Rossi to Ducati

[Backmarker]

Originally Posted by mikesbytes

Definently Ducati want their bike to have a marketing relationship with the production models. When they were considering the design for the GP1, they first considered making a twin, but weren't able to get sufficient design out of a twin, so the compromised making a 4

And have been the only manufacturer to cash in on their GP bike to date. Marketing is important to them without doubt.

[faffi]

Originally Posted by Backmarker

Your kidding me aren’t you Faffi? Rossi, unlucky?? He would have to have been the luckiest rider in the history of road racing!! I mean, look at the amount of injuries he has had….almost none! Ok, he doesn’t crash much, but when he does, they are always “get up and dust yourself off” crashes.

It's pretty weird to bring up (lack of) injuries. Perhaps he just is better at judging where to fall off Wasn't it 2006 that he was pretty smashed up for a couple of rounds? He also won in 2002(?) after a serious highsider in England that gave him a solid concussion. For the final race of 2007, he was also quite banged and busted.

Sure, he hasn't lost a single race due to injury. Perhaps it's down to luck. Maybe he simply bounce better, or maybe all the crashing he did when riding scooters around his home has made him an excellent faller There is no doubt that falling "safely" is a skill that can be learned, just as any other activity.

[GrahamB]

I'm not sure the frequency of crashing over 11 years can be entirely related to luck

Once you crash, how much you get hurt is probably luck. Even then, if you're a brake-too-late-and-lose-the-front guy (see Checa), your risks are much lower than if you tend to be too enthusiastic about whacking the throttle open on exit (see Lorenzo).

As I recall, his injuries to date are a damaged finger and a small bone in his wrist.

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by Cal

The factory enduro BMW 450s have moved back to a conventional setup.

And it worked

[don41]

So if Rossi went to Ducati, and for whatever reasons he didn't do well, what marketing benefit would that bring? The great man has to be considered as being in the Autumn of his career. The beginning of the Season perhaps, but his Winter gets closer, sad as that may be to us that have enjoyed, and continue to enjoy a remarkable competitor!
Until then, millions of words will be written and read, and then commentators will rabbit on about "remember when Valentino Rossi wore a 'Donkey helmet/ visited the portaloo/ swept the track blah blah...." as Rossi is replaced by Spies as the fourth member of the Fab Four.
Da Colonel
Shoot first, live longer.

[FJ Steve]

Maybe because Rossi can (allegedly) put his ankles behind his ears, gives him the flexibility to withstand the rough and tumble of a fall.

[junkmale]

Originally Posted by faffi

EDIT: Here's a link showing that Ducati managed to do what Spondon could only do half way:

That link is longer than half the posts on this forum!

Originally Posted by GrahamB

(see Lorenzo).

Where?
Oh, up there.
Quick get the net & we'll try & catch him when he comes down.

[KRS]

Originally Posted by Backmarker

Your kidding me aren’t you Faffi? Rossi, unlucky?? He would have to have been the luckiest rider in the history of road racing!! I mean, look at the amount of injuries he has had….almost none! Ok, he doesn’t crash much, but when he does, they are always “get up and dust yourself off” crashes. No concussions, soft tissue damage, dislocations, breaks. He has NO hardware in his body. Basically, no lost time to injury. And that; in recent times has been what has kept him above the others in the title. Pedders, Stoner and Lopy all missed time to injury, or rode injured (or both). From memory, Hayden did the same in his winning year.

Now, compare Rossi’s “luck” with the other greats in recent years; Doohan, Rainey, Spencer, Lawson, or the lesser, Schwantz, Gardiner, Criville, I think all of those guys at some stage lost championships to injury. Simply, despite his obvious talent, the guy is kissed on the dick (and not just by Uccio). Rossi has wone on lusk as much as talent at times IMO...

yeah basically all of these riders (exept gardiner) had there carreers cut short due to injury, it has always amazed be how rossi hasnt suffered serious injuries over his carreer, he has had plenty of serious offs and the worst he's suffered is a broken hand.
pedders, jorge and stoner have all had major and/or carreer defining injuries. if its luck then vale will be the next golden goose, people will defile his grave for the flesh of the luckiest man to ever live to consume in the hope that it will rub off somehow.

sure he's been lucky, but there has to be more to it than that.

[Jezza]

He's probably catholic

[Fenris]

The other thing to think of is that the tracks on the calendar are generally a lot safer these days, or at least have more run-off, which would ideally have cut down on the number of career-ending injuries.

[Backmarker]

Yeah, that's very clear fenris, you don't see people hitting haybales 5 M from the trackside, or stuff like that.

[darren]

Originally Posted by Jezza

He's probably catholic

Jesus, dont go there, pardon the pun.

"I SAY UCCIO!! I RAYDE DA BIG FAKKING DUCATTI, YASS!!"

" Becoss, aaaaiiiiirrrrrrrr, I layke a Malboro witt mai Nastro Azzuro Uccio."

[Birdman]

Originally Posted by don41

So if Rossi went to Ducati, and for whatever reasons he didn't do well, what marketing benefit would that bring? The great man has to be considered as being in the Autumn of his career. The beginning of the Season perhaps, but his Winter gets closer, sad as that may be to us that have enjoyed, and continue to enjoy a remarkable competitor!
Until then, millions of words will be written and read, and then commentators will rabbit on about "remember when Valentino Rossi wore a 'Donkey helmet/ visited the portaloo/ swept the track blah blah...." as Rossi is replaced by Spies as the fourth member of the Fab Four.
Da Colonel
Shoot first, live longer.

He won't go unless he knows he will do well. There are no "what if's" in Rossi's plans ever.... he won't go unless they give him and his team full control over the bike and set up of it. Hence they'll have a separate factory stand alone team just for him, with Pedro and someone else on the usual factory bikes Still nobody wanting to be me??? LOL

[Yeldarb]

Originally Posted by KRS

sure he's been lucky, but there has to be more to it than that.

I don't think anyone would suggest Rossi's success is due purely to his luck...perhaps that it has just been another contributing factor...I have always thought the reason he doesn't crash too much (and hurt himself) is that he just seems to understand the limits better than others...who knows...most likely I don't

[lindsaymac]

To a large extent, you make your own luck. Rossi has done remarkably well, on the injury front, but then,. He doesn't seem to have had as many "high-side-to-the-moon" type crashes, which seem to afflict the lesser riders; prolly 'cause they tend to be trying harder to make up time and tend to be more aggressive on the throttle. (Usually a recipe for a quick trip to the kitty litter) Most seem to have been lowside crashes, where he loses grip, slides to a stop and then picks himself up. Much less likely to suffer major injuries, in that scenario.

He has had some spectacular get-offs, and there he has been lucky not sustain more severe injuries. That said, any crash you can walk away from, is a good (lucky) one.