KTM Pulling Out Of GP

[andrew]

I know this old news, I was just wondering what everyone thought about it, and what your feelings were for poor old Shakey Byrne, who in my opinion could easily be pushing top 5 with a decent bike.

Is it time we had a competitive British GP team so that our riders can compete at the highest level?

Do you think he'll be around in GP next year?

[Mr.Everready]

Nearly all the rider would be top 5 if they had a decent ride, Shakey is no different.
As for a British GP team, it will never happen unless Triumph start selling a few 100,000 more bikes a year. There just isn't the money in it for smaller teams to start a GP project that would cost millions to get off the ground.
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[andrew]

[Kickstart]

Hi

There are loads of talented riders around. Much of it comes down to sponsorship. Stuff all national interest in motorcycle racing (outside those who ride bikes) in the UK, so no sponsorship interest, so little call for UK riders unless they are exceptionally good (and having little sponsorship they are not going to get a chance to be exceptionally good).

Suspect Roberts can continue running last years bikes (and that might be a good thing long term, having control of the design of the chassis and the engine), if they can find the money.

Do wonder if KTM have overstretched themselves. Only so many bikes you can sell in a limited and saturated off road market, and they are a bit slow in getting the new road bikes out in numbers.

All the best

Keith
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[cc123]

Shame for Shakey, maybe he should just jack racing in and become a stunt rider!

That guy can wheelie for miles!
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[andrew]

To save costs surely a team could just use the motors and electrics etc... from Honda or Yamaha and develop their own chassis? Although the costs savings gained in not renting the whole bike will be eaten up by developing your own chassis?

Just surprised it is so dominated by everyone else and a talented British rider can't even get a half decent bike, let alone on a half decent team. I guess Hodgson had a good ride but messed it up, Shakey would have done much better on the Ducati than Hodgson did in my opinion.

[Adam_P]

Nevermind KTM, I'm more concerned about my mate that works for Kenny Roberts MotoGP team. He was one of Shakeys mechanics.
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Colin McRae MBE 1968 - 2007 RIP
Orwell Rolls in his Grave
God is imaginary

[killa]

Hey wasn’t Shakey shagging that Jodie Marsh?
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[TOM M]

[Kickstart]

[Andy99]

From what i've heard it looks like they made certain financial commitments and haven't met them It'll be interesting to see what happens in a legal sense with team Roberts,certainly it's bad for the sport.
They were later than they thought with the 250 and with 3 works 125's can't be cheap to run either so maybe they just simply can't afford it.

As for Shakey he's a top bloke who on his day can give anyone a run for their money,he could run at the front on the right bike but so could alot of the riders.
The only way we'll get British riders in the top teams is when british companys start pumping in big sums of cash and demand to have a brit in the team
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[Kickstart]

[Andy99]

[Kickstart]

[Keith]

According to KTM, they pulled out due to the 800cc regulations coming into play in 2007. Its pretty obvious they were sick of things as they had high expectations of the engine which was nothing but a lump of problems 90% of the time, as would be expected with a development engine.

Gotta feel for Shakey though. Hopefully Team KR can fall back on last years V5 machine, if they can source the funding for it. Might also have problems with the rider due to the fact it was KTM who hired him and pay his wages.

I think all the riders in MotoGP have serious talent, but if I was going to run a British team with a British rider, James Ellison would be the first choice. He rides the balls off that WCM and its amazing to think of his potential a works bike. As said in a previous issue of Performance Bikes, we need a British rider on a Tesco sponsored RC211V or whatever.

Fingers crossed for Shakey/Team KR.
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Aprilia RSV Mille R Edwards Replica - Aprilia RS250 - Suzuki GSXR600 Supersport Race Bike

[andrew]

https://autoexpress.crash.net/news.asp?nid=117326

lol @ a tesco team. That would be funny.

[Andy99]

I think you're spot on Keith with the expected results.
KTM are used to doing well in whatever they enter and with the 250 getting on the podium first time out it must hurt them to look at the MotoGP results.
____________________
Nothing gets the point across quite like a raised middle digit.

Just call me General Crazypaws.

[Keith]

[Kickstart]