24' MotoGP/WSBK/MotoAmerica discussion thread **SPOILER ALERT**

[madvlad]

Not much action in here these days but figured I'd start the new one for the year and well why break tradition. I see tons of lurkers, don't be scurred to post people, it won't kill ya

Race season just a short month away and honestly I can't wait. MotoGP just finished their shakedown test in Sepang and all other teams will be along testing this upcoming week for the official and final test of pre-season. Honda and Yamaha team/riders have been hard at it with their new concessions with more wildcards and testing dates to try and get answers to get back to battling grounds with the European bikes. Everyone is of course waiting to see what this switch from Marquez to Ducati will do and if he indeed still has it. He showed tremendous pace in the Valencia test following the last race of the season and again we'll see if he lives up to the hype just like also Acosta with KTM.

WSBK sees a fair share of shakedown in the line up with the newcomer Bulega already making statements but we'll see if he can carry it into the race season as we know testing is a different deal but he sure shows potential. Toprak hit the ground running with the BMW and shows already to be competitive with the bike, I'm sure as the season goes on they will find more answers to perhaps bring them more podiums/wins and MAYBE a title but too early to tell yet. Good to see Andrea Iannone back to it, hopefully he will do well.

MotoAmerica sees Cameron Beaubier and JD Beach line up with Tytlers BMW for the 2024 season after Tytlers had announced their withdrawal from the championship last year but guess things changed at the last minute and they're back to it, Tytlers has a hell of a line up with two very experienced riders who will definitely take it to Gagne and Yamaha and also we see Loris Baz back in the Ducati line up alongside Josh Herrin, it will be a very competitive season for sure. The one rider I do hope that finds a ride for the season is Mathew Scholtz as the owner of Westby Racing announced their permanent withdrawal and liquidate the team due to health related issues. Will probably be riding from here in St Pete to Daytona for the race in Saturday and ride back home same day.

[madvlad]

Race week nearly here, WSBK starts next weekend at Phillip Island and can't wait honestly. More than anything I personally am interested in seeing if Toprak's move to BMW was a smart one and how Andrea Iannone will fare coming back after such a long layoff due to his PED violation ban, some people don't see him finishing out the season but guess we'll see if he can prove them wrong. Hoping for a great weekend of racing and hope also the weather not being shitty like last year.

In MotoAmerica and somewhat Colorado related news, looks like Stefano Mesa will be fielding a Boulder Motorsports Ducati V2 for the Daytona 200 race, so Colorado will be representing here at Daytona, I will be riding about three and half hours from Clearwater to there on Saturday for the races and will definitely be rooting them on. Stefano has some great talent and I believe if they get the bike dialed in right and they do the pit stops just right, they have a shot at a winner.

Bring on the racing baby!!!

[madvlad]

What a great first round of the WSBK season it was, Andrea Iannone threw the kitchen sink at that shit and finished at the front and close to victory although in the superpole race he ran into technical difficulties but managed to limp her home for a couple of points. Great start for Alex Lowes on the KRT Kawi man, this dude looks like a refreshed rider along with the team ever since Rea's departure to Yamaha, you can tell the dynamics of the team changed entirely and they can work more freely and it's already paying dividends, that pass around T8 on Bautista for the race winning overtake was a fucking thing of beauty! Rea and Toprak finding out quickly that their team switch is going to prove more difficult than fruitful. For Yamaha's side of things, because of Euro5 emission standard, Yamaha is being forced to scrap the R1 so we may see their racing exit and this also explains why they don't put much effort or money into further development, that's probably why Yamaha forbid him to speak on anything during his interview in which he was super heated, in my opinion he should have retired, now Yamaha is going to put a nasty dent in his illustrious career. On Toprak's side of things, since the BMW hasn't been pushed in the ways he pushes a motorcycle, he is already finding out that they will have reliability issues given he already blew an engine and it's barely the first round, also tires are dropping at an exponential rate given his riding style so he will have a crazy season ahead of him, doubt BMW will figure it out this year or even next honestly. Both Gerloff and Redding off to their usual bullshit starts and riding, not finishing anywhere threatening in particular. For me Bonovo should have kept Loris Baz instead of Redding, he is beyond checked out and you can already tell. Gerloff ever since what happened at Assen in his days with Yamaha, just wasn't the same person again and can't seem to shake that bullshit off. He has his moments of brilliance like late last season but can't find consistency for shit, unless he delivers something insane, we may see him back state side after 2024. Bulega and Ducati are a match made in heaven, first pole position and first win in his first race, I mean can't get any better than that for him, he suffered more in the 2nd race but still had a superbly impressive performance. This WSBK season is going to be insane all the way to the end honestly and it's building to be even more entertaining than MotoGP dare I say... 3 weeks for the Qatar GP and only one week away for the Daytona 200, can't wait!

[The Black Knight]

Dude!! My browser refreshed ages ago, and then I hadn't been to the site for awhile and I lost my log in. Finally was able to get back in.

Had to come back, Oct of this year will be my 20th anniversary here!!

[madvlad]

Dude!! My browser refreshed ages ago, and then I hadn't been to the site for awhile and I lost my log in. Finally was able to get back in.

Had to come back, Oct of this year will be my 20th anniversary here!!

Welcome back bro yeah the site was down for a bit as well so who knows if that also had something to do with it cause I also had to dig deep in the archives for my password Honestly I'm surprised this place remains alive this far into how deserted it is in here.

[The Black Knight]

Welcome back bro yeah the site was down for a bit as well so who knows if that also had something to do with it cause I also had to dig deep in the archives for my password Honestly I'm surprised this place remains alive this far into how deserted it is in here.

Strange indeed. Yes the place seems to be on life support. Oh well, be here until they pull the plug and it dies a slow death.

[The Black Knight]

By the way, MotoGP is on TruTV for cable and other services. They are showing both Sprint and GP races. I thought I read, for the US round we will get qualifying as well. Not sure if I heard that right.

[madvlad]

By the way, MotoGP is on TruTV for cable and other services. They are showing both Sprint and GP races. I thought I read, for the US round we will get qualifying as well. Not sure if I heard that right.

Are they showing live or just replays like FS1 was?

[madvlad]

Race weekend galore! MotoGP at Portugal and WSBK at Catalunya. Looking like another very fun and promising race weekend on both ends honestly, tune in if you can!

[madvlad]

Well again tons of clicks but no replies

Anyhow, a quick rundown at the latest....

Great weekend at COTA honestly, that got way more exciting than previous years in all 3 classes. Love seeing my boy David Alonso in Moto3 do his thing (he's Colombian where I'm from so definitely rooting for him) and would have been dope as hell to actually have been at COTA this year to witness that domination from him all weekend, nobody came even near all weekend long. Also bummer on that mistake from Joe Roberts coming into T15 where he overshot or else he would have won the race, he's off to a great start and even more so pumped up and motivated given that Trackhouse is talking about perhaps bringing him over for a MotoGP shot with an Aprilia next season possibly. As far as MotoGP and speaking of Aprilia, love to see a good redemption story with Maverick and finally finding his way on a motorcycle again after many years of searching for himself. He also marks history as the first rider to win with 3 different manufacturers, sure hope he can carry this form into the season and fight for the title, that dude was untouchable all weekend long! Can't leave Pedro Acosta out man, what a freaking alien this kid bro, had an absolute cracker of a race and is just taking it to the experienced riders without fear and making the Factory riders look like rookies. As much as I like Miller but that's a wrap for him in the championship I'm afraid.

As far as MotoAmerica, they fucked it up and badly by putting the Baggers as the support race honestly, that didn't go too well. They should have done the superbike class without a doubt and more so having two American teams in the paddock now on both Moto2 and MotoGP, they need to get serious to expose the American talent out there, the baggers isn't it man. Sure hope they re-think that one come next season.


About it, if you haven't watched the races yet I suggest you look for a replay or something or if you have the pass definitely watch them shits cause man they were fun all the way through, not that boring ass Marquez or Ducati runaway shit we got accustomed to seeing. That's all for now, lots of great racing this upcoming weekend, upcoming rounds are:

MotoGP - 2 weeks for the Jerez round which will see Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaro as wild card entries.

WSBK - Assen round this weekend, should be another cracker of a race!

MotoAmerica - Kicks off their official schedule at Road Atlanta this weekend! Should be an amazing season with Baz back in the line up and a healthy Cameron Beaubier scrapping it out with Jake Gagne, should be an amazing season!


Well that's all the useless rambling for now from this bench racer , have a great week everyone!