Ducati Monster Forum

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100511-212121.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100511-212121.htm)

SPROING!!!!!


P.S.  I was gonna say it was all rumors.  Someone did an article yesterday about how you shouldn't read anything into the fact that he is testing.  But if he says he's contemplating a comeback, woot!

Oh God. I can just see the post now.

That would be great!  [bow_down] [bow_down]

Hmmm...which , currently, is the wilder possilbility...

Bayliss back in WSBK or Rossi on the 'Sedici???

the latter...

bayliss has pretty much confirmed he wants to race again.

as for if he'll be on a ducati? they have nothing to lose at this point.

Please, please, please, please ditch douchebrizio.

although you KNOW tardozzi wants to give him ruben's bike.

'course, at least currently, bayliss is already/still a ducati employee.

It would really suck to go out on top (which he did), then try a come back on a f'd up machine / team (ducati factory at the moment) . 



mitt

Woo Hoo for the old guy. ;D

I'd like to see Troy win on whatever he chooses to ride.

+1  - more power to him



mitt

What reason would the factory team have to keep Douchebrizio?
Damn, I hope Troy gets that spot...

thing is, troy was "too old to race" when he STARTED racing.

then you get valencia '06

and portimao '08

3 titles (including one on a 999.....), >10 second leads, and everything else superhuman that he did

personally i think if that guy decides he wants to go race again, he's gonna go kill everyone again.  there isn't any go back and 'be competitive'.


all that said, it was early last year that someone at ducati said that the 1198 was as built as it could get.  they just can't get much more out of it.  the same is not true for 4-cylinder machines, obviously.  i don't really think this would matter much to someone of troy's caliber, but it might be really interesting at the front.  maybe that's what he's after.

someone should have told him.

Davide and Troy are/were good friends and was a good part of the reason why Troy did what he did when on the Ducati Factory bikes...so you best believe if he were to seriously consider it, his contract for Ducati ends after this year and he could potentially ride the Xaus bike and make that into Team Troy....that could lead to a bidding war for Bayliss of this were to come to fruition.


well, that is partially true....when Ducati took on the 1200cc 2 cylinder rule in 2006, that was with the caviat that they have weight and throttle body and tuning limitations....I think ( someone-DERBY/GM2-correct me if I am wrong or give the exact verbage) those limitations expire or are reconsidered when there isn't a Ducati in the top 5 for at least 3 consecutive races....so the restricted 50mm throttle bodies being opened up along with other tuning restrictions lifted could open up a can of renewal for the bike since the 4-bangers have awakened with catch-up.

Have it on good authority that Bayliss ran a 1:51.9 at Mugello on the SBK on a recently dried track.

How does that compare with other folks there?

looks like fabi's best time was a 1'52.6 (http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=40088)... that's the only other time i found (though i haven't looked too hard).

haga did a 1'52.3 and fabi did a 1'53.5 at a test there last september. just for kicks, ducati test riders did 1'51.7 and 1'51.9 on gp9s during the same test.

no news whatsoever: http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100512q.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100512q.htm)

Nick's right about that 1:51.9.  Sounds like Troy still has it, but it's not an apples to apples comparison:  http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/159668/1/bayliss_fast_in_test_comeback_imminent.html (http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/159668/1/bayliss_fast_in_test_comeback_imminent.html)

Gawd, this puts Ducati in a great negotiating position with Haga and douchebrizio.

I am a HUGE Bayliss fan, first things first!!! [thumbsup] But I say his wife kicks his ass if he gets his way! The whole point was to spend time with Mom and the kiddos and not drag their ass all over the planet! What, three WSBK titles aren't enough? One is the tits! But three on three different Duc SBKs?? Shit that's a dream come true!! But if the wifey lets him do it I say bring it on!!! I love it... as long as she does. ;D There's a six foot tall trophy with Wife of the Decade on it for her if she goes along! [clap] [bow_down]

I'm of the belief that if you love someone, you let them follow their passions and dreams.  She knew about it all going in... its not as if she wasn't prepared up front for what being married to a man like that entails.  Forcing him to stay at home and be miserable would kill the relationship anyhow.  She has to let him go.

^^^ Absolutely True!

What are the odds he goes to GP? For the return of the big bikes?

And why is Suomy allowing Bayliss to wear Xlite/Shoei helmets?

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100516c.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100516c.htm)

thank you derby!...I somehow knew it was going to come...

maybe when his contract ended to "RACE", so did his sponsorship with Suomy and he went with whomever was willing to give him a free helmet....hell...he was wearing his old race leathers from 2008 and usually when you see guys test ride, they are wearing something very plain jane off the rack...

Any weight reduction will help, but would this be enough to gain an advantage?

Reduction in the minimum weight will only help if the bike is at the minimum right now.

Saw it here that none of the WSBK bikes are at the minimum:
http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/05/16/ducatis_to_get_3kg_weight_reduction.html (http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/05/16/ducatis_to_get_3kg_weight_reduction.html)

I don't think the weight reduction will help Haga. I don't know what happened to him, really f'd up my Fantasy Race picks.

As for Troy, who wouldn't love to see him race again? I just hate when great athletes have a great career and a perfect retirement, then come back and are shadows of their former selves. Plus, he's healthy! I always think of the race at Miller 2 yrs ago (Checa doubled) where I watched as he crashed and then was dancing between bikes trying to run off the track. That gets hard to do when you get old dude...

insert video link from youtube of "disco motor bike man"....(I'd do it except I can't get there from work)

disco motor bike man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5y1JjQrWZM#lq-lq2-hq-vhq)

http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/06/12/troy_bayliss_no_comeback_i_m_retired_and.html (http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/06/12/troy_bayliss_no_comeback_i_m_retired_and.html)

so, does that mean the 2010 1198R sucks?


mitt

At least at Misano for Bayliss. He probably just needed a good reminder that it's not all beer and skittles. :P

Apparently not. 

http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/160692/1/bayliss_confirmed_as_ducati_pace_setter.html (http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/160692/1/bayliss_confirmed_as_ducati_pace_setter.html)

[laugh] [laugh]

Yeah, I'm liking that one too! [laugh] Kick their ass and still be retired. [thumbsup] If they have a complaint about the bike that kinda shuts them down... yes? no?

They probably didn't push the bikes to 10/10th's at WDW Misano did they?  It is a small track, and probably ran them just for show???


mitt

this was at the post-wdw misano test.