Team Honda--Bad Luck or Bad Karma?

[Mudboy]

Umm--I'll go with bad Karma. They should try raising a champion instead of buying one :confused:

 

[Senior KX Rider]

I think its the bikes.....:) :)

jk :)

 

[MXFastGuy]

Neither

Last time I checked, Carmichael has two races under the Big Red Tent. One of them was a complete domination of the US Open, the other was a crash due to his own error. The way he cased that jump, he would've crashed no matter what bike he was on.

I don't care for Ricky, and don't particularly care for Honda either, but I think we need to give it some time before we can say how it's really working. Only time will tell.

No matter what, it's going to be a fun season! (personally, I'd like to see LaRocco take it).

 

[Patman]

It's neither. They have such a rigid culture that obviously worked at one time, but they keep adding things you can't do to the list that riders just collapse under the pressure to win. I think maybe a few riders can function under that type of structure but most don't enjoy it so the performance suffers. You can have the trickest bike at the track but if your rider isn't happy your bike can't run to it's potential. Perfect current examples are McGrath left because they put too many stupid rules in his contract. Windham cratered under their pressure cooker to win and Lusk just never came out to what everyone thought. Now the biggest thing he likes about his green ride? "The family atmosphere, I can have my wife with me which Honda did not allow and having her for support is important to me." Seems money can't buy love but it can buy somebody elses #1 plate. Keeping it is the big challenge.

 

[mxracer724]

I don't really care for factory Honda, but I think honda is going to have a really good year. They have a lot of good riders now, and if they can't do well with these riders then there is really something wrong with them.

 

[nephron]

This is a fantastic topic.
Anybody get the feeling that Factory Connection, a factory-supported group, has it all over Factory Honda? Maybe big Red should clean the slate & look at what little brother's doing to keep the riders on top of things & happy. It's a damn insult, in my opinion, that they haven't offered LaRocco a factory ride. As good as he is, if I was him, I'd refuse to ride any of their bikes (like I do;) ).

I just think it's funny that a support team (Goss, Preston, LaRocco, Byrne) are kicking factory Honda's ass (oh, I forgot about Fonseca on Factory Honda--how could I forget about him?--what an UNremarkable guy:silly: ) As bad as Honda's been since 96, maybe they should just throw in the towl & spine out the money & advice to support teams?

What about the bike differences? LaRocco mentioned his CR250 having the best suspension in the whoops he's ever ridden. Certainly, that would be all Factory Connection ("best suspension...period"), & what about the motors. Are the motors different between these bikes? I noticed Goss's CR125 was hellaciously fast:eek: , which is a difficult task to achieve with a CR, from what I've seen on this board.

I'm sorry, but Team Honda just blows. They deserve what they're getting. I'm lickin' my chops.:p

 

[Okiewan]

I just think it's funny that a support team (Goss, Preston, LaRocco, Byrne) are kicking factory Honda's ass

And you are basing that on what? One race?
Neph.. your slanted opinion due to hatred of Honda is showing thru... did you get hurt on a Honda as a child ? :confused:

I'm really digging all the comments based on Ricky crashing. In one race. "It's the bike!" Riiiight.... Munchkin has been on the edge for a long time, maybe his luck is running out? Seems to me he crashed on KX's as well?

And people freaking-out that he changed teams? I just dont get that gripe. Kawasaki obviously felt they made enough dollars on RC, deciding not to best Honda's offer. What's the big deal? Let me get this right, race teams shouldn't go after the best riders? That's how it done in every sport. Always has been.

Oh yeah... and after one race I (in my wisdom) know MC is washed up. Sheez.

 

[MRKRacing125]

Praised the Lord OKIE:)

 

[kingriz1]

I am new to all of this BUT, I highly doubt the bike made RC crash.

I say he is gonna win it all! Any local people care to wager dinner on it?

I hope McGrath rocks too.

and laracco and all the rest.

I like them all. Even RC! This is racing not speech making. He talks on the track where it counts!

Sincerley,

Riz

 

[kingriz1]

.

 

[slideways11]

If we dug a hole every time you guys wanted to bury MC we would be half way to china by now. And as for all this money Honda is paying RC it is chump change. There are bench warming, coke head out on work release baseball players making more $$$$ than RC . And as for the Cobra you gotta respect the guy. He came to the states, learned the language and has won races both indoors and out against the very best riders on the planet. And how about Ping getting the hole shot I keep hoping to read in Cyle News that he has punched Jody in the mouth.

 

[yardpro]

nephron
don't bust a kindey :p
your distaste for the red is definately tainting your remarks.
honda's hard to make fast? I don't think so. you must be a lifetime subscriber to MXA.;)
although i do like the kidney referance. after all it is part of the waste system.
personaly I would have chosen something with more of a charge like axon or dendrite. golgi apparatus would also sound pretty cool too.:)

 

[mxracer724]

I think RC is going to win it all this year too. It has nothing to do witht he bike he rammed his front tire right into the lander of a step up! From what I saw when he was still on 2 wheels he looked great, but not as great as The Rock. When they go out east RC is going to dominate I think.

 

[hociracer]

i would just like to say that i read several posts here months ago that ricky needed to change bikes because of his "ill handling outdated kawasaki". did anyone notice his honda trying to "swap ends" going through the whoops?:p

i'd take that "ill handling" kawasaki over the honda any old day.

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by Mudboy
Umm--I'll go with bad Karma.

the points standings show hondas in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the 250 class and 1st and 3rd in the 125 class. if that's bad karma, send some my way.

 

[JuliusPleaser]

Prognostication

I'm gonna go out on a limb and predict total Honda domination this year. :debil:

Also, Ping will win at least one round.

 

[yardpro]

yeah baby. that's music to my ears especially coming from a blue meanie:) ;)

 

[mxracer724]

I would have to agree with Julius Pleaser.

 

[IDkTm]

Factory connection did look very good at round one, but they are Honda's official Factory support team. The bikes that Gosselaar and Preston were on are works Hondas. Larroco has been getting full factory support from Honda since 99. He has a works motor and I'm sure lots of other inside things that never see the light of day outside of team Honda. I'm not sure about Byrne's bike, maybe works maybe not, great ride either way. RC would have ate the turf no matter what he was riding. He just came up short, there was no rigid frame or something in the alignment of the planets about it, if any of us were to hit that face like he did we would have been on the ground with him.

 

[kingriz1]

Who is Ping?

 

[JuliusPleaser]

Ping is David Pingree, and he almost won the 2000 125 West SX Championship. He got beat by 2 points ( I think) and took it easy last year to avoid pointing out of the 125 champs.

He won his heat race and got the main event holeshot at Anaheim last weekend. He finished a lowly sixth, but I'm betting that he'll pull one off before the season ends.

He also writes the column "Electronic Ping" for RacerX.

 

[Okiewan]

Ping? Nope... sorry, gotta disagree. No wins. Great guy, but not a SX winnner.

 

[Fox Racing]

Damn nephron I dont agree with one thing you said. I watched Ricky ride in practice and he had a lot of trouble at that area. he fell once and other close calls. What do you mean "they deserve what they are getting" Did you not see the results. Honda podiumed 4 out of six spots???? Just because Ricky had a bad race dosent mean anything. I bet is if Ricky wins it this year, then next year he will be wearing the #1 plate on his bike. So only one factoy Honda rider made the Podium. Honda was still represented on the podium even if it did come from Amsoil Honda...How many Yamaha's or Kawi or Suzuki's did you see???? Honda will have an awsome year!!

 

[yardpro]

Fox Racing
don't mind nephron, you know woh those MD's are, lotsa book smarts, no common sense.:p
just joking neph.

 

[02yz125]

Hey Riz,
I'll take that dinner bet with ya that RC doesn't take it all. He's on edge all the time and has the "Tremendous Pressure Spotlight" on him. Must remember that Ferry will be back soon and that adds to the mix. I think it is going to be Larocco's best year! MC will come around and I think Pastrana will kick it in to gear also. Ricky is one hell of a rider but he is young still. I think the veterans are going to teach him a couple lessons this year. I mean how many more crashes can this kid take before he is seriously hurt? By the way I got my SX tickets for the Dallas event. Santa put em in my stocking. 50 yard line, row 15, on the isle. Right at the landing ramp for the triple! How sweet is that! My pick is MC to win followed by "The Rock" and "Pastrami".