MotoGP 2014

**Mental Trousers** · 2nd April 2014, 08:01

Coverage around the world is a big, complicated business

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/M...ed+2014+season

The dedicated MotoGP channels sound mean. But I reckon I'd still take the MotoGP Video Pass instead of padding the profit margin of a company like the Sky's of the world.

**Shaun Harris** · 2nd April 2014, 08:30

Originally Posted by pritch

OK so this is not strictly speaking MotoGP, but I've been reading a book loaned to me by Shaun and the "get stuck in and get on with it" attitude of the people therein reminded me of this. Had a bit of trouble finding it again until I used a Brit based search engine.

The sport psychologists sometimes recommend you visualise the style of a successful athlete you would wish to emulate. Bearing in mind that I have never seen a moving picture of Shepherd, but have seen many b&w stills, his is the style I would most like to copy. A modern racer would look silly circulating with a similar style to Shepherd's, but then I'd look silly riding around copying Rossi.

For those too young to remember, in the 1960s relations between the west and the eastern bloc were fraught. Shepherd really was risking his life leaving the border, the East German border guards were shooting people regularly.

The MZ factory had no hard currency and couldn't pay him one year so they gave him his Grand Prix bikes in lieu of cash. When he arrived at HM Customs he was forbidden to take the bikes in to Britain because the country of origin was the GDR.

I wonder how many of tody's GP stars could pull off an effort like this, the mechanical skills, the doggedness, the stamina, the resourcefulness and the sheer guts?

http://motorcyclelifeandtouring.word...uncategorized/

I take it that is the Rod Coleman Book Pritch? Pukka old school kiwi

**Reckless** · 2nd April 2014, 12:07

Tuesday , 1 April 2014
In a shock decision, 9 times world champion Italian rider Valentino Rossi has announced his retirement from MotoGP effective immediately. He will no longer contest the 2014 MotoGP championship and it is rumored that Pol Espargaro will now take his place alongside Jorge Lorenzo in the Yamaha Factory team.

Rossi's snap decision follows a heated weekend meeting with Yamaha team principal Lin Jarvis where an ultimatum was issued and new team arrangements were announced. The meeting was also attended by Yamaha president Hiroyuki Yanagi, CEO and President of Bridgestone Europe Franco Annunziato, and Rossi's long time partner Alessio Salucci.

Rossi described the new arrangements as "unacceptable", which are said to include the construction of a wall in the team garage, as requested by team mate Jorge Lorenzo, and the invocation of a performance clause in his contract.

Lin Jarvis threatened to invoke the performance clause because Rossi had not met his commitment of a win at the opening round in Qatar. Although he fought his way valiantly from 10th position on the 4th row of the grid to battle for 1st position with current title holder Marc Marquez, he eventually succumbed to Marquez's skill and placed second. Lin Jarvis then invoked the performance clause when Rossi complained and accused Franco Annunziato of bias.

As development adviser for Bridgestone, Rossi considered he should have been given preferential treatment with special overnight tyres, as he had with Michelin. When it was revealed that ALL factory riders were given the same choice of tyres for Qatar's race a heated argument ensued that could be heard downstairs in the corporate carpark.

Rossi stormed out of the meeting late on Sunday afternoon and refused to answer questions from reporters who had gathered outside Yamaha Motor Racing's European headquarters in Gerno di Lesmo (MI) Italy. After travelling to his ranch in Tavullia on Monday where he was met by a press contingent, Rossi and Mr Salucci brushed past them refusing to answer any questions and locked themselves inside.

>hey emerged early this morning with Valentino calling a press conference to make his announcement. When asked what the future held for Valentino Rossi now he smiled, adjusted his cap and said he intended to marry his childhood sweetheart in a civil ceremony in Las Vegas and together they would open a world-wide chain of pizza and pasta restaurants called simply "VR46". He also hinted he had been developing a special sweet using a combination of sour grapes and humble pie.

In other news, Jackie Reeves is said to be devastated.

**Drew** · 2nd April 2014, 12:34

Well, was that report just recent? It might still be April 1st over there.

**Shaun Harris** · 2nd April 2014, 12:41

Originally Posted by Drew

Well, was that report just recent? It might still be April 1st over there.

You got it Drew, Rossi is going no where

**Crasherfromwayback** · 2nd April 2014, 13:39

Originally Posted by Moto-Dynamix

You got it Drew, Rossi is going no where

Exactly. The old coot looks to be enjoying life on a racing motorcycle again.

**Shaun Harris** · 2nd April 2014, 14:37

Originally Posted by Crasherfromwayback

Exactly. The old coot looks to be enjoying life on a racing motorcycle again.

He sure does and bloody great to see for all us to watch

**Reckless** · 2nd April 2014, 19:32

ha Worth a go even a day late for April fools

http://motegp.com/en/news/2014/Valentino+Rossi+Quits/

Was a convincing site until I read down to the wall going back up LOL
Then I twigged to the e in the Motegp.

Maybe should have just posted the link but I thought the address was to obvious??
Simple screen capture of the Real site over write the text. Id guess?
Ah well hopefully got a few lol

**Mental Trousers** · 2nd April 2014, 20:23

That was too obvious. They should've done something like announcing Yamaha has decided to go Open Class in MotoGP. Now that would've been much more believable.

**Reckless** · 2nd April 2014, 22:14

Originally Posted by Mental Trousers

That was too obvious. They should've done something like announcing Yamaha has decided to go Open Class in MotoGP. Now that would've been much more believable.

Perhaps I should have done it like this

That way the link would have been hidden LOL

Workin on the Iphone is not quite the same as doing that stuff on the computer tho??

LOL onward and upward see if Rossi can Maintain his form aye!
Cant really see it tho as much as I'm a Rossi fan.
I reckon MM was a bit off because of his leg and I reckon he was prob on the wrong tyres.
You might well see that 1/2 second difference per lap come back from last year??
The kid so looks like a cross between Stoner in riding style and Marco Simoncelli in no compromise.
One move last race was a hard move not many would go for??
He's got 8 more titles to go but he seems to be the best bet that ever been so far.

Time will tell

**Mental Trousers** · 3rd April 2014, 06:59

I still wouldn't believe it, not on the same day I'd do something like announce to KB that the site will now be run by the GCSB for a laugh

Still, others would.

**pritch** · 3rd April 2014, 16:04

Originally Posted by Moto-Dynamix

I take it that is the Rod Coleman Book Pritch? Pukka old school kiwi

Indeed.

I've been a bit quiet for the last few days. I upgraded my Internet connection, so that means I had no Internet at all for three days. That seems to be par for the course. When I changed the phone, it was dead for two days. Hopefully things will settle down now...

**pritch** · 3rd April 2014, 21:35

Win on Sunday sell on Monday?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH9UECtDL_I

**pritch** · 5th April 2014, 21:20

This from Queensland. It must have been a slow news day.

Can't link to it here, but the public comments were very pro Doohan and anti shite journalism. Note that the caption to the "Cathouse" pic refers to it in the present tense but in the text there is mention that the establishment closed in 2012...

Not all the journalistic cretins live in NZ. Although we do seem to have more than our fair share.

http://m.couriermail.com.au/business...-1226875046694