MOTOGP » Troy Bayliss to test Ducati GP9

There is a horrible vitriolic, vicious tone running through all this. It is a TEST RIDE. Ducati have asked Bayliss to TEST RIDE the bike. They have NOT recalled him to RACING!

Why is everyone so keen to use this as an opportunity to bash Bayliss, a multiple WSBK champion and a MotoGP winner? Many of you weeners are on here regularly bigging up riders who are small beans by comparison with Bayliss's achievements.

Either that or you're using it as another chance to lick Rossi's rectum because he's a multiple world MotoGP champion and as such a safe place to invest your fragile emotional capital.

I have full respect for Rossi but he has an element of butt-licking fans who are a disgrace.

Ducati should have signed Elias to their factory team. He took a few podiums last year on the Alice Ducati when their bikes were given updates and after news that he would sign for Gresini Honda, they took the updates away and average results again. I don't particularly like Elias, but he was the one guy last year other than Stoner to have success with the bike.

I am sure that Bayliss will be able to provide useful feedback to help Ducati make their bike more useable for everyone who's name isn't Casey Stoner.

and a MotoGP winner.......

lol, he only won 1 race in his MotoGP carreer. Old fart could only race with Superbikes....the real bikes were to much to handle.

As good as Elias is the, results he got last year on the duc were when BS made him a special supersoft front tire to help him get a good front end feel. As well as that tire being very hit and miss for Elias last year it is not included in the single tire allocation this year, so i feel elias would be even more up s**t creek if he were still at ducati with the harder tyres. I think he made the right choice and he will get better with more time on the bike. I think Bayliss's test times will be a revelation also

how do you know what a 'real bike' is? you haven't ridden any of them.

Bayliss has been very good for Ducati over the years. His ride is good fun for him and good publicity for Ducati. If he happens to help crack the code then that's a bonus.

Waz, excellent post.

Whatever the reasons for Bayliss being given the test ride doesn't matter, that's between him and Ducati.
But whichever way you look at it, he will give valuable insight and feedback. The guy rides any bike he is given as though he stole it, which seems to be what it needs. Remember him falling off in the pouring rain and getting back on twice and overtaking people like Toseland, twice in one race?.

Troy Bayliss, what a dude, a proper racer. I bet he puts in a few decent lap times. Why do I find Bayliss such a likeable character and Stoner the complete opposite?

The Ducati is a dog and Stoner although a great rider cannot develop a bike that anyone else can ride.
You only have to look at Melandri, great on a Honda nowhere on the Duke then 5th on bloody Kawasaki !
If anything happens to Stoner Ducati can't get a bike into the top 10. Unless things improve nobody will be volunteering to run or ride a Ducati next year!

Is Hayden struggling maybe - possible replacement??

Too imitate Troys WSBK success on the 800 they'd have to make it a 1400. Laughed my 4rse off whenhonda built a ducati replica and battered them and Bayliss,I think it wasEdwards. Not even midpack at motogp level..Huge advantage when he was in superbikes..