Should JT go to MotoGP?

[ATF]

WSBK riders never seem to adapt to MotoGP and I don't really know if James Toseland would be any different. He's said in the past he wanted to do it, but this year has been his best in WSBK - it would be a shame for him to go down the same road as Bayliss, Xaus and Haga, who wasted years where they could have done so much more in WSBK and even Edwards (who has stayed there and still not achieved much).

Worst of all if he ended up like Hodgson, he has too good a talent to waste. Any thoughts?

[Hauts-de-Seine]

hope he stys in SBK. he have a good chance a legend in SBK or he fall down in MotoGP.. he can't win in MotoGP..
i hope yes, but i think no..

[Corny]

yes he should.. he's still young, so why not trying to go to MotoGP?

but I don't see this guy winning from a Dani Pedrosa on the same bike.. Not even on a single GP

[ChrisS]

I think he should try MotoGP. He is young, a non impressive MotoGP move wont end his career.

[Mach24]

If a 'good' ride presents itself Tosser would be crazy to pass it up.

Maybe Melandri's current ride for 2008?

[The Phantom]

If Ten Kate goes to MotoGP - JT would be mad to not go with them! They are of the level of professionalism that is required in MotoGP and I think they'd debut in the top 10 quite comfortably.

JT and Melandri would make an awesome lineup for TenKate with RC212Vs in 2008... the bike will be sorted by then.

[NinjaMaster]

Selfishily (for WSB) I would like to see him stay in WSB and make his name as a great superbike rider but if he can win this year, then I think it would be good to go to MotoGP and give it a red hot go to measure him against the worlds very best. Bayliss showed last year that the best of WSB are capable of being competitive in MotoGP, just good machinery and Ten Kate can deliver that.

[Silver]

Toseland has always stated his desire, long term, is to move to MotoGP - but he doesn't want to repeat the 'mistakes' of previous riders and go to a team that don't have a chance of putting him near the front.

He was offered the d'Antin ride for this year (that eventually went to Barros), but turned it down because it's not a race winning bike.

[ATF]

Bayliss showed last year that the best of WSB are capable of being competitive in MotoGP


How so? Last year Bayliss showed he is an extremely good superbike rider but if anything, he showed that that's not always enough in MotoGP!

[The Phantom]

Last year Bayliss showed he is an extremely good superbike rider but if anything, he showed that that's not always enough in MotoGP!

Winning a MotoGP race by 1 second over his team-mate (who smashed the lap record trying to catch him) and by 9 seconds over third place Nicky Hayden is not enough?

[Silver]

Winning a MotoGP race by 1 second over his team-mate (who smashed the lap record trying to catch him) and by 9 seconds over third place Nicky Hayden is not enough?

Don't forget that he led from flag to flag after qualifying second on the grid too... on a bike he hadn't ridden in several years.

[The Phantom]

Yep, and in a race which had two riders racing for a championship and a whole bunch of other riders trying to consolidate or lift their final championship positions... I don't think Bayliss has anything left to prove.

Having said that... I do think that the vast majority of Superbike riders (from all championships not just WSB) are going to struggle in MotoGP. Different tracks, different vibe, but it's mainly the bikes. Like going from a McLaren F1 racing series to Formula 1, the machine is so vastly different that it's hard to get your head around it.

Also corner speed has always been an issue for WSB guys going to GP. The tiddler classes help riders develop high cornering speed technique, and production classes that feed WSB just can't get near the handling of true GP bikes. Although, the gap is narrowing every year as production engineering feeds on prototype race success - no doubt the R6 is competitive these days due to the M1 program.

And this last sentence might hold the key for JT and Ten Kate - after all, if Yamaha can build a fast 600 with feedback from the MotoGP program to challenge Ten Kate, surely that means Ten Kate have a fair bit of what it takes to succeed in MotoGP? That would be half the battle for JT.

If guys like JT don't have a go, MotoGP will become largely a Spain vs. Italy affair, as there is a huge number of talented youngsters coming up to push the likes of Barros, KrJr, Checa etc. out the door. Dorna needs blood from other series to even things out a little.

[Silver]

Dorna is very keen on getting British riders on the grid, and I believe they played a part in getting McWilliams the (ill fated) Ilmor ride. In a time when sponsorship money is a thorny issue for the whole paddock, Dorna realises that British money is very much an untapped source of icome, and to get at that money they need British riders on the grid.

[The Phantom]

British money is very much an untapped source of i(n)come

It certainly is, and in a sport which rates pretty highly in the British conscious.

Triumph is doing ok, perhaps they should sponsor a MotoGP team! ; )

[Silver]

They can't even be bothered to put a factory British Supersport effort together!

[seppefan]

yes he should.. he's still young, so why not trying to go to MotoGP?

but I don't see this guy winning from a Dani Pedrosa on the same bike.. Not even on a single GP


I would not bet against you and feel the same but maybe this time.........

[tha_jackal]

Yes! He should.. Ten Kate should start a customer Honda team and give rides to Jimbob and Kenan Sofalofawhataever :D Then bring on a customer Corona Suzuki team with Max Biaggi and maybe one other and the grid will be filling up in no time..

[leopard]

This sounds call Kenan with a bit sentiment :D

[ChrisS]

Yes! He should.. Ten Kate should start a customer Honda team and give rides to Jimbob and Kenan Sofalofawhataever :D Then bring on a customer Corona Suzuki team with Max Biaggi and maybe one other and the grid will be filling up in no time..

Ten Kate should stay at World SBK since they are production bike (Honda) tuners

I would love to see famous tuners going head to head at World SBK, Ten Kate Honda, Moriwaki Honda, Yoshimura Suzuki, Muzzy Kawasaki ...

[The Phantom]

Ten Kate Honda, Moriwaki Honda, Yoshimura Suzuki, Muzzy Kawasaki

I agree, that would be cool. Add Castrol Honda (Neil Tuxworth's team) to the list - I believe they are still a going concern, running one of the BSB Honda teams?

[NinjaMaster]

Now that really would be a return to the golden era of superbikes! Too many Honda teams though. :erm: Who would run the Yamaha team, perhaps Over Racing? Could we also include Vance&Hines Ducati or maybe Fast by Feracchi Ducati?

[ChrisS]

I agree, that would be cool. Add Castrol Honda (Neil Tuxworth's team) to the list - I believe they are still a going concern, running one of the BSB Honda teams?

WSBK's Castrol Honda is now BSB's HM Plant Honda, in 2003 they basicly took their VTR1000s and moved to BSB before getting fireblades and HRC support in 2004


Now that really would be a return to the golden era of superbikes! Too many Honda teams though. :erm: Who would run the Yamaha team, perhaps Over Racing? Could we also include Vance&Hines Ducati or maybe Fast by Feracchi Ducati?

Fast By Ferracci is running the AMA MV Agusta team as part of the bike development program for World SBK in 2008, I'm not sure if this means Ferracci will also be running the WSBK program if MV Agusta enters