Ok, so as not to completely jack the Stoner/GP thread...Mladin, Spies, etc. got mentioned in relation to SBK and got me thinking: Everyone always seems to talk of the GOAT in GP's and such, but who do you all think was one of the greats if not the GOAT in SBK? Could be BSB, WSBK, or AMA.... I mean you have guys like Hayes, Spies and Mladin in recent AMA memory Then you have Colin, Foggy, Corser, Spies again, Bayliss for WSBK BSB has Hodgson, John Reynolds, Kiyonari.... And those are just the guys that have won the titles (some more than others in multiple series....) So with lots of different variables of course, different series, different styles, who do you think was the best of 'em? *As a side note, I'm really hoping that the move to 1k's in GP's starts to bring back more of the rider influence over the bike and maybe seeing a renewed push by the guys who didn't just grow up on TC and cornerspeed.
Mladin. Ask me after a few beers and I'll say Bayliss was almost as great but only after the beers and ALMOST.
I was thinking the same thing...Mladin...with Bayliss being right there. But im still leaning towards Mladin. Mladin was the "total package" racer. The head games on and off the track, the intimidation factor, etc.
Jefferies was a beast for sure....but wasn't his primary focus the IOM and other "roadracing" in general? I guess that doesn't really matter, dude could ride the piss outta that Zook, no doubt. I guess then if you add roadracing to the mix, you have guys like John McGuiness, Joey Dunlop...
but Dave, I know you're dead sexy, brilliant and I'm in awe of your penis, how can you not say Spies? He beat Mladin 3 years in a row and won the WSB championship in his first year! You be trippin'! Glad you brought him up, anonymous person. You are obviously a very smart person and my penis thanks you. I don't rank Spies above Mladin, Bayliss or the rest because he's not a great superbike rider, he's a all around GREAT rider who will be motogp champ and would be great rider on a 500, a superbike, an 800 or a 990.
I think Foggy and Mladin were a lot alike.... Both talked a lot off the bike, both almost seemed to will themselves to a win when it counted....both won multiple times...both seemed tough as nails, injury wise and such...
The thing with Mladin, you never saw him "settle". I remember seeing him pull off some passes where i was like "THAT shit just happened"...sure they might have been VERY tight, maybe even "dirty" by some standards. But fuck it, he was in front. Like you said he would "will himself to a win". ...and i still believe right now he could jump on a Superbike and win the Championship, whether he has sat on a bike since retiring or not. Nothing against Josh at all, i am glad to see Josh doing like he is and wish him all the luck in the world. But i still believe if Mladin was to race again....
*this week on the beeb I've learned ham wallet, something about a cats ass and a greasy string, and now a trash bag of wet dicks.... well regardless of the composition of Mr. Fogarty as an individual, on the bike dude could ride that thing. I was recently watching some old school races, one in particular where Colin looked to have Foggy beat for sure, and somehow Carl kept on the gas and ended up with the "W" coming out of the last corner at Monza. Also his ability to dominate a weekend right out of the crate was quite impressive as well. I know he sure seemed like a cocky, arrogant bastard, but then again so did Mat..... For my money, in no particular order: Mladin Bayliss Spies Foggy
Incorrect, my opinion is based upon cold hard facts. The couple of times I got to meet him or be near him, yeap, you guessed it: he was a total cockhead.
Who cares how he acted towards you or anyone else in the pits. The guy Was a fiercly competive and focused racer that dominated during his career.