Melandri to Kawasaki???

Gizmo

Gizmo

Forum Geek
Rumours are that Marco may be on his way very soon http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/68772

Its always a sad thing when a rider can't get on with the bike but Marco just doesn't seem to now want to ride the bike, he's racing hard enough not to hurt himself but doesn't seem to care where he finishes. I don't think its just his head the 09 bike must have its issues as well as Elias is also struggling and only a rider with the talent of Stoner can do well on it but it leaves Ducati in a crap situation if Marco moves on and can ride the Kawasaki a bike renowned for being uncompetitive, if he doesn't do well everyone already knows the Kwak is a dog anyway and he's only gone there cos they'll have him. Its going to be an interesting few weeks.....
 
The commentators at last weeks MotoGp were talking about the switch of Melandri to Kawa and Gibernau getting the ride. They were talking about Shakey replacing Bayliss which I mentioned in a post a couple of weeks ago:)
 
OH dear, best get my picture posted quick then... have a fab shot entitled "Melandri Takes Pole". The picture shows Brian the Snail being overtaken by a hairline by "Melandri" on my Scalextrics Moto GP Ducati :D

It would appear that Melandri has given up... when Rossi can come off, have a cup of tea, nip down to Tescos for a breakfast, come back and still finish in front... that's a worry. I feel really sorry for Melandri, I always support the underdog, and I also think Stoner is the usual arrogant rider.

I would agree that Ducati have a worrying time ahead.... if Melandri performs well on a Kawasaki (or indeed anything else), then the finger of blame can squarely be pegged at DUCATI.... and there goes the value of my D16RR - it'll be tagged as unrideable... like I can ride it anyway :D :D :D

I personally wish Melandri well, what a real sh1t season the guy's had. I think Ducati need to call in the experienced old boys...
 
...Tell me, are you bringing it up to Lossi next week? Can I have a shot, it seems that after Jon offered ME (and only ME) a ride on his, everyone (read all the 'nobodys' on this forum ;) :p ) has joined the band wagon and think that he's gonna let them have a go. - like get real you lot!!! :D

Anyway I'll look forward to seeing it bounce off the rev-limiter while on my way to Nairn for an Icecream!!! :rolleyes: ;) :p
 
ProjectImola004 said:
...Tell me, are you bringing it up to Lossi next week? Can I have a shot, it seems that after Jon offered ME (and only ME) a ride on his, everyone (read all the 'nobodys' on this forum ;) :p ) has joined the band wagon and think that he's gonna let them have a go. - like get real you lot!!! :D

Anyway I'll look forward to seeing it bounce off the rev-limiter while on my way to Nairn for an Icecream!!! :rolleyes: ;) :p
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The fuel tank ain't big enough for you to find your way to Nairn Ed;)

Back to the thread, how many top riders will want to risk trying to ride the Duc, if Stoner is the only rider whose style suits the bike( I am still not convinced it is down to skill or talent, remember Jimmy Carr used to have the TG fastest lap!) then will the top guys want to take a chance on looking a fud!...
 
PaulV said:
The fuel tank ain't big enough for you to find your way to Nairn Ed;)

Back to the thread, how many top riders will want to risk trying to ride the Duc, if Stoner is the only rider whose style suits the bike( I am still not convinced it is down to skill or talent, remember Jimmy Carr used to have the TG fastest lap!) then will the top guys want to take a chance on looking a fud!...
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can just about guarentee that if you put the likes of rossi or lorenzo et al on it they could run at the front ;)
 
Steve748 said:
The commentators at last weeks MotoGp were talking about the switch of Melandri to Kawa and Gibernau getting the ride. They were talking about Shakey replacing Bayliss which I mentioned in a post a couple of weeks ago:)
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would like to see gibernau back again
 
ProjectImola004 said:
...Tell me, are you bringing it up to Lossi next week? Can I have a shot, it seems that after Jon offered ME (and only ME) a ride on his, everyone (read all the 'nobodys' on this forum ;) :p ) has joined the band wagon and think that he's gonna let them have a go. - like get real you lot!!! :D

Anyway I'll look forward to seeing it bounce off the rev-limiter while on my way to Nairn for an Icecream!!! :rolleyes: ;) :p
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Don't think I can take it, the tyre would be fooked... the A9 is not best suited to the soft compound of these damn things... being replaced every 700-800 miles, you can imagine how squared off it will look - it will resemble some jar head US Marine... the weather looks sh1t anyway - 1098 by the looks.
 
What I can't understand is that Stoner seems to be the only person to run at the front on this years bike. Yet Bayliss rode the 999 all year and the last MotoGp of the year he came first with Capirossi 2nd on the Desmo! How good was that! I would have expected a top rider such as Melandri is to be able to change his style with the amount of time he has been on it? It seems the only reason Stoner crashed the H@@@@ so much was because he was trying to get the bike to perform like the Ducati now does for him. I was very surprised that Ducati dumped Capirossi as I thought he was to Ducati what Schu was to Ferrari
I would just love it after Bayliss has finished with WSB he then said ' that was my last year on a Superbike, now I'm going to have my last year on a Desmosedici :cool: and become champion in 09. He has always wanted to prove himself a better rider than Fogerty and what better way to do that!
 
69jme69 said:
can just about guarentee that if you put the likes of rossi or lorenzo et al on it they could run at the front ;)
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Ducati already have a Vale equivalent but its about getting a bike that performs for riders who possibly aren't quite as gifted, Melandri and Elias both were potential podium places on a Honda, Melandri did well on the old Yamaha but Ducati's problem is they are developing a bike for 1 rider( probably the most talented of all ) and they can't get others to perform on it. Stoner is probably a more gifted rider than even Vale but isn't a development rider and that is Vale's greatest skill, look at how good the Yamaha is now. not just for him but even for newbies to the class like Lorenzo and Toseland, Vale and Burgess have made a bike that works for the majority not the minority. Ducati had to go backwarks to an 08 setup to get Stoner confident again because the work they've done over winter was wrong, the previous year Loris did most of that and Stoner benefitted from it.

It'll be interesting to see how Sete does, he got hurt on the old bikes the 800's are highsiding a lot more and I'd question whether he's at the point where he's prepared to get injured just to finish 4th or 5th as i can't see him beating Rossi, Stoner or Pedrosa.

I'd like to see Ducati stick it out with Marco, they need to get the bike usable and he has a lot of experience and talent (you don't become 125 world champ tithout it!). Its his head that needs fixing along with changes to the bike.
 
problem is Bayliss wasn't consistant in gp and that is what is needed to win the championship. Take Hayden, consistently 2nd, third etc but only won two races, but still became world champion.

A champ above champs wins on different machinary, they are the ones that can adapt their riding to make a difference. I don't like the attitude that a rider is unable to get on with a bike and that is why he doesn't win. It's the poor workman shouldn't blame his tools. If the bike wins races with one rider, but runs at the back with another surely the problem is with the rider. Honda Repsol is the one that still amazes me!!!! But we have been down that road too many times.
 
Sticky said:
problem is Bayliss wasn't consistant in gp and that is what is needed to win the championship.
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tis true but maybe now a couple of years of winning more and running at the front may have ironed out the earlier MotoGp problems?
 
Sticky said:
A champ above champs wins on different machinary, they are the ones that can adapt their riding to make a difference. I don't like the attitude that a rider is unable to get on with a bike and that is why he doesn't win. It's the poor workman shouldn't blame his tools. If the bike wins races with one rider, but runs at the back with another surely the problem is with the rider. Honda Repsol is the one that still amazes me!!!! But we have been down that road too many times.
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Possibly true of a workman but at the level we're talking the differences between winning and being an also ran is so small everything has to be at 100% to even be in with a chance. Not everyone is a champion either, the grid is made up of riders who know they probably can't win and if they do its because everything came together, I can guarantee if you are even slightly uncertain of your bike that would be impossible. Given the way even a rider who's happy with their bike can still end up hurt on these new 800's I'd say Melandri will not push it until he is absolutely certain the setup is what he needs, adapting to a bike is one thing, getting injured doing so is another, no-one doubts he's a tough guy but he's not stupid.

the bike doesn't win races, its a combination of rider/bike/tyres and preparation, all have their part to play and without them all coming together you shouldn't have a chance.
 
Steve748 said:
....
I would just love it after Bayliss has finished with WSB he then said ' that was my last year on a Superbike, now I'm going to have my last year on a Desmosedici :cool: and become champion in 09. He has always wanted to prove himself a better rider than Fogerty and what better way to do that!
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If Troy Bayliss raced 'til he's 103 he wouldn't be better than Carl Fogarty

What people forget is that Carl sustained a serious leg injury bikes in his early years in road racing, which meant that he could never get really comfortable on smaller bikes ie. 250 and 500GP. There is absolutely no doubt that he would have been a World Champion at GP level, Not just WSB and Formula 1 and World Endurance.
 
charlieh said:
If Troy Bayliss raced 'til he's 103 he wouldn't be better than Carl Fogarty
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Carl is a great guy, no question... but if Troy raced until he was 103 the stale smell of p1ss in his leathers might be an issue :D :D
 
Mad Dash said:
Carl is a great guy, no question... but if Troy raced until he was 103 the stale smell of p1ss in his leathers might be an issue :D :D
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...oh that's just terrrible!!! :eek: :D

,...you are really 'orrible you!!! :p

I don't care what you all say, all these guys are blo0dy heros in my eyes, they are all amazing riders, the bikes are amazing, the technology amazing and the sportsmanship (for the most part) amazing. Long live motorcycle sport!!! :)

Foggy, blo0dy ugly (but missus made up for that) but one of the greatest riders there was. Did so much for Ducati - putting it back on the map!!
 
charlieh said:
If Troy Bayliss raced 'til he's 103 he wouldn't be better than Carl Fogarty

What people forget is that Carl sustained a serious leg injury bikes in his early years in road racing, which meant that he could never get really comfortable on smaller bikes ie. 250 and 500GP. There is absolutely no doubt that he would have been a World Champion at GP level, Not just WSB and Formula 1 and World Endurance.
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eh, you can't put Fogarty in the same class as Schwantz, Rainey, Doohan or Lawson what year could he have beaten any of them to be a World Champ in GP ?????

he was a good rider who used the Ducati's advantage well but 500's at that time were a whole different game , when he went back to Honda and lost the bike advantage he didn't even finish in the first 3 at the seasons end. He was good on a superbike and helped Ducati and racing in the UK but thats not the same as winning a GP title on 500 screamers.
 
Foggy without the leg injury would have been a world class 250GP rider but 500's would have been a taller order as he would never have been able to take anywhere near enough money into a top team to be able to dictate terms and get what he wanted with the bikes....

....'A' tyres, setup to his requirements etc.

Second string riders in 500 GP teams of the time tended to get what they were given and were expected to provide backup and steady finishes.

In 500GP's the closest Carl probably got was the Cagiva which was already on borrowed time due to lack of finance. Failing to ride to orders, (he tried to win and then crashed), didn't help.

Niall MacKenzie and Rob MacElnea suffered exactly the same "second string, second rate" treatment.
 
Ed's right, ALL the riders mentioned in this thread are great in their own right. I just wish Moto GP enjoyed the same following as Formula One. F1 is as predictable as it is boring... Moto GP is a thrill to the end, last weekend we see the favourite to win come off on the first turn, and the podium number three run out of fuel to "coast" over for 4th... that is truly edge of seat stuff and I love EVERY second of it. Oh, and despite coming off Rossi still beats Melandri.... it's almost movie script stuff.

The fact is too, if I was on a track with Melandri, he would probably lap me before I had completed the first lap - so it's with arrogance that I slag him off :D :D Well done Ed, Heroes every one ;)
 
but imho, foggy rode and won in the island, putting him above all doohan, et al.as did hailwood, who in my eyes was the greatest ever to sit on a bike!!!:)
 
I just wonder how all the heroes of our childhood memories (I'm 42) would actually compare with today's riders & technology.... How would Barry Sheene manage on a 1098 or a Desmosedici. Were the "older guys" more skillful... I wonder ???? Could Jackie Stewart in his prime win against Lewis Hamilton in the same car ??? I don't know, I'm asking... Certainly most sportsmen and women are much fitter, physically and mentally - look at the work outs Tiger Woods does, or Murray at the tennis...
 
Mad Dash said:
I just wonder how all the heroes of our childhood memories (I'm 42) would actually compare with today's riders & technology.... How would Barry Sheene manage on a 1098 or a Desmosedici. Were the "older guys" more skillful... I wonder ???? Could Jackie Stewart in his prime win against Lewis Hamilton in the same car ??? I don't know, I'm asking... Certainly most sportsmen and women are much fitter, physically and mentally - look at the work outs Tiger Woods does, or Murray at the tennis...
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Impossible to say as technology, knowledge etc moves on.
Fact is that the best in the world at any point are the best because they have that rare talent etc so they would certainly take advantage of improvements over the years and would still be there or thereabouts with today's elite.
Interesting experiment would be to take Lewis Hamilton or Casey Stoner and put them in/on a 1970's machine with 1970's tyres etc on a circuit which is as it was then and see how their lap times compare with 30 years ago.
That would at least give an indication on a flying lap where fitness would not have so much of an influence.
 
There is still stuff like Classic Bol Dor and vintage racing where they are racing the old bikes those guys rode. When I went to Magny Cours they were really going for it just like the Sheene/Roberts race at Silverstone in 1978!
 
I will say one more thing on this topic, with regard to the Isle of Man TT...

I have been going to the TT (and MGP) since 1953 (as a very young kid) The roads now are for the most part far smoother than they ever were and the riders of yesteryear were riding more 'agricultural' machinery

The fact that classic racers at the Manx GP can lap far faster than the original bikes did 25/30 years earlier is testament to improvements in the roads as well as engineering standards of the machinery.

I saw Mike Hailwood at his peak, Agostini in his prime, Read, Duke, the Dunlops, Hizzy, Foggy and every other hero who has raced around the TT course....

....but the best I've ever seen is John McGuiness just ahead of Mike the Bike and Joey
 
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