EXUP Worldwide

Well the season is upon us again, so who will shine, and who will be left behind:

For me, the season will come down to Casey vs Casey, The young Aussie is without a doubt the outright fastest in the field, if he continues to crash while in a winning position, Dani will run over the top of him, but if Casey can keep it rubber side down, no one will catch him..............

And of the rest, the world champ Lorenzo has found consistancy, 9 race wins and 138 pts over your nearest rival in the premier class of racing is no mean feat, he is a class act. His new room mate will keep him honest week in week out, look out for Spies notching up his 1st race win this year. With Rossi gone, and only 2 factory riders to support, instead of 3 as per last year, the triple tuning fork may suprise us yet..

The Doctor, he may well need one this year. he will no doubt ride the wheels off the Ducati, but he may find, as Casey did, you need to ride this bike at 10/10ths, we all know what happens at 11/10ths.........

For what it's worth:
Casey, Pedrosa, Lorenzo...............then Rossi, Simonchelli, Hayden, Spies in no partuicular order

We may not be in a Golden era of racing just yet, but it ain't far away

stan

i put my money on stoner back before his time with ducati when he was crashing more than staying upright. i was ostracized to no end, but he finally came through for me. problem is, i'm not much of a fan of his these days, and it's made worse by his move to honda. i don't like honda.

i can't stand lorenzo, so i am hoping spies wipes the floor with him this year or at least is right there every time lorenzo tries to get away.

simoncelli seems to race dirty to me...i just remember him bumping aoyama all over the tracks the last couple of races from 2010.

rossi. well, he has his supporters and haters, doesn't he? there's no denying he's an amazing rider and did great things for yamaha, but i think he has his work cutout for him on the duck. i am sure they (ducati) threw stupid sums of cash at the bike so they wouldn't lose face coming out of the gate, but i think that bike is a beast to get right.

we'll see...

Stoner will crush them this year.

I think if Spies can get a bike under him and a crew around him he may surprise, I'll still cheer for Rossi though, just like the guy.

Me?? I just like seein' the Doctor win, even at a young age, the dude had humility & class? Sorry to not see him with Yamaha any longer, but..... at least he's not back with Honda.

I'm sure Kawi is out of MotoGP, but just for there own livelihood as a company, I'd sure like to see one of there machine's be successful in WSB. Their new litre class machine looks and reads quite stunning. I'd like to Suzuki do OK too but that's just cause I would hate to see any motorcycle company fold, save one (Honda) but that's more of an attitude thing not because of their machinery, would I really like to see them gone no, just eat some humble pie and savour the flavour from then on. Well maybe I'd like to see another one fold (HD) but I suppose that'll never happen

I cheer for all of them, as long as there is good racing on the track (I read Simoncelli racing dirty? cheer-1 for him). I've seen races (when I've been able to watch, I don't stay home for them) where Stoner/Rossi/Hayden/Whoever where in front seconds apart, and #5-6-7-8 are battling whose front wheel goes first. Hurray for #1-4, but I want cameras on #5-8 in that race!

@sickle44: For HD to fold from MotoGP they first have to enter, which will pose it's own unique challenges (does HD even have a 800cc engine?)

I know HD is not anywhere near MotoGP, just got off on a bit of tangent is all.

They do/did have something close ot 800CC but even if they did, I'm sorry but there's no level of developement that could possibly make their lump halfways worth it's salt, competetive wise anways.

I think it's going to be a brilliant year of racing action in MotoGP (and SBK) as there seems to be no one with a clear advantage at the start of the season - but going on pre-season testing, I'd have to say Stoner is the one to watch. He seems to have a bike that gives his front end confidence riding style everything he needs to get the job done, but watch out for Spies - that boy can certainly ride a bike well.

I'm sure Kawi is out of MotoGP, but just for there own livelihood as a company, I'd sure like to see one of there machine's be successful in WSB. Their new litre class machine looks and reads quite stunning. I'd like to Suzuki do OK too but that's just cause I would hate to see any motorcycle company fold, save one (Honda) but that's more of an attitude thing not because of their machinery, would I really like to see them gone no, just eat some humble pie and savour the flavour from then on. Well maybe I'd like to see another one fold (HD) but I suppose that'll never happen

Is this the reason we're going to see MotoGP with 1000cc production based engines being run against the 800cc bikes next year?

There's only one way to get the premiere class back to the high grid numbers of the '70's and 80's, and that's to make the cost of the bikes more attainable, like Yamaha and did with the TZ's.
That way anyone with the $$$ could theoretically get hold of a good base machine and develop it into a compeditive mount, and we haven't seem anyone try that since WCM.
I'd say that they've watched the success of the Moto2 formula and are trying to replicate it in the premiere class, and good on them for doing it, Moto2 has to be the most exciting racing that I've seen in many years and in some ways totally eclipsed MotoGP last year for excitiement.

Graham wrote:Is this the reason we're going to see MotoGP with 1000cc production based engines being run against the 800cc bikes next year

BinGO!!!

Stoner on poll BY A LONG WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rossi is nowere.

There is something vagley familiar about a prickley aussie in Repslol leathers going head to head with a Spainiard in the same colours

I like to watch the riders reactions after the race

Stoner: Satisfied
Lorenzo: Like he had a win
Pedrosa: Couldn't find a hole small enough to hide in

Roll on rd 2

stan

Pretty decent race to be sure, couple of the back of the pack races were more fun than the front runners, especially when they use each other as a berm for turning!

stan wrote:There is something vagley familiar about a prickley aussie in Repslol leathers going head to head with a Spainiard in the same colours

I like to watch the riders reactions after the race

Stoner: Satisfied
Lorenzo: Like he had a win
Pedrosa: Couldn't find a hole small enough to hide in

Roll on rd 2

stan

Yeah Marty, even if you come 2nd give you the right to carry on like a wanker!! All we needed was Rossi on 3rd & the pair of them would have carried on like dickheads..!
Felt a little sorry for Pedrosa, he put in a good ride, & didnt blame anyone but himself for comming 3rd. Well done to him.

Got no speed vision, so I have to live vicariously through your guys' news unfortunately.

Moto2 may be entertaining, I just wish they didn't have to all be Honda engines, where's the true "Racing" in that. True, it may be more competetive but where's the whole, rung what you brung aspect to that race? NON EXISTANT cause they all just go grab the same yucky "battery" (honda engine) and plug it in, that ain't racin' to me. Just my

I remember an article in a bike mag a while back where the author was saying the only real racing is soap box derby and when you think about it, seems rather somewhat true. Kid makes his ride with help from a team, normally comprised of Dad, sometimes others, then he races the wheels of his box down the hill. No electronics, no Huge International committee, rules that make sense, and a hell of a lot of fun. Seems all racing is nowadays is business, business, business.
I understand of course that the business is unavoidable somehow but frankly, it's waaaaay out of hand.

i did not like alex criville...

i was a little surprised with lorenzo's reaction. i thought he was gonna jump off the damn bike; he was flopping around on that thing like a maniac.

i read something about pedrosa having some arm/shoulder problems in the later half of the race. leftover problems from his bad accident i think.

Hooligan wrote:i did not like alex criville....

Who did?

sbutler wrote:Who did?

good point.

I feel a bit like Criville these days, I can get on the back of a bike or group of bikes but can't pass or get away !!

I remember being at Eastern Creek in 96 when Doohan and he went at it for most of the race. We were at turn 9 and I'd had my camera out the whole race but put it away and then Criville wipes out right in front of us, my mate couldn't believe I didn't get the pic he's never quite forgiven me!

JasonL wrote:I feel a bit like Criville these days, !

Thats only because you moved south of the boarder. We still like ya up here.

Ha! Thanks its nice to be remembered have a good Barry Sheene by the way