The only real factory bike are the Repsols. Don't let any of the BS you read elsewhere make you think any different. Yes SR and CC may have what they call factory bikes, but they arn't. They are still satellite teams with far less resources that the MM and DP. IMO the Desmo was the ride for CC to get his teeth into, esp with the open rules which have helped them out. Since CC reversed his decision, he's been riding the bog standard bike, with all the tech upgrades going straight to AI and AD His results late in the season showed he's still got it as it certainly wasn't the bike. I like him I really do, but if he's not top 5 90% of the time next year, his career lies elsewhere
Satellite Hondas still a better bet than the Duke IMHO. You don't have to be top 5 in MotoGP to carve out a great career there - provided you have the right qualities (look at Colin). Not sure if Cal does though.
I think this is harsh. "Scruffy" - sure, but the kidz are scruffy these days. You can't really win. The Spaniards are all squeaky clean: Pedders has always been accused of being a robot. Scruffy, crappy bits of beard seem to be hip norm these days, like it or not. As, of course, are appalling hats and hideous fairground sunglasses. "Truculent" - well, he has become more truculent with lack of success at Ducati. Beforehand he had quite a good line in banter and dry sense of humour it seemed to me. No doubt if he started winning things again (or challenging for the top) he would become less truculent. A lot of top racers become truculent when they don't perform as they think they could do. Foggy was insufferable when he didn't win, from all accounts. "Slow" - hardly. Don't know where you get that from, unless you didn't watch some of the later GPs this season.
Cal has always worn his heart on his sleeve. When at Tech 3 he was riding well and got on really well with Matt Roberts and the BBC team and that was clearly evident. Stoner was also good friends with Roberts its worth noting. His tenure with the desmo was clearly unsuccessful and its very hard to be all happy skippy jumpy bouncy when you 'know' you're going to the gravel hard at least once in the weekend
Crutchlow,Smith,Redding all brits on good competitive bikes in 2015,whats not to like,i would rather Cal on the grid than another Spaniard,Crutclow is the most succcessful British Gp rider for a decade it was only a year ago he was putting that tech 3 bike on pole and regular front row starts and regular podiums,Bradley has no where near the results on the same bike,enjoy 2015 cheering on the Brits as come 2016 there may only be one,good luck to them all i say.Scruffy pot kettle black springs to mind :Angelic:.
Would he appeal more if he was an inanimate corporate whore, who towed the company line? Scruffy? Does he have long hair? Does he wear it in a ponytail? Truculent? Eager or quick to argue? Aggressively defiant? I see a passionately competitive individual who is not afraid to stand up for himself, who voices his opinion with reasonable eloquence. Slow? Compared to who? An attempt at character assassination with out any reasoned argument or fact. Please enlighten us with your wisdom sensei.
Interesting read. Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing. I'm the same as everybody else, I never thought he had a chance, maybe the odd race, but not the title. This thread in a nut shell is why you'll never meet a poor bookmaker.
Yes but not in Motogp unless the grid penalty gets reversed (which I doubt). But after this year, in Motogp no although he will still win races, in WSB etc should he ever go there very much yes.
I hope Rossi continues to fight for another title because when he stops fighting or retires what are we left with, a bunch of whining, boring, miserable twats. Bring a bunch of Moto 2 and/or 3 riders in next year, that will liven things up a bit.
@Exige which is why my fantasy team have been smashed and I will we a couple of mates a tenner, probably
