MOTOGP » Suzuki close to revealing riders for '09

Cont.

Spies is a natural talent like Biaggi or a young Rossi. Given the right bike, tires and team and a year or 2 of experience he could possibly win the title in 3 years. Honestly i think he is better then most of the existing MotoGP grid or at least a top 5 rider.

So yes i think a possible 3time AMA, BSB or WSBK champ should ask for premium dollar because they have proven they can get the job done. I am sure JT, 2time WSBK didn't take chump change to go to Tech3 why should Ben settle?

Biaggi already knew many (most?) of the tracks when switching from MotoGP to WSBK, so the learning curve is smaller. Ben is going from a crap national series to the world stage where he'll have to learn many things, track, bike, get used to the lifestyle, etc., etc. so the learning curve will be much greater. Since it will be much greater it's a bit overly optimistic to request such a huge salary given that the liklihood of him setting the world on fire is EXTREMELY slim. Respect of the national series does have a lot to do with it - if you read the interview with Hodgson that Raw Dawg mentioned earlier in the thread he even says that no one respects AMA... cont'd...

Even Hodgson, who has raced BSB, WSBK, MotoGP, and AMA says that the AMA is not very well respected and therefore the world teams aren't willing to pay riders from AMA much money. It's the big fish in a small pond, the talent pool is not very big in AMA (too many poorly funded privateers for one), so it's hard to guage his talent since he hasn't been up against anyone of notable quality. Mladin? Arguably what has he done other than cherry pick some championships? ... con'td....

Basically what Spies is doing is going from being a Pizza Delivery boy to demanding a $150k a year salary from a Fortune 500 company on the basis that he shows 'talent' and 'potential'. I'm sorry for Ben, but the world just doesn't work like that. You have to be a proven quantity before you can demand large sums. Hell, even Stoner, who is the current WC only makes something like $1.5mil a year. And I'd say that a MotoGP championship under your belt is way more prestigous than 2 or 3 or even 4 AMA championships. And even he isn't making the kind of bucks that Spies is asking for.

Hodgson.."no one respects the AMA" That's rich. Here he hasn't seen Mladin/Spies after the 1st turn & couldn't get a ride with Triumph & the AMA series saved his ungrateful butt from obscurity (not really) & is financing his no doubt "plush" lifestyle & he's dis-ing it.

When Nicky was at the sharp end of the field he said "Mladin would be compeditive in MotoGP." When you look at the riders that have come from the AMA into MotoGP only a fool or a eurocentric A-hole could make or believe such a statement

Also, I should add that I don't think Spies is overrated. One of the other guys up above said that, not me. At any rate, I'm just trying to view things from the same perspective as maybe the world teams are probably looking at it. In my eyes having the potential to be a champion in a few years time doesn't garner a high wage in his first year on the world stage. One must deliver in some capacity before they can reap the rewards and benefits.

I don't think Hodsgon was dissing the AMA, he was just telling it like it is from his perspective when it comes to contracts and other stuff like that. He wasn't badmouthing it in the slightest, just gave his opinion that it's easier said than done when saying the other AMA riders say "I'll go race on the world scene" when asked about the 2009 AMA rules.

maybe suzuki are happy with their riders , but i can assure them that longterm suzuki fans are not ! vermulen along with his previous team mate both carry way too much lean for too long in the corners ,ruining tyre life and neither of them will ever win a dry race in anything but exceptional circumstances .in the right hands the suzuki has looked capable of winning races for the last 2 years and its down to the riders it hasnt done so on a regular basis.admittedly its been hard for suzuki to attract the best riders off the back of the sub standard 990 , but with the current bike and the opportunity to sign spies ,i cant believe the decision to retain the current riders.

Matt

The AMA is crap huh? I got 12 words for you:

Roberts, Spencer, Lawson, Merkel, Russell, Polen, Rainey, Kocinski, Schwantz, Roberts, Edwards, and Hayden. That's 25 world titles over the last 30 years in 250, 500, MotoGP, and WSBK. Can BSB or All Japan say that? Why can't they produce world champions like that? Let's throw Croser in the mix because he cut his teeth in AMA and was the champ before moving to WSBK so that's 27 world titles from AMA. All these riders didn't have a problem learning the track, bike, lifestyle, etc. so why should Spies? Hayden was the last champ before Spies to beat Mladin and he won the MotoGP title. So why can't Spies? con't

The budget of World Superbike Teams are peanuts to factory American teams. So to say he is going from pizza delivery to fortune 500 is backwards - it's the other way around. WSBK aren't willing to pay for AMA guys because they can't - they don't have the budget. Hodgson said that a rider is lucky to clear $50000 in WSBK - that ain't jack in the AMA. Why do you think Hodgson stayed in AMA not go back to BSB or WSBK?Like I said, it ain't Spies fault WSBK and some MotoGP guys ride for beans and pat on the back. And the MotoGP title is more prestigious no doubt but you can't deposit prestige at the bank. Would you take a job half way around the world for 25-50% less than you make now? I doubt it