Melandri to Kawasaki.

I read on a Dutch side that the deal is done (told MCN), Melandri only has to put his signature.

Looks like West may be headed back to WSBK or WSS ride in 2009. I would love to see him replace Laconi or Tamada on the Factory Superbike Team. But needless to say him MotoGP career is over.

Without being horrible to Nicky,
is this the begining of the end of his career?

It seems as if the last few riders to ride the No2 bike in that team are destined to either leave the sport or be siphoned off to other teams that are at the back of the pecking order.

Sorry Nicky but I cant see it happening at Ducati, I hope I'm wrong but doubt it.

It's now official apparently, Melandri is def riding a kwaka next year.

IMO Hayden would be able to match Stoner on the Ducati. Its been reported that one of Nicky's issues with the Honda was that it was too soft and the Ducati is reported as been harder in its power delivery. The team would be more inclined to taylor the bike to him as his success would be very marketable for Ducati, the USA being a HUGE market for them...

Melandri would be foolish go to Kawasaki, his style is more suited to a Honda and I hope he signs for Gresini.

I hope that Kawasaki re-sign Westy and the bike is better than the one he has ridden the first part of the season, which despite what the team manager has said has be frankly crap.

Maybe Ant would get the results he is capable of.

Marco needs a Honda with bridgestones not a green meanie.
Hayden is staring at the poisoned chalice that is the ducati no2 seat eurgghh! cant see him doing any different than marco really.
Kawasaki have got an awful bike and need to seriously invest in fine tuning the lumps out of it....maybe hire gibernot to do pointless tests for them like ducati did?? maybe mick grant fancies a pop at the new generation?? roll out the KR! ahemm sorry.

speedtv.com is reporting the Melandri deal as done and even has quotes from him. Interestingly, the article states since he isn't going to Gresini that Gresini are looking at Spies. This looks likes Spies only MotoGP ride but the article says that Xerox Ducati has asked Spies camp what his demands are and looking them over.

It's also on the MotoGP site.

I do worry....
Hopefully we'll see the hungry, super fast Marco next season. He's so up and down with his form. Nicky should suit the Duc.

Shame about Westy because he's a good rider. But with his results, the writing was unfortunately on the wall, even after Brno. As long as he starts winning in SBK or SS, everything will be cool.

i like west, but would he acheive anything on a sbk kawasaki? other than basically be where tamada is. hope im wrong tho

What tosh! Don't you know that Kawasaki have already re-signed Kork Ballington for next year...doh!

Who the heck is Kork Ballington when he's at home ? Don't recall seeing him on a Kawasaki on the start grid anywhere this year ?

You go get em Korky

id love to see kaeasaki get such a skilled rider on their team, i reckon he will make some good improvements, but is he really going to be able to raise team green up to a point where they can challenge for wins, i doubt it certainly not with the likes of rossi and cassy(like lightning no matter what the weather) stoner to get past.thats racing tho but you gotta feel for these guys cos lets face it the only chance they got of a win is if the main guys all fall off, or if its pouring down and they get lucky.which is a shame cos i love the kwaka. i saw hoppa's bike at the ace in london an it is a bad looking s.o.b but still just cant cut against the rest. bugger!

Marco to Kawasaki in 2009 and then into WSB in 2010, by 2013 Marco is hoping to riding in a club meeting on a CB500 around Three Sisters.

See ya matey, it was fun while it lasted.

This is like starting off again for marco...like when he came to yamaha in 2003, he had a real tough time, but got a nice break finally with honda..

on the upside, he's still on bridgestones, and the kawasaki doesnt look like the handful that the ducati is, marco is still a very talented rider, phillip island 2006 proved that..and not just the big 1 handed smokey hey done comin out the final corner, but towards the end of 2005 and at times in 2006 he showed world championship class..

i wonder if marco's one of them riders who hasnt adapted too greatly to the 800's, he was another who liked to get the 990 out of shape, and that cant be done with the 800's to the same extent...cont..

i do wish him all the best tho, marco's a likable character, he isnt the only one who's struggled with this ducati, and we can only guess what a mess it must be in his head, to see his team mate romping away almost every weekend...i mean picture urself in the garage, watchin ur team mate on the same bike...knowing in ur head, ur as naturally gifted on a bike as him, if not more...but still being 3 seconds off a lap..

i hope it works out, i hope kawasaki, give him and hopper a good bike next year, lets have the marco of 2005/2006 back..

good luck melandri!

"Always good" & the Duke isn't? Melandri is going to go nowhere on the Kawi, Im a huge Kawi fan but the bike is the problem, not the riders....Hope Westy goes to Superbikes or Supersport & starts winning again....& the Kawi doesn't put Hopkins in the hospital again or on a slab.....

Good luck marco x shame for westie though but not too be.

If nicky gets the ducati I hope he does better than marco and gives moaner a run for his money. Nicky is not frightened to race amongst the frontrunners hope he shows honda what they are missing