Last available factory Honda

[Rossifumi]

After the race in Motegi Honda announced that the last available factory Honda Will be ridden by Jurgen v/d Goorbergh of the Rizla Racing Team next year.

Are there any thoughs about this?

I think Jurgen deserved it,and it's about time one of the good riders here in The Netherlands got the oppertunity to prove themselfs on a competitive bike.It's hard here to get any sponsoring,being such a small country,and aspecially for a factory bike.The costs of racing are really way to big,i'm affraid some great talents will be lost due to the lac of sponsering.

Let's hope that this chanche Jurgen is getting could turn things around and get the Dutch sponsors intrested in motorsports.For all news according Jurgen click here.

[Airhead]

Yes, why not they could hardly do worse than the current crop of Honda riders. With the exception of Valintino they should sack the lot and start again. Half these guys are older than me.

[elephino]

Sounds like a good thing to me to have Jurgen get the ride. He does deserve it after the showing he has made this year on his twin.

[gomick]

good news for jurgen, i hope its just not for 1 year though!

[dododo]

Ok, all Together now: Riz la lala lala, Riz la lala lala, Heeeh, la lala lala, la lala lala, Rizla, Rizla,la lala lala.

Well, let's see. Okada to Superbike, Gibernau to Suzuki, Checa too inconsistant, same for Capirossi, Laconi not quit there yet, Barros a little thougher but Jurgen is equal on the brakes. That'll be top five then with a bit of luck.
I hope he will be aggresive and put his elbow in Biaggi's face when overtaking. I would love to see a battle between Jurgen, Rossi, McCoy, Roberts and Biaggi. Then Again they are all so close that it could be an 8 man fight.
Ohhh and when thinking about Superbikes with Hodgson there and possibly Walker(I realy felt for him when is bike blew)
2001 is going to be soooooo nice.

I think i'll start practising early. Tomorrow I'm going to buy the Superbike 2001 Game. You never know when they need me.

[Airhead]

Off the topic but anyway,

what about Slight? Where to for next year? Kawasaki in the WSC?

[elephino]

Last I heard, Slight was staying at Honda SBK...but that was a little while ago now.

[dododo]

As far as i know slight is out, okada is in, but we'll see what happens. I hope not actually, Okada is Boooorringggg.
Anyone knows what hard man Haga is going to do?
(stay of efedrine i'm sure but for the rest..)

marc

[Rossifumi]

The last i heard was that Haga was going to 500GP with Yamaha.But that could have been changed!

[elephino]

The current rumour on Haga is he's going to Redbull alongside McCoy. And a new team name if he does to Redbull "sideways" Yamaha.

[Airhead]

Lets hope Slight makes it for one more year, as WSC, After that, Aaron you have done all that could be asked.

[Rossifumi]

No rumour no more!

Today at Phillip Island, Red Bull Yamaha told MotoGP that
Noriyuki Haga will ride for them in 2001. Red Bull has been
courting Haga for several years, and if there's a hot property in
racing today, Haga is it.

[dododo]

Mmmm, I don't know whether to be sad or glad. I think I like WSB better than GP500. From that perspective it's a loss. But it will be a dogfight in gp500 though. Imagine Roberts being overtaken by Haga."WHAT THE F@#$ WAS THAT".
I think there ought to be more riders in 500 with the performance of their machines closer to eachother like in...well superbike.

If the rules change and 4-strokes will join. What will KAWASAKI do. Anybody wants to burn his fingers on that question?

[elephino]

I'm keeping out of Kawasaki rumours.

But I will predict somthing for next year....

Roberts (could be almost anyone) having Haga slide down one side and McCoy down the other...magic

[Lazy Boy]

Yep... Haga and Rossi and McCoy will slide by into a co-induced alternating crashfest and Roberts will be there to get consistent 2nd or 3rd place points......

...yeah right!..like I can predict the future!

Tell you one thing... I canceled Cable TV 3 years ago because I saw a bunch of shyt around that time.. and I'll be re-signing up just because of this ensuing Battle Royale!... can't ******* wait!

This will be my most anticipated season in a long time.
(he says one day after the previous season is over...argh!!)

Can anybody name a season with this many fast guys going for it during one season?

[Airhead]

Yes it all sounds too good to be true, but look at the disppointing results from some of the fancied guys over the last season and a half (post Mick Doohan). Biagi? Laconi? Caparossi? Abe? Rather a poor showing from most while McCoy literally slid into view from left field, Rossi has been smart and consistant (the smartest move going to the team with the best record over the last what 14 years), Roberts has been smart and sorry Kenny but boring.

I thought similar thoughts to Lazy Boy last year. Lets hope next year he's right and I'm off the mark!

[gomick]

i think i heard that kawasaki would be racing in the new 500 class in 02'

[dododo]

That would be real nice, but will they withdraw from superbike then? If so WSB will bleed to death with Yamaha already withdrawn.

marc

[Valentinik]

see http://www.mb4u.com for the latest Kawasaki tyre shredding 4 stroke rumor

[Lazy Boy]

I went there and don't see anything about
Kawasaki
or a 990 4S
or tires

[Valentinik]

go into the motorbike sports section then follow link to motogp then click on news and go down to 17th October.

[chunder]

Good on Jurgen but he is only a qualifier. Lots of front rows but very few actual results. Still giving him a bike is better than Gibernau continuing to be **** on one and Taddy waiting for his pension. Shame for Criville that he has no confidence in the bike. Could it be that Doohan and Burgess are guiding the development of the bike towards the 250 style of Rossi?
Chris Walker was apparantly offered the bike but refused to continue his brand association with Suzuki. Not a bad plan but why was the bike not offered to a certain Mr McWilliams who I think you will agree has raced better then vd Goorberg this year, but then I guess Honda don't need to sell bikes in the UK do they!!

[dododo]

13 J.vd GOORBERGH NED 85: 6 5 3 7 3 5 9 7 11 - 4 8 6 6 1 4
14 J.McWILLIAMS GBR 76: - 6 8 - 4 16 4 - 16 - 7 5 - - 2 8

Well chunder, above u see the results in points from Jurgen and Jeremy for every race. I think this puts things into perspective. To be better one has to finish in front.

Marc

[Rossifumi]

Yeah Dododo you beat me to that post!
You just have to look at the results and you see why McWilliams didn't got the bike.The main reason Jurgen got it was his concistancie.
The bike Chris Walker was offerd was not the same bike.Here is a quote from Motogp:

During the Australian Grand Prix weekend, Laconi had a secret meeting
with Shell Advance team owner Jeff Hardwick. Hardwick has been
guaranteed a V4 NSR 500 by HRC for the upcoming season,
thereby proving that Honda has changed its original plans to only
supply six riders with NSRs next year in the 500 class. Hardwick’s
500 had initially been slated for English rider Chris Walker, but the
current Suzuki Superbike man has turned the ride down. Hardwick
then offered it to Jeremy McWilliams, who has asked to be given
until next Monday to decide. McWilliams is known to have a strong
sense of loyalty towards Aprilia after they trusted him with a factory
ride on their 500 twin this year and is reluctant to leave the Italian
factory.

So don't say McWilliams didn't got offerd a good ride!