i'm pretty sure hopper will be on a WSBK next year with Suzuki running 2 bikes again. i'm pretty sure i heard that from the commentators when he was commentating on a motogp race after he hurt himself during qualifying. thats probably the next logical step for him. i knew when he took that kawi ride in GP a few years back that'd be the end of his GP days. i'd love to see him back in motogp though. i'd like to see all the americans i could stand


i thought ben said he was done after this year? i remember him saying somewhere he wanted to concentrate on cycling more? i can't find in anywhere in a search, but i guess we'll know for sure soon enough.


and even though you're right about why honda left ('they didn't get their way'), don't you think they might want back in now? and dont you think AMA would want them back as well? they have a new model, they need to sell it to americans too, so i would assume they'd want to race in order to sell more bikes?

 

AMA never didn't want Honda. Honda left but I can see that a return only benefits the sales for sure. About Ben..... I could really see him retire but nothing said for sure other then a Rumor of a 3rd rider for Jordans team. I think that would be crazy to have 3 bikes in Superbike. If Ben retires... Both Hayden boys in Superbike and if they indeed do a 3rd rider??? Then they should contest Sportbike with some new blood great talent that lies within the ranks in that present class. Don't ya think???

 

I know Honda departed when AMA initiated the new rules, but do hope they will return & not sure if their sportbike sales stayed the same or dropped after they left AMA. I agee I think it would only help. Even if they don't finance a factory team they could support a team like previously Corona Racing.

British Sportbike: John Hopkins loses title to Tommy Hill by 2 points, 0.006 seconds at Brands Hatch.

 

They could but Honda is a company that likes there own rules. Hell they are threatening to pull from GP by 2014 if they don't get there way.

 

well, GP racing has sure as sh*t gone their way. they shouldn't be complaining, spec motors in moto2, and HRC is dominating motogp.

 

Well GP next year will have a ZX10 powerplant thats will be nothing like a run of the mill ZX10 engine for sure. The team Edwards is going to is going to be running a R1 based powerplant. There is going to be a BMW powerplant out there as there will even be Aprillia. These bikes are to be the future. As of right now they have a long rode ahead of them. The head of HRC says though."If we are not aloud to race protype engines we will pull out by 2014. Yamaha,Kawasaki,and I don't know about suzuki are willing to start doing this. Mind you these powerplants will not be in your factory bikes. They will be in GP type frames and chassis.

 

Well I hope all the factories will play well together. Its a shame the fans have to suffer...

 

so gp is going to be like wsbk? i mean, some of those motors are putting down like 240hp?


and i thought edwards was going to moto2? i thought that's what the commentators said on speed?

 

In a manner of speaking yes it will. Bridgepoint that owns Moto GP and is operated by Dorna has bought WSB. Thing is GP is getting out of hand. Its getting too expensive. The frid is what 16 bikes?? So they are looking at ways to make it survive and be as exciting as it ever was.

 

well i do agree with that, 16 for a grid isn't enough and isn't exciting. and believe me, i'd love to see aprillia, kawi, etc. back in the racing (hahaha remember the aprillia cube?) and it would be great, an all, but i like the fact that gp was really a premiere class in EVERY aspect.

and i say was because it won't be next year. prototype chasis, ceramic brakes, and that kind of stuff is great, but hear me out... whats the difference this year been? - honda's transmission. thats the difference. and thats not even the whole motor. i agree that these bikes will be sooo much faster than WSBK, but i just think the motor is such a big part of what makes them great. i mean --- a big bang V5 is pretty spectacular.


i realize why kawi left and why aprillia left - because they couldn't afford it. but surely, production based motors isn't the only way to cut costs.


and also (and i know this isn't new but it bugs me still), i'm pissed at them regulating fuel consumption. that makes no sense. and i get the whole spec tire thing, but they should ditch that as well.