WSBK » Haga close to '09 Ducati Xerox deal

We can't post links but google 'Forever In The Shadow' at sportrider.com for an example of an article giving such a view. But none of us, I think, knows what goes on in the garages.

@ haga

yes, the new R1 features an 'uneven firing interval' engine but it is step backward design wise, especially the butt ugly exhaust pipes...check out the promo vid...Nori must've seen what the new 2009 R1 looks like & decided to jump ship to the much better designed Ducati 1098!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj8pwSE77CM

Hey guys go to the Alstare Blog to see other possible transfers for 2009 competition.

BLOG.ALSTARE.COM

cemo and R1 Hab, read Vale's book and you know what squiggle are trying to say. Rossi himself wrote that the bike he first laid eyes on was a totally diffrent bike compared to what he ended up with. And we are not talking small changes like adjusting the shockabsorbers, the entire frame was modified to get the bike more balanced, changing the fireingorder of the engine etc.

He wrote the m1 had some serious chattering problems under braking, something biaggi had been complaining on for years when he rode the yamm. My guess is that they both rossi and max knew what was wrong with the m1, but only rossi and burgess knew what to do to fix it.

Haga to Ducati is a big mistake. I think he would have been better off at Yamaha and Ducati will find out shortly. Maybe Ducati is thinking as Haga as a short term solution.

While I think Haga is good I don't think he's consistent enough nor does he have the development skills necessary to do the job. If you'll notice he didn't do much until Corser came along. Granted the Ducati is a great bike but I'm sure the other manufacturers will not lay down either. Any bets on how many times he'll find the gravel next year.

Squiggle,

Your tone suggested that Biaggi and Rossi are on a similiar level: they're not. Ever since Rossi dominated in his second 2-stroke season, he has out-ridden Biaggi and got inside the guy's head. If Biaggi is such a class act, then why did he finish 3rd in a 'lesser' championship last year, riding argueably the best bike? If Biaggi is such a don as so many on these boards seem to think, then a WSB championship should have been a cake walk, surely?

I agree with you on one point though, and that's regarding not knowing what goes on in the garages and behind the scenes. However, to suggest Biaggi was ignored makes no sense, as R1 Hab has pointed. If chatter was such an issue...

then surely the great, all conquering Emperor should have been able to dial it out? Or here's a crazy, 'way out there' thought - maybe he just wasn't good enough to sort the problem himself, Yamaha technicians not withstanding.

I do not find it any coincidence that Rossi left Honda, won a title with Yamaha in his first year and then Repsol Honda essentially went to shi.t shortly after (don't get me started on Hayden's title!).

And as for calling you pedantic, I was challenging your thought process. You dismiss Biaggi's previous record for being a primadonna and general pain in the **** and try and make out that Haga reacting to being taken out makes him just as bad, if not worse...

which is nonsense! I think you'll find Haga's response to being t-boned at around 100mph (correct me if I'm wrong) was fairly subdued, he would have been well within his (moral) right to **** the bearded cun.t for wrecking his title hopes and potentially causing a serious injury!

Cemo you don't know what you're talking about. Obviously you are a Biaggi hater. I'll agree the guy had ego or character problems while he was in MotoGP but was very talented and didn't deserve to be blackballed by Honda. In WSB he's been much more down to earth and humble. I've never seen Biaggi do what Haga did this past race, that's arrogance and no consideration for other riders safety.

Biaggi deserves the ride on the Ducati and I hope that he beats Haga next year on any bike he ends up on. Tardozzi will be kicking himself when he sees his plastics repair bills and crashed bikes next year. He's no Bayliss.

Marc,

While I admit to being a Haga fan, I do argee that the oil spilling incident was totally unacceptable, and I can in no way stick up for him for that. It has dented my opinion of him as a person and I offer no defense for his actions, agreed 100% on that.

That said, re: your comment about I don't know what I'm on about, blow me. Unlike you I can't read into the future (see your comment suggesting Haga will fall down a lot) and won't be making any rash preictions about where Haga or Biaggi will finish. Given the Ducati has the best electronics and traction control systems, I don't think Haga will have an issue staying on. Obviously only time will tell...