Who would you rate as a better rider - Rossi or Doohan?

[gomick]

gorossi......

[Rossifumi]

The result of last weekends race says it all !
Mick never had the balls to change his ride

[Schummy]

Doohan was powerful. Someone said MD was the last of inmortals in 500. Post Ago "inmortals" were Roberts, Spencer, Lawson, Gardner, Rainey, Schwantz and Doohan , but now, we have got a new "inmortal", or so he looks.

However, I think Doohan got his titles in a weak period of 500cc, although Mick was not "guilty" of it, he could not show his full potential against more exigent opposition in his prime years. I remember MD fighting with those big riders I wrote earlier, and it is awesome.

On the other side Rossi is getting his WCs against better opposition than MD's WCs, BUT... Rossi has never ran against a truly great... because, in fact, he is now the only great in MotoGP. What impresses me is the big difference between VR and the rest of riders with the "same" bike. Where were the rest of Yamahas in Welkom? One recurrent point come to my mind: is Vale's bike *equal* than his "brand-mates"?

All in all, I voted "not sure". Two great riders, without peers in their respective WCs. But ultimately I cannot solve my last doubts about who of them is the greatest.

[moffman]

I voted Mick for the simple fact that he & his team are responsible for making the 500 rideable.Does anyone else wonder how the new breed (Rossi'Biaggi'Gibernau etc.) would have went on a early 90's 500?

[gomick]

Originally posted by Rossifumi
The result of last weekends race says it all !
Mick never had the balls to change his ride

the cheek of you rossifumi - atleast gomick said "gorossi"

[climb]

Very hard to answer; anyways Vale is by miles more a star.
If biking has gained so many points in popularity, catching up with F1, and overtaking F1 in the youngest band, it's largely due to Rossi's fascinating personality.
When he retires, the bubble will probably shrink back.

Somewhat similar to what happened in the ski world with Alberto Tomba.

[300kph]

,,

[300kph]

I always like Mick for his simplicity and how he uses his head when racing...

Now Rossi,... one might resist not to like M. Schumacher but how can you resist the bravery and talent of this crazy boy?

Not sure.... they are both great with that same crew.

[santori]

I don't know which I rate more highly. Perhaps Hailwood or Agostini is better than either?
I prefer Rossi - though I think a lot of people go overboard about his Personality. (You'd think that carrying a big chicken was more important than the racing. He's more visible but there are others as interesting. Max, for example, gives a good interview). But he seems a good guy and I like him, whereas Mick was too unpleasant sometimes.

[TheMan]

Unfortunately Wayne Rainey got ripped away from us while he was in his prime. Had he have not been injured and kept riding I am not so sure it all would have gone Doohan`s way as I beleive that Rainey was better than Doohan. This said I beleive that Rossi is better than both of them, but without having seen the three of them compete together this is almost an impossible question to answer. For those of you here that never saw Wayne Rainey in his prime, You have been robbed. He was an awesome rider.

[climb]

Agreed.

[Rossifumi]

Gomick i never said i didn't liked Doohan , it's only that Mick let it look too easy to ride that Honda and i can't remember seeing him doing something spectecular ,i found him a bit dull . But the fact that he won 5 world titles in a row must mean that he was good!

[Dani Filth]

Originally posted by moffman
I voted Mick for the simple fact that he & his team are responsible for making the 500 rideable.Does anyone else wonder how the new breed (Rossi'Biaggi'Gibernau etc.) would have went on a early 90's 500?

this sound like wondering. how Schum . would cope with past GP cars ... .. lol .. i wonder .. how Rossi would do with a earlier 500 bike .. and my answer would be .. fine ...
but . it's a bit unfair to compare riders(as in F1 ) from different "ages" ..

[climb]

Right Dany,
every driver runs the bike he's given!
Having all the current drivers the 90's cars, things wouldn't change at all.

[KC]

I think its tough to compare riders from different eras, even two as closely linked as Doohan and Rossi. Doohan dominated for quite a while. Rossi may prove to be better this year if he wins on the Yamaha. One thing that some may hold against Doohan is that he stayed with Honda for his successful career. Rossi may prove to be just as good but on different makes.

My question comes down to this... how long until Rossi gets bored?

[Dani Filth]

well . we have a mixed pack of bikes .. what next ?? . Suzuki ?? Kawasaki .. o god please be Aprilia

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Schummy
Where were the rest of Yamahas in Welkom? One recurrent point come to my mind: is Vale's bike *equal* than his "brand-mates"?

I think the trouble for Rossi's team mates is the fact that whatever he asks for Yamaha give him, but then, his team mates get the same thing, even if it's to the detriment of thier riding styles.

[av8rirl]

Given that Rossi has just won the title on the Yam, does anyone want to change their mind?

I was (and still am) a huge Mick fan but you cannot argue with what Rossi has just done.

[Knowlesy]

I think he has now got be classed as the all time great..........what he does is astonishing and he makes it look so easy. Add to that his charisma and his entertainment value and I think we are witnessing something truly special.

I'll enjoy telling my grandkids about Vale!

[Dani Filth]

no . i don't want to change my mind i'm still with Rossi

[BootsOntheSide]

Rossi's really satrting to look like the ebst isnce Ago now. Winning the title on a bike so inferior that the second-best Yamaha is now behidn all 6 Hondas, with a race to spare, and throuhg such a thrilling race, realyl says a lot for him. His career has seen him acheive more than Doohan in a much shorter time.

[lookleft]

Does it really matter?? Enjoy both - too subjective.

Having said that I'll leave with two words: "Jeremy Burgess "......

[William Dale Jr]

Two things that should not be forgotten about Doohan's career:

- Firstly, Mick had the 1992 title by the throat. By Assen, he'd racked up five wins and two seconds; his closest pursuer in the title race (Kevin Schwantz) was 53 points behind. Had Mick not taken a tumble at Assen, he would have romped it in. At Assen, Rainey was injured and flew home after the first day of practice, and didn't really hit form until France two races later. Schwantz's title chances effectively ended when he tangled with Eddie Lawson during the race and broke his wrist. Of course, Doohan's accident also scuppered his 1993 title chances, as the lasting effects of the Assen accident took their toll. In 1991, Mick was in with a shot at the championship despite running on Michelins that were inferior to the Dunlops used by Rainey and Schwantz. In 1990, Mick started to get himself sorted on the 500 and was a potential race-winner by the end of the year.

- Secondly, and perhaps most significantly, Doohan made the 500cc bike a user-friendly device. Had it not been for he and Jeremy Burgess, perhaps a lot of the riders of the mid-to-late-1990's would not have been as successful/escaped their career's relatively uninjured. The 500cc machine of the late 80's/early 90's was, by all accounts, an evil beast. Even the acknowledged masters - Rainey, Gardner, Schwantz, Mamola, Lawson, Spencer - would regularly be spat off their machines. Nowadays you see all the young riders jumping off 250's or 125's and taking to the big MotoGP monsters with relative aplomb. In the late 80's/early 90's, 500cc racing was effectively a closed shop because none of the 'new blood' could get a handle on the 500's. After the twin-pulse revolution triggered by Doohan, Jeremy Burgess and Honda, the floodgates opened; Gardner, Schwantz, Mamola, Lawson and Rainey had all either retired or were soon to retire, and suddenly Criville, Capirossi, Cadalora and co. were up there and competitive. Without Doohan, I'm not sure this would have happened...


As for my own opinion? Doohan is one of the best. Rossi is one of the best. Why choose between them?

[William Dale Jr]

Originally posted by lookleft
Having said that I'll leave with two words: "Jeremy Burgess "......

Which reminds me, exactly how many championship wins has Jeremy Burgess been a part of? All of Mick's of course, all of Vale's, he was with Gardner for his '87 title, and wasn't he with Freddie Spencer for at least one of his world titles?

[Hazza]

Originally posted by William Dale Jr
Two things that should not be forgotten about Doohan's career:

- Secondly, and perhaps most significantly, Doohan made the 500cc bike a user-friendly device. Had it not been for he and Jeremy Burgess, perhaps a lot of the riders of the mid-to-late-1990's would not have been as successful/escaped their career's relatively uninjured. The 500cc machine of the late 80's/early 90's was, by all accounts, an evil beast. Even the acknowledged masters - Rainey, Gardner, Schwantz, Mamola, Lawson, Spencer - would regularly be spat off their machines. them?

If you've seen any of the onboard cameras from the 1989 Season, you'll see that most of the time the front wheel is pointing up at the blue stuff coming out of slow corners - something lacking from todays racing IMHO