J. Hopkins news

[Spidey]

Late to the party, but Denning is smoking crack if he is still trumpeting Hopper's skills.  What, cuz he almost did ok for one year on the Suke after being in GP for an eternity??  Melandri's better and he just got sent to WSBK.

Besides, half of Hopper's appeal to MotoGP sponsors as one of the few uh-mur-i-kans is largely gone now that there's Hayden (the pretty boy), Edwards (brash redneck/GP elder) and The Ben (fast and upcoming) taking up all of Hopper's marketing niches.  What good does another American (ok, half Brit) do for a sponsor?

[Speeddog]

Apparently, we'll get to see how Hopper does on a MotoGP bike:

http://motomatters.com/news/2011/02/10/john_hopkins_to_get.html

[fastwin]

More of the same. What are they thinking???

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Feb/110210a.htm

[zooom]

More of the same. What are they thinking???

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Feb/110210a.htm

IN SHORT....Bautista gets hurt...who do they have in their reserves that is willing and possibly able to ride the Zuke....maybe if they had massaged the idea of Elena Myers a little more, possibly...otherwise...

[gm2]

he did finish 4th in 2007, a darn sight better than any gsv-r rider since.  and obviously he still has a good relationship with denning if the guy is willing to sign him to his BSB team.  and you know that they can pay him peanuts.  plus he brings Monster money, which they need. 

at the end of the day who do you want as a back-up rider, willing to get on the bike any time at a moments notice?  someone who's already familiar with it.  he brings a high profile personal sponsor with him?  bonus!



"Rizla Suzuki has long deluded themselves into believing or purporting that Hopkins is somehow British, even though he's not a British citizen and was born in California."   

[Spidey]

He makes perfect sense as a backup rider for Bautista.  I just can't believe that Denning still wants to suck his dick with such fervor. 

[gm2]

He makes perfect sense as a backup rider for Bautista.  I just can't believe that Denning still wants to suck his dick with such fervor. 

need to remember that suzuki is thisclose (at least, supposedly) to being sued by Dorna.  promising to come back in 2012 with 2 bikes saved their butt. 

if the cost of the insurance policy against suddenly having zero bikes in 2011 is stroking john john's ego, rather than spending real money.. looks like paul already owns kneepads.

[fastwin]

You guys are cracking me up.

[gm2]

http://www.crash.net/british+superbikes/news/167134/1/john_hopkins_rides_first_crescent_bsb_laps.html

[zooom]

Crescent didn't release any lap times.

hmmm...makes me wonder how far off the pace he was....

[Speeddog]

Hopper to be riding for "PR filming" at Qatar MotoGP test.

It doesn't make any more sense now than it did when I first saw it.

Maybe that's what they're telling Bautista.

WTF.

http://motomatters.com/press_release/2011/03/08/rizla_suzuki_press_release_bautista_and_.html

[gm2]

i've seen a couple of those.  they all say he'll be there, none of them say he will ride.

i guess if your other option is sitting around in rancho santa fe watching tv.... why not fly to the middle east and take some pictures.

[Speeddog]

If i were in his shoes, yeah, I'd do it.

Just not sure why Rizla's doin' it. 

[gm2]

hell, it's probably denning's dime.

[Speeddog]

Back to the fervor. 

Maybe the Monster money is talking.