MOTOGP » Suzuki close to revealing riders for '09

the rumors on this side of the pond are Spies to Gresini with American Honda putting up the money that they are no longer giving Hayden... since he'll be at Ducati(announced at Misano).

george I'm in America and I haven't heard or read that. I read that America Honda is shocked that Nicky is leaving Repsol. In typical Honda fashion, they have their head stuck up their **** A blind man could see he was leaving that team - by choice or other wise. I haven't read anything about them paying for Spies. It was suggested by Batta in one of his interviews that he wants American Suzuki to pay Spies salary for his WSBK team. Makes sense it Suzuki doesn't want to lose him. But if they go that route, American Suzuki might as well pony up for a third MotoGP bike - it ain't like they are doing factory superbike next year in the AMA!

Since everyone is talking about Spies and AMA and I've never seen AMA (an ozzie): Why is the AMA considered such a good series? as far as I can tell only Mladin and Spies have won it for aeons. Secondly, what are the big barriers to stop a merge of the AMA and world superbike into a better (truly global) competition that has more of that AMA money being thrown around to secure the best riders from both?

What makes it tough is that the best two riders are on the best 2 bikes - which also makes it boring to me. Yeah, Mladin and Spies may rub elbows for a lap or 2 but by lap 3 or 4 the race is over. The funny (sad?) part is that's what MotoGP is turning into! A 2 pony show that's over in a couple of laps. Anyway, when the rules went to 1000cc 4cy, US Honda decided not to lease HRC bikes and build their own and Ducati was different than the WSBK spec. So without the other 2 big guns, Suzuki rules.

I would love to see the AMA factory teams in WSBK - that would truly be awesome! They definitely have the budget and none applied for the AMA Factory Superbike class before the deadline past.

Mladin is racing in AMA as he cant win anywhere else. Ben Spies should go to WSB to prove that the AMA series IS better than your average club series.If you look at wild card rides and recent cross overs there isnt an awfull lot of success.I realy rate Spies and want him tested and he owes it to himself .

Interesting Raw Dawg, just read a bit about that, seems like they may be some factory money going into WSB anyway! I really hope some teams do make the switch, and WSB hold more races in the USA as well. It can only translate into better bikes out on the street and better racing to watch.

Spies I would think at this stage has just burnt his bridges big time with suzuki.

The lastest is that he put the protest in against maldins crankshaft. Maldin is using a Japanese crank that comes from a different factory than most Gsxr's for most of the world market the difference is that it is shot peened. Maldins Mechanic was a bit quicker picking up this crank than Spies mechanic. The ama has Disqualified Maladin but his will be overturned as it is a Standard crank it is just that they have
found it quicker and it is already filtering into most markets around the world. But for Spies to do it to his own team? Not good for your career and a very silly decision

Mladin is racing in AMA as he cant win anywhere else


What proof do you have of that? He's racing in AMA because they are writing the big checks! Mladin has said he is too old for MotoGP so why leave for WSBK? I have heard that if you take out Bayliss and Haga, Mladin and Spies make more than all WSBK riders combined! AMA guys could careless about WSBK. To them it makes no sense to travel all around the world for crap pay. I know it is hard for you Europeans to believe that everyone isn't breaking their necks to race in Europe.

And let's not forget his world career started in GPs on the hopeless but beautiful Cagiva 500 at a young age.

-RW

Thats just hear say i haven't read anything about Spies having anything to do with Matts DQ.

But as far as the topic goes, At miller this year the FSG people didn't want AMA and WSBK running on the same course because Spies and Mladin would could have posted faster lap times then the WSBK riders. Matter of fact a few years ago Matt and Troy Corser tested at PI at the same time and Matt destroyed the lap record on his AMA spec GSXR even tho is was slower then Corser's WSBK spec GSXR.

6 AMA titles is nothing to sneeze at. Ben is the heir apparent. He has Matt's speed and youth on his side.

Suzuki is really going to regret not signing him.

Every year Suzuki take their WSBK, MotoGP, and AMA team (I'm not sure if the BSB team goes but I would assume they do) to Malaysia for testing to start the year. Mladin is always the fastest superbike rider.