What no MotoGP predictions???

Things have slowed in here. Either Usenet is losing it's mojo and
people are heading off to discuss in other web 2.0 groups, or the
downturn has us all scrambling for survival, or we are just not
excited about this year.

The cons - fewer bikes and fewer manufacturers on the starting grid. A
*big* minus, especially given the fact WSB is so intriguing. The pros
- an egalitarian tire scene, and perhaps factories trying to save $
means less difference in bikes, too.

But the tests these days oddly seem to indicate it's about the same
guys up front again, with some welcome mix ups in the middle. But it
is clear Stoner and Rossi seem to be geared for another 1:1, and
others may be there to fight for spot 3. Let's hope not. I'd like to
see Edwards explode (but I have said this for years). Can Lorenzo step
it up the way Stoner did after a learning year? Who is going to be the
new exciting guy? Is Elias going to be able to put some real results
behind his spectacular style (I am starting to be reminded of Garry
McCoy though)?

Well, we are just a few days away from some preliminary answers. can
anyone else get a bit excited??

 

Yup. Seeing plenty of discussion on web forums. Sad that rec.moto.racing
doesn't seem to want to talk about WSB or AMA (or even BSB) either.

How about an each way bet on Capirex? I think Suzuki are going to have a
good year. But still won't catch the Rossi-Stoner show.

I'm also really looking forward to seeing Talmasci on a 250. 250s are on
the way out (If Dorna ever gets a viable replacement together) so we
should enjoy them while we can.

 

Ouch! That's brutal.

 

Performance Bikes mainly. http://pbmagforum.co.uk/index.php? Kropotkin,
the Phase One management and a few other real racers and real team
managers are regulars.

Agreed. But just like Moody-Ryder thought 2 years ago when Ducati had
given up on him, I reckon Capirex has at least one more win in him.
Maybe a crazy wet-dry race in Malaysia or some such.

 

Sadly true of an awful lot of web forums. Especially one make forums.
They seem to be full of people saying "Where's the oil filler cap? I
can't seem to find it and should I fit an X-TRE?" And "Which way up
should my Stomp Grips go?

 

.. Capirex has at least one more win in him.

If crazy one offs become the main lianbe for speculation, I thin there
are several riders on the rooster we can roll the dice on. In a crazy
wet race, Gibernau may come back to old form, really, old fox that he
is he will bide his time. Just like Capirossi. But I'd rather put
money on Pedrosa and Lorenzo to win *one* (and for their PR team to
claim this is a *huge* success) than the Cap. But there is also
Edwards (perhaps not on a wet race), Elias (I would truly bet on him
to win one race), and I would not be surprised at all if Dovizioso
wins one or two or entirely obliterates Pedrosa. And I would not count
out Hayden, Vermeulen or Kallio. Anyhow, out of nowhere and without
much analysis my prediction for 2009, with +-2 variation:

1 valentino rossi
2 casey stoner
3 jorge lorenzo
4 andrea dovzioso
5 nicky hayden
6 dani pedrosa
7 mikka kallio
8 loris capirossi
9 colin edwards
10 chris vermeulen
11 tony elias
12 alex de angelis
13 sete gibernau
14 marco melandri
15 james toseland
16 randy de puniet
17 niccola cappolo (??)
18 yuki takahashi (??)

 

I think that's a <whoosh> there Julian.

 

It will be Rossi or Stoner, with Rossi the more likely
Outside chance LorenzosOil

WHO WONT BE CHAMPION IS HAYDEN

 

Ya think?