Hopkins wants podium on 100th start.

You go get that 5th podium in 100 starts Hopper. That's one enviable record, and easy to see why you're one of the highest paid riders in MotoGP today!!!

good job it wernt me that said that,,, Casual Obs would have moaned......
but caseys buck teeth is right though considering how long he's been in racing he's got a crap record.

I think he's a brilliant rider, but he's perhaps even better at being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That said, one thing many true greats have in common is their ability to build a winning team and a winning atmosphere around them (Rossi, Schumi etc) and Hopper obviously hasn't been able to turn things around for his teams so far. I still wish him the best of luck though and I hope he'll finally be going places on that green machine.

In fairness to Hopper, look at the bikes he's been on.

Team Green, has he always been on the kwak, Errrrrr no. he's only been there 5 minutes so lets not blame the bike. Oliveir proves its a quike bike every test session so although perhaps not a race winner it dose'nt deserve to be were it is

hopper might not have goten on the podium that much buit he is always consistant look at last season he was fairly high up the order! better than you or i oculd do on any bike i think!!

Team green, SORRY about that dude, i did'nt read you comment right. but still stick by the rest of what i said......

BURBS You might not be as quick, but if poss i would like to find out where i would be if id been doing as long as he has!

Don't get me wrong, i like Hopper and he's a good rider but i think his reputation far outways what he's achieved in his career.
Like what was said before, 5 podiums in 100 races. Thats not a good record in anyones book. How many other people in motogp have had 100 starts and such few podiums?

As for his bikes McCoy won on the 500 Yamaha, Vermulan won on the GSVR last season. He might not have always had the best bikes but other people on the same machinery have won with the same equipment.

And, look where Yamaha were before Rossi joined. He turned them from serial underachievers to race winners in half a winter! Surely if Hopper is that good he should be doing the same at Kawasaki?

Don't compare Kawasaki to Yamaha or Honda please...they have less amount of budget and knowledge in motogp also Suzuki is still weak there. Rossi of course has a talent and know what information he should give to developers. Hopkins couldn't do that couse first he was in non factory Yama (2 stroke which has less power and speed as 4 stroke 990) and then moved to Suzuki which was very poor team. Also John know that Kawasaki has more motivation than Suzuki now. He just get no chance to ride on competitive machine like Honda or Yamaha (and maybe Ducati) Don't forget that factory Suzuki was (or still is) at the same level as other satelite teams. About Kawasaki is too early to any statement.

All excuses.
Hopper has never been that good, mid-pack runner at best.
Smart though - he took the big Kawasaki cheque this year. Might be the last. Hopefully.

Hpkins hung around at Suzuki way too long, it would have been better for his career to make a change sooner.
It is questionable if that would have made him a race winner but he should have tried IMHO.

IMO it's a bit harsh judging Hopper as an underachiever when from 2002-2006 if you weren't Rossi or didn't ride an RCV (with the odd exception of Ducati) then you basically had FA chance. Last year was the first time he had a decent bike and he came 4th in the WC beating established riders like Capirossi, Malandri and Hayden. I would like to see what he could do on a factory Honda or Yamaha - my guess is he would be right up there at the sharp end at every race.

He showed loyalty to Suzuki. Yes CV has a win on the 4 stroke zuke, but look at where they finished. John was usually ahead of him and only finished behind his team mate at the end of the year once (he also tied KRJR in 2005 I think). It is the 3rd race of the year and if you have listened to what he said, RDP had a completely different riding style and Kawasaki are constantly trying to get it set up to make John comfortable on it. He didn't come up through the ranks or with a big sponsor, he earned his shot and Kawasaki must have seen something they like to offer him a big paycheck. Michael Bartholemy sounds very happy with him and always has positive things to say. GO JOHN GO!!!

CASUAL OBS are you reading these postings, o'dear some folk seem to agree with the ZX chap, its called OPINION... ..P.S. Nice one Zoom.

Hey Negative ZXSteve, how you doing dude? I see you've brought one of your negative chums "Caseys Bucked Teeth" along. Name says it all really doesn't it. Don't you just love people who only post on here to slag off riders they don't like, they never have anything positive to contribute to the thread, just constant put-downs. Your lives must be a real barrel of laughs...

Negative Steve are you blind or unable to interpret the icons? The thumbs down means people disagree with your comments dear boy! Which I'm afraid means that no one agrees with you!

Rossi, Stoner, Capirossi, Pedrosa, Melandri, Hayden Elias, Vermuelen and Lorenzo already tasted the feel of winning in MotoGP premier class. They all knows, to win the race it is more than hope alone. They got to feel it through their veins and go for it all the way until they crossed the finish line. It is doesn't matter what bike they ride. When the mode of winning is coming, the bike will felt better than usual.

Hopper and CE was almost there quite a few times. They simply didn't wrap it up nicely. I think, at Shanghai, Hopper need to beat guys like Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo and Pedrosa first before thinking of winning. Things can get worse if Capirossi give Suzuki a dry win, instead.

Casual Obs, hi ya, how are those lovely long legs and great a-r-s-e of yours, I think your bored and have been pressing icons just for the hell of it