Superbikes Silly Season 2006

[BootsOntheSide]

Maybe Superbikes will prove to be Hoffman's niche? It's a gamble for them, especially as I'm sure Shakey would have accepted that ride as is the better rider on paper, but this might maximise their chances of a BSB/WSBK double. The bike is perfectly good for BSB, it's jsut that with Reynolds injured, Smart underperforming and Haydon coming in midseason they didn't have the rider to exploit it last year. I won't be making excuses for Byrne if he doesn't challenge for the title. In 2003 he wasn't winning by the end of the season because, ironically, the Rizla Suzuki was by then the faster bike, and Monstermob didn't get all the updates straight away being a semi-works team compared to Renegade (I think), so not really his fault.

[chunder]

Having said that Monstermob had Phil Borley and he was a massive factor in getting power from those Dukes, Hizzies bikes were always missiles in a straight line.
I rate Shakey highly but I think he is yet to prove himself at the highest level, for me he is no better than Walker or Hodgson as he has done well over in BSB but not dominated in the sameway abroad. Hodge did in WSB but was on the best bike and tyres.
Think a lot of him getting a ride in GP was Dorna getting involved in BSB and wanting Brit riders in GP. They wanted Jezza out and Shakey in which is I think why Jezza didnt get the KR ride in 05, he would have been a better choice in my view.
I have no problem with that idea, its just that right now there are no real major stars in British racing. I think if Tommy Hill was gonna be a huge star we would have seen it, Craig Jones is going to disappear without trace at Foggy, (why Craig why? aha 100 grand for a season thats why).
Ellison is a talent and deserves a chance but is he really Rossi and Melandri beating material, i think no, but he has grafted hard and for that alone deserves a go on a good bike.
Remember Chris Burns? No, neither did I

[BootsOntheSide]

Comparing Shaky's record (as a rookie) against the very experienced McWilliams at Aprillia, I don't think there's anything suspicious as to why he got his 2 MotoGP rides. Besides, Jezza wanted to race domestically so as to limit the travelling. I feel that he would be successful on the WSBK Suzuki team given a couple of seasons, and who's to say he won't end up there one day?

As for the future, Karl Harris and Leon Haslam could be MotoGP/WSBK stars in future, and Toseland and Walker can always be reasonable contenders. No reason to expect riders form domestic championships to dominate internationally, at least not at first.

[chunder]

Agreed with Leaon coz he has had so much experience in his career already, but Harris I am unsure about, everyone raves about him but so far he has done very little on slick tyred bikes.
He has good kit last year but crashed a lot aswell. And remember he also has a lot of experience both abroad and at home, utterly dominant on a 600 but so far a little harder to impress on a big bike. Bit like Plater really, has won races but crashes a hell of a lot!
You telling me Jezza wouldnt have ridden the KTM bike given the chance! Dont think so

[ATF]

Just read that Alex Hoffman and Jeremy McWilliams are both testing for WCM in MotoGP so maybe this Hoffman, Suzuki WSBK deal isn't totally done!

[Alex K]

But... why :confused:

[Hazza]

Factory Suzuki > WCM.

Or am I missing something?

[BootsOntheSide]

I'd certainly choose a front-running WSBK ride over a back-marking MotoGP one, especially as Hoffman has had 3 years to shine and hasn't really done so.

[racer69]

3 riders for Yamaha-France next year. Gimbert, Abe and a young Japanese rider who's name currently escapes me.

[ATF]

It's Shinichi Nakatomi - Nakatomi as in the setting of the first Die Hard film!! That's how I remember him anyway!

This is what I found from racecorporation.co.uk

Twenty-seven-year-old Nakatomi is an experienced R1 pilot, having ridden for Yamaha's YSP Racing Team in the Suzuka Eight-hour and Japanese JSB1000 championship since switching to four-strokes in 2003. Having never raced outside his native Japan, Nakatomi is looking forward to the adventure of racing in the world championships, experiencing the western culture and racing the YZF-R1 at world level.

[Alex K]

Look at his results this and last year. IMHO Rokkie of the Year @ WSBK next year, and star of the future.

IMO Japanese riders will monopolise success in the comming seasons, we have mega talented, mega fast Yukio Kagayama and Nitro Nori, which IMO will be fighting for next year's title... and up-and-comming Abe and Nakatomi. VERY GOOD CHOICE YMF, GREAT CHOICE, this man deserves two or three seasons in Europe, until he will be fighting with big boys.

www.motoracing-japan.com -> times and results of JSB1000 and other Japanese moto. classes, plus Suzuka 8h races results.

[BootsOntheSide]

Not sure Abe can be classed as 'up and coming', although he did quite well for a Superbike rookie last year, he will have to challenge for wins next year to really be worth kepeing on. Kagayama also needs to improve on his 2005 results, but with circuit knowledge that might be possible. Haga's my tip for the title as it stands, and Nakatomi seems promising, perhaps good enough to be the top Yamaha France rider if things go his way.

[ATF]

I was puzzled by Kagayama's performance this year. On his day he was brilliant and he started the season really well. He knew the Suzuki well (probably more so than Corser). You could argue that he didn't know the tracks this year but remember in BSB 2003 - he went to tracks he had never even seen before and won!

[chunder]

It is a classic trait of the Japanese that I have noticed over the years with a few exceptions. They ride brilliantly in their first maybe two years and then tail off. Ukawa, Itoh, even Katoh was a little disappointing in my eyes on the NSR and the four stroke considering the promise he allegedly showed before his untimely passing.
Harada was good for a consistent time but only really on 250. Strangely though the 125 riders like Ueda didnt suffer as badly.
I think Abe is the classic case, massive talent, huge fuss when he debuted, was brilliant a few times and ordinary others. Naff on a four stroke and naff on Yam France bike considering his pedigree and experience.
Kag was on fire in the UK but most of his career has not been amazing results wise.
Haga I think is anotehr exception, but how do you explain his year on the Aprilia in WSB, he was not a winner on a very good bike.
Okada is another, also Manako, Aoki (htough Takkua was brilliant in his short time).
Weird sort of similar ebbing off of pace with time if you ask me

[asha]

i agree, just look at Tamada

[N I Tram]

That wrist injury probably ruined his season. Yamaha France don't get as much help as Italy, and yet Abe nearly beat Pitt - I hardly call that underperforming. As for Katoh, his one MotoGP season was quite impressive, given that he was on a one-bike rookie team which had not been in the series before, and switched bikes midseason. You could say the same (fading after one or two seasons) about Bayliss, Gibernau, McCoy and many others. This strikes me as an illogical, semi-racist argument.

[Hazza]

Hmm.

I'd say you are both incorrect. :P

I don't think that you can catagorically say that all riders from japan will burn bright, and then burn out.

And Bayliss and McCoy both had cruddy bikes after their "Shining years". I mean, what are you going to do on a Kawasaki

Back on topic

Team Yamaha Germany confirms both Curtain and Parkes

Not a real supprise, slighty dissapointed. But with Kevin turning 40 and Broc having not as a mind-blowing of a season, thats what you can expect.

Hopefully the SS class will tighten up with some more Japenese backing. Maybe we'll see GSX-600? In my dreams, probably.

[chunder]

Strong words Tram but look at the stats. Abe has consistently underperformed in GP, yeah he has won a few races but how many times has he been eighth, and he was not much kop on the four stroke despite testing it to death.
Agreed about Yam France, but they would still get good gear, Abe would be there for that reason and occasionally he was quicker.
I have nothing againt the Japaneseas you seem to suggest, quite the opposite actually, I think their styles are lovely to watch and I omitted to mention Shinya Nakano who has consistently over performed in the past few years, especially on the D'Antin Yamaha.
But please remember Okada, Ukawa, Itoh, Ui, they are all blindingly quick sometimes but seem somehow to never quite win the big prizes apartnfrom at the 8H!!
Ui was quick on 125 though so I take that back.
I just think that out of their environment in a foreign setting they initially look good, then get unsettled maybe. There are riders who prove me wrong, but the trend I would say is true, especially in 500/MotoGP

[asha]

Let's just say that Japanese riders are inspired and leave it at that!

p.s. kato is my all time favourite rider and Harada is just beautiful to watch, always looks like he is going slow.

[BootsOntheSide]

Not sure how big a disadvantage the Yamaha France team had compared to the Italian team, but it didn't have to be much to cancel out Pitt's points advantage over Abe. For whatever reason MotoGP bikes didn't suit his style, and I agree that in 500cc he was more solid than spectacular. Most of the flashes of brilliance you see from Japanese riders (other than the really special ones) do come in their home races, but the same is often true of others - Hayden for example. Consistancy is what seperates good or very good riders form great ones, I don't think there's a big national or cultural element to that, although I can understand why racing in Europe will be harder for a Japanese than, say, an Australian.

[chunder]

But you do see a forward progression from guys like Melendri and Nicky Hayden, that you often dont see from the really quick Japanese riders that get into decent seats in big classes.
I wish there was some really obvious reason for it.
But you are right, consistency wins titles and races. Just frustrates me that so many of these gugely quick lads never sem to sustain it.
Hayden for instance has been given a long time to learn, whether that is coz he is American and a huge bonus point for Honda as a result I dont know. But HRC did the same with Criville, yes he has Spanish money but he repaid them eventually.
If you remember plenty of Honda backed riders have been dumped very quickly, like Chrias Walker, Nobu Aoki (who good very good results) and Daryl Beattie even. Not sure though whether Daryl opted out of Honda to go Yamaha!

[Hazza]

Word around is that Australian Josh Brookes will be riding an NCR Ducati 749 in the World SS championship next year.

Go you good thing!

[429CJ]

Supersport rider Tatu Lauslehto changes from Klaffi to Swedish Stiggy Motorsport.

[ATF]

Corser was quickest ahead of the 2 Dukes today in Qatar testing.

[Hazza]

I ask of thee all:
How exciting is this year going to be?

Troy V. Troy V. Lanzi V. Toesland V. Haga.