I knew Biaggi was an a-hole....

[Ikazuchi]

...but I didn't know he needed to protect it so much.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/2007/wsbk/qatar/midway/3b.htm
(check out the back of the seat)

[potatoepapa]

Snug

[Kurt'sSV]

Yeah, the guy's a freakin' dwarf. I laughed during the podium interview after race 1. James Toseland's an average sized guy 5'9"-5'10". When he moved off and Max came over next he made it see like James was as tall as Shaq.

The runty little dude sure caught on how to ride a superbike quick, though.

[CC_05_SV]

haha, holler at the guy who leaves GP cuz he sucked and hadn't won a race in 3 years, wow, he's cool.

[Ikazuchi]

Originally posted by CC_05_SV
haha, holler at the guy who leaves GP cuz he sucked and hadn't won a race in 3 years, wow, he's cool.

There's plenty of guys on the grid who haven't won a race. He didn't get a ride because he's a whiny biatch and people don't want to work with him.

[Kurt'sSV]

But he is one of the best motorcycle racers in the world, regardless of attitude, and that seems pretty cool to me. Anyone who races professionally doesn't "suck."

[morbidelli17]

Biaggi lost his MotoGP ride because he dared criticize Honda, and Honda made an example out of him. They forced him out of motorcycle roadracing for a year, simply by refusing to even provide parts to any team that he rode for - and when you realize how many aftermarket and suspension companies Honda controls, you realize that's a LOT of control. Honda was saying, in essence, to Nicky and Dani and anyone else who wanted to ride for them, "Look what we do to people who criticize us." And they could do it to Max because he was at the end of his career, so no long-term danger of him coming back and kicking their asses in MotoGP on a different team.

Note that last year, Nicky nearly got fist-fucked by Honda's insistence that he be the one who tried all the new parts and development stuff, but Nicky knew better than to complain. He knew what complaining got you at Honda. He could see what they did to Max.

And yeah, for a guy who's never ridden a Superbike before, he showed the "best" in the world how to ride one.

Over at Speedtv.com, there's an interesting article about how WSBK machines are now the world's most powerful racing motorcycles (drag bikes excepted).

[Ikazuchi]

Originally posted by morbidelli17
Over at Speedtv.com, there's an interesting article about how WSBK machines are now the world's most powerful racing motorcycles (drag bikes excepted).

The article: http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/worldsuperbike/35637/

[MonsterGrrl]

Originally posted by Kurt'sSV
But he is one of the best motorcycle racers in the world, regardless of attitude, and that seems pretty cool to me. Anyone who races professionally doesn't "suck."

His riding may not suck, but attitude has just as much weight as talent or skill. Max being case in point. You may be the best, but if you're a bitch to work with, no one will want to work with you.

[Sidewalk]

Originally posted by Kurt'sSV
The runty little dude sure caught on how to ride a superbike quick, though. For some people it isn't about catching on, it is about being natural. Look at John Hopkins.

Though, Max is an asshole.

[cyclox]

Originally posted by Kurt'sSV
Yeah, the guy's a freakin' dwarf. I laughed during the podium interview after race 1. James Toseland's an average sized guy 5'9"-5'10". When he moved off and Max came over next he made it see like James was as tall as Shaq.

The runty little dude sure caught on how to ride a superbike quick, though.

There are a bunch of small guys in MotoGP - Pedrosa and Capirossi come to mind. On the 800, this may really be a big advantage. I seem to recall Hayden complaining that the riding position for him on the new 800 was not ideal, at least at the initial tests.

[Kurt'sSV]

Originally posted by Sidewalk
For some people it isn't about catching on, it is about being natural.

No shit? You come up with that yourself?

Max "catching on" how to ride a Superbike so fast means he has a lot of natural talent. The guy didn't ride a motorcycle before he was 18.

[SVNerd]

Originally posted by MonsterGrrl
His riding may not suck, but attitude has just as much weight as talent or skill. Max being case in point. You may be the best, but if you're a bitch to work with, no one will want to work with you.

So right - Max is an entertainer. As are all professional "athletes". I think we forget this sometimes.

If your public image is lousy, people are going to loathe you - regardless what historical acheivements you may have accomplished.

If you're perceived as a PITA publicly - regardless of cause, all the talent in the world won't redeem you with fans. Its the fans who enable these guys' salaries.

Except for the inexplicable case of juicemeister Barry Bonds ...

[morbidelli17]

If you win enough, you can be a complete prick (see Mat Mladin business model). If you don't, you'd better be entertaining. But Max wasn't winning, and he was happy to tell anyone who listened what was going on in the garage. No matter what kind of business you run, you usually don't like it when employees start talking shit about you. Hence the typical podium interview: "I'd like to thank XXX, they gave me an awesome bike, and XXX, who gave me awesome tires."

You take that when the employee's contributions are so significant that you have no choice as to whether you dismiss the employee. Rossi could demand a rim job from Yamaha's president in public and basically, Yamaha would say, "When do you need him there?"

But Max wasn't winning for Honda, and didn't keep his mouth shut. Nicky may be World Champ, but he's still only won, what, four MotoGP races in his career? Nicky doesn't criticize HRC. He's not entertaining enough to survive on personality alone (the NASCAR Kenny Wallace model).

The really interesting thing about this is, when Honda has been put in the position of being forced to listen to a dominant rider (Doohan, Rossi) on the squad criticize them in public, Honda has never done better.

[Sidewalk]

Originally posted by Kurt'sSV
No shit? You come up with that yourself? Nope, hours of classroom training.

[Monsterdood]

Max reminds me a lot of Kurt..... You can decide if that is a good or a bad thing... :D

[Jerm]

Originally posted by Kurt'sSV
No shit? You come up with that yourself?

Max "catching on" how to ride a Superbike so fast means he has a lot of natural talent. The guy didn't ride a motorcycle before he was 18.

That is pretty amazing :eek:

[Twitch]

Originally posted by morbidelli17
Rossi could demand a rim job from Yamaha's president in public and basically, Yamaha would say, "When do you need him there?"

:lol:

[sr9004u]

Originally posted by Kurt'sSV
But he is one of the best motorcycle racers in the world, regardless of attitude, and that seems pretty cool to me. Anyone who races professionally doesn't "suck."


He can ride anything with 2 wheels and trains on Supermoto bikes whenever possible, you cant say he doesnt have the passion for his sport...he doesnt suck for sure

[steveb]

Originally posted by Sidewalk
Nope, hours of classroom training.

You're all we've come to expect of a (former) government employee.

Just kidding :D

[rwalterk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaJ1isqhcn4

Here's some parts of race 1.

[Sidewalk]

Originally posted by steveb
You're all we've come to expect of a (former) government employee. Fixed it :D

[mastashake72]

Regarding the article that Superbikes are the most powerful bikes around. I was thinking the other day that I would like to see a combined field of MotoGP bikes and WSBK bikes...Hmmm...?

[Dragonhawk]

Originally posted by MonsterGrrl
His riding may not suck, but attitude has just as much weight as talent or skill. Max being case in point. You may be the best, but if you're a bitch to work with, no one will want to work with you.
James Cameron, anyone?

[maxpower220]

Originally posted by Kurt'sSV
The guy didn't ride a motorcycle before he was 18.

He didn't start racing until he was 18, he had been riding motor bikes before that (According to his bio at max-biaggi.com).

[The SV FNG]

biaggi is, and always has been, a frikkin' tool! if you watch any of the Moto GP footage from 01-02-03 era, he acts like a pompous ass. okay he can ride, but that is only half of what makes an athlete a "star". as of now, he's an a$$hole that can ride a motorcycle. Max $hitBaggi lol

[NukleoN]

All I know is...I want him to win some Superbike races..I like seeing him be somewhat competitive again....but of course my heart is with Haga...go Nitro Nori!

It's probably a good thing to be small when yer a racer. :D