I would guess it's his to lose.

Art

jhansen · 10 Dec 2009, 22:53 (Ref:2597541)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2000yellow360

I'd look for Biaggi to win the title this year, unless he does something stupid. Ben is gone, and the Ducs arent' quite that far ahead of everyone else, so I would guess it's his to lose.

Art

IMO, Haga will ride better over the season than Biaggi. Toseland will be fast, and Crutchlow may be faster. Not so sure it's Biaggi's to lose just yet.

Did you see that Mladin posted that he's had offers for a WSBK ride in the last month? Not sure if he's being serious or not, but said the rides were promising and not just field fillers.

DavidStHubbins · 11 Dec 2009, 09:46 (Ref:2597803)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhansen

IMO, Haga will ride better over the season than Biaggi. Toseland will be fast, and Crutchlow may be faster. Not so sure it's Biaggi's to lose just yet.

Did you see that Mladin posted that he's had offers for a WSBK ride in the last month? Not sure if he's being serious or not, but said the rides were promising and not just field fillers.

Surely they can muster up another Suzuki for him? He knows the bike, that's for sure.

racer69 · 11 Dec 2009, 14:52 (Ref:2597929)

Any Mladin deal would depend on the availability of his 'crew' from AMA, Peter Doyle etc.... going on what he has said in the past.

Would love to see it happen (pity he couldn't have come over with Spies this year), but a long shot i suspect. It'd be a paycut, and he's only just relocated his family back to Australia.

**gomick** · 12 Dec 2009, 10:12 (Ref:2598393)

I heard a rumour that he could "wildcard" that Yoshimura bike out of Japan at Phillip Island

DavidStHubbins · 12 Dec 2009, 13:01 (Ref:2598459)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomick

I heard a rumour that he could "wildcard" that Yoshimura bike out of Japan at Phillip Island

I guess if he was to do one, Pip Island would be it. He knows it well and wouldn't end up looking like a monkey out there, which is possible at some of the other tracks on the calendar which he doesn't know. Mladin is not interested in making up the numbers!

Anyway, he says he lost any desire to travel around the world years ago so whole season is probably way out of question.

Who thinks the fact Spies splattered them this year has perked Mladin's interest in WSBK?

jhansen · 14 Dec 2009, 15:51 (Ref:2599494)

A wild card ride, or rides would make the most sense. Hope it happens.

On a sad note, Stiggy have announced that they have closed their doors for financial reasons.

Dani Filth · 14 Dec 2009, 16:25 (Ref:2599519)

shame .. just as they started to really get nice results

DavidStHubbins · 14 Dec 2009, 17:17 (Ref:2599554)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhansen

A wild card ride, or rides would make the most sense. Hope it happens.

On a sad note, Stiggy have announced that they have closed their doors for financial reasons.

Would be nice to see him race a US round too.

Shame about Stiggy - a seemingly very efficient privateer team but maybe not too hot on the financial sides of things. Not an easy time to finance a team though right now.

BootsOntheSide · 15 Dec 2009, 11:34 (Ref:2600070)

Real shame about Stiggy, the issue seems to have been with investors not paying up.

A few very good riders are still looking at this stage - Byrne, Pitt, West, Kiyonari, Badovini etc, but the WSBK grid still looks good. Earlier days with WSS, is anyone confirmed other than Ten Kate and Parkalgar?

Dani Filth · 15 Dec 2009, 13:49 (Ref:2600145)

Lascorz is back with the Kwaker

jhansen · 16 Dec 2009, 15:32 (Ref:2600814)

Andrew Pitt will be on a privateer BMW next year in the superbike class. He will ride along side Roland Resch at the new Reitwagen BMW team. Johan Stigefelt will be the technical manager.

I wonder how Pitt will do back on a superbike.

**gomick** · 17 Dec 2009, 08:34 (Ref:2601190)

Good chance he could match it with Xaus & Corser i reckon...

jhansen · 31 Dec 2009, 18:03 (Ref:2606866)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidStHubbins

Who thinks the fact Spies splattered them this year has perked Mladin's interest in WSBK?

Probably didn't hurt.

On a funny side note, from Mladin's twitter:

"A friend from Suzuki put it like this the other day. "Suzuki managed to get rid of Spies, Mladin, Carmichael and Reed in the past 2 years."

**gomick** · 31 Dec 2009, 20:53 (Ref:2606905)

That they have - but didnt Mladin retire?

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