Motorcycle Forums

not so sure

Shakey is a bigger talent than people have given him credit for as i stated earlier, But i dont think a works a Ducati ride would have made a big enough difference to win him the championship . The advancements in traction control and all aspects of electronic management have removed the advantage the twins had over the inline fours. The added power the four produce has put an end to the v twin dominance.

Wendy and the boys

Garbage...shakey has the same package and so does ben and colin, there is no favouritism here...what are the sponsors going to think eh!  You do your best with what you're got and shakey needs to pull the pin and get some podiums...or it's BSB if he's lucky.  Best of luck to him.

Re Nostro

What rubbish.

Spies was given better equipment to race on his home track or that was the official line, in truth they knew Rossi was going and made sure he was happy and progressing.  Spies will beat Rossi of that I am sure.  When riders are both superb the bike will be the difference.

If you all think that large firms behave fairly and honourably you are well mistaken.  Ducati was leaving WSBK they could really upset their customers if they were not careful, a few well chosen extra parts to Checa and much of the heat is off them.  Ducati fully understand their image. 

Riders do not in any of the World series have huge differences on the table without good reason, equipment or injuries, it just does not happen.

Maybe in your dreams if you had been a rider, but in reality no.

This is top level racing not a 125 home series.

This looks like it could cost a rider his career, I agree with some others too about sponsorship, he may not bring enough sponsorship compared to the many other riders knocking on the door of WSBK.

This is not feeling sorry for ourselves or a poor Brit rider, this is the harsh reality of bike racing, that happens in BSB never mind at this level.

I do not agree Nostro about Shakey not getting in to AMA, he had a BSB title and it adds a story to AMA someone for their home talent to beat of standing, it would be up to Shakey to make sure he got a better seat than Hodgson did if he took it, it could be one decent years pay then nothing of he got it wrong.

Shakey was good on a four, did well on a poor Suzuki which claimed many top riders and brilliant on the Hydrex Honda, really put the cat amongst the pigeons when there were well funded top teams not like now.

I would like to see him battling top 3 in AMA, even better if he won that title too, but difficult to get a ride on a bike capable of doing that.

Most other riders after winning a championship for a manufacturer would have been well looked after, Shane stuck loyally with the manufacturer and this time was let down.  If he had won BSB on a Yamaha it may well have been a different story.

right and wrong leecho

I tend to agree with Nostro on the superbike motogp thing, it works in levels, in factory teams there will always be a number one rider, they both get the same bike at the start of the season, but if one is beating the other convincingly they will get the updated parts first. Checas kicked Shakeys arse this year and was a bloody good moto gp rider not so long ago, a better pedigree than Shakey i might add.

The Bradley smith point does carry some weight but thats the sponsors supporting their man, there not true works team anyway are they? so in sense can be run by any biggoted twat who got the money to indulge themselves. At Moto GP level it cost s too much for that.

ducati Riders

Windy just look at the pedigree of the riders youve named and it should answer itself as to why checa has faired better than the rest. Checa has been a bloody good rider in his time winning in the top class afew times and has still got the speed and knowledge in his locker even in his advancing years.

Haga has been a great rider in WSB over the years but never quite got the title, it was his to lose last year and he managed to throw it away. By his own addmition hes lost his bottle a little this year are a couple of really bad crashes and its time to retire.

Fabrizio aint that good, a couple of wins to catch the eye when the due was the dominant bike but nowt since.

Shakey isnt happy according to the info about the electronics on the latest bike according to nostro and after some thought it makes perfect sense.

The Ducati itself is at the end of its development run as are the twins in racing, i bet there not much differnce between the factory stuff and the bike shakey and checa ride.

Times have changed, the inline four with its electronics and higher power output have surpassed the v twins and Ducati know it, which is the real reason they are withdrawing in my mind

Thev Aprilla V four is the beast for the future and it wont surprise me if Ducati dont come back in the future with one themselves