LJB-OSB - 07 October 2008 12:24 PM

Kalio does not do much for me, but, the way he rides that KTM might be okay with the Ducati.

I've often thought the same thing about Kalio. He slides that KTM around more than any of the other 250 riders. Although Simoncelli had his bike sideways on the brakes quite a few times this past weekend.

LJB-OSB - 07 October 2008 12:24 PM

Spies better do somehting really special in SBK to not get the leftovers from those 2...

I like Spies, but I don't see him doing anything special until at least the second half of 2010. There's just so much to learn, and the competiton is so much deeper.

LJB-OSB - 07 October 2008 11:28 AM

i do not know that Nat-S was given the option to go to MotoGP next year... i kinda doubt it...

Bautista was given the option and he flatly refused the rides available... nothing good enough to pull him there... i totally understand that... he should stay in 250s and learn how to win that championship...

Bautista was my pick to run away wit hthe 250s this season... i did not even think it would be much of issue...

Nat-S was a bit of an unknown to me... i remember the name in 125s, but, nothing prepared me for what he was going to do this season... that dude is man...

the two of those guys next season is going to be a real treat... considering their history this season, the fact it will simmer all through testing and the off season, and that they will know they are the both their to fight each other from the start... it is going to be ridiculous fun...

then, in 2010, i figure Honda will have come back with a vengeance and the sattelite teams will be more competitive... maybe even Suzuki and Kawasaki will be in a better position... bring them in and watch the #### out... wholesome goodness...

It seems Bautista was wise to not take the 3rd Kawasaki deal. There could have been a chance he would have been caught without a competitive ride.

Next year, you're going to even see Pasini get into the thick of things. Hector Barbera? Who knows. He's very enigmatic for sure.

Agree about Honda, disagree about Suzuki and Kawasaki.

robertorolfo - 07 October 2008 03:16 AM

If you have an older guy hanging around in the class and dominating, well than that just gives the young 'stars' something to shoot for and someone to learn from. If they really are that good, they should be able to win anyway.

I usually just read Rolfo's posts and quietly shake my head. But this quote bothered me.
Rolfo is advocating something here that he has repeatedly called Mladin a "coward" and "...not having stones..." for doing the same.
I guess the 125 rider is more likely to be Italian.
Rolfo. Surely even you can see this double standard.

Meandmymonkee - 07 October 2008 02:54 PM

robertorolfo - 07 October 2008 03:16 AM

If you have an older guy hanging around in the class and dominating, well than that just gives the young 'stars' something to shoot for and someone to learn from. If they really are that good, they should be able to win anyway.

I usually just read Rolfo's posts and quietly shake my head. But this quote bothered me.
Rolfo is advocating something here that he has repeatedly called Mladin a "coward" and "...not having stones..." for doing the same.
I guess the 125 rider is more likely to be Italian.
Rolfo. Surely even you can see this double standard.

Apples and oranges my friend. Where to begin?

First, many people see the smaller two stroke classes almost as a different form of racing. When you had a guy like Nieto racing 80cc bikes, there was a significant difference to the biggest bikes and the riding required. But he was a specialist and that was that. He can claim to be a great rider of smaller bikes, but he really can't got beyond that. He has some great statistics, but generally is not considered among the greatest of greats for that very reason. I don't know if he ever tried racing bigger bikes or not, I wasn't watching GP racing back then.

Mladin on the other hand walks around like he is the man. Like he is this top talent that just so happens to be racing in a 2nd rate series. He walks and talks like he is among the top guys in WSBK or MotoGP, but he isn't.

Nieto was great at what he did, and there was no bigger level for the bikes he was riding. Mladin rides a SBK, and there most certainly was a bigger level for SBK's and for big 4 strokes in general.

Oh, and Nieto was racing in World Championships, not National Championships...

Ok, I can go on all day, but I have work to do. Neeless to say the two things are not the same. Mladin had a clear step up he could take to prove he was king of his craft. For the smaller 2 stroke classes, it isn't as clear. But either way, if some dude decided to stay in 125's so he could keep winning and walk around the paddock like he was Rossi... well then he wouldn't get much respect for it.

I used Nieto as an example of the old days, not to belittle his accomplishments. He rode a works NS500 (one of Lucchinelli's, by request of Juan Carlos and with Honda's blessing) at the Spanish GP in '82, was in the top 5 when he (as I recall) crashed spectacularly. Moved to 250s in '84 or '85 but wasn't competitive, not sure if it was him or the bike but he was fairly ripe by then.