SPIES going backwards???? - Ducati.ms

mbevans · Oct 21st, 2011, 11:24 am

Ok, a little thought provoking question.

I've been watching MotoGP forever, recording all the races, and watching them over and over again. Same with WSBK, as I have with AMA superbike of years gone past.

Ben Spies has shown an incredible amount of talent over the years, and in MotoGP has been no different, but......... What has happened this year? Ok a great win yes, correct, couple of podiums, but no consistentcy.

Yes, crashes take a lot out of a rider, but he has not been on the growth path that Lorenzo was on when he started with the factory Yamaha team. Lorenzo is a master of the Yamaha, that is a given, but I thought Spies was more of a Jedi in training than he has shown.

If all the stars are in the correct alignment, then Ben rocks!

As I've been "on" his team forever, kind of wondering if he lost sight of what he was reaching for in MotoGP.....

Or do we just say it was a lousy season?

Handozizle · Oct 21st, 2011, 1:14 pm

His goal this year (from last year) was to get podiums and challenge for a win. He did both already this season. Also coming from a superbike is much harder compared to Lorenzo from 250cc class. If you don't remember, Lorenzo also had no consistency at the beginning.

freighttriain · Oct 21st, 2011, 2:26 pm

Ben is doing fine... curiosity and disappointment only come from liking the guy, and wanting him to do better...

Spies has done what he wanted to do so far... he will only get more consistent, and faster....

To win a MotoGp race and to podium is no small feat indeed... i look forward to seeing Ben improve... and i hope that he takes to the bigger bike well.... Ben wanted to be a consistent podium finisher for '12... let's hope that that happens..

IN2VWS · Oct 21st, 2011, 3:36 pm

Ben is a nice guy, and I hope he does succeed, but having said that, the success stories from riders that make the transition from WSBK to Motogp is few and far in between. I don't know why that is......but it is a fact.
Next year will interesting with the new 1000cc bikes.

jfusaro · Oct 23rd, 2011, 6:05 pm

My take on it is Ben is used to being able to make up time and is strong late in the race, but on this level you need to be at the front right away or those guys in front of you will check out. He just seems like he doesn't like to mix it up and gets pushed around. I hope he comes flying out in the litre bike next year and shows them all some elbowz

mbevans · Oct 23rd, 2011, 9:25 pm

Plesae do not get me wrong, I wear a Ben Spies tee-shirt at least once a week, I got a couple different ones.
He is a incredible racer, super gifted indeed. I guess quietly I was hoping for a little more this year.

But yes, 2012 on the 990cc things hopefully will change. And the Yamaha will keep the Honda's in sight......

Magoo · Oct 24th, 2011, 8:56 am

I read an interview with Cal Crutchlow the other day in one of the British bike magazines (sorry I forget which one). Cal said that when he was in WSBK he and other riders used to bag on riders like Aoyama, and Cal said he thought when he moved up to Motogp he'd blow by the guy. Now that he's racing with guys like Aoyama in the back of the pack he said he sees just how good the Motogp racers are, a whole different level. He said any Motogp rider could go to WSBK and win races.

So anyway Ben is great, but so is everyone else in Motogp. The skill level is just phenomenal, so when you don't see Ben tearing it up every week like he did in AMA and WSBK I think it's just because he's finally with riders that are on par with him.

whippersnapper · Oct 24th, 2011, 11:39 am

Ben is clearly talented and has won a race in his second season. Nicky Hayden took 3 years to win a race and the following year he was World Champion.

Like Cal is experiencing it seems that growing in MotoGP prowess is not linear, you learn and move forward, hit a plateau, often crash and get injured and the have to build back again often from a lower base.

The test of the rider is whether they can work through this.

bamabytes · Oct 24th, 2011, 12:16 pm

I think Ben is more in touch w/ his machine than a lot of riders on the grid(except Honda guys). If something isn't right, he doesn't push it. He is a very conservative rider(if that makes sense) and will likely finish ahead in the points than he did last year, so I'm thinking thats progress.
He admitted last year, after getting 2nd in Indy, that Dani passed him 'like Dani already had a 1000cc machine'. I'm pretty sure nothing could help the non-Honda guys this year, Honda is way ahead machine-set-up-wise of where they were in the past 2 seasons.

Handozizle · Oct 24th, 2011, 1:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamabytes

I think Ben is more in touch w/ his machine than a lot of riders on the grid(except Honda guys). If something isn't right, he doesn't push it. He is a very conservative rider(if that makes sense) and will likely finish ahead in the points than he did last year, so I'm thinking thats progress.
He admitted last year, after getting 2nd in Indy, that Dani passed him 'like Dani already had a 1000cc machine'. I'm pretty sure nothing could help the non-Honda guys this year, Honda is way ahead machine-set-up-wise of where they were in the past 2 seasons.

Not to mention Pedrosa is so damn tiny compared to Spies.