Is Rossi the greatest rider ever?

[pritch]

I got the impression that he had a little bit MORE power than Gibernau's Honda. He definitely gained a bit on the staights, but Gibernau closed back up in the twisties.

If you look at those radar gun figures from practice you will see that Rossi was down about 10kph on the Ducatis, and is also slower than the Hondas on the straight. Apparently though his bike is set up so that he can carry more speed through the corners. Jeremy Burgess said words to the effect, "There is only one straight but there might be thirteen corners".

[gav]

Jean Michael Bayle, from World MX champ to qualifying a 250GP bike first time out, to putting a 500GP bike on the front row. Best all rounder ever? Best ever road racer? Rossi or Lawson, think Rossi might pip Lawson by the time he's done......
Rossi certainly picked the team he went to, would've been impressed if he'd gone back to help Aprilia, after his early days, now that would've been cool. The Yamaha was a pretty calculated move, they knew it wasnt too far off the pace.

[pritch]

The Yamaha was a pretty calculated move, they knew it wasnt too far off the pace.

If that's the case, how would you explain the fact that the other Yamaha riders were still finishing in their customary places down the field, 11th and 12th or whatever?

[GSVR]

If you look at those radar gun figures from practice you will see that Rossi was down about 10kph on the Ducatis, and is also slower than the Hondas on the straight. Apparently though his bike is set up so that he can carry more speed through the corners. Jeremy Burgess said words to the effect, "There is only one straight but there might be thirteen corners".

You can have the fastest top speed and still be slower down the straight. Top speeds may be interesting but it really comes down to how fast you get to a high speed.

In drag racing its not the fastest dragster that wins its the lowest elapsed time. The Yamaha may be quicker down the straights as opposed to faster.

[gav]

If that's the case, how would you explain the fact that the other Yamaha riders were still finishing in their customary places down the field, 11th and 12th or whatever?

Huh? You care to show all these 11th and 12th place finishes recoprded by the top Yamaha men in 2003? Barros was on the podium in France, Checa had at least 3 4th place finishes, it was the crashes that hurt the riders most, you forgot how Barros in particular was on fire in pre season testing on the Yamaha that year, but crashed and hurt his shoulder pretty bad in one of the final test seasons or could have been in practice at Suzuka at the first race.

[Sensei]

You Must watch alot of Sky or have a very Big Mag collection to find all this out GAV but its xcellent for us to read & know

[Yarg]

Would have to agree that Rossi is good

[pritch]

Huh? You care to show all these 11th and 12th place finishes recoprded by the top Yamaha men in 2003?

Rossi wasn't riding Yamaha in 2003. The other Yamaha riders were way down the field last year usually 10th 11th or 12th. That's from memory but it stood out like the dogs proverbials at the time.

It turns out now Rossi's bike was very different to the others but all credit to him and Burgess for that, their bike was set up how they wanted it.

[gav]

Huh? lost you somewhere, my point was that Rossi's move from Honda to Yamaha was pretty calculated as Rossi and Burgess both knew the Yamaha wasnt too far off the pace, it certainly wasnt like the Aprilia, Suzuki or Kawasaki. It may have been seen as a risk, but a pretty calculated risk. Rossi could only see what the Yamaha was like in 2003 obviously before he moved there, you with me so far Pritch008? There was alot of speculation whether Rossi got to ride the Yamaha in a private session in Japan before his first test in Sepang, remember Honda wouldnt let him test before the end of the yearie end of Dec 2003. At the Sepang test, Rossi got on the bike and just rode the wheels off it first time out, no pussyfooting sround, no slowly getting up to speed, just on the gas, ring its neck, and see what it could do. What he did was break the existing lap record and showed right from the word go, he was on the pace. Stuff of legends, really and just destroyed Checa right from the start. The other couple of riders were Yamaha tester Norick Abe and MotoGP rookie Marco Melandri neither who realistically were given much chance of regular top 10 finishes. Checa just maintained his regular crash record and was never a threat. More the riders they had, than the Yamaha being that far off the pace. Rossi on the Yamaha reminds me of Schwantz on the Suzuki, both riders making up for any shortcomings the bike may have and being competitive whereever they race.
And yeah Sensei I have a room stacked with m/c mags, videos etc since about 1981/82

[Eyetie]

Rossi is definitely good and after watching Faster it gives you a great insight to his persona, I have to give credit to McCoy hobbling on a crutch with pins through his leg and ankle and getting on his bike to race, that takes some kahuna's!

[That Guy]

Jean Michael Bayle, from World MX champ to qualifying a 250GP bike first time out, to putting a 500GP bike on the front row. Best all rounder ever? Best ever road racer? Rossi or Lawson, think Rossi might pip Lawson by the time he's done......
Rossi certainly picked the team he went to, would've been impressed if he'd gone back to help Aprilia, after his early days, now that would've been cool. The Yamaha was a pretty calculated move, they knew it wasnt too far off the pace.

JMB would get my vote for 2nd best ever....

[Skyryder]

I'm not realy up with much of this but my boss whose been around bikes since he was in diapers speaks of Rossi as a freak. I was watching one of his races when he cut on the inside of the leading rider, suicidal stuff. Rossi is fearless.


Skyryder

[gav]

He's not too shabby in a car either! See this? He just cleaned up Colin MacRae in a rally car!! http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view...d=6&nid=122438

[Ivan]

Vale is an extrordinary rider but I really rate McCoy as one of the best he had just had shit runs he was really the guy who invented the power slide it shows him on faster man what a legend but I also agree to date in the GP field Rossi is the best Gibernau has the opportunity but basically has fallen for the "CURSE" I dont believe this is true but who knows maybe Rossi is an all round gifted freak

[cowpoos]

I don't know if rossi is the greatest ever....but right now he is the best...
I believe its to hard to compare riders accross generations...there were greats in every era...and for the knowledge and technoligy avalible to them at the time...they made use of it to the best of there ability and then added talent...

But rossi is a talent....he consistantly is able to do everything required of a top rider and do it well in every area...hes able to ride behind anyone and not let the rider slow his momentum when he's riding behind...he seems to invent new lines on the go and make them stick for his porpose at the time...he dosn't seem to try as hard as his fellow compediters [well appears not to]...and doesn't allow him self to be pressured...wether its born out of arogance or whatever...it works...he works very hard to make his bike as easy to ride as possible...and is never happy with it...so is always looking for improvements....an absaloute professional

Gib is a talent aswell...but I think he loses it in the mind...and then loses it on the podium