As a fairly new fan to the sport of AMA and all I am really routing for Ben. I think the guy is an awesome rider. I was very suprised with how well RLH did last year at Laguna. But I even though I rate Spies miles ahead I am not expecting miracles with no testing etc.
It would be amazing if Spies could go to Motogp next year and do well. By the looks of it, we can kiss Superbike goodbye thanks to DooMandGloom.
Hopkins got a huge salary to lure him to Kawasaki - it's true. Ducati tried to lure Hayden but he decided to stay with Honda for less money. I'm not saying Hayden can't make $5 million with all his endorsements but I do not believe that is his Honda salary.
Hayden is a great motorcycle racer, but he's not a great business man or team leader. both of which are also required to be great champs. Think about Rossi, Roberts, Spencer, Rainey, Micheal Schumacher they all commanded respect from their teams and around the paddock. They are all visionaries who find a way to win at any cost. Hayden is playing games walking around to difference teams with his HRC gear trying to worry the Honda bosses that he might leave. Get a clue Nicky, Honda does not want you to stay. Go somewhere where you are wanted.
Hayden should have left for Ducati in '06 when he had the chance, and when Honda started developing the new bike around Pedbot.
Whatever he's done. On to our next great American hope. I feel like Ben has more of the GP acumen.
Get a clue Nicky, Honda does not want you to stay. Go somewhere where you are wanted.
I think Honda want him to stay - he's the PR boy to make up for pouty little Pedrosa. Just my opinion, and I am often wrong.
First of all Pedbot is a national hero in Spain. And who is Hayden a PR boy for? I believe he's lost most of his fan base. The only people Nicky is appealing to at this point are the girls who think he's cute. You can't be much of a poster child if you can't even keep pace in the race, and do you hear the guy talk to the press, he's not exactly razor sharp.
Honda probably won't come right out and fire him, but they will make it uncomfortable for him to stay. Keep holding out on that new air valve engine and give Pedbot more resources etc. problem is Hayden is dumb as a fence post and he thinks it's better to be with HRC, be the 2nd rider and get treated like dog dirt vs being with a satellite team, the #1 rider and being treated like the greatest thing sliced bread. I mean look at Divo or Edwards, they have out preformed Hayden in nearly every race. Hayden will be smart to cut his loses and go try for a couple championships in WSBK.
It remains to be seen what Spies will do long term in GP, although if he lands a top ride I think he'll be more successful than Hayden just because he's much smarter than Hayden. Although of course his chances of success are much greater in WSBK given the style of motorcycle he's already accustom to. At this point you can't say anything more than that. Donington and Indy will be the real test as he will be on unfamiliar machinery at a new track, most like the experience of his first full season in GP, net out any testing he does before '09.
Pedrosa might be a hero in Spain but that isn't the rest of the world. Hayden is photogenic, much more so than Pedrosa. Pedrosa rarely smiles and when does he looks like he's strangling a small furry animal.
Rumor has it that Hayden is looking around, and I hope it's true - Honda has made noises about keeping him. They don't have to fire him, his contract is up this year. And you think Hayden's only fans are female - talk to the man, King Kenny! He still has fans, just because YOU don't like him doesn't mean they're all gone.
There is little money in SBK and a lot less prestige in the eyes of most of the world. Not too many voluntarily make that choice.
as long as ben gets some dry practice i think he'll be fine in the rain. he's quite the competent rain rider. as for finish, i think 10th would be incredible
as long as ben gets some dry practice i think he'll be fine in the rain. he's quite the competent rain rider. as for finish, i think 10th would be incredible
I agree - anything short of embarrassing himself is good, and anything beyond that is positive.
I think Spies and Toseland are cut from the same cloth. He can push the Suzuki into the top ten and that for a first race is good enough. I can't wait for FP1.
Pedrosa might be a hero in Spain but that isn't the rest of the world. Hayden is photogenic, much more so than Pedrosa. Pedrosa rarely smiles and when does he looks like he's strangling a small furry animal.
Rumor has it that Hayden is looking around, and I hope it's true - Honda has made noises about keeping him. They don't have to fire him, his contract is up this year. And you think Hayden's only fans are female - talk to the man, King Kenny! He still has fans, just because YOU don't like him doesn't mean they're all gone.
There is little money in SBK and a lot less prestige in the eyes of most of the world. Not too many voluntarily make that choice.
I don't know what you are trying to imply about other members of this forum...
Also let not talk about prestige, Carl Fogerty, Bayliss, Toseland, Corser, Edwards. Com'on. Or he could be spinning laps at the back of the motogp pack like a monkey. I'll go out on a limb and say that Hayden will never win another GP race. It's not that I don't like him, I just think his run is over and he makes bad decisions about his career. Also I think you will see a lot more fans cheering for Spies at Laguna this year.
Ok, first of all, Nicky Hayden is very well respected in the paddock. He has been good to his team despite them treating him badly at times (which obviously other team managers love), and the media people love him. He may speak in a funny accent, but he is honest for the most part. Even if he spews the company line, the regular journo's know how to read his face.
And Nicky is a very good rider. As I said before, he was never able to take that last little step (the hardest one to take), but he is still at a very hight level. Honestly, I don't think Spies will even reach that level that Nicky is at. I'd take Nicky over Spies in a second. And he is what, like 27 years old or something? Hardly ancient.
A top 10 is ok. I don't think you can judge by finishing position. As everyone knows, when you beat the 3 Ducati strugglers and West, you are pretty much at a top 10 with a few crashes thrown in. Beyond that though it gets exponentially harder, cause you start racing with the solid guys (Nakano aside). Roger Hayden's top 10 was helped by guys dropping out and the fact that riding on B-Stones was worth 30 secons over the Michelin's last year at Laguna.
You have to judge Ben on how much he improves from the first session to the last, and how close he is to the two established guys. Sure, they have experience... but some guys have come in and been pretty fast straight away, so he should at leat be close. And really, Vermulen isn't getting what Capirossi gets out of the bike, so he should be somewhat near him.
Also let not talk about prestige, Carl Fogerty, Bayliss, Toseland, Corser, Edwards.
Ago, Hailwood, Sheene, Roberts, Spencer, Lawson, Rainey, Doohan, Rossi. I win. The world in general, not necessarily you, views GP as the prestigious series. Be careful saying 'Fogarty' and 'prestige' in the same sentence, btw, unless you fit 'views himself as having great' in the middle
RR, 'improvement from the first session to the last' - that makes perfect sense.
I doubt you will see more Spies than Hayden fans at Laguna, they love the guy - but who knows and it's irrelevant to the conversation.
Spies doesn't deserve a ride on a GP bike unless he can prove that he can ride it well. I agree that there are enough US riders on GPs that Spies wouldn't increase the viewership in a discernable way. Spies is a c.o.ck.y punk that thinks he's great. While I'll agree he's some talent I think that being on the best bike with only one other rider to compete against isn't a good indicator of how well he'll do on the world scene. I think that Ben would do better in the WSB series. WSB Ducati noted they'd consider him but I don't think he'd do well on a Ducati in either series.
Even if he makes it on the Suzuki team for next year he'll only be a backmarker at best.
neracer - 12 June 2008 12:36 PM
The only crappy thing for Ben in this deal is that it might rain. However, he's going to get valuable GP time on a GP bike. It's obvious Suzuki Japan is seriously thinking about putting Ben on a their team for next year. His salary is 2 million a year from American Suzuki now, he's asking for 2.5 million for a GP ride. I don't think that's a huge increase and he deserves it. No matter what Rolfo says.
Also, Nicky's salary from Honda is roughly 5 million a year. It is widely regarded that Nicky is going to Ducati next year. I wouldn't be so sure. I know that Ducat has already been calling on Ben and they were even after Hopkins a few years ago. If Spies does what he should at Laguna, Indy and hopefully Valencia, don't be surprised if he Ben is riding red next year.
