Superbikes Silly Season 2006

[ATF]

We had some classic racing this year, in WSBK and especially in BSB. I already can't wait til next year. What deals have been done for 2006 and are any teams moving around?

BSB:

It's good to hear HM Plant Honda and GSE Ducati are staying in BSB. Honda are racing Kiyo and Harris so where will Rutter go? And GSE are keeping the same riders so Lavilla actually has a contract before the season starts.

WSBK:

Corser is apparently staying on with Suzuki and Bayliss and Lanzi are in at Ducati but haven't hear much else. What are Yamahas and Hagas plans?

Any more teams confirmed? Any info would be great!!

[Hazza]

Well.....

It's 5:30am in the morning and I havn't slept so bare with me if it's a little crazy:

Ducati Corse: Bayliss/Lanzi.
NCR Ducati: No one yet, but I wouldn't put Laconi or Toseland out of the picture.
Suzuki: One could assume that it'd be Corser/Yukio "Smokey Smokey" Kagayama again.
Renegade: BBoz hasn't got a contract for next year, but in the nicest possible way, he's got the ability to fail upward, so I wouldn't count him out of the seat either.
TKH: Chris V and Muggers most likely, but:
Rumour has it that Tose is sniffing about TKR for a ride, esp if Chris leaves. And Charpentier is moving up I belive to superbike, not sure what he'll be on.

Yamaha Italia - You'd have to asume that Haga will be staying, they have been running would you belive it, converted street bikes!!! So maybe if they get a decent bike from Yamaha they'll start tearing it up.

Yamaha etc - No one has done anything 'cept Haga, so you could asume that if they can raise the funds, Abe, Pitt etc will all be staying.

FPR - Do you care? I don't, but I'd guess that Garry is out (Thankfully, I hope he can get a better ride) and that Martin will stay.

I belive that Hodgeson is sticking with the AMA so that rules out a return.

The Go-Show hopefully will still be running around Australia, with any luck he'll be on a better bike, there were some rumours about a "big announcement" concerning the Go-Show, but who knows.

[Hazza]

Gary is out, confirmed.

Foggy Petronas Racing has announced that 20-year-old Craig Jones, runner-up in the British Supersport championship this season, is replace Garry McCoy for the 2006 World Superbike championship.

[racer69]

Brave move by FPR to run Jones.

Yamaha France - Saw mentioned in i think AMCN that it was the 2005 line-up again in 2006.

Suzuki - Was mentioned that Kagayama would return to BSB to race and resume test-riding for the MotoGP team, not sure if thats still the case.

Ten Kate - Fabrizio is in the mix there somewhere. Going by comments made over the AMGP weekend, Vermuelen staying in World Superbikes. Muggers deserves another go though somewhere.

[Hazza]

Read a rumour on a forum that Chris V -> Suzuki, Toseland -> Ten Kate.

Make of that what you will.

[Dani Filth]

Chris V -> Suzuki as in WSBK Suzuki ?? . wouldn't make much sense imho... looking at the pace of the Honda in the 2nd half of the seazon

[BootsOntheSide]

Isn't the second MotoGP Suzuki also still available? If it's the WSBK ride, I ssupect Chris is thinking long-term,w itht he intention of beating Corser to show his ability before getting into MotoGP. It also could be that he feels the Honda has reached the end fo its development cycle while the Suzuki has further to go.

Suzuki have a BSB ride open after Reynolds' retirememnt, and they have real room for improvement after a disappointing season, so that could be a good use of Kaga.

One name which hasn't been mentioned yet is Chris Walker (Kawasaki in general in fact) - any news? What about Chili and Neukirchner on the Klaffi bikes?

[racer69]

Walker has been testing a 2006-spec ZX10 in Japan recently, so it seems status quo there.

Apparently there will be two Klaffi teams next year, one based in Germany, the other based in Italy for Chili. Whether this split team arrangement means 2 bikes or 4, who knows?

BSB - What will hapen with the Honda UK team if Karl Harris is going to the HRC Honda team? Will James Hayden stay on at Rizla Suzuki? Does the winner of the Virgin Mobile Cup (as Aussie this year ) still get a works Virgin Yamaha seat?

[chunder]

Reckon Chris V is looking long term at Suzuki. Seems Honda are not that bothered about losing their most groomed rider for years!
Such a shame but I think sometimes it is better to be out of HRC's cluthces and do what Edwards did and give em the v sign.
Think he might stay at Kate though, he knows the team so well and the bike was the quickest end of year.
Be great to see Yukio again in BSB wouldnt it, think Toseland is gonna have the pick of the good rides, he seems pretty in demand, think most people realise he didnt get on with Ducati really!
Just dont go to NCR thats all mate!

[Hazza]

Eurosport has reported that Chris V has told Kate - "No Dice."

Suzuki MotoGP?

[bestfit]

Suzuki MotoGP?

All but confirmed!

Chris V to Suzuki

[chunder]

I think that is a short sighted move from Honda to be honest, they are so wrapped up in this "win the title before you move up" thing! For goodness sake the guy is not even on an HRC bike as far as we know!
I think Suzuki is a retrograde step for Chris aswell, he will have yet anotehr tyre to learn and a bike that is not that great.
Depending on the situation with Pons I think he should hang out for a ride, he rode brilliantly yesterday to finish in front of Max and a few others, remember he has only ridden the bike for 8 hours and never on Michies. He looked a lot more up to speed than Shakey did and he knew the tyres a bit better.
As for De Puniet on the Kwacker, I know he is young but he crashes all the time and always has! But at least you have a team manager giving a younger rider a chance, I mean Eckl could have gone with a Barros or something.

[Gerben24]

Originally Posted by Gerben24

...and will that leave the door open for Toseland to go to Ten Kate Honda (to kick Ducati-butt)???

and there we go:

http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view...d=5&nid=121285

[Alex K]

Chris is playing his game. He is talking to Suzuki, but it is mind game with HRC. He is giving Honda a sign, gimme a contract or I will be riding for Suzuki. I think Honda MotoGP is thinking about contr-offer to Suzuki's one for Chris. Vermeulen will be on Honda next year you shall see.

[ATF]

Just seen Ben Bostrom will partner Hodgson at Ducati in AMA. After his disappointing WSBK season, it's not really much of a surprise is it?

But who will join Haydon at Suzuki? They are meant to be making an announcement in the next couple of weeks, could it be Michael Rutter?

[Alex K]

How many more chances for Ben How many IMHO it's his last one on a factory bike. Let him thanx his management, and his bro. for it.

[BootsOntheSide]

My tip for the Suzuki would be Shaky Byrne - on paper he's the best British rider available at the moment, although he may find his way into WSBK. Unless he can get a competitive MotoGP ride - and he wasn't as impressive as Vermeulen on the Camel Honda - he might as well return to Superbikes, at least for now.

[pink69]

Rutters a more likely target for Stobbart Honda. Apprenlty he's prefer the ride, having had experience on the Fireblade etc...

Here's an interesting rumour though....Apprently Haga is demanding big money from Yamaha as well as more factory support for 2006 or he's off, with Alstare Suzuki his most likely destination he he does go. Suzuki tried to sign him this year but he felt the ride belonged to Kagayama but rumour has it they're after running 3 bikes next year. What a line up that'd be, Corser, Haga and Kagayama. The Yamaha continuity plan in this was Ben Bostrum but with him now confirmed with Ducati USA they'll have to work harder on keeping Haga. They'd be silly to let him go but 100% payrise is a hell of a lot to find!

Other news, Regis Laconi is rumoured to be eyeing a ride with Kawasaki, possibly as Walkers team mate at PSG-1.

Also heard a rumour a while back about a 2 bike Honda team for BSB with Plater and Dean Thomas as riders...

[chunder]

Think Rutter will go to Stobart, and I also think Bostroms move is amazing to be honest. the bloke has consistently underachieved since he went back there in the first place, in fa ct he last year in WSB on LM bike was hopeless.
Seems some people can do no wrong, I felt for Renegade this year, it was obvious the bike was OK but Ben can only ride qiuck if the thing is loose as hell.
See also that JT is confirmed at Ten Kate, great signing for them

[ghinzani]

Agree with the statement about Ben and bikes being loose - did you see him at the X-games? Sideways!!

[chunder]

I agree with that but the guy doesnt seem able to see that a setup like that is only gonna work occasionally. You can see Nicky trying very hard to iron it out in GP. he rides the same way, it is the flat track way and it doesnt work on a tight bike like a GP bike.
It can work on superbikes as Ben and Nicky have proved with many wins, but a GP bike is a little too complex, and who is gonna redesign a bie for one rider when the likes of Rutter, Kiyo and Vermuelen are winning plenty with it the way it is!

[ATF]

More WSBK News:

Frankie Chili and Michel Fabrizio are to run for DFXtreme with Hondas! Wonder if Chili can get back on form in 2006?

[BootsOntheSide]

Will these be new Hondas, or 2005-spec machines? Interesting to see DFX seemingly discarding their entire 2005 lineup, as well as their Yamahas, and it wouldn't surprise me if Fabrizio proves to be the faster by the end fo the year - Frankie was disappointing at times last year, and he's not getting any younger.

[Hazza]

Leon Camier has stated the Bleeding Obvious about Jones.

And Corsers belive Yukio Will Be Back.

[Uncle Cranker]

Originally Posted by Alex K

Chris is playing his game. He is talking to Suzuki, but it is mind game with HRC. He is giving Honda a sign, gimme a contract or I will be riding for Suzuki. I think Honda MotoGP is thinking about contr-offer to Suzuki's one for Chris. Vermeulen will be on Honda next year you shall see.

Chris may have been playing games, but in the end the Suzuki deal won through....

My tip to replace him is young Aussie charger and Factory Honda pilot, Josh Brookes, who should have won Aussie SS & SBK last year, except for a fractured pelvis that kept him off the bike for 1/2 the Australian season.

He is set to take out both Aust SS & SBK next weekend at the final round at Phillip Island.

The rumour is that the 'Go Show' will replace Josh on the Factory Aussie Superbike, partnering 'Krusty' Fergusson, who was double champ last year, in SS & SBK.


So Chris V to Moto GP on a Suzuki, another fast Aussie, Josh B on a Ten Kate Honda WBK, and the world is a great place.


Geez we produce a lot of fast bike racers down here, especially with a population of only 18 million.


And the fact we are a only a "reformed convict colony".......