OFFICIAL: Spies signs for Yamaha.

Woohoo !!!

Yamaha & Ben Spies ... my favourite combination !!!

He will be my new "Valentino Rossi" of WSBK

Ok it's official. WSBK is going to be the most exiting racing championship in 2009. And they are coming to SA. Woop Woop.

Something really special about Yamaha is that they really good at getting the services of the best of the best out there ... Rossi, Lorenzo and now Ben Spies!

Biggest loser ... Suzuki!

Lost Ben Spies at WSBK and keeping slower riders like Vermeulen and Capirossi at Moto GP ...

Yamaha are gonna have their work cut out for them with two new riders on a brand new bike and I for one can't wait to see how they go. SBK may be losing an absolute legend in Bayliss for '09 but there's certainly no shortage of new faces coming into the series either! Next year could be the best year of bike racing ever in SBK, BSB (Let's go Ginters!!) and MotoGP.

Big Bang baby!!!

Go Spies!!!

Great signing, but I'm surprised at Yamaha's attitude in signing 2 WSB rookies. Don't get me wrong, Spies and Sykes are great riders but I doubt either will be challenging for podiums from the get go (i'll be pleasantly surprised if they do!). Agreed that it's nice to see some young blood coming in, not that i've got anything against the veterans but it will definitely spice the series up that much more.

Agreed Cemo, they must have thought about it long and hard and have decided to take a long term view for the team. Don't think we will see much of them in terms of fighting for the championship next year but they could be formidable the following season...time will tell and now all we need to hear is the confirmation of Nori to Ducati officially, even though we know for sure now that he is going to be on the Duke

I'm surprised Suzuki didn't get him into Alstare, are they really going to stick with Nieto? Neukirchener and maybe Kagayama (loyalty, winner of Suzuka) I can understand but Nieto has been poor!

You are certainly right there about Neito Max Well he wrecked Biaggis season from the word go in Australia

Back door to Yamaha MotoGP in 2010 as a replacement for one Colin Edwards

Absolutely fantastic news. First Tom, then Shakey and now Ben. Roll on WSBK next year.
I just hope it's not too popular otherwise the greedy BBC will snap it up and ruin it..

Dont bet against J T making way for Spies in 2010 (swapping places)

What in the World is going on? First it was Hopkins to Kawasaki, then Hayden to Ducati, now Spies to Yamaha??..Man, these manufacturers have to learn how to hold onto their talent!!!! Spies would have been dangerous on a GSXR in WSBK..not sure how long it will take him to get that Yama going though...on a Suzuki...he would have been top 5 for sure......what sucks is I bought a GSXR because of Spies and not he goes and jumps ship...man!

Not sure about JT, but I would bet half the house on Spies going to Tech 3 in 2010 and Edwards retiring. Just a bit of grooming for Yamaha's big American bet I think.

Fark motogp I'm wotching wsbk now!....So many new riders,its gonna be awesome...



ok I lied I'm still gonna wotch motogp too!

Popular in the States & good for marketing no doubt.
And why Suzuki would be so seemingly laid-back about letting him go I can't imagine. In fact there's an interesting question there....

But whilst he's very good, I don't have him in mind as the next Rossi. His performance in Moto GP was workmanlike, but not brilliant. True he's faired much better in the US WSB where he has been outstanding. But while there are certainly good riders there (and some loons who make it challenging for the rest) I think the competition will be fiercer in 'real' WSB.

He'll need to be a good development rider too.
Good luck to the bloke. If it works it should improve the racing next year.

Finally another PERMANENT US rider in the FIM championships! Can't wait for that first race and can't wait to hear that new R1 in full race livery!

"You are certainly right there about Neito Max Well he wrecked Biaggis season from the word go in Australia"

Maxi Fan, are you on a wind-up or what? Biaggi out-braked himself (and to be fair may have hit a bump as well which unsettled the bike even more) and took himself out at around 130mph!

*****.r was lucky he didn't kill himself, or Nieto for that matter!

I don't think that Ben is going to have as much trouble as peaple think learning the bike and tracks next year. After one test in Indi look what he came up with on race day. On a MotoGP bike and on new tires. I'm well happy he's gone too WSBK. If he does well this year he's proved his point (that it wasn't just the Suzuki). Its great that Tom will have a fast rookie team mate as well - he just isn't going to want to let Ben beat him once. Bring it on.

Son - did you realy only buy a GSXR because Ben rode one ? Thats commitment dude.