Who really believes Carmichael, & why?

[HiG4s]

Originally posted by Mudboy

It should be a good season, though--I'm rooting for McGrath (and anyone else on an RM, KX, YZ, or SX). :debil:

You won't root for Lamson on his CR? (Husky)

 

[yardpro]

Although I think RC is a whiner and don't like him very much, I don't see the problem with him switching for the money. I love what I do for a living, but I don't do it for love, I do it for money. If someone came to anyone and offered them a hudge raise to jump companies, they would take it in a heartbeat. They'd be foolish not to. But I agree that team honda will probably end up leading the four stroke development. They make the best small engine four strokes on the market, they are leading the outboard marine motor market, and they are dominating thr F-1 market as well. Look at thier cars, benchmarks of reliability, they also make acura( ever drive an NSX- WOW). They have a vast resourde pool to draw from and I believe RC was right about the 4stroke thing, but he said " show me the money".

 

[BigR]

And the performace of their Lawnmowers and Generators.... Holy Crap batman, can't top those:)

A little levity is always good, eh?

 

[Jay-R]

Okay, just face it, Honda rules!!:cool:

 

[yardpro]

although you were joking, those are exactly the motors I was refering to. I run a million $+ landscape service company. We have lots of small engine equipment(4stroke). To get the same unit with a honda is a couple hundred bucks extra, it's well worth the money. They rock. Look at all the rental equipment companies, they run honda powered equip. Why- because they hold up better than the competition. ( although kawie makes the hands down best 12-18hp motors on the market for some reason the hondas of that hp range are ?)
but if techumsha ( horrible motors) offered me more $$$$ to run them you better bet I'd be using the honda's as anchors for my new speedboat

:)

 

[stormer94]

I think RC will do very well this year. I feel the pressure that he puts on himself is much more than we can imagine. He wants to win so bad to prove to all the doubting thomases that he's the man, and worth the money. The surest way to shut up the those RC haters would be to dominate in a way that has never been done before. And do it with a lean mean Mcgrath this time. Mcgrath was fat last year. Mcgrath wants it bad this time. It'll be great to watch.

I think RC will be a man on a mission this year. Honda just needs to send him to some kind of acting or PR school so we can all learn to like him. Give the guy some likable personality and we'll have us a winning combination. You can win on the track, but RC is clearly NOT winning off the track where it counts.

I mean really, who doesn't like Pastrana? the kids got heart and personality and seems genuinely nice. Why can't RC pull it together that way? Don't know. Would be great to root for the guy if he was a TRUE champion, both on and off the track. Off the track, with his personality he'd be lucky to get a job at a bowling alley. (no offence to any bowling alley workers) ;)

 

[jake949]

What if R.C.'s reason for leaving had to do with the merger of the susuki and kawisaki lines? That could very well be what happened. Kawi could have clamped down on the wallet. why promote a brand that will not be around in 3 years? or is it that there will be susuki's, kawi'sand the mystery child?

 

[moto1313]

Honda is the most prestigious

Honda is THE manufacturer to ride for. They build the best bikes-have the greatest legacy-and the company and the team are the benchmark all aspire to. He went there to make his mark.

 

[yardpro]

amen brother - ride red- 'nough siad

 

[HiG4s]

Re: Honda is the most prestigious

Originally posted by moto1313
Honda is THE manufacturer to ride for. They build the best bikes-have the greatest legacy-and the company and the team are the benchmark all aspire to. He went there to make his mark.

At least that is what Honda will tell you.

Since 1957

125 world championships
Suzuki 13
Yamaha 5
Cagiva 2
KTM 2
Honda, Kaw, and Husky 1

250 worlds championships
Suzuki 10
Husky, KTM, Yamaha, and Honda 6
Kaw 0

500 worlds championships
Honda 12
Husky 7
Suzuki 6
Yamaha 4
Kaw 1

Manufactures championships
Suzuki 29
Honda 20
Yamaha 15
Husky 14
KTM 10

In US motocross they have done better
9 500cc titles vs Kaw's 6
tied with Kaw for 250 titles with 8, Suzuki has 7
12 125cc titles and Yamaha has 6 Kaw and Suzuki 5

250 Supercross since 74
Honda 12 titles
Yamaha 8
Kaw 5
Suzuki 1
Can-Am 1 (where did that come from?)
\
And that's the facts, Jack.

 

[justql]

He went for the money. He doesn't give a care about who makes the best 4 strooke.

 

[yardpro]

although i think red rules, I know he did it for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[mx547]

check out the rc wallpaper on racerxill.com
not only is he the fastest and best paid rider, he does the best whips.

http://www.racerxill.com/RC_wallpaper.cfm

 

[Okiewan]

Why care what color bike he rides? He will not be SX champ in 2002.
(hey, you heard it from me, what else matters? :silly: )

 

[honda8]

The guy is a dick. He doesn't give a **** about his fans or anyone else except him. I have met Mcgrath at a race and hes a nice guy. RC= not nice guy

 

[yardpro]

thta's the reason everyone is giving him such a hard time, he is not very likeable. mainly ,IMO, because he is such a poor looser. whenever he doesn't win he blames the track, bike, etc. he never gives credit to the winning rider for riding a good race. One race in particular, they watered the track, he fell, was passed, and hame in either second or third. his post race comment was that he was pissed, because he could beat anybody there, but they overwatered track, and that was the reason he fell.
what a spoiled jerk!!!!!!!!!!
but he switched for the $$$$$$$$$ and I don't blame him.

 

[nephron]

yardpro

I looked for that this year, didn't see much of it. eg, when he clearly got his ass kicked by Tortelli at Redbud (I believe, before him running out of gas), and Windham definitely at Washougal, he gave them both credit. I can remember him saying something like, "these guys are just faster than me right now", or "I've got to figure something out", or something like that. Given his success & the fact that he is the fastest dude out there, I think he's plenty humble. He doesn't have to be, you know.

Oh, and I was reading something by Pastrana in RacerX--I guess his new column. Somebody help me here. I can't remember anything about it, but remember 2 things: 1) he's obviously still very adolescent and 2) he's ****y as hell. Read some of his ironically-titled "The Prospect", imagine RC writing it, then tell me what you think.

Do I not like TP because of that? No way. I like both these guys--I don't know how you couldn't like either one, really--taking everything into consideration. Including how you would act if in the same position.

 

[moto1313]

Carmichael is clearly better

How can it be said that Ricky is not the fastest and best at this game right now. Just look at his record. Championships every year and at every level on every size. His win ratio is the best in history and he is 21 years old. He is COMING into what should be the best period in his life for physical conditioning and experience. He has loads of confidence and there really is no one out there that has put together ANY type of serious continual threat to his win record. McGrath is certainly a great rider who is past his prime. He is still better at SX than everyone except Ricky. In MX nobody can touch him on a weekly basis. Ricky needs to have bad luck and ride bad and the others need to ride over their head at the same time to stay with him. He will re-write the records and has already set a standard the others simply do not have the ability to reach. He went to Honda to have the best of everything-money would have been the same at Kawasaki, but their program is a few steps below Honda and everyone in the industry knows this.

 

[yardpro]

nephron
You're right. This past year he has been much better about it, but this change has just recently taken place. I hope it continues because the sport needs charismatic champions to continue to grow and become more mainstream. I still remember the old charmichel far too well.
i also feel that the reason he has come off like that in the past is because he pushes himself so hard that he cannot accept anything but a win. His being hard on himself comes across wrong. He is by far the fastest rider out there, and hopefully the humbleness will continue. Just don't bust a kidney ( get it- kidney-nephron-:) ) defending him. ( didn't really mean that, I just had to somehow work in the nephron-kidney connection;) )

 

[fatty_k]

Straight from the horses mouth

An exerpt from TWMX January 2002. The article written by RC him self: "From the porch, The racing column by Ricky Carmichael"

The worst kept secret of the year was my switch to team Honda. You know, a lot of people think that it was for the money, but that was not the reason I switched teams. The reason I chose to switch to Team Honda was because I felt that they have a superior product. Last year, I reached a point where I felt that my Kawasaki was holding me back, and I know that the Honda CR250R race bike will help me ride to my fullest potential. The thing that really helped me make up my mind was how Honda handles in the whoops. I feel more control, which is safer. If I want to stay in this sport for a bunch more years, I have to stay injury-free, and I just feel safer on a Honda. I feel that I dont have to ride the Honda quite as hard to go fast, and that was a major deciding factor. Coming from Kawasaki to Honda, Ive noticed that Honda has a lot more technology available. I think that Honda has been in a bit of a slump. I think that they've had the best bikes, but haven't necessarily had the best results. I think that's why they hired me-they want to win and get back on top again. The main thing I want to stress, though, was that I didnt do this for the money. Honda has a lot of technology, and I like having cutting edge equipment. I like pushing my bike to the line and have everyone stare at it and say that it's the baddest bike out there. I know Honda wants to win, and so do I.

When I first tested the Honda, I was faster on it than I had been on my Kawaski right away. I rode both bikes back to back to make an accurate comparison, and the Honda was better for me. There was no real reason to switch if I wasnt any faster on the CR. Kawasaki treated me really well, so there wasn't any reason for me to leave Kawasaki unless the Honda was better, and it was a lot better.

ffewwwwww!! I typed that whole thing out, so I hope it straighten's something out!

 

[stormer94]

You know, all it would take for us to finally get behind him is a simple, "and the money ain't bad either!!!" And we'd all be done with it. It's the continual insistance that the product is better that likley chaps all of us.

 

[ochster]

HiG4, you left out the most important stastistic of them all, the number of units and parts for those units sold wich created profits to the perspective company. Answer; Honda, more than twice as much as the nearest manufacturer.

My take on Carmicheal, he is in for a dogfight this year. Last year was not a good season for alot of reasons. I also say he aint man enough for the 450. If he chooses to ride and then like I believe crash on it, wich in Carmicheal fashion will be a WFO swap out, he will be injured. Those machines like 500's demand a learning curve of respect and a certain amount strength. His riding style and nature/stature I don't believe will prevail on the big bad beast.

 

[yarbonwick]

Originally posted by fatty_k
I saw an interview with him and I remember RC saying that it has been a life long dream of his to race for team Honda; from the beginning. Im not taking sides for "was it for the money or not" but I am leaning towards a non money realated issue.

Was that before or after the move? Don't worry, I'm sure I know the answer. At first, I was greatly dissapointed in him. However, I'm just happy that he's racing, and not crippled.

 

[J_dem_Bones]

Of cource it was the money! I would call him an Idiot if he didn't take it. He did the right thing! I would have jumped all over it. But in consideration, Honda might be a better bike and a better team to get what you want. I personally don't like the little S H I T but damn he is one fast MOFO who never gets tired!!! He will be just as fast if not faster this year and I don't hate him for changing to team Honda for the money and a better team that does more research to win, I'm MC fan and always will be.

 

[mgorman]

Look at Honda and look at Kawasaki. In the long run after your usefull racelife is over, who would you rather work for if you were to stay in the motorcycle industry?