Ducati Monster Forum

The kid is fast!

http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Nov/081104f.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Nov/081104f.htm)
http://www.cyclenews.com/ShowStory.asp?HeadlineID=13175 (http://www.cyclenews.com/ShowStory.asp?HeadlineID=13175)

Hmm, I'm going to reserve judgement until I see him run with 4 or 5 other fast guys elbow to elbowz and THEN see how he goes ;D
Something he's been unused to in in his last 2 or 3 seasons in AMA. :o

on the whole true, sure.  but the times that he did have to get in there and scrap it up he was very successful.  against one of the toughest.

Is he gonna wear his shades? ;D

well...the thing I am more looking at is how he reacts in a field where EVERYONE has the superior machinery for the most part and things are alot tighter to fight through...unlike say I think it was Road Atlanta where he had a shitty start and was in 12th and worked his way through the pack with relative ease and then passed Mladin at 2/3rds race distance and won...partially due to his equipment and partially due to his ability and comfort in his whereabouts...put him in the middle of the fray at say MagnyCours or Assen or Nurburgring or Vallelunga where things can get tight and bunch up quickly...where he doesn't know the circuit in depth...and he has the cagey experience of the many different styles of very well seasoned and more familiar riders amidst him....lets see what he does then....


I expect to see great things out of him....but I don't expect to see them right away!...he's got a helluva learning curve ahead of him....I'll be honestly flat out surprised if he podiums once during the 1st 6 races before Miller Motorsports Park....

how strongly do you feel about that?  ;D

strongly enough to make a wager if that is what you are leaning towards....

he'll finish in the top half of things regularly enough....I just don't think he has enough knowledge of the circuits and experience/comfort with the machine that a lot of the veterans will have....

so you're willing to bet that in the first 6 (actually 12) races he won't podium?  i'll take some of that action.

what are we betting, another RRWAF donation?  ...or dinner for two at his sushi joint in dallas?  =)

I want in too... ;)

okay...$50 ea.....

and yes...1st 12 races...1st 6 rounds...which as of right now looks like...

3/1 Phillip Island, Australia

3/14 Losail International Circuit, Qatar

4/5 Valencia, España

4/26 Assen, Holanda

5/10 Monza, Italia

5/17 Kyalami, Sur Africa

5/31 Miller Motorsports Park, USA

6/21 Misano, San Marino

6/28 Donington Park, Gran Bretaña

7/26 Brno, Republica Checa

9/6 Nurburgring, Alemania

9/27 TBA, Italia

10/4 Magny-Cours, Francia

10/25 Portimao, Portugal

now...because we have like 5 months before the start of the season....I may need a reminder about the bet right before the season starts...

You are on. [thumbsup]

Remind me.  ;)

I don't remember last week.

last week what???

+1 on all counts  =)

RRWAF?

ouch:  http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Nov/081104ar1.htm

Damn, datz some cold shit right dere.

Hey, can I get in on the deal where zooom donates $50?

yeah...some cold hard shizzle because you know Yamaha Italia busted their ass to do what they can to make that bike work under Corser and Haga...makes you wonder how Yamaha USA doesn't give the racing here the same support....but then again...you can almost say the same of Honda to a degree...look at how the HM Plant and Ten Kate bikes moved against the competition versus the Corona and American Honda bikes...


hey...Spidey...I'll let you in on the deal...all yall mofo's better pony up the money to RRW action fund if I am right though...and if I lose...someone's gotta send me some PreperationH because my ass will be hurtin'...LOL

makes me wonder what the Vegas odds would be on this bet at this juncture?

give them the same support? they gave them the italia team's bikes!

"It's a very good motorcycle," Spies said emphatically about the 2008 ex-Haga R1 he rode. "I don't understand why it wasn't more competitive in the US."

Yikes! talk about how to win friends and influence people. Old Ben may have to start watching what he says or he'll get a reputation. It's well and good being Sheene, Rossi or Schwantz and saying what's on your mind...

that's enough to make someone want to retire to brazil right there

Cold indeed... a little harsh for your own 'team'.

And I fixed it for ya.  ;D

I think some of you underestimate the skill of Spies.  That guy can flat out ride.  He is a very quick learner and just extremely talented.  He's gonna surprise a lot of folks. 

Lou

from the looks of it only zooom is going to be surprised...  ;D

testing, day 2

Spies Immediately Up To Speed On 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1 World Superbike In Portugal (http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=34933)

....matched nori's sunday race time
 
[evil]

=)

(http://pix.crash.net/motorsport/710/509701.jpg)

Yeesh.  :P

I will be at the races at Kyalami to make sure he doesn`t get a podium ;D

Alright, we got a bet.  Wooohooo!  Who is in?

1) gm2
2) ducpainter
3)  me (that's Spidey, ya ijit)

derby asked if zooom would wager but never committed. 

We'll dig this thread up when it's time to pay up and someone (or group of someones) to eat humble pie.   ;D

Good luck.  Cowboy and I had a similar bet last year, but he has still yet to pay up or even acknowledge it.  Even after I posted a thread calling him out for it. 

How much was it?

100 bucks to the AFF.

link?

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2493.msg176880#msg176880 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2493.msg176880#msg176880)

i'm too lazy to actually track down the original thread on TOB.

...or maybe i'm not:

http://www.ducatimonster.org/forums/racing-track-days/183658-who-will-finish-higher-2008-motogp-championship-rossi-stoner-4.html#post2243211 (http://www.ducatimonster.org/forums/racing-track-days/183658-who-will-finish-higher-2008-motogp-championship-rossi-stoner-4.html#post2243211)

 ;D

1st...I am not Cowboy about paying my debts for bets....if I can't afford it right at the moment of paying up, I'll be upfront about it and give a time frame of when I can...I assume that gm2, Spidey, and ducpainter are the same way...

2nd...isn't Cowboy currently selling a bunch of mods off of his bike and offering his bike up for sale also?!?!?!

Got a link to the donation page?

http://actionfund.roadracingworld.com/ (http://actionfund.roadracingworld.com/)

So...

COWBOY is covered.

Let's move on. ;)

Spies will do well.

Hehe, I'm just giving him a hard time.  I'm sure Zoom will pay up and I bet that COWBOY has legitimate reasons for not paying up yet. 

And, as the title says... Ben Spies F%^K YEAH!

btw, i'm in for ben to podium before miller.

I know...

it's only money...

and I have a couple of bucks right now.

Oh, and I'm also in for Ben to podium before Miller.

It was pretty funny...

the guy they show in the airfence on that page is a friend.

bouncity...  ;D

bayliss says:

http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Feb/090209a11.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Feb/090209a11.htm)

zooom, don't give me any shit about the economy either.

 [cheeky]   ;D

Troy's settin' the bar pretty high for a newbie.  Pretty cool for Ben to get that respect out of the gate.  Course, now he's really not allowed to suck.

troy's also not one for hyperbole or statements aimed at the press.  so that's a pretty interesting comment.

<threadjack on>

Since this thread has been revived and i'll be damned if I let my name get dragged through the mud ....

1.  This was covered elsewhere but for the record the debt was paid before season end once Rossi had sealed the deal.  So yeah, zooom, you're not Cowboy because I pay my debts regardless of whether it is convenient for me.   [thumbsup]

2.   As far as I know all parties from the original bet made good with the addition of Painter's good karma funds.  Likewise all of us are on good terms.   Cheers.   [beer]

<threadjack end>



Keeping in line with my American's and Ducati rule of fandom I'd love to see Bayliss' prediction prove true. 

There are too many variables for me here though so I'll save my gambling money for the GP.

just for the record my ribbing of zooom re the spies bet is just that.  good natured sh!t talk, for fun, in a vacuum.  nothing else.

what economy....being in the shitter isn't an economy...itsa depression... economies go both ways up and down...


and I know that...and it's all good!


<threadjack response>
COWBOY, I wasn't meaning anything disparaging to you, at the time there were multiple posts by others questioning whether you had fulfilled the bet or not and there was nothing to confirm it...it was a conversational extrapolated reference and nothing more....my apologies if you read it as otherwise...glad you fulfilled your end of things...as far as convenient..I have a job and I pay my bills and debts...but if I don't have a job and I have to take what monies I have and choose a roof over my head for example or pay a friendly wager...I am going to choose my roof and I think all people here know and understand that sentiment of where I was going with that comment....responsibilities are prioritized appropriately in these tightening times...my customer base is doing the same thing with and to me, and I am looking for my and their benefit to help in those avenues to keep things going for all involved...but that is another matter...
</threadjack response>

now....Bayliss is indeed paying the boy praise...no question...he in tests has gotten that bike up to speed while clicking off laps...but he has to be able to get towards the front of the grid with the new Superpole format and get that bike launched off the line when the lights go out and we go racing, otherwise he'll end up in a handfull of cagey traffic with guys as hungry if not hungrier than him with aggressive instincts all feathered up the back like a cat about to pounce on it's prey!

Pretty high praise for a WSBK noob. [thumbsup]

I haven`t seen Spies before testing at Kyalami, and he did impress me as that`s not a easy track to learn [thumbsup]

So if Bayliss thinks he will stand a chance then who am I to say no [thumbsup]

I hope that proves true.   I just can't help though and compare what's happening now with him and what happened early last season with Lorenzo.   

Out of the gate roaring like a lion.  Falls, loses confidence finishes like a pup.

I want to see him win, deal with some adversity and then win again before I crown him the next big thing. 

He is ridiculously fast at this stage though.   I'll be pulling for him.

not that the ama is wsbk but the above is exactly what he went through for the past 3 years.  guess we'll begin to see on march 1 if he can carry that pattern to the next level.

Doing it in the Big Leagues is a big difference between doing it in a Minor League.   

Let alone doing it battling one team v. doing it battling an entire field of kick ass bikes and riders.

He has a lot to prove and there's nothing worse to have hung around your neck than "has great potential".

No worries though.   I'm pulling for him.  I really am, I swear.   [thumbsup]

the 1st 2 lines I agree with completely and that is what prompted my intial reaction in his progress...

I can say honestly I am surprised at how fast he has been thus far with the machine, but like I said, race condition is different than clicking off laps at your own progression in open track session...

I think he has more to prove to himself than the world in his mind...sure he doesn't want to disapoint the fans or anyone watching and most of all, Yamaha...but like has been said before, there is real earnest competition level here in WSBK than what he has previously dealt with before to a degree that is wholly different....I want to see good things out of him for the sake of all American riders as well as for him...

(except in rare circumstances) you race one guy at a time, no matter the size of the grid.  he and mladin weren't going fast 'for the ama'.. they were just going flat out flippin crazy fast.  lap after lap after lap.

we shall see.  ;)

ben's pretty much said that he proved all he needed to himself in his three motogp rides last season. i guarantee you that he's not going into this season "hoping to get a top 5..." he's doing in with the intent of winning the championship.

I find the Spies "little pond" skepticism a bit amusing.  I don't think Spies is the next coming of Rossi or anything, but this talk about how AMA didn't prepare him for the big leagues . . .  come on.  Wasn't there some guy recently who won a coupla AMA championships, went straight to MotoGP and then won a world championship? 

yup...

i'll even say that ben's three-in-a-row over mat was even more impressive than hayden's championship, too.

i think people tend to underestimate mladin. he's a fierce, fierce competitor. the only thing that matters to him is winning, at all costs...

pretty much what i've been getting at.

granted the american tracks might leave an AMA guy at a slight disadvantage (less so now that we have Miller) but it's not like he was in the intramural league prior to this. 

ben has already proven he can quickly learn a track, quickly figure out how to ride a gp bike, a wsbk, two brands of tires he's never been on, etc.  he may or may not do it this year but to derby's point, i'm sure he's coming to win.

except that Matt and Ben were the upfront contenders in EVERY race in AMA SBK against each other and not the rest of the field....was it due to skills, yes, but not wholly and only...their equipment exceeded that of their competition and Yoshimura put what they had to into their machinery to make sure of that...why couldn't the Jordan team of machines keep up with them for example?...I realize that it is just as much a case of comparing factory to privateer and the trickle down effect of parts...but if that were 100% the case, then why would Suzuki have told Micheal Jordan of all people that he couldn't afford to purchase a previous years factory machine?...and that is why Yosh got caught with their pants down and Matt lost the championship at VIR due to equipment DQ.

yes, you race to get past each individual...1 by 1 and occasionally 2 at once...but when you are working to pass individuals whom don't have the same level of equipment, then you have a major disparity and not much of an actual race there now do you?...so my point is, Ben would hustle his ass off against Mladin, but the rest of the field seemingly isn't an equal comparison...and that is why I think he is going to really have his work cut out for him against a whole field of alot closer to equal competitors with machines by privateer developers that come alot closer to rivaling the factory machines....on that level of racing in that series...they are all good riders...World Class...and I am not saying their aren't some world class riders in the AMA....there are...but the opportunities for privateer riders to grow into being World Class riders is slim and bleak in comparo to alot of the other regional championships around the globe...but that is another topic

1.  I never said he wasn't fast.
2.  I never said AMA racing didn't "prepare" a rider for WSBK or MGP racing.

What I did say is that what he showed or did in the Minor League that is the AMA doesn't equate to what he will do or does in the Major Leagues of WSBK or MGP if he gets there.  If it were that simple the Spanish midget would have a world title and Stones would be still searching for it...

Overcoming adversity to get past Mladin is not the same thing as overcoming a new ride, manufacturer, tracks PLUS the normal ups and downs of motorcycle racing (injuries, good days, bad days, travel snafus, illness, etc) PLUS battling at least 5-10 riders as fast and as ruthless as Mladin on the grid any given weekend (Haga, Corser, Max N., Max B., Xaus, Checa, Fabrizio, Byrne, Haslam, etc).  That is a lot to tackle no matter who you are and/or how good you are.

I'm excited he's there.  I'm rooting like all hell for him.  I'm just trying to stay grounded and/or realistic with my expectations for his first season on the World stage.

jordan wasn't told he couldn't afford things; he was told he couldn't have certain things.  too expensive wasn't the issue.  the stuff just wasn't for sale.

otherwise, i still think you underestimate the difficulty of racing against mladin.  but it's a fun debate.  we'll see...

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Feb/090212a.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Feb/090212a.htm)

new livery

(http://www.worldsbk.com/cmsallegati/news/2922/b__AP1_9910.JPG)

look at that texas flag.  [thumbsup]

in big size if you'd like some wallpaper:  http://www.rideontwo.com/gallery/d/54403-1/AP1_9910.JPG

Well......... How many peeps here lost their money?  Don't be scared.  Post up ;D

Go Spies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i think it's just one..... ;)

yup...just me and $150....who's mailin me my preperation H?

That's me.  PM me your address.

Ok, new bet. . .

I got $50 to RRW on Haga to win more races this season than Ben.  Yeah, I know it's the safer bet.  Any Ben fan wanna take me up on it?

you're on [thumbsup].  i figure that zooom kindly 'gave' the action fund $50 on my behalf; i'll wager against probably giving it back.

I dont bet on anything because i honestly can't afford to lose...

but Ben is fast.... and i'm not just saying that because he's a local boy...

expect good things from him.

Woot! 

As of Round 1:
Nitro  -- 1
Elbowz -- 1

[beer]

just to be clear, this is most races won between the two.  not podiums.

http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Mar/090305aedsa.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Mar/090305aedsa.htm)

Q I have an unrelated question. Mat, were you surprised at the speed that Ben Spies showed at the World Superbike races?

A No, not at all. I've raced the guy for the last few years. There's always these comparisons that go on. You can never compare. Series compared to series and all that sort of stuff. But I think the pace of the American series is pretty quick. I think he showed those guys that what's been happening over here is fair dinkum. I've been asked how I think he's going to go this year a number of times in the past few months, and my answer's been I think he's going to be World Champion with two rounds to spare. We'll see. That's just my belief.

Absolutely.  We don't want anyone to hayden themselves into a championship.

 [laugh]

to Spidey is to crash unassisted

to Randall is to embellish the truth

to Hayden is to win a championship based more on points than actual wins

to bp is to luck-out and marry an educated woman despite ones lack of education

to Piller is to reside in bizarro world

You left a couple out.....

To Tarik is to not show up..........

To Derby is to know everything before everyone else ;D

fixed   [laugh]

I have $50 that says that won't happen...

anyone?

mat can afford to take you up on that..  =)

...altho, with bayliss and mladin casting their votes for ben.... maybe it's just some crazy aussie thing.    [drink]  ;D

This is truely good reading ....  ;D

Can someone throw up a SPOILER on this thread title so I can keep track of wins between Ben n' Nori  without ruining the race results for others?

...or you could start a Ben and Nori sitting in a tree thread.... ;D

As of Round 2:
Nitro  -- 1
Elbowz -- 3

[thumbsup]

You know the rest of the teams right now are shaking their heads saying WTF?   ???

Johnathan Greene said in the first race yesterday something like.
 boy's if you didn't know by now, he's here for the trophy..
not an exact quote but you get the idea

he also said something to the effect that by the time superpole had been run that every person in the paddock, journalist, crew, mechanic.. anyone you talked to you expected him to take the double.  and how rare a double at qatar is.

rare? it'd never been done before.  ;D

yeah?  i nearly went back, wondering that.  but i didn't.  ;)

Ben is a deadly serious fellow, super focused and hard working. 

Knowing how many variables there are in winning a given race, not to mention a whole series, it's kinda funny to say I will be absolutely amazed if Ben wins the championship, but somehow not surprised at all.

I'm sure behind him. [thumbsup]  If I were a betting man, I'd put money on it - it's the only vice I don't have.

I'd love to know if he could make the Ducati go any better than Nori.

LA

I bet he could...

Not to take anything away from Spies or Rossi...... cause....seriously........but I wonder how much of it is the bike(s).  I wouldn't be surprised at all if a Yamaha was at the top of WSBK, MotoGP, and even AMA.  So far in WSBK and AMA both Bens were saying how awesome the bike is.  I know ... I know it's their job to say that....  but it has me wondering.  Maybe the next magic bike is going to be a Yamaha.  [laugh]

how is sykes doin' on his r1? how about bostom on his?

have you checked the results of the daytona superbike race?

after watching last two motogp seasons, i don't think anybody would argue that rossi was on a superior bike.

plus, the first time ben shocked the entire wsbk paddock it was on nori's '08 machine.

I was thinking about that Sat. night after watching the races (I recorded them). Yamaha would be sitting pretty if they took the WSBK, MotoGP and the AMA titles this year. I bet they sell a ton of R1's this year. The engine makes up for the goofy headlights.

I haven't checked the other classes, on the off chance I watch them on the 21st.  So I just saw Bostrom raving about the R6. (I think)

R6, yes. 


but they're both the best bikes out there, respectively.   ;D

he's been raving about the r6 for two years.


hush, you.   ;D

;D So true.  Big Ben also made a new track lap record.  Hmmmmmmm.  More talent than bike.  Having everything work properly helps too, but no one can deny the simple fact that Ben has the ability to win races, lots of them [thumbsup]

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/144129/1/haslam_ben_spies_is_a_class_act.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/144129/1/haslam_ben_spies_is_a_class_act.html)

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/144096/1/spies_the_tracks_will_get_tougher_from_here.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/144096/1/spies_the_tracks_will_get_tougher_from_here.html)

I wanna know what derby thinks..... [beer]

http://www.motogpmatters.com/news/2009/03/21/herve_poncharal_i_want_spies_for_2010.html (http://www.motogpmatters.com/news/2009/03/21/herve_poncharal_i_want_spies_for_2010.html)

whitham weighs in...

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/144425/1/whitham_ben_spies_is_the_real_deal.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/144425/1/whitham_ben_spies_is_the_real_deal.html)

“I hate to say it, but he is that good - he is the real deal,” he told Crash.net. “Not only is he quick, which we already knew he would be, but he learns circuits within about ten seconds of arriving at them! It would appear that he knows how to set a bike up too. Very few have all that you need to succeed at that level, and he appears to have it all.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Mar/090331spies.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Mar/090331spies.htm)

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/144694/1/ama_rivals_can_win_in_wsbk_says_spies.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/144694/1/ama_rivals_can_win_in_wsbk_says_spies.html)

The "it's the bike" morons seem to forget that he was rippin' it up on Haga's '08 bike in testing. 


Considering there is at least one WSBK champion in the AMA paddock, of course AMA guys can compete. 

they aren't quite ready to just concede that he's that good.  an AMA guy can't be that good?!  must be a ducati GP engine in that R1!

...no, he was getting motored.  and then he was out-braking the veterans a few seconds later.   [evil]

Wins as of Round 3:
Nitro  -- 3
Elbowz -- 3

finished races as of round 3

Nitro -> 6
Elbowz -> 5 (almost was 4-but that 1st one didn't gain him any points)

wha?  is that new math?  he's only finished 4; what does points have to do with DNF? 

and there aint no $ on finished races   [cheeky]

he finished the 1st race, just not in a points position because of the second time getting run off the track by Xaus on the Beemer.

Points have alot to do with DNF's, no finish-no points and hence why Nitro is sitting pretty right now in points standing (granted it IS early on)...

oh yeah, actually my bad.. i completely forgot he did finish the first race after his 2 dirt trips

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/145188/1/spies_strikes_monza_off_to-do_list.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/145188/1/spies_strikes_monza_off_to-do_list.html)
http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/145186/1/spies_takes_charge_in_monza_test.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/145186/1/spies_takes_charge_in_monza_test.html)

If Matt Mladin joined WSBK, would that be the Matt and Ben show world tour. [laugh]

 I would'nt read to much into what the press say, sensationalising on what European press write and playing Spies as the underdog only sells newspapers and magazines in the US.
Don

Wins as of Round 4:
Nitro  -- 4
Elbowz -- 4

...and he knows the next track  ;)

You think it makes a difference?   [laugh]  He seems fine with knowing where the track goes.  He just has trouble distinguishing asphalt from grass.

 [laugh]

He needs to talk to Rossi and see what tire choice he prefers for off-track cornering!  ;D

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/Feature/146171/1/hagas_son_and_ben_spies.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/Feature/146171/1/hagas_son_and_ben_spies.html)

The Ben needs to give Andrew Ridgeley his shorts back

That's a pretty cute story (crafted for the press by Ben's mom, but cute nonetheless). 

[laugh] [laugh]

"The Ben" needs to stop tossing his bike down the track every other race!   ;)

Huh?

He's crashed in a race this year before last weekend?

He crashed at Assen last weekend.  And he lost the front at T1 at Valencia.  So in the last two rounds, it's been every other race. 

he also crashed/went off track at Phillips although he got back on track and finished the race (0 points)

Yeah, my general meaning is that he's gone off track or tossed his bike down the track to take himself out of general contention 3 of his first 8 races.  I just find it somewhat odd since he doesn't have a history of making those mistakes.  Its understandable that he got a little caught up during his first race, but the others have come at the front, which is no different than dicing with Mladin so to speak.  Its just out of character for him to be going down like that.

He's got himself in a little pickle at the moment, as I feel Ben's crashes and Nori's form really requires Ben to keep riding on the ragged edge, shooting for first place.  I hope he doesn't make many more mistakes or the championship fight we are hoping to see might not happen.  4 wins and a 2nd place, yet he's 60pts adrift.  Its a long season, thankfully.

he did not crash/run off of his own accord at PI; he was pushed off.  twice in race 1.

In prior years, he's been on the same tracks, same machinery, same tires with the same crew racing against the same people.  He now has a new bike, new tracks, new electronics, new tires and new competitors.  I'm not surprised he is making mistakes.  Most people take at least a full year to get their machines developed and dialed in. 

As for the first race, as gm2 said, that had nothing to do with him.  He was punted off track once and went off a second time to avoid an accident. 

Ben wouldn't be much behind in the points (and might even been leading) if Nori wasn't putting on an absolute f'n clinic so far this season.  With all the talk about Ben's pole-setting and rookie hype, Haga's amazing accomplishment thus far is being somewhat overlooked.

I understand what caused the crash/run offs at PI but that doesn't change the fact that they were crashes and run offs. They didn't give Hayden his points back after Pedrosa wrecked him either.   The main point is the "problems" are the reason that despite matching wins with Haga he is so far behind.

Haga has ridden very solidly this year and incredibly consistent.  He deserves to be leading at this point and I agree deserves to be getting more press and attention as a result.

I hope Ben gets it sorted and gets more consistent because I love watching him race and it's great seeing an American win on the world stage.  I'm rooting for him big time.

agreed.  he's 'suffering' from the fact that he's been in this series for a long time, and up front for a long time.  but mainly from the fact that this is what everyone expected from him this year, on that bike.

doesn't make it any less spectacular tho.  it's just that ben's pass on him in assen was much moreso.  ;)

Really? A lot of stuff I read preseason was that they expected him to struggle with the Duke.

Haga, doesn't like to keep the bike on its side and likes to square off the corners, not the ideal way to ride a Ducati. I'm amazed that he's riding it like he is, not only is he smoother than ever but he doesn't even seem to be pushing the bike to the ragged edge either. have you seen the close ups of his tires after the races? They look pretty fresh.

in pre-season he crashed the hell out of that thing.  looks like he's finally grown up some and adapted his way of riding.  it's working.

when troy bayliss wins portimao race 2 the way he did, gets off the bike and says, "that was the best bike i've ever ridden"... you need to just get on it and figure out how to ride it.

haga went very well on the (very privateer) renegade ducati in 2004. he even had a shot at the championship going into the final round. his biggest problem that season wasn't crashing, it was bike reliability.

i, for one, have been saying since he was announched to the team that he was going to be very, very hard to beat on the factory duc.

Hmm, just playing the devil's advocate here, but, that begs the question why several MotoGP riders struggle with the GP 09 and the M1. Not to mention why Shakey and Fabrizio aren't running closer to the top 5. [evil]

I still say no one expected or even knew that Nori could ride that smoothly.

Don't get all snarky, i'm just yanking your chain ;)

 [laugh]


and who struggles with the M1 (besides JT)?

Uh, cuz the 1098 is a totally different bike from the GP9.  And cuz Fabrizio and Shakey are donkey balls, along with JT.   

pregnant dog!! (You know i had high hopes for James.)

As I remember, Mr Edwards and Mr Lorenzo had sucky last halfs of the season last year. it could have been Michelin, who knows? [roll]

My point is just because 1 guy says a bike is the dogs bollocks doesn't mean everyone can agree with him. :o

Shakey and JT are "donkey balls"? Is this the same JT who has 2 WSB championships versus Haga's or Biaggi's 0.  [roll]

You guys are dismissing the hell out of JT because he's struggling in GP's. As for Shakey, ok he's not doing well in WSB at the moment, but if he gets it together we'll see him up there trust me. [thumbsup]

i didn't dismiss JT at all.  just noted that he's struggling.  he is.  i really hope he gets it together.

and my point with the bayliss thing is that he's not "1 guy".  he's bayliss.  i'm not saying the set up is going to be the same, yadda yadda.  just that if he says it's the best bike he's ever ridden, it's got... plenty of potential.

whatever would makes you say that?

....other than colin's shockingly out-of-character critical remarks about a company he'd basically spent his whole career with.

i'd say colin quit making excuses for michelin when they completely disregarded the weather report for laguna last year and brought the wrong tires. it went downhill from there.

Yup, that JT.  I was pulling for him initially.  Then he showed himself to be teh suck. 

As for Shakey, I loved that guy when he put out that half-hour long vid of a coupla Brit riders doing triple digit wheelies while lanesplitting.  They crashed and killed two out of hte three bikes they were testing.  It was awesome.  But I've since changed my mind.  I have only a limited number of British riders I permit myself to like, and now that Shakey keeps crashing and riding like dogshit and now that I discovered Haslam's girl's boobies, I see no reason to not consider Shakey donkey balls.  If he grew some boobies, that might change my mind, but only cuz of the entertainment value of watching him highside the hell out of some DD knockers. 

Shakey might be make the beast with two backsed.  Ben just got his sponsor: 

http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/146408/1/sterilgarda_to_yamaha_what_about_byrne.html (http://www.crash.net/World+Superbikes/News/146408/1/sterilgarda_to_yamaha_what_about_byrne.html)

Wins as of Round 5:
Nitro  -- 4
Elbowz -- 5

I was 100 meters from being down 4 to 6.   :-\

points as of round 5...

Ben....-54 to Nori.

Just sayin'.   ;D

that has absolutely no bearing on my bet with spidey.   ;D

Oh...

so that's the way it is....  :P

Wins as of Round 6:
Nitro  -- 6
Elbowz -- 5

ya know, it doesn't seem quite so bad when i look at it that way   [cheeky]

Gary Medley comparing Ben to Scott Russell.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/May/medleyspiesrussell.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/May/medleyspiesrussell.htm)

Russell had a part-time "learning" season in World Superbike in 1992 before he hit the series full time in 1993. That experience culminated with him winning the world title for Kawasaki in '93. Spies, obviously, had no learning season in WSBK to learn the tracks and acclimate.

"Ben has done an awesome job," Medley says. "He's helped by having (crewchief Tom) Houseworth there, but you can just (tell) by looking at him in the races and see he's riding so hard. That's so impressive."

Spies' unfortunate run of DNFs has hurt his title hopes and critics now infer that somewhow Spies will have failed in World Superbike if he doesn't win the title.

Medley, known, shall we say, for not holding his opinions back, sputters, "Who says that? I'll tell you who: dumb people. People who don't know nothing. What Ben's done there is nothing short of amazing, title or no title. Think of how he's changed that series, look at how many riders it took 1-2-3 years to learn the bike and the tracks and win races. Spies goes to places he's never seen before and waxes them."

Wins as of Round 7:
Nitro  -- 6
Elbowz -- 7

This is getting good.  Ben is unbelievable!  All it takes are a couple of DNF's on Haga and Ben will have a chance.  Anything can happen, it is still early enough in the season.  It makes for good TV too [beer]

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna lose this bet, but that Nori will win the championship. 

...wanna bet?


;).. j/k

I will. ;D

watcha thinkin'?

$25 to the airfence fund...I may even do $50 if the cash flow situation is right.  ;) You wouldn't necessarily have to.

Nori over Spies in the standings at the end of the season. Neither has to win the championship.

i'll take the other side of that action...

anybody else?

(we need a sticky thread at the top of this forum linking to the threads/posts containing the season's wagers)

post up the thread, and I'll sticky it.

Wins as of Round 8:
Nitro  -- 6
Elbowz -- 8

Fabrizio is closer to Spies than Spies is to Haga, couple more DNFs by Spies and Fabrizio will be second
Don

Wins as of Round 9:
Nitro  -- 6
Elbowz -- 10

Hehehehe, it's getting close!  Spies is an animal.   

Spies best rookie by far in WSB history
http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/815/815.html (http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/815/815.html)

For the love of God, just ask him out already will you? [puke] ;D

 [laugh]

whaddya want, it's a slow news week... =)

Wins as of Round 10:
Nitro  -- 6
Elbowz -- 11

Elbowz should have 12 wins and the points lead after today. [roll]

I was hoping Sykes was gonna take out Haga in the second race in the last lap to even the score.

I guess it keeps us on the edge of our seats.

Ya, that would have been great!  [roll]

Hey yeah that'd be great, kinda like ice hockey only at 180mph. [roll]

I guess I needed to use the  [laugh] [cheeky] or  ;D at the end of that sentence.  I thought it was an obvious laugher but. . .

 [roll]

Gotcha  [thumbsup]

pt. 1 of soup interview: http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Aug/090810spiesinterview.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Aug/090810spiesinterview.htm)

in the silly season thread we were talking about how new the new bike really is.. this was interesting:

Q There's been give and take on both sides, for this being a learning experience, but I think people don't realize this has been probably almost as much a learning experience for the team as it's been for you.

A Yeah. Again, they've got two new riders, two crew chiefs, two bikes, that - the team is used to the World Superbike circuit and all that, but I can just tell you from what I know about the bike I rode last year, Haga's bike, when we try to make the gearboxes go on the tracks, we don't always hit it just because the bikes are so far different and it's - it looks pretty similar to the old R1, but the bike is very different. It's still - it's got a lot of potential, and we're not even close to what it can do yet. We're just breaking through and just a lot of different things, just how the crank, the way it produces power is good, and the crank in a lot of ways is good, and sometimes the way the rotating mass is too, you've got to - on different corners, it affects how it enters the corner, it affects how it flicks left to right. There's a lot of changes that we can make. We're still all learning, so it's a big - it's a big year for both the rider and the team.

pt 2 - Spies takes a poke at DMG....

"...I was thinking about riding a jet-powered bike in DMG. That might be fun. (laughs)"

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Aug/090812spiesinterview.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Aug/090812spiesinterview.htm)

pt.3  http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Aug/090818spiesinterviw.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Aug/090818spiesinterviw.htm)

re mladin: "If I was him, and after this DMG year, and the career he's had, I'd be sitting at the couch. I'd be done with it."

He sure is a good interview to read.  I enjoy how candid he is about things.

i love how when we're talking about spies it's "he's so candid," and when it's rossi, it's "what a cocky mothermake the beast with two backser..."

LMAO

If Ben were the cocky mfer that Rossi is not only would he have said that he's broken Haga and Fabriz he would have said that Bayliss retired rather than face him.

consistency is key!

hahahahahahahahhahaa....now THAT would be a funny ass statement to hear....

if only rossi were actually cocky.

I don't know...after reading his autobiography, I think he's pretty cocky.

Not in a bad way like some people...but he's very sure of himself. Given what he's accomplished...rightfully so!

"They say I'm cocky, and I say What?
It aint braggin' motherf*er if ya back it up "

Benny Boy is with Yamaha through 2011. 

http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/latest-news/962-ben-spies-to-stay-with-yamaha-in-2010-and-2011-.html (http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/latest-news/962-ben-spies-to-stay-with-yamaha-in-2010-and-2011-.html)

Anyone know what kind of $$$ he'll be making?

Hopefully he'll have a chance to race against Rossi in 2011.

Wins as of Round 11:
Nitro  -- 7
Elbowz -- 12

Did I actually describe taking Haga as the "safe" bet earlier in the season?   [laugh]

he would have to win every single remaining race in order for you to win this bet....  ;D [cheeky]

Careful now. Don't go putting the whammy on him. 

This IS motorcycle racing and all it takes is 1 horrific crash to alter everything.   

Stay upright Ben and bring it home...

good point

mitt

OT-> origionally posted here-> http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=29009.msg506979#msg506979 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=29009.msg506979#msg506979)

you got scooped!!!

 [roll] My life's story......

....although finishing second, to derby, in this forum isn't all bad  ;D

Now I know how Lois Lane felt whenever Clark Kent scooped her!

it's gone

yeah, but you actually finished third behind dantheman.  ;D

It's still a podium position. 

we only count wins in this thread.   [cheeky]

I'm like Rossi - you don't want to get me too motivated  [evil]

spies on (his time with) mladin:

http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Sep/090925-11.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Sep/090925-11.htm)

http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Sep/090926-11.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Sep/090926-11.htm)

Wins as of Round 12:
Nitro  -- 8
Elbowz -- 12

It's possible this could end up in a tie.

Lots of things are possible  ;D

Interview w/ THE BEN: http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38224 (http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38224)

well...so much for Mat's prediction....

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=24757.msg433755#msg433755 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=24757.msg433755#msg433755)

 ;D

I just wanted to bring it back up for the boil because this would have been the weekend according to Lord and Master Mladin....

even if he ends up 2nd, i think 10+ pole positions and 12+ wins for your rookie season is..... pretty ok.

and going into portimao if the championship is still within a handful of points either way, his performance record in those situations is.... pretty good.    [evil]

No question, Ben is talented and can compete with the best.

He's earned my respect this season both with his racecraft and his demeanor.

Too bad mladin couldn't learn something from the kid...

Isn't the GP announcement supposed to be today?

Final Tally of Wins:
Nitro  -- 9
Elbowz -- 14

Wasn't even close.   :(

but how many points?



yes, i'm still sad...  ;) hopefully, his only rival next year will be his teammate

hmmm....

(http://pix.crash.net/motorsport/710/PA671642.jpg)

You'd imagine Toseland is going to be pretty motivated.  If he goes back and lays an egg on a championship bike, he's not going to look too good.

that's kinda... creepy

BIG PIMPIN BEN....

(http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/spieshacking.jpg)

that's an oooooold ass pic.

YUP....2005!


but Ben is definitely pimpin right about now with a World title!!!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80033 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80033)

But Spies said that the difference in riding style between the two classes and the quality of rider in grand prix racing would make running at the front a tough task.

"For us to do what we did there is impossible," said Spies. "We had a hard year and I had to fight, but the aim every weekend was to win. It just won't happen here. This is a totally different ball game.

"Most people don't really understand just how fast these guys in this championship really are. I understand it because I've already done a couple of races against them [for Suzuki in 2008].

"I know that this weekend and next year is all going to be about learning, about me trying to evolve as a rider. There's a way of riding a superbike, and it won't work on these machines, so that's something I can improve on. Honestly, if I see a podium next year, that would be a miracle."

Did his PR rep write those lines?  [roll]

Give us the truth Ben, your going to go in there and humiliate them!

I'm thinking he's gonna make a statement of some sort.

the media has already made him the fifth alien.  er, beatle.

http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Nov/091105rydernotes.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Nov/091105rydernotes.htm)

I'm thinking that Ben is being the humble, nice guy that he actually is.

He wants to show the big kids he can play...

and I believe he will.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Nov/091124spiesseason.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Nov/091124spiesseason.htm)

Typical off-season fluff, but Herve says The Ben is 

The.  Ben. 

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/155615/1/ben_spies_fast_from_first_race_podium_potential.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/155615/1/ben_spies_fast_from_first_race_podium_potential.html)

http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100112-11.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100112-11.htm)

obviously ben is not an english major.  and/or he likes to write exactly in his pattern of real speech, which is sort of an accomplishment all by itself.

but it's an interesting article... talks a bit about the transition to MotoGP from wsbk.  and apparently now he is also a professional bicycle racer.  in his spare time.

In his spare time... yeah, right. There's no way in hell you could race bicycles at that level without a full-time training commitment and years of racing experi...

http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100112-11.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100112-11.htm)

Oh, shit. Wow. Up next: walking on water.

 ;D

I just wonder if he'll still to the 24hrs of MOAB if he can....

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100114-11.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100114-11.htm)

more fluffishness.  but good stuff.

related note: even at 35, The Other Ben is also a monster on the pedals.  And a pretty decent writer.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100121-155-col.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jan/100121-155-col.htm)

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/5637-bostrom-ben (http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/speaker/5637-bostrom-ben)

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/Spies+talks+about+MotoGP+aims (http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/Spies+talks+about+MotoGP+aims)

now you can wear his signature cycling gear, too

http://www.all1sport.com/ (http://www.all1sport.com/)

For the love of God, just ask him out already!!

...maybe it wasn't clear i was making fun of that one.  =)

 [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [clap] [clap] [clap]

Vote early, vote often:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/getVote.jsp?pn=spies0212 (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/getVote.jsp?pn=spies0212)

 :)

Head of Dorna says Spies is going to challenge the aliens.

“[Regarding 2010], I'm sure the championship will be amazing. Last year was very good, though we had some crashes in the middle of the season for some of the contenders and the health problems for Casey. I think [Ben] Spies will be one of the young people to come in and challenge the others. I don't think he has ever raced at Sepang before, and he did very well at the test.”

From http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/156757/1/ezpeleta_ferrari_interest_in_rossi_endorses_motogp.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/156757/1/ezpeleta_ferrari_interest_in_rossi_endorses_motogp.html)

http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100520benspiescolumn.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100520benspiescolumn.htm)

Edwards and Spies talk tactics and table sauces (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/8709570.stm#id8700000/8709500/8709570)

hehehe... the volume on that video player goes to 11.

Team Edwards!

hips don't lie son

I swear that's the most relaxed I've ever seen Spies.

http://www.onthethrottle.com/content/view/706/1/ (http://www.onthethrottle.com/content/view/706/1/)

I figured some fawning was due. ;D

 [drink]

THE BEN  talks about Silverstone weekend and whatnot...

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jun/100623-11.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Jun/100623-11.htm)

ya know, it just occurred to me: he podium'd before Assen.  AGAIN.

 ;D [cheeky]

 [laugh]

Long memories here in the Racing Forum. 

assen, catalunya..  http://www.onthethrottle.com/content/view/729/1/ (http://www.onthethrottle.com/content/view/729/1/)

Interesting that he says that he and Colin are on the same bike that Colin had last year.  That doesn't seem right with the engine rule this year, does it?  The bike has to have changed.  Then again, they were discussing the chassis at that point, so maybe he meant that he and Colin are on last years chassis.

mary spies interview.  incl a, uh, funny little comment about her time in the AMA

http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/2010/Watching+Ben+ride+Mary+Spies+perspective (http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/2010/Watching+Ben+ride+Mary+Spies+perspective)

So does Ben podium at Laguna?  Lorenzo and Pedro are in good form and Casey/Rossi right there.  Can he legitimately rise into the alien ranks at home?

No

Not without one or two of the aliens crashing IMO. Rossi and Stoner are extremely fast at Laguna, and I expect Lorenzo will be as well...and don't count out Pedrobot. Also, with Hayden being able to handle the D16 this year, he may be in the hunt as well.

I give The Ben a 5th place finish...maybe 4th.  [coffee]

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-all-time-greats-praise-spies/ (http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-all-time-greats-praise-spies/)

"...made James Toseland look like he had training wheels on his first season." - Beattie
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

That was pretty funny.

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/162471/1/ben_spies_up_to_speed_with_2011_yamaha.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/162471/1/ben_spies_up_to_speed_with_2011_yamaha.html)

Ben Spies tests new yamaha M1 2011 at Brno (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XfhNQ4AOn8#normal)

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=41706 (http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=41706)

even ben thought Brno was boring... [laugh]

For some reason the adage about the pot and kettle comes to mind.

[laugh]

http://www.roadracerx.com/uncategorized/spies-confirmed-for-factory-yamaha/ (http://www.roadracerx.com/uncategorized/spies-confirmed-for-factory-yamaha/)

w00t!

you derby-er....

what, cuz i posted it twice?  it bears mentioning in both threads  =)

Qualified on Pole at the Brickyard!  [beer]

Only one more checkbox left, as he said. Fingers crossed...

http://www.onthethrottle.com/races/ben-spies-update-indy-motogp/ (http://www.onthethrottle.com/races/ben-spies-update-indy-motogp/)

http://www.onthethrottle.com/races/ben-spies-update-aragon/ (http://www.onthethrottle.com/races/ben-spies-update-aragon/)

i have to admit that the more you hear ben spies give interviews the more you just have to like the guy.  he gives it to you straight and basically just says what is happening, doesn't seem to have a major ego in the interviews.

also matt mladin in interviews seems to be a pretty good guy, gives good interviews and really says it straight.

...hmm, apropos parallel..  =)

I have to admit watching the Spies interviews is allowing him to grow on me.

He even chuckled in this last one. ;D

Update, Aragon to PI.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Oct/101027-11.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Oct/101027-11.htm)

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Dec/10120911rizlas.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Dec/10120911rizlas.htm)

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Dec/101213-benspiescolum.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Dec/101213-benspiescolum.htm)

argh!!!

http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/good-versus-well.aspx (http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/good-versus-well.aspx)

He writes in he same manner/voice as he talks which to me makes it much more personal and real and less like someone was acting as his scribe which to me makes it better reading to a degree....

I do find myself re-reading about 10-15% of what TheBen writes just to try to figure out where he meant to go after hitting that period key on the previous sentence.  But despite that I do like the lack of an editorial filter between him and the big wide world.

My favorite writing quirk: when narrating a race after the fact, he switches without any particular rhyme or reason between "I" and "we" when, as far as I can tell, he's the only one out there behind the bars of his bike.

I've always assumed that he dictates it rather than writes it.  I could be wrong.  <shrug>

Either way, that good/well thing he does tweaks my OCD for some reason.  Everytime he does it (and he does it ALL the time), I can't stop from twitching.  I'm not really faulting the guy.  I just wish he'd stop hitting the "watch Spidey spasm" button everytime he gives an interview or writes a column. 

I'd like to watch The Big Lebowski with The Ben and Edwards. I'll bring the cold beer! [thumbsup] Afterwards we can watch Blazing Saddles!! [laugh]

I'm in!...and I'll bring a keg!....

How much fun would that be? [thumbsup] Edwards is a classic ham and character. Plus he's into guns and scooters... what more do you need to know? [laugh] The Ben would be the straight man for all the jokes. ;D

I just popped in to say I'm very proud of this thread.  20 pages long.  Turns out I'm some kind of savant - Ben Spies IS amazing!

daryl who?

;D

I'm that guy that does that thing.  Or you can just call me Sir Awesome :D

So how is Sir Awesome these days? :P

Tired, very tired.  Not shockingly I was sent to Miami again last week.  Finally have a week at home this week, so trying to just catch up on sleep for xmas.

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/165620/1/ben_spies_no_excuses_next_year.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/165620/1/ben_spies_no_excuses_next_year.html)

Yeah, it's Christmas Eve and I finally managed to get my goofball brother in law and family out of my house. Don't get me started. He's make the beast with two backsed up. My wife and kiddo are asleep and I'm finishing a nice bottle of red wine! [wine] While watching a replay of the Assen MotoGP from this summer on Speed TV. The Ben just doesn't seem to have the MotoGP start down to a fine art and his first 5 laps+ pretty much suck. He was in second and went straight back like a stone. Like he did all season. Late in the race he picks it back up some what and gains a few positions. But that bad habit is the doomsday move in GP racing. I love The Ben but I don't see moving to a factory scooter will solve that problem. Funny... I didn't notice that being that big of a problem in WSBK. I assume it's a tire trust/problem. Better find a way around that if you want to podium. ;D Otherwise your factory ride will go elsewhere. I'd like to see him finally figure it out without his Mom's help. [cheeky]

you don't have to assume, he's pretty much stated that.

quite simply, the gp bikes (and tires) are capable of, as ben says, "unbelievable traction"...

not like "wow this is grippy" traction, full on "the engineers promise me a bike can do this but it's completely different than anything else i've ever ridden and it's hard to wrap my head around it" traction.

i'm guessing that the lack of testing and practice this season, as well as the limit on tires, seriously impacted the ability to learn the absolute limits of new, cold tires.

with a season under his belt AND more practice sessions next season, i'm expecting his early laps to improve.

Yeah, the mandated lack of testing and limited practice these days to save money I'm sure has hurt everyone. I know it's a completely different world from WSBK to GP but it's just funny how I never noticed that problem in AMA or WSBK for The Ben. It's awesome what he's capable in the last half of the race but by then the hotshoes are long gone. If he has one kink in his armour it's the first 4-6 laps. It was really apparent last night re-watching the Assen race. I'm sure he knows the problem and the cause. He's one analytical dude that's for sure. But knowing how hard he works at problem spots I would have figured he would have improved in that area a lot more by the end of the season. He sets the bar pretty damn high so I guess I am expecting too much from him too soon. Just don't see a factory M1 helping him with that problem. Like you said, must be a head thing. ???

It's a rather fine line, I imagine.

Go too hard on the first few laps, and sometimes you end up in the kitty litter, and get zero points.
Stoner can cane it from the get-go, but IIRC, he ended up in the gravel a few times that way...

i'm pretty sure this was linked to earlier...

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/165620/1/ben_spies_no_excuses_next_year.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/165620/1/ben_spies_no_excuses_next_year.html)

Spies, the 2009 World Superbike champion, identified early race laps as his main area of weakness this year.

"We need to be better in the first laps - just trust the tyres more,” he explained. “It's something I have to work on as a rider and I'm not afraid to admit it. We've been good in the middle of the race and at the end, but it doesn't hack it when you're 10 seconds back on lap 20. I just need to trust more and get more confidence and experience... I think that's the key to it."

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/12/18/ben-spies-ready-for-more/full (http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/12/18/ben-spies-ready-for-more/full)

The key to performing better in 2011 is going faster earlier, Spies admits.

"I think it's a lot of just how the tires work," Spies said. "It's a learning curve before, but we need to be better in the first laps - just trust the tires more. The way they heat up is definitely different. I got spat off on the warm-up lap, Casey [Stoner] has done it before. The first few laps has always caught a lot of the riders out. Next year there is going to be some differences in how they [the tires] are made so I think it's going to change the people who were good in the beginning and it may even it out a bit. But it's basically the fact that they have more grip than you think they do and I just have to trust them more and be better in the beginning of the race. It's something I have to work on as a rider and I'm not afraid to admit it. We've been good in the middle of the race and at the end, but it doesn't hack it when you're 10 seconds back on lap 20. I just need to trust more and get more confidence and experience... I think that's the key to it."


there was also another interview (somewhere) where he addressed the specific issues (in detail) with the opening laps of the race.

No way it's easy. If it was everyone would be in the lead at the end of lap one! [laugh] Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Guess that's true in any race but the level the The Ben races at has the highest stakes. [bang]

I think Ben Spies is stalking me. [laugh]

Saw him again today as I was driving away from my house heading toward the highway. I have seen him driving many times last year in my neighborhood and just recently during the off season. I know he lives here in Dallas and you couldn't miss his blacked out turbo Porsche Cayenne with the ELBOWZ license plate.

Well he must have cashed that factory Yamaha payroll check because he finally dumped that piece of shit Cayenne [laugh] and upgraded to a Benz sedan. It still has the ELBOWZ plate. It was graphite gray but had no badging on the back to ID it. It looked like an AMG sedan with black aftermarket wheels and low profile tires. Damn good looking car!

He was headed for the nearby Central Market grocery store. My wife and I have seen him several times headed there. He obviously likes their food. ;D I pulled up next to him at the light. He was in the turn lane for the store and when it turned green I rolled up and could clearly see him driving. I hung out my window, honked, waved and gave him the thumbs up. He honked, waved back and shot me a peace sign. I'm sure he could see all the Ducati, Ohlins, etc. stickers on my back window as I drove away.

One of these days I hope I'm lucky enough to see him in the parking lot, meet him and shake his hand. And tell him how glad I am he ditched that embarrassing POS Porsche!! [laugh] [laugh] Can't wait for the start of the new season!!! [thumbsup] [moto] [popcorn]

i remember seeing an amg 2-3 years ago in a photo with that plate.

yamaha check?  do you realize what yosh was paying him?!  that kid has had no financial issues for quite a while now.

Where was the pic taken? Maybe he had another Benz before the Porsche in Dallas. It was a good looking car for sure. So was the Porsche.

Yeah, he's sitting pretty. Good for him! He earned it and deserves it! The smartest part is he's still single!! [clap] [beer] ;D

Had a buddy that worked at AMS here in town run into him a couple of years ago at Best Buy. He struck up a conversation with him and said he was a really nice, friendly guy. I'm sure he doesn't get recognized much here in town. The percentage of folks that know who he is in this town is a micro-%. He probably likes it that way.

no kidding... he received a bmw m3 convertible as a signing bonus when he was a senior in highschool.

i know he's got a place at the w in victory park (he's also a partner in the sushi restaurant there) and it wouldn't surprise me if he had at least one more place in the area.

last interview snippet with mom was that basically she's his property manager these days

He does. Bought a big ass house near White Rock Lake in Dallas in November 2009. It was a tear down and rebuild, it was 2 years old when he got it. It's right down the street from my brother in law. Bet he got it so he could be near the lake to ride his bicycle, since he's really into that these days. There's a 10 mile training loop around the lake that is a HUGE draw for recreational cyclists as well as racers. Been around it a few hundred times myself. [thumbsup]

Spends less time in court that way.... :P

More news on The Ben's foray into (non-motorized) bike racing:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/motogp-star-spies-launches-team (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/motogp-star-spies-launches-team)

Looks like a lineup that could have some real fun in Stateside & mid-level pro racing!   [thumbsup]

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elbowz-Racing-Elite-Cycling-Team/186866481342467 (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elbowz-Racing-Elite-Cycling-Team/186866481342467)

Right now gm2 is trying to figure out how to move to Dallas.  ;D

funny thing about that... i do work for AT&T....   :P

The traffic has to be better than LA! [laugh] But the roads suck. At least most of them do. [moto]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Jan/110125benspiescolumn.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Jan/110125benspiescolumn.htm)

Neat stuff to read. I was a Cat 1 in the late 70s and early 80s in TX and raced the 78, 79 and 80 road Nats. It's great to read the DMF bike thread and to see The Ben take cycling so seriuosly. Great sport and exercise. [thumbsup] Wish I could do more of it but physical issues get in the way. I miss it terribly. :P But I have fond memories of rides and races that will last me a lifetime. [beer]

Thanks GM!  I've been riding a lot the past six months and really enjoyed this article.

you can't do a recumbant bike? I see lots of old people pumpin away on those all the time on the rail trail here by work.

It's a completely different ball game from the double diamond frame racers to the recumbent.  I've been riding racers for 40 sumptin years. Tried my friends recumbent. Don't know that I could make the switch full time.

I realize it is different...I also realize it is lot friendlier to the aging ergonomic needs of an individual and can be much easier on certain specific joints while still allowing for a generally rigorous workout if chosen.

I think the recumbant bikes are kinda stupid. I know they have their fans but I'm not one of them. I'll just wait until I can afford all the surgical repairs I need then I'll get back up on my mtn bikes and Colnago C-50. [thumbsup] It's not saying much but I'm more coordinated on two wheels than two feet. [laugh]

OK, this is contributing to thread drift, but... I find recumbent bikes interesting but ultimately unsatisfying -they just don't do the things that feel best on a bicycle like climbing or sprinting. It might be fun to try one of those super-low tricycle 'bents just to see how fast I could go. But every time I've seen one oncoming on the road or bike path, I can't help myself - I wonder if could bunny-hop it. I really, really shouldn't, but one of these days, I just might try...

OK, back to Mr. Elbowz.

I agree. [thumbsup] As I said, they have their fans. I'll let it go at that.

It's cool to see Spies so caught up in cycling. Bostrom is pretty damn good too! In a mtn bike kind of way. He's turned in some damn impressive race results. [clap]

pretty damn good is a major understatement.  that guy is a machine.

They just unveiled the Elbowz kit for 2011:

(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs079.snc6/168966_189268901102225_186866481342467_608793_4975742_n.jpg)

What? No speed hump on the back of the jersey? [laugh]

the wera jerseys have a faux hump graphic on 'em.

Here's some thread drift...

(http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/kuota/kuducfull.jpg)


Of course there's that other guys bike

(http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/colnago/epswhole.jpg)

And his old rig...


(http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/m5/m5m1.jpg)


And them other-other guys...

(http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/kuota/komwhole.jpg)

I just cant bring myself to do one this year for the Doctor...  I'm sorry but while I love the guy and think he's easily the GOAT, yellow on Red is just wrong unless you're the Spanish World Champ...

Is this kit for sale anywhere?

Not yet.

Teams not kitted yet.  The moc's just in.  Bikes are in, trailers in etc but it'll be a while for public jerseys...



If you do facebook, look up

Elbowz Racing Elite Cycling Team

Like it and you'll stay up to speed.

clicky:

I've long admired those bikes over at Pez - that's some splendid work!   [clap] [clap] [clap]

I had a thing for the Bianci's that Bayliss had when they were a minor sponsor of the WSBK team...

There's something ironic about a cigarette brand on a race bicycle (more so than a motorcycle, even).

A little thread drift here too but since we are on Spies and bikes and he most likely rides around White Rock Lake here is Dallas (along with everyone else! [bang]), the last time I drove by the lake loop I saw a man and woman riding together on very nice bikes with full cycling gear and they BOTH were smoking cigarettes!!. Couldn't believe it!! :o The Marlboro/Kuota bike reminded me. Crazy stuff. [popcorn]

Thanks,

Those are mine...  I'm the tech editor ;)

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/167136/1/ben_spies_1000cc_motogp_will_be_better_for_me.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/167136/1/ben_spies_1000cc_motogp_will_be_better_for_me.html)

With the same fuel restrictions, I really wonder how much the change to 1000cc will make.  The engines *may* be a little less peaky, but they're not going to be point and shoot a like a superbike or like the 990cc MotoGP bikes.  Get rid of the fuel capacity limitation (or raise it).  Then the bikes would be the devil, and The Ben would be even more fun to watch. 

they'll all be fun to watch!

I'd love to see him test one of the old 990cc GP bikes for fun and listen to what he thinks about them.

Get rid of fuel capacity and also get rid of limited engines.  I honestly don't think limiting engines is as big of a cost savings measure as they claim.  The R&D to make high hp engines that don't explode probably costs more than replacing them every week.

I was wondering the same thing about the new engines with the same fuel restriction.

Haven't quite got my head wrapped completely around it, but right now I'm thinking the same as Spidey, it'll not be much different.

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2011/03/04/ben-spies-gets-ready-to-spit-blood (http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2011/03/04/ben-spies-gets-ready-to-spit-blood)

Um....

Elbowz Racing Elite Cycling Team

Really?

what, the name or the fact that he has a team?  the latter has been mentioned/linked to around here many times.

but yeah, the name is kinda awkward..

awkward?   [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

ok, 'elite' is ghey.  Elbowz Racing was already a company so i'm sure he wanted to tag on to that.. not necessarily the best choice  =)

It all starts innocuously by tagging adjectives to your names. Before you know it it's snowballed into bedazzled jackets and post win celebrations. BE AFRAID. 

Well, if they've got sponsorship from an ED medication company, it'd make sense.

[laugh]

http://crash.net/motogp/news/167199/1/cal_crutchlow_praises_phenomenal_ben_spies.html (http://crash.net/motogp/news/167199/1/cal_crutchlow_praises_phenomenal_ben_spies.html)

Cal Crutchlow:  “If you put everything into perspective and look at Ben he is superior to really everyone else who has come into MotoGP in recent years,” said Crutchlow, speaking exclusively to Crash.net.

Really?  "Superior?"  I'll wait til the end of this season to make the call, but George (despite the fact that he steals breast milk from babies) and Casey both make a pretty strong case.

Yea I agree - there have been a lot of really good riders come into motogp in recent years, so the praise needs to be reserved until he actually does something and then repeats.  I think that the current aliens are still in a league of their own.

mitt

question is this...the "aliens" were in what place at the end of their rookie years?

Pedrosa - 5th factory bike
Stoner - 8th satellite bike
Rossi - 2nd pseudo factory bike
Lorenzo - 4th factory bike

so, 'superior' to half of them?

there's also a lot to be said about the fact that all of those guys came from the GP support classes.

Absolutely.  The others knew the tracks and were familiar with the GP's required 250-esque riding style (doesn't apply to Casey's rookie year, but he was only on the 990 for 1 year.  Well, 1/2 year.  The other half, he was in the gravel).  To be sure, given all the new stuff The Ben had to deal with, everyone acknowledges that already showed everyone something in his rookie year.

But there's no way to make an apples-to-apples comparison, and he hasn't done anything so head and shoulders above the others that I'd go out on a limb and say he is "superior."  Then again, one of the reasons I like Cal so much is that he talks out of his ass.  He'll be good for sound bytes, that's for such.  They should call Tech 3 "Team Shittalkers."

Nothing against Cal, but my first impression was that he's setting expectations.  Namely that Ben is something special, so don't get upset when he doesn't accomplish the same thing on the same bike.

Bah, I'm a Laverty fan anyways :)

 [thumbsup]

..however i do like Cal.  and his gf.

 [thumbsup]

(http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/cex/slap2.jpg) (http://janeheller.mlblogs.com/salami.jpg)

Versus the Ben who came in on the best bike his first year after riding on the factory team of the same company the year before etc etc.  You can argue it either way.


mitt

nevermind the 'best bike' thing (can you say that about the tech 3 version?  who knows..) but i don't think you can underestimate the advantage those who came up through the support classes have.  125/250 is a completely different riding style and feeds directly into how to ride an 800, which is why i think Dorna wanted it in the first place.  those that came up riding superbikes frequently have a very hard time adjusting.  plus, the bridgestones are verrry different than the pirellis.

i'm not necessarily agreeing whole hog with Cal but i don't think you can call 1 season in wsbk = 1 title and then a pole and 2 podiums in your rookie GP year, on a satellite bike, anything short of amazing.  and the R1 was brand new!  how many poles or races have they won since?  2?

if you add in the fact that coming from the AMA (supposedly*) means you're coming from an inferior national series to the world stage, cal is even closer to right.



*i don't really think so, only because of mladin.

no, i did not make this.   ;D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59143308@N05/5530456464/# (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59143308@N05/5530456464/#)

but you really wish you did. ;)

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-ben-spies-i-learned-a-lot-racing-valentino-rossi/ (http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-ben-spies-i-learned-a-lot-racing-valentino-rossi/)

helluva photo..

(http://assets.speedtv.com/images/article_assets/107/1071655/1071655_article_img_large1.jpg)

WOOOOOW...so the "ooops" moment he experienced with his leg off the Duc was actually him getting sucked off by the wheel of Ben....in retrospect...looking at that shot...he got damn lucky!

Yeah, that was a hell of a save by Vale. I had the race on the dvr and backed it up and watched that little "interface" several times. Every time I saw it I said "holy shit, nice save!" He really doesn't need to fall off again any time soon with that shoulder still on the mend.

Rossi tried to go around the outside after Ben was through, and lost the front, leading to the foot-off situation.

I've re-watched it a couple of times, I don't think there was any contact.

On the Eurosport coverage a guest in the booth commented that was the only time he saw someone lose the front on a Duc and not go sliding down the road.

leaning on ben's tire no doubt helped a little..

Whatever it takes... ;D

From the article.

"Ben came a little bit more to the outside and touched me at full lean angle and I lost my foot. After that I tried to stay with him but no way," said Rossi.

So The Ben is currently sitting about 3 feet away from me. He thinks that Stoner's got this. In the bag and that Lornzo is a nice guy. Pics soon to come

Good thing it's not Lorenzo, no telling what would be going on.  :D

You wouldn't really expect him to slam his team-mate (who just so happens to be the world champ) during his first year on a factory team would you?

http://superbikeplanet.com/2011/Apr/110426-11-column-apr.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2011/Apr/110426-11-column-apr.htm)

Did you get that film developed yet?

What happened to the Ben yesterday?  Seems like his bike wasn't slowing down properly with him over riding multiple corners, and running up Nicky's ass.

mitt

http://crash.net/motogp/news/168845/1/ben_spies_distracted_by_forgotten_tool.html (http://crash.net/motogp/news/168845/1/ben_spies_distracted_by_forgotten_tool.html)

Interesting. I was wondering why he was running wide so often and what he was messing with around the bars/top triple. Just a bad day all around for The Ben. Just glad he didn't take out Nicky or get himself hurt. The mechanic responsible damn well better take him out for a really nice steak dinner and drinks.

It is easy to judge knowing the outcome, but dang, wouldn't it be easier to just pull in the pits for 10 seconds and pull the tool off rather than mess with it, then focus on it all race and eventually crashing?


mitt

(http://img151.imageshack.us/i/theben.jpg/)

Pardon the shitty cell phone quality.

It's gonna sound funny because of what it looks like on the pic, but I was surprised at how small he was. He's standing on a curb there, we're about level or I'm just a bit taller at 5'10"

^^ Great photo.  :D

Ben is listed at 5'11"

Ben signs 1-year contract extension:
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/170005/1/ben_spies_extends_yamaha_motogp_contract.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/170005/1/ben_spies_extends_yamaha_motogp_contract.html)

 [thumbsup]

I *really* wish the 1000s didn't have that fuel limit.  Cuz I wanna see what The Ben (and Nicky and Casey) would do with that sorta beast.  Maybe Dovi too, since he rides loose coming into corners.

holy out of control sideways one foot off in barca!  i kept thinking he was gonna lose it.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Jun/110609-ben-spies-col.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Jun/110609-ben-spies-col.htm)

oh, and from that link...some Ben-Porn....Ben posing in his impression of Sid Viscious!

(http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/spiesriders.jpg)

OK, this is a test: Just how much do you love The Ben? $1,300 worth?

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.353777/it.A/id.439/.f (http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.353777/it.A/id.439/.f)

gm² has his on order. ;D

And this one just for you, dp.  ;D

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.353777/it.A/id.270/.f (http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.353777/it.A/id.270/.f)

That's cold Nick. [laugh]

More Ben stuff.

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2011/06/28/jarvis-knew-spies-would-win/ (http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2011/06/28/jarvis-knew-spies-would-win/)

Nice column from Ben this week after the win
http://superbikeplanet.com/2011/Jun/110629-11-elbow-asse.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2011/Jun/110629-11-elbow-asse.htm)

"It was awesome, but it was very difficult to read "+3.5" and "Stoner" underneath that. Whoa."

I couldn't tell if he meant that he was shocked that he was 3.5 in front of Stoner or if he was like "Oh shit, Stoner's only 3.5 behind me."

I dont think the number matters. I think at that point, with the way Stoners been riding this year on the honda.......just that he is next in line behind you must be worrysome!

Flatly objective and unbiased article on the greatness of The Ben:
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-spies-retrospective-the-path-to-win-1/P1 (http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-spies-retrospective-the-path-to-win-1/P1)

Local Channel 8-ABC affiliate news story on The Ben.

http://www.wfaa.com/sports/more/Ben-Spies-from-Texas-to-MotoGP-134718968.html (http://www.wfaa.com/sports/more/Ben-Spies-from-Texas-to-MotoGP-134718968.html)

I saw Ben with a couple friends sitting down at Wholefoods in Lakewood the other day.  It was all I could do not to be an annoying fan and bug him, but in retrospect, hardly anyone knows who these guys are in the first place.  Maybe I should have stolen a quick phone pic.

I bet if you had gone up to him and said Hi, he would have been fine....he is apparently subjected to alot more in Como when he is bopping about town there near his 2nd home...

america... where motogp stars come to be ignored.  haha

but yeah, i'm sure that he gets little enough attention in the us that you going up to him and asking for a pic/autograph would have been perfectly cool.

I bet he'd give you even more props if you asked him for a Spies Cycle Racing sticker for your car....

Yeah, I see him down the street at Central Market often during the off season. See his Benz with the ELBOWZ plates all over the east Dallas/Lakewood area. He has a house near White Rock Lake right down the street from my brother in law. I know Giannis (ex AMS employee) ran into him before the 2009 WSBK season at the Best Buy on Central and said he was a really nice, down to Earth guy and they chatted bike racing for 15-20 minutes. Next time I see him at CM I'm going to say hi. I'm sure nobody knows who the hell he is in Dallas. Heck, he probably likes that.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Dec/111206c.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Dec/111206c.htm)

He can't race motos forever. ;)

...although I'd offer that the best way to make a small fortune in the restaurant biz is to start...

with a big one. [laugh]

yeah, and it also gives a place for the fan boy leg humpers to stake out....errr...I mean hang out...yeah, that's it!  LOL

Haven't made it to Stackhouse yet but I know some folks who have and they thought it was pretty damn good. The reviews I've read have been very favorable. There is another great bar/restaurant near there called The Angry Dog and my wife and I (as well as 1000s of others) think they have the best burger in town. It will be interesting to compare.

Hopefully it will be a good investment for him. They can help sponsor his cycling team! ;) [bacon]

angry dog is one of my old deep ellum favorites. i'll be hitting up stackhouse while i'm in town for the holidays.

We nicknamed it the Fussy Pooch for fun. The Angry Dog does rock! [thumbsup] When I worked downtown at the courthouse we wore that place out. Dammit... now I'll be thinking about their kick ass chili hot dogs that are so wonderfully messy you have to eat them with a fork off the plate. [popcorn] [bow_down]

Hey, for those of us in the Los Angeles area, Ben Spies will be at the Long Beach Motorcycle Show this Friday 12/8 at 5PM!!!  [bow_down]

http://www.motorcycleshows.com/longbeach (http://www.motorcycleshows.com/longbeach) (click on "seminar schedule")

I got to meet him last year at the same show, and he was totally cool with all the fans.  He really took time and had conversations with everyone.  I even got a personalize autograph poster for my wife(major cheese points right there).

Nicky Hayden was also there last year, and I can't say the same about him.  [thumbsdown]

i don't think he needs the $  ;)

agreed  ;D

I still think the restaurant biz is a lousy investment though.

agreed.  but who knows, maybe he just bought the house.

also not his first restaurant/piece of.  maybe the sushi place is somehow doing well so it gave them unreasonably high expectations about the black hole that is the restaurant biz.

http://www.bikeexif.com/ben-spies (http://www.bikeexif.com/ben-spies)

didn't expect to see this Q&A here....

No shit...  [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang]

The wifely unit and I just got back from having lunch at The Ben's Stackhouse burger joint. Neat place, converted old house that has a really nice low key atmosphere. Just a rock throw from Baylor Hospital on the groovy east side (Deep Ellum) of downtown. The upstairs outdoor patio has got a killer view of downtown! Would make a great after work happy hour spot.

The burgers were very good. I'd for sure go back but I still say the nearby Angry Dog's burgers are better. AD is a 10 and Stackhouse is a 8.5-9.0. Wife got the fresh cut fries on the side and I got the string o-rings. Both were great but the orders were really big. I asked the gal we ordered from if they offered half orders or a half and half order and she said no but they should. The tone in her voice was that she has heard that question about 1,000 times and it goes nowhere with management.

No cars in the lot with ELBOWZ tags but they did say he does come by when he's in town. Just one framed photo of Spies on the wall. Neat eclectic decor. I liked it, but it's a well known fact that I have no taste. ;D When Advanced Motorsports has an open house/demo ride party it would be no problem to caravan through downtown and have a group burger and beer fest afterwards. [thumbsup] [Dolph] [beer]

i was there on wednesday and ben's mom brought our order to the table.

name dropper...

Did you tip her? ;D

Did you ask her if she sent a Christmas card to Doug Gonda?

zzzzing!

No stalker stuff here but saw The Ben today when I was driving to my brother in law's house. They live about three streets apart. We met at the same stop sign intersection in my b-n-law's neighborhood. He's still got the grey Benz with the ELBOWZ tag. Probably going to the Central Market grocery store. The dude loves that place! [laugh] One of these days I'd love to run into him at the CM grocery store and get an autograph for my step son. He's a big fan. OK... I'd like an autograph too. [laugh]

Too bad about Nicky's injury. Hope he heals fast and can get some testing in this winter. Bummer to start off the off season that way. :P

Cool behind the scenes pics of The Ben's M1 Yammyhammer. [popcorn]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/2011m1laguna/1/index.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/2011m1laguna/1/index.htm)

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/2011m1laguna/2/index.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/2011m1laguna/2/index.htm)

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jan/120117-11.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jan/120117-11.htm)

more and more i realize that the chest/cold thing i had for 3+ weeks around the holidays.. so did the entire country.  weird.

There's something going on here that's good for 4-6...

woohoo....

I live in Dallas and The Ben was right. Seemed like everyone here had some bronchial shit going on the first half of December. Luckily we all dodged it at my house. Everywhere we went for December birthday parties and holiday foofoorah parties half the people were sick and coughing on you. >:( Seriously? You come to a party sick as shit right at the holidays and expose your illness to everyone? Really? Pissed me off. [roll] [thumbsdown]

Re-reading that SBKplanet story makes me want to go to Stackhouse for lunch and graze on a burger and shoestring o-rings!! [beer] [bacon] [drool]

Yeah, cause make the beast with two backs sick people. How dare they want to spend christmas with their friends and family, it's not like it's a special time of the year or anything. God! They should just go back to the quarantine hut where they belong.

Yeah, I know that side of it. But some of these folks we so sick they said they had missed work but didn't think anything about showing up at parties sick. My beef was are the folks at your job more important than your friends and family? It wasn't like we didn't see several of them later in the month when they were well. And there were little kids there... one year old and up.

If I'm that sick I stay home, I'd feel bad if I thought I got friends and family sick when I should have stayed home. Just saying. ;D

OK, back to Ben. Besides we all survived. No harm no foul.

Drive by The Ben's house almost everyday. Surprised I haven't seen him riding around White Rock Lake on his bicycle. I'm sure I'd notice the Yamaha cycling togs! ;D

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=47231 (http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=47231)

the new numba eleven stylized bike looks suhweeeet

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/2012-yamaha-yzr-m1-motogp/#more-29083 (http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/2012-yamaha-yzr-m1-motogp/#more-29083)

Got some crazy looking gadgetry all over that front axle.  [drool]  Looks better than the old blue & white scheme but I still like the anniversary red & white they ran at a couple races last year. Go Ben!

 [drool]

http://superbikeplanet.com/2012/Apr/120405elbowrooms.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2012/Apr/120405elbowrooms.htm)


a hairy flatbiller?!?!?!?!

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Apr/120409nsxa.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Apr/120409nsxa.htm)

It's a crucial season for Spies and Yamaha.

That's an understatement if I ever heard one. ;)

if it was halfway through the season and it was a bad season thus far....I could understand the sentiment...but it was the 1st race of the season and I think we all know and Yamaha expect to see much better results of the Ben on this machine...geeeez

just to get some people a lil wet...


(http://superbikeplanet.com/image/2006/ama/atlanta/1/VL5U2700.JPG)

she ended up on some reality show later.  derb, what was that?

I wanna be in the middle of that scooter sammich. 

Yeah, I said it.   :P

"the reality of speed" and "beauty and the geek"...

How can I get my iPhone's home button to give me derby instead of that useless chick?

Siri, how can I exchange you for derby?
I don't think you have any meetings with "Derby"

Siri, please become derby.
Sorry, I don't understand "please become derby"

Siri, do you know everything, like derby does?
I can't answer that.  

Siri, is derby magical?
How about a web search for 'Siri is Darby Metra'?

Siri, you dumb slut, you're useless.
I'm just trying to help you.

Siri, can you be as useful as derby?
I can't answer that.

the latter happened to be on one day (really...) -- i picked up the phone and called derby: "dude, ben's ex is on tv.  it's not good."

[thumbsup]

LOL! Spidey...I was asking my Siri the same shit 2 nights ago! Great (twisted) minds think alike!

Of course, I added:

"Siri, would you shut the make the beast with two backs up and die so that I can replace you with derby?"
"That wasn't very nice."

You can say that again.

Yeah WTF been re you going to be the next Colin Edwards. Qualifys well be no show for the race?  Breaking my heart.....

http://www.speedtv.com/video/moto-racing/motogp-ben-spies-interview-dutch-tt-2012-1712922399001 (http://www.speedtv.com/video/moto-racing/motogp-ben-spies-interview-dutch-tt-2012-1712922399001)

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120704a.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120704a.htm)

 [roll] Ben the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own I'll never be alone
And you my friend will see you've got a friend in me [bow_down]

(http://www.infullgear.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/spies-gomma-assen-zoom.jpg)

My guess is someone in Japan got handed a katana with the message "you know what to do.".

http://www.motomatters.com/press_release/2012/07/06/bridgestone_press_release_bridgestone_ex.html (http://www.motomatters.com/press_release/2012/07/06/bridgestone_press_release_bridgestone_ex.html)

What a load of shit.

They are saying it's the track's fault.

The problem: monopolies, tire and publishing rights.
Why? Dorna Sports, S.L. who has licensed MotoGP for the next 3 years and sucks ass.

They also said it was due to the rider's style of riding.  So that means Spies rides like Rossi?   [popcorn]

And where does Capirossi figure in all of this since he's supposed to be the QC man?

all capi can do is make sure nobody is playing favorites w/ the tire selection/allocation... he isn't responsible for making sure that every tire coming from the factory is defect-free. that's bridgestone's job.

Case in point for letting the teams and manufacturers have free reign in tire selection again. IMO.

"letting the teams and manufacturers have free reign" is no guarantee that a production oopsie isn't going to make it into the race.

furthermore, one manufacturer not "bringing it" during a time of full-on tire war is (one of) the reason(s) they went to a control tire to begin with.

now, as the series is trying to contain costs, is not the time to go back to a tire selection free-for-all... if the money ever starts flowing free like it did in the late-90s and early-00s, go for it.

Hope Dovi takes Ben's spot( If it has to happen)

Boy I feel old.  Last F1 race I took the family was 05 Indianapolis.  That was the year all Michelin cars pulled into the pits and called it quits right after the warm up lap on the day of the race.  That left Shumacher, Barrichello,  and two other souls all on Bridgestones to race the Grand Prix in front of a very angry group of spectators.  I'm still angry.

If there had been only one supplier, Michelin, NOBODY would have raced at the track that day.  Bridgesone kinda saved the day.  How times change.
 

I understand the concept of trying to contain costs but I weep for the current state of things. High end racing should never be constrained by cost control. If it comes to that then it should simply be called quits and shift down to more selective class racing. Racing is racing and it can all be good but the true allure of the big race is the cost be damned run what you brung.

if there had been only one supplier, the entire field would've run the race, likely with a modified course.

michelin had requested their teams be allowed to swap tires after qualifying (this wasn't allowed by the rules) and/or put a chicane prior to turn 13 to slow the cars down.

why should formula one have made an exception to the rules or track layout when michelin's competitor (bridgestone) brought tires that worked?

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120724spiesnoy.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120724spiesnoy.htm)

anybody care to speculate on the "litany of reasons" ???

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120724-11a.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120724-11a.htm)

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/1207259i1.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/1207259i1.htm)

Riders making a statement?

You know it would be amazing if he went to the TT and raced ..if he won he truly would be a legend

an American McGuinness  ....wow

Almost seems that way.

team statement anyway.

my guess is that even if the valentino/marlboro deal isn't quite done, jarvis pulled ben's contract off the table just as ben was reaching for a pen. 

...easy to speculate from my armchair.

 

Jarvis was never Ben's biggest supporter.

Maybe Ben will tell his side of it when the time is right.

I'd love to see Ben as the new BMW wsbk posterboy and then into their (hopeful) move into motogp.

But yeah... seems like there are a lot more shenanigans going on than previously hinted at.

little known fact, ben drove a red convertible bmw m3 in high school. iirc it was a signing bonus from yosh.

think that's correct

...and I care about this...

why? ;D

is there anything you can't remember?

...the last time he couldn't remember.  ;)

Poor Ben, can't buy any breaks.

One Yammy fan had a much luckier day than The Ben:

What happened to Ben Spies helmet? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qqC0at-dek&feature=g-all-u#)

So Ben on this in 2013?

(http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/BMW-HP4-12-635x423.jpg)

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/bmw-hp4-tracktuned-bmw-s1000rr/ (http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/bmw-hp4-tracktuned-bmw-s1000rr/)

I wonder how that active suspension is going to work out...

in WSBK, it's not.  (currently) illegal.

latest rumor iteration has him riding the BMW in wsbk for 1-2 years and then returning to MotoGP.  on a BMW.

 [thumbsup]

mary spies

"Here is my personal opinion. We have fast motorcycle racers. We have good motorcycle racers. We have racers that crash alot but still bring in great results. We have talented riders. (those that ride with a plan and ride fast) we have racers that can build a bike and ride the bike ..to a point. We have racers that can get on the same bike and one can ride it better than the other. We have two in my lifetime of the past 20 years that built their bikes and got championships and in my mind I clearly feel they had fast bikes but were NOT the best or most talented rider. It was simply timing. There was no competition only because they were on the fastest bike not actually the better rider. One is retired and one should be retired. Have a nice day."

can only really think of 2, or 3, people here.  in which case i totally disagree.
 

lol  She's pissed because her golden parachute got the cold shoulder for the guy "who should be retired". 

A bit bitter.

on this particular point: does not apply.

I think she should join Schwantz in the stfu club.

have a nice day.

yeah.. don't get this one.  just angry i guess.

funny to imply the yamaha has ever been the fastest GP bike.  same with the ducati in wsbk, if troy is the retired one.

if it's doohan or mat, you could probably argue fastest bike.  but either way, the implication that it's the bike more than the rider.. ¡Qué ridículo!

I figured it was Mladin & Stoner...although with Mladin the same could be said of her son.

No way she could be talking about Bayliss, Rossi, or Lorenzo...unless she is just flat crazy. That applies with Mladin & Stoner too though, so  ???

I'm with DP though...STFU.

Jeez! Bitter, bitter, bitter. (Also not true)

whoever she's talking about, almost definitely rossi and almost definitely not stoner.

Ya, I guess he fits the should be retired better. Unbelievable she'd say anything about him though...he's ahead of Ben this year on the POS Ducati. I know he's had some terrible luck, but...

it's not hard to be ahead of someone when they usually don't finish the race  ;)

besides, ben and casey are buddies.  and casey didn't just ~take his ride.

 Mladin and Rossi is my bet.
Feel sorry for Ben.
Angry soccer mum, how embarrassing!

Angry about what?

GP paddock politics?

Ben hasn't made the cut...for whatever reason...and on arguably the best bike on the grid.

She should grow up before she goes out and plays with the big kids.

fixed that for ya...

i've only seen mary "go public" a few times in ben's career and, for the most part, it could be argued it was warranted*.

that said, i haven't bothered to to dig up the background of this particular outburst.

*though it's hard to say whether he was better off with the way events happened or not. ben did eventually end up in gp via a worldsbk championship and hopper's career, on the other hand, hasn't exactly been all roses.

most likely the rest of what we don't know about this whole year.  [..jarvis]

besides: tools left on the bike, swingarm fails, tires disintegrate, sudden severe chatter in warm up, visors fail.. more than enough to be pissed about alone.  that's 5 races right there.

I'll agree he's had some horrible luck this year.

Her going off isn't helpful.

I thought Ben wasn't using mom as a manager anymore?

Even if she wasn't, when has that stopped her? All luck aside, he has not been the same even when he managed to finish.

I'm a fan of Spies. No bullshit attitude.
Just a thought, has his performance waned since his mum stopped being his manager?  Or does he suffer due to the "eurocentric" bike set up culture?

I wouldn't have my mum as manager for two reasons:
1. She'd keep the umbrella girls away ("you very naughty boy!")
2. She's fiesty. She'd crack Jarvis over the head with a wooden spoon ("I Kill you bastido make the beast with two backsing!") :D

She's just being an overprotective mom right now, the difference being that people are shoving mics in her face.

I agree with you, though in this case she thought to sit down and write this on her own.

Personally I like it when people in sport speak their mind, I don't care if it's Schwantz or Bens mom. Too often we read articles or watch interviews and the particular person says NOTHING, just the same BS, "the bike is great, I didn't ride to my potential, we need to work, I'll work with the engineers" " and I'd like to thank my sponsors..........." blah blah blah.

Then when someone steps out and says wha they ACTUALLY think people fire off with STFU. Disagree with them, disprove their point, yell back at them, but for Pete's sake, don't ask them to STFU, they are the only ones saying anything interesting!


Mark

I think the major difference is....when you use the media outloud to tell the world that you are displeased and why, the people that sign your checks get a lil unhappy at the tarnishing they take in that process and you tend to end up being not reconsidered for renewal...I think behind the scenes, there are exactly the kind of thoughts said to those that need to hear them...but behind the closed doors, we'll never get what truly happens...and in the end...it is the media exposure that matters most when it comes to making money...so thanking sponsors and playing/towing the company line is expected to help perpetuate that flow.

I agree 100%, that is why I like it when someone actually speaks their mind regardless of what the sponsors want.

Besides, it gives us all something to talk about then!


Mark

i don't mind at all that she said something.  that she says anything, ever.  go for it.

i just don't agree with what (I think) she said.

I disagree, she should STFU.

i think this is a personality thing cuz i don't really care what anyone says ;)

The only person that suffers from her big mouth is her son. Do you really think that manufacturers will hire someone that has their mommy airing their dirty laundry? Of course when he's winning, they'll put up with a lot of shit, but if I was Ben I would be telling her to STFU.

If she 'really' said what was on her mind without all the innuendo it would be great.

Name names...enough with all the code...

otherwise...

STFU Mary. ;D

Good point, actual names would have made the quote MUCH more entertaining.



Mark

Well said.  [clap]

I reserve the right to use that in any and all threads in R&T.  ;)

I still think the whole thing's creepy....Ben's twenty-seven years old....

Mary needs to stay home and mind the garden. The Ben is old enough to have his own professional manager and make his own decisions without Mom popping off. Funny, there was an eerie silence from her BS when The Ben raced for the Italian Yammyhammer team in the WSBK campaign of 2009 compared to her AMA days with the Yosh team. Always wondered if the Italians told her to STFU! [laugh] I know I would of... ;D

Well, he only raced a year with the team. Didn't leave mommy dearest much time to mouth off.

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/ben-spies-yamaha-motogp-100-percent-effort/ (http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/ben-spies-yamaha-motogp-100-percent-effort/)

some interesting comments/insight as to why the Ben is leaving and this year with Yamaha...

Definitely can see why he was upset before now... not sure if we'll get the whole story ever as burning bridges with Yamaha for Ben would probably be a bad move overall.

But it's just been killer recently seeing him finally perform at podium levels and then to see the bike fail over and over.  I cant really remember the last time I saw a factory prototype let go so many time in a row during the same season.

Ok, so we've seen 9 races so far? Of those he has had at least 4 issues equipment related, 3 directly related to the bike and one to tires. Why is it that he was struggling up to Laguna to get a decent setup? That bike has been bullet proof for 3 other riders!!

2006.  or nearly that many times.

he hasn't had setup problems.  he's had shit breaking problems.

i mean, how many times has he crashed in a race of his own accord this year?  i can think of 1.
 

Mary:

Lin Jarvis and I spoke today. He was not able to be here at Indy. We shared our total disappointment and shock at the incredible and gut -wrenching year we have had to date. He was very sorry for Ben's crashes and the race mishap. I really wish people would stop saying ugly things. He has a family and he is respected in the race world for his years in his post.

In other words, it wasn't Jarvis, so leave him the make the beast with two backs alone.

http://www.motomatters.com/analysis/2012/08/31/the_spies_enigma_where_will_ben_spies_be.html (http://www.motomatters.com/analysis/2012/08/31/the_spies_enigma_where_will_ben_spies_be.html)

current situational analysis

That is one sad story, a talent like that being punted around, what a joke. I truly feel for the bloke. Yamaha need a kick in the jewels.

Rumor has it Spies will join Ducati on the Parmac Ducati......Story here (http://www.ductalk.com/ (http://www.ductalk.com/)).  We shall see how it all comes together.

saw that.. implies that the jv team concept went away maybe.  hmm.

Ooops! Looks like Chaz Davies bet The Ben to the punch on signing with the Italian BMW WSBK team! :o

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Sep/120909b.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Sep/120909b.htm)

Guess Spies needs to drop back to Plan B! [popcorn]

Have you been under your rock again? ;D

Talk is Ben will ride the Duc in GP next year.

Everyone should have a nice rock to chill out under! ;D

I'll believe what The Ben does when I see it... or when stage Mom Mary tells him to do it. [popcorn] [laugh] Heck, for all I know he'll race bicycles next year! Still on 2 wheels...

It's official, then Ben has a new home for 2013, and it's in MotoGp...

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/183878/1/ben_spies_iannone_secure_2013_motogp_seats.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/183878/1/ben_spies_iannone_secure_2013_motogp_seats.html)

I still don't get it.  But it tells you sumptin' about Ducati's major markets.  They have all the Americans in MotoGP (not counting MotoCRT) and most of the Italians.  Yamaha and Honda have the Spaniards, with a lone Italian.  Or sumptin' like that.  I dig The Ben, but after how miserable Ducati has been over the last four years, I can't see having any real opportunity to cheer for him (or even see him on the screen). 

wrong passport for San Carlo, so apparently it was this or wsbk.  this at least keeps him GP another year.  and i'm sure everyone in italy and germany is swearing up and down the bike will improve. 

with those kinds of assurances.. maybe.
 
 

I see it as a giant tactical error. Just a few weeks ago he was bashing MotoGP and wanted out. He should have gone with BMW & WSBK in my opinion. The Duc is a grunt box POS. Jeez, if Rossi and Burgess couldn't make it better who the hell can? Spies? I doubt it.

If I were Spies I would have taken the BMW/WSBK deal in a heart beat. The Bimmers are finally showing what they can do. Hell, Melandri might even take the championship this year... if he stops crashing! [bang]

Look up "giant mistake" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of The Ben signing that Ducati junior varsity contract. [roll] [thumbsdown] :P Mark me down as a disappointed non-believer. I was hoping he'd spend 2013 racing bicycles! ;)

so what happens next. He's got a 1 year contract with Pramac. Does he go up to a factory ride 2014? Or does he go to Suzuki? Pramac is just a means to an end

If things dont work out with Ducati, it would be great to see him back home with Suzuki Moto GP team. The circle will be complete.

Like it or hate it, MotoGP is still the big show. Going back to WSBK is still a step down and most likely a huge pay cut. I would understand if the onl option was a CRT ride. Any prototype would keep him in contention for a factory ride in the future.

he said this where?

I thought I read that... Roadracing World, Cycle News, SBK planet??? Can't remember but that's what I thought he was saying. I try not to make up too much stuff but I have also been known to be wrong. My take was he wanted out of MotoGP. And he was talking to the BMW WSBK team. 1+1 still equals 2.

I think he just wanted out of Yamaha not GP, and was exploring options to secure a ride for next season.

When Ducati announced they were going to have a more 'factory' satellite team he made the choice to go there rather that take a step backwards...if SBK is actually that. I think financially it is, but the competition is superior to GP.

Ben, other than thinking the restaurant business is a good idea, isn't stupid.

I think it was more inferred from Mary's statement moreso than anything...pair that with what Ben wasn't saying and we drew all manner of conclusions....

I wasn't crazy after all. ;D

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Sep/120915d.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Sep/120915d.htm)

You'll need to supply more evidence than that.
 [coffee]



 [cheeky]

 [laugh] [laugh]

You're right, that post would never hold up in court! ;)

Well, one thing went right for The Ben this year - his bike racing team finished the season as the #1 ranked Domestic Elite Team. http://elbowzracing.com/ (http://elbowzracing.com/)

That's why I was hoping he'd take the year off to race bicycles. I'm just not crazy about him signing with Ducati for next year. I love Ducatis... just not their GP bikes. 

yeah, but if you leave GP you never come back.. better to gamble on the improvements than not play at all.  for now.

'zactly

Yeah, I know. I see his reasoning/logic. Just not crazy about his choice. But it's not like there are a lot of competitive seats in MotoGP. Wasn't thrilled with CE's choice to go CRT but he has had his day in the sun. It made more sense to me to see Edwards go to a CRT team than The Ben going to the Duc JV team. Whatever. It's not like two cents means anything. Just would have liked to see The Ben back in WSBK kicking ass... ala Bayliss and Checa style. [thumbsup] [Dolph] [popcorn]

In ten years that will be appropriate for his career.

WSBK has become a haven for racers that want to prove that they are not over the hill regardless of what the MotoGP paddock says. MotoGP does not want Ben to leave. He is still young and very talented. He is also desperately needed to keep any American audience watching. Let's face it, Nicky is getting to the point where he'll be sent to the pasture, along with CE. Ben will be the only American on a factory bike in 2014.

That sounds like an offer of a wager. ;D

Elias is back  [laugh]

He never actually left the paddock...

they just won't let him play with the big kids all the time. :P

that's only bc they get a giggle watching him try to deal with the 'stones

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Oct/121004f.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Oct/121004f.htm)

tricycle thing is [laugh]
 

there's nothing Ben Spies. F%^K YEAH! about this one, but might as well memorialize everything that happened this year..

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/motogp/ben-spies-when-voodoo-strikes/ (http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/motogp/ben-spies-when-voodoo-strikes/)

 

Methinks, as Ben has wondered, that it was Burgess who used some old fashioned aboriginal voodoo to clear him out and make room for Rossi's return... [evil]

Reading that list just puts into perspective how demoralizing this year must have been for him.

it makes the Ducati look like a dream ride in comparo to a small degree...

i think 'anything else' is a dream ride at the moment.

Latest Cycle News interview:
http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20121204#pg41 (http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20121204#pg41)

So many fascinating tidbits about The Ben's departure from Yamaha & what he expects with Ducati that it'd be a shame to cherry pick one or two. Go read it:

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/01/02/ben-spies-leaves-yamaha-for-ducati/ (http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/01/02/ben-spies-leaves-yamaha-for-ducati/)

 [thumbsup]

 [thumbsup] +2

Read that in the magazine that arrived yesterday.  Ben is a good guy and I will be rooting for him in 2013

same same, but a few interesting tidbits

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Jan/13010311.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Jan/13010311.htm)

yeah...like the fact that he wrote all of his stuff that finally just appeared way back in August but sat on it for gag order reasons....

I respected Spies, especially for his WSBK title, but I questioned the decision to stay in GP.  It is good to hear his personal words on the matter, and that is all I need to pull hard for him on the Duc!

Come on 2013 testing!  I can't wait to see if Iannone will be as aggressive as he was in 2011.

(http://www.benspies.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/sp11es.jpg)

He's not going far on slicks...

poor tire choice.  ;D

Perhaps (I hope) it's the lighting that makes it look like that's a salmon/white paintjob.

I hope it looks better in person.  [puke]

Looks red/white on my monitor

That Ducati almost-ripe tomato(e) kind of red.... ;D


Ummm...why aren't there umbrella girls wearing fur bikinis in this pic >:(

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Feb/130207892.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Feb/130207892.htm)

He's certainly welcome down here.
Kangaroo steaks and strength training should help.

Three weeks :o since major surgery....I would take it easy too.  Maybe he can stop by Stoner's house and get a few pointers  ;D

Mmmmm... fur bikinis. Can't get past that. [cheeky] [popcorn]

TheBen in Inked Magazine:

http://www.benspies.com/2013/03/13/ben-on-inked-magazine/ (http://www.benspies.com/2013/03/13/ben-on-inked-magazine/)

A little weird that they don't really mention much about his ink, and less surprising that they don't have a lot of detail on the motorcycle part of his job, but I'm digging the Supermono they dug up for the photo shoot!

pron for Ducati/Ben leg humpers....

(http://www.benspies.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/iP_02.jpg)

I'd guess that the Mono belongs to Jeff Nash?

I don't care about his 'ink'... ;)

Is he gonna ride?

that would make the most sense...

+1

And how well is he going to ride?

Ink.  [puke]

http://www.statesman.com/news/sports/spies-sits-out-second-day-at-circuit/nWxmY/ (http://www.statesman.com/news/sports/spies-sits-out-second-day-at-circuit/nWxmY/)

He might as well sat out the test at Jerez too. [roll]

Ben should have stuck to Superbikes. I'm sure he would have been a force if he would have stayed. MotoGP is simply not his thing. He's already been sent to Ducati limbo. What's next, sitting next to CE on a CRT?

 [laugh]  [laugh]

Hell for Texans

See my gumbling posts about that subject on the "Rossi returns to Yamaha..." thread as of yesterday and today. I'd rather see him in the hunt for more WSBK titles than riding his ass off trying to stay on two wheels and ahead of the CRT drones. [bang] I know he was treated like the Texas red headed step-child on the #1 Yamaha team but still... We'll see. Again, I wish him the best. We all take chances and we all make mistakes but sometimes good luck and fate throws us a bone. Who knows... he could be the next Stoner and makes the Duc work! [thumbsup] [Dolph] [popcorn]

Ben will have plenty of years to go back to SBK and--assuming he is mentally or physically broken by his MotoGP stint--he'll be great.  But he doesn't need to go back yet. 

Unless he's the second coming of Stoner, it's only down hill from here.

Ruh Roh...

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/+5 (http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2013/+5)

"I just want to be able to feel what the bike is doing a little bit more"

 [laugh]

Hi, Ben.  I'd like to introduce you to my friends, Marco, Valentino, Loris & Nicky.  Guys, meet Ben. 

I get the impression it is as much his shoulder favoring with his body position as much as the bike's inherent problems...so perhaps it isn't THAT bad...at least not yet.

How long did Val use his injury as an excuse?

If he was signing up with the intention of being competitive at Qatar 2013, then he's one exceptionally stupid Texan.



I don't think he's stupid, ergo...

He's wagering that between Audi resources & a more methodical approach to development, Ducati has a decent chance at becoming competitive again during his remaining time in MotoGP. It's not a sure thing, but I don't think it's a super long shot either.

He hasn't had to actually race the thing yet either...........

Agreed. That's the plan for him, Hayden, and Dovi. All have had Japanese factory rides, and none are getting another one. They all recognize that only a factory bike will ever win the title. Spies is hoping the Duc improves, and he's able to get one of the full factory Duc seats based on his Pramac performance. Hayden and Dovi are just hoping it improves so they can compete and keep their seats.

Iannone is probably the only one with a snowball's chance of getting a Japanese factory ride...and I'd say that's a long shot unless he just kicks some serious ass. But it would seem he has more potential for other opportunities than the other 3.

Unless Iannone fades into obscurity because the Duc won't let him show his talent.

I hope that doesn't happen...to any of them.

Agreed. He is "Crazy Joe", so hopefully he can live up to his nickname and manhandle the Duc like Stoner did.  [laugh]

I know this is a thread about Ben, but I'm really interested to see how Iannone does in GP with Bridgestones.  He is fast when he can make his tires last, but his style chews 'em up.  I wonder how that is going to play out with the latest iteration of the-grip-never-fades (or maybe it does in 2013) Bridgestones. 

and here's alex, alex, toni, sylvain, mika, niccolo, hector, aleix, karel....

Won't make a bit of difference.  He rides a dog bike, and will in turn get dog results.  I'd like to see what the Ben can do....... oh right, he rides for Ducati.  Dovi will disappear and hope for 6th too ( or crashes in front/rain ).  4 mentally crushed top tier racers all hoping for 6th.  That's Ducati's pitch at the signing table.

Ducati's pitch at the signing table... Marlboro $$$

How about "the factory crt team"

that would be the Aprilia ART...

At this rate, I give the ART teams about 2 more years before they are competitive with the Ducs.

they won't last that long...between the rumors of Aspar Suzuki, Honda customer RC213V bikes, and some Suter/FTR framed Yamaha customer lease projects...the attraction for a CRT beyond the cheaper cost will be quickly lost when compared to being competitive

The Ape will not require too much to make it competitive in the second tier.

you think they are playing possum to keep from getting slapped by DORNA to keep from being a full blown manufacturer status in the game of it all?

make the beast with two backs yeah they're playing possum.

gettin a bit off topic, but yes, I believe Aprilia is going to come up to MotoGP... soon. The ART is way too strong already as a CRT. with full factory support and motogp status, say next year or two, you could see an Italian at the top of MotoGP again. Just not the one we want  [thumbsdown]

Americas qualifying didn't help his cause.

no for Jerez: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Apr/130424b.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Apr/130424b.htm)

i also heard something further in the rumor mill that i'm not going to repeat   >:(

that ducati is building a hypermotard?

awww, wtf!  [thumbsdown]

 ;D

Dude, we LIVE for the rumor mill.  Spill the beans.

totally unconfirmed, but the possibility is there that's there's no coming back. 
 

THAT would be major suckage!!!

+1

To racing in general, or just to the Pramac team? Due to the injury?

racing in total.  hodgson'd.

not remotely confimed

I also heard Lorenzo is a pedophiliac canine necrophiliac.  Not confirmed.  Just rumor.  I mighta made it up.  

That's not even nice... ;D

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/04/25/ben-spies-explains-chest-injury-motogp-injury-news/ (http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/04/25/ben-spies-explains-chest-injury-motogp-injury-news/)

I like the sound of that much more than "career-ending shoulder injury".

Nope...that one's totally true. I made up the exact same thing which is confirmation of its factuality.

 No dissing the canines!!

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/May/130502a.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/May/130502a.htm)

btw.. that's just so that pirro can use his own engines.

sigh.

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/190847/1/ben_spies_to_miss_french_motogp.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/190847/1/ben_spies_to_miss_french_motogp.html)

I hate to say it.... so, I won't.  But Y'all probably know what I'm thinking and I bet a lot of you are thinking the same thing.

Sigh..........

Let's not panic yet - he just may be doing the RIGHT thing for his shoulder. If time away is what is required now, then so be it.

Gawd, there are some hilarious posters on this site.  Just legend.....DARY. [laugh]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/May/13052911.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/May/13052911.htm)

I saw that and wondered - I thought Pirro was still on the roster for Mugello as of yesterday, so what does that mean for TheBen's "return"? Will he be turning laps; and can he, if he's not officially racing? Or did Pirro get bumped within the last 24 hours?

pirro has never been in ben's "spot".  he's wild card, that way he doesn't use ben's engines and can test stuff while racing.

Pirro is riding the "lab bike" in Mugello. Ben's days with Ducati would have been numbered if he missed Mugello. Pesonally, I think he's coming back to soon, but what do I know?

I agree with you. Better to take the time he needs now and MAYBE put together a successful 2014 season versus pushing to get back too soon, hurting himself even more and completely shitcanning his possibilities for a contract renewal.

Mugello is Ducati's 'home' track, so could be a career limiting move to (electively) miss the race.

If I were him, I'd for sure ride, but carefully.

Forget racing. I'm going to Stackhouse burgers for lunch after my doctor's appointment. Maybe The Ben will be flipping burgers! Get your priorities straight people. [laugh] [laugh]

he used the Ben's engine's officially at LeMans