MotoGP was 2020 now 2023

beeb

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Kind of flabbergasted by this one to be honest. Would honeslty be one of the last blokes on the grid I'd pick (especially to ride the Honda given he can't even keep the Suzuki rubber-side-down):

Couple of big names officially signed for the satellite Aprilia team too:

I'm hoping Remy Gardner gets a chance to jump to/stay with the GasGas team. After outperforming Raul Fernandez it feels like he deserves it, but I wouldn't mind betting Augusto Fernandez moves up from Moto2. I reckon Alex Marquez's results will improve dramatically on a Ducati, will be quite embarrassing for Honda too if they do...

The grid so far:
 
crash3

crash3

Likes Dirt
beeb said:
Kind of flabbergasted by this one to be honest. Would honeslty be one of the last blokes on the grid I'd pick (especially to ride the Honda given he can't even keep the Suzuki rubber-side-down):
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Yeah I have honestly never understood the Mir hype. But he's won the riders championship, so obviously talented and has consistency. I feel like him winning the championship just came out of nowhere.
 
beeb

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
crash3 said:
Yeah I have honestly never understood the Mir hype. But he's won the riders championship, so obviously talented and has consistency. I feel like him winning the championship just came out of nowhere.
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Yeah, he's always been a bit of a 2nd-tier rider IMO. Got lucky with winning his championship that Marquez was out that year and other riders/bikes hadn't quite hit their stride. From memory he didn't manage to actually win a race that season until the third- or second-last round, and Dovi (?) had got knocked off his bike a few times throughout the season so was behind on the points chase. Consistent 2nd to 4th place finishes throughout most of the season, but nowhere near the riding ability of a Quartararo or Marquez that can extract a win from a bike that not quite top of the pile. Unless Honda pull off a bike-development miracle this off season you've just got to expect to see a lot of Mir sampling gravel-traps next year. Honestly would've preferred to see Pol Espargaro stay in the #2 Repsol seat and Honda to dig in on bike development.
 
crash3

crash3

Likes Dirt
beeb said:
Yeah, he's always been a bit of a 2nd-tier rider IMO. Got lucky with winning his championship that Marquez was out that year and other riders/bikes hadn't quite hit their stride. From memory he didn't manage to actually win a race that season until the third- or second-last round, and Dovi (?) had got knocked off his bike a few times throughout the season so was behind on the points chase. Consistent 2nd to 4th place finishes throughout most of the season, but nowhere near the riding ability of a Quartararo or Marquez that can extract a win from a bike that not quite top of the pile. Unless Honda pull off a bike-development miracle this off season you've just got to expect to see a lot of Mir sampling gravel-traps next year. Honestly would've preferred to see Pol Espargaro stay in the #2 Repsol seat and Honda to dig in on bike development.
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Yeah I'm expecting a lorenzo-esque Honda performance from Mir. I hope I am wrong.
 
S

Scotty675

Cable thief
I don’t think Mir will gel with the Honda. The winner here is Alex Marquez, good team for him and I recon he will show his talent by mid season. If I’m honest I don’t think it matters next year as I see quarteraro winning again. I want to say Marquez will come back firing and be back to full fitness but I’m not convinced, his body has taken a beating the last few years. I really hope remi gets the gas gas ride but not sure about that
 
crash3

crash3

Likes Dirt
Scotty675 said:
I don’t think Mir will gel with the Honda. The winner here is Alex Marquez, good team for him and I recon he will show his talent by mid season. If I’m honest I don’t think it matters next year as I see quarteraro winning again. I want to say Marquez will come back firing and be back to full fitness but I’m not convinced, his body has taken a beating the last few years. I really hope remi gets the gas gas ride but not sure about that
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Yeah I'm with you there. That second Honda seat is a bit like the second RB seat since Danny Ric/Pedrosa left - no one else can match Marquez/Verstappen, so they cycle through till they can find their Checo/...... Mir? I doubt Mir is the Checo here but hey, I'm some random idiot on the interwebs.
 
beeb

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
crash3 said:
Not much of a thriller, that one. All class from Bagnaia though, and a good charge from Bastianini. The Ducs will be a force next year. Fantastic to see both the Aprilias up the pointy end, surely they'll have a race win soon at this rate
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When Maverick didn't go for the dive on Bagnaia early on when he was right with him, I just thought - "Ah, there goes your win again". I get these things are hard to overtake with nowadays with all the aero, but Vinales needs to learn how to force a move even if it's an awkward block pass. As soon as he's trapped behind someone for a couple of minutes the tyres overheat and he's done for the race. Need to make the Ducatis engage in a battle and either overwork their tyres or have a spill (they seem to require very careful front brake modulation that would be extremely difficult in the heat of battle. Was still one of Vinales better rides, and I reckon he'll get a win at some point soon but he just never seems to have that killer instinct that'll see him on the top step regularly...

Interesting to see how Marc Marquez goes at the test today/tomorrow. Hopefully he can stay upright and help Honda with the bike development they so desperately need.
 
steve jobs' pancreas

steve jobs' pancreas

Eats Squid
Last time I MotoGP-ed at Phillip Island (2019, thanks Covid), i was refused entry from the campground as I had my mountain bike. After putting on my best Bart Simpson "mister, please" act I was allowed to drive up the road, "hide" my bike (lucky I have an old 105 series landcruiser) and try to get in again, which I did.

Taking my mtb has been awesome, I've ridden places I would never had - Bright, Buxton, Red Hill, Harcourt, Beechwood (?). This time I plan to do Majura, Cooma, Nowa Nowa , either Colquhoun or Mt Taylor and Wombat.

But I cant risk not getting into the campground and I kinda get the vibe it will be stricter this time.

I thought about leaving my bike in one of those railway bike storage places but mmmm bit worried about that one, so I reckon I will hit up one of the Phillip Island bike shops, book a service well in advance and hope I can request a short turnaround.

It's a bit unorthodox but the mtb riding and motorcycle two week summer of Pancreas extravaganza has been so much fun, I gots to find a way.
 
S

Scotty675

Cable thief
steve jobs' pancreas said:
Last time I MotoGP-ed at Phillip Island (2019, thanks Covid), i was refused entry from the campground as I had my mountain bike. After putting on my best Bart Simpson "mister, please" act I was allowed to drive up the road, "hide" my bike (lucky I have an old 105 series landcruiser) and try to get in again, which I did.

Taking my mtb has been awesome, I've ridden places I would never had - Bright, Buxton, Red Hill, Harcourt, Beechwood (?). This time I plan to do Majura, Cooma, Nowa Nowa , either Colquhoun or Mt Taylor and Wombat.

But I cant risk not getting into the campground and I kinda get the vibe it will be stricter this time.

I thought about leaving my bike in one of those railway bike storage places but mmmm bit worried about that one, so I reckon I will hit up one of the Phillip Island bike shops, book a service well in advance and hope I can request a short turnaround.

It's a bit unorthodox but the mtb riding and motorcycle two week summer of Pancreas extravaganza has been so much fun, I gots to find a way.
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We’ve got our usual B&B at Rhyll, we have rolled over our accommodation for the last 2 years. Happy to put the bike in the shed for you.
Can’t wait for this year, it seems like forever.
 
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