The Ben. Again.

There is a difference between factory team and factory supported team. Do some people not understand that?

 

Evidently not.

 

So is this the new “pro” argument?

 

Not at all, it’s a bit more clear cut but vague Factory supported varies a good bit though from getting access to parts to having techs from the oem in your pits.

 

There are lots of ways you could define it. You could go the route that if the folks in the pits and the rider are getting their paycheck from the factory that is a factory team. You could define it that the factory is providing the bikes for the team. You could define it that the factory is providing new parts to the team based on feedback from the team and riders. You could define it that the factory is providing a certain percentage of the financing of the team. The funny thing is a lot of that isn't public information so from the outside, it would be hard to tell who is factory and who isn't.

By some of the definitions in here, none of the teams in WSBK are factory teams. Kawi, Honda and Yamaha have what I would call factory teams in WSBK. Just because someone else is running the team doesn't mean it isn't a factory team. Unless there is a definition by the sanctioning body, we can all agree to disagree all day long.

 

Too many fools get hung up on definitions...

They are all race teams, some well funded others not so much.

It does seem like 2020 will be a rough year for MA unless something remarkable happens in the next couple of months.

 

JD Beach said it in the comment to Jake Lewis. 5 guys from Owensboro this year, next year none of them have rides. Doesn't sound like grids are up.

 

I could care less about semi’s in the pits. All I care about is racing on the track. Lots of competitive riders without a seat and no
Plans doesn’t look good. It may turn around in the next couple of months but it isn’t looking good. Not just in one class either.

 

Not happy about this, but if anything racing will be more competitive next year.
Since I started watching AMA we always knew was going to be Graves Yamaha or Yoshi Suzuki winning.

Team Hammer with the Suzuki fighting the Yamahas on super sport was one of the most interesting things I saw this year.
Maybe 2020 we can see a Kawi or a Ducati on the top of the podium for Superbike.

 

So you endorse having more riders like HWSNBN? Ugh.

 

So long as they can qualify why not?

 

While the guy deserves ridicule for being an attention seeking douchemissle, he did support racing and bring attention to the sport.

Not to mention, he wasn’t slow (in the grand scheme of things). He could put down laps faster than probably 99% of the people on this forum.

 

If the grid is full of nothing but "attention seeking douchemissle(s)" versus actual talented racers, then the end has arrived. His skills were beyond the average person, perhaps even the average forum participant, but his $$$ inflated his performances. Absolutely no where near a Spies*, et. al.

If that is what you kids want, have at it. Or go back to playing your video game console.

* - note he rode both Hamamatsu brands, Toe. Hence my choice of rider skill for comparison.

 

Doubtful. More like 75%, and that's if you include lurkers. As in all 4,809,790 members. Welcome, Mark Wendell!

 

I guess I don't understand why motorcycle racers feel they are special compared to every single other form of motorsport which is inundated with rich dudes paying to be there from jet skis to top fuel. Or different from the vast number of athletes and entertainers getting paid zero or very little to be seen while paying for all their own training and gear. Welcome to showbiz?