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The Ben. Again.

Discussion in 'General' started by Steeltoe, Jun 22, 2019.

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  1. DucatiBomber

    DucatiBomber DJ Double A

    I’m not defining success based on the 90’s or early 2000’s. I’m basing it on now.
    The paddock has shrunk, the amount of rides available have shrunk and its only going to get worse with the another manufacturer already committed to leaving. Please don’t try and tell me the SV class has grown the sport “professionally” :crackup:
    What other businesses has Wayne run? This is genuine question. Other than running a team back in the day (Marlboro I believe) I’m couldn’t find his other business adventures.


    Ride safe,
    AAron
     
    Britt likes this.
  2. stangmx13

    stangmx13 Well-Known Member

    Ben isn’t a world class talent or star right now. At best, his ability is an unknown that no one with money is willing to take a risk on. Perhaps the reward isn’t big enough or the price is too high, or both. At worst he’s a has-been.

    @turner38 I agree with all that. The manufacture business model has been tanking for a while. I don’t know of a production series where it still works. Series that try harder to keep it around seem to be doing worse than other that’s are planning to exist without it.
     
    jd41 and Dragginass like this.
  3. Dave K

    Dave K DaveK über alles!

    He owes no one anything but he should expect nothing in return. Sorry but he and some of his comments are cancerous to the US serious and if he expects MA and the teams to get behind him after "talking freely" then he's full on 'tarded.

    Great racer but always struck me as a mercenary.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2019
    SpeedyE, Dave250, biggenyz426 and 7 others like this.
  4. turner38

    turner38 Well-Known Member

    I disagree about being a world class talent, probably more so that we have different definitions of what that is. IMO anyone that has one on the world stage is a world class talent.
    They may not be world class level at the moment but the talent is always there. IMO
     
  5. While I would love to see him racing again, this bullshit is getting old. Either shit or get off the pot.

    Does he just like to hear people saying “oh Ben please come back” for an ego boost?

    Does he feel the need to toss some shit out there every now and then as some lame attempt to remain relevant?

    Or does he REALLY want to race again?

    If that is the case, then just fucking do it. He was the best production bike racer in the world at one time, but that was almost a decade ago. You (read: anyone) can’t expect people to toss millions out there just because you used to be great, without giving them some indication that you still are.

    I agree. He is an unknown quantity at this point.

    Rent a track for the day and throw down some laps. Show people that even after just one day of riding, you can still get within “xx” of the lap record.

    At least when Favre did this kind of shit over and over, he actually DID suit up again and get out there.

    I wonder how long, or how many more times, before the response from the reporter becomes “Eh, whatever. If you were going to race again, you would have done it by now. Shits tired. Move on”.
     
  6. Dave K

    Dave K DaveK über alles!

    Sorry Chris, but he's not unknown but "damaged goods" at this point. No one is going to give him a thing after his last year in motogp and if he or anyone thinks he is owed even a ride in something so lowly as MA then they are idiots. Paying him to to ride MA is laughable at this point.
     
  7. jd41

    jd41 Well-Known Member

    I'll take Sean Dylan Kelly in superbike anyday over Spies.
     
    kirk erlinger likes this.
  8. Hyperdyne

    Hyperdyne Indy United SBK

    If you read anything about Spies' he doesnt rate himself against others. Like many, he is extremely hard on himself. So the thought of just circulating on inferior equipment doesn't appeal to him, and can't say as I would do feel any different.

    As for Yosh not letting him test, I would say that is purely a business decision and one of the best way to spend resources.
     
    VFR#52 and DucatiBomber like this.
  9. khill

    khill Well-Known Member

    SDK has massive talent....he's not SB ready by any means.....
     
    Shenanigans likes this.
  10. Quicktoy

    Quicktoy Is it Winter yet?

    Correct me if I’m wrong but when Michael Jordan entered the paddock, I believe he told Yosh he wanted Spies. Yosh said you can have our bikes, but you ain’t getting Ben. Well now Mike can fund Ben with that Gatorade/ Upper Deck money. Pretty simple.
     
  11. Steeltoe

    Steeltoe What's my move?

    I don't know about the Ben part but Mike did ask for factory parts and they laughed at him. Not for any amount of money. No way Yosh offered him the secret sauce.
     
    SpeedyE and VFR#52 like this.
  12. HPPT

    HPPT !!!

    I think it's hilarious that people are complaining that he's making statements to the media. If it weren't for this thread, I would have no idea about any of this stuff has been happening. If he didn't have a bunch of grown-ass men following him on face-grams or whatever social media he uses, he would just be an anonymous retired dude posting photos of his kid and what he had for lunch to share with his friends. You don't care whether he is unretiring? Do what I do: don't read it.
     
    ToddClark, Dano711 and crashman like this.
  13. SPL170db

    SPL170db Trackday winner

    I agree, you have to look at it realistically. Troy Bayliss was a world class talent when he retired from WSBK still on top. He's taken several years off and then decided to jump back into Australian SBK (granted he's got about a decade and change on Spies in age). He's not cleaning house, but he was still able to win a few races here and there. I would expect the same from Spies. He still has that natural talent, but unless you are keeping those skills sharp in the heat of battle, they do get slightly rusty.

    But as others had said, I don't think its what MotoAmerica needs right now, and it certainly doesn't have the resources he's looking for. Poaching a ride from one of the current front runners or 2nd tier riders/team would be a dick thing to do. Build your own team and go out and compete against them, that would be a cool thing to do.
     
  14. R Acree

    R Acree Banned

    No but he is donating a lot to computer technology classes.
     
  15. HPPT

    HPPT !!!

    Makes no difference. It's commendable either way. My point, which was missing one word, one that he's paying it forward huge in other areas as well.
     
    SpeedyE likes this.
  16. Sabre699

    Sabre699 Wait...hold my beer.

    Well luckily for all of us that never happens. :crackup:
     
    Gorilla George likes this.
  17. RM Racing

    RM Racing Tool user

    Dude - so negative. Have a beer and chill out.
     
  18. regularguy

    regularguy Always Krispy

    or a donut...
     
    TX Joose, DucatiBomber and JJJerry like this.
  19. G 97

    G 97 Garth

    :stupid:
    This.
     
  20. Dave K

    Dave K DaveK über alles!

    Not to mention the uphill fight from the DMG ownership days.
     

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