I can't remeber a year where I've been looking­ forward to the racing more than this years WSBK -­ let's hope it lives up to the hype and we get an­ absolute cracker!

Good comments Simonblanchard and Marko6556......! Its­ just that dispite his hard-riding style, Nori is always­ the bridesmaid and never the bride............. Shakey­ has shown on so many occasions that he has got what it­ takes to win championships but is maybe less well-known­ on the international stage. Whatever happens, this­ years WSB series is wide-open as never before, so lets­ hope that its the best RIDER that takes the­ championship....................!

Ducati havent made a mistake in choosing Nori ! Nori­ may well win the title and I will be happy to see him­ do it after all the entertainment he has give us fans­ over the years. I'd prefer Shakey to win on a­ customer bike it'll make it more special !!! Its a­ shame also that Corser and Biaggi have gone to the new­ teams I would rather have seen them scrapping at the­ front

While I agree that Shakey is a good rider and a likely­ race winner this year, I think Ducati have made the­ right choice in Nori, to win the championship. Shakey­ was certainly impressive at Portimão (I was there to­ see it) but it's one thing to go fastest at a­ pre-season test, but another to win all year, often at­ unfamiliar tracks, that the regular SBK riders have­ been racing on for years.
Let's hope Shakey dose­ well enough this year to be on a factory Ducati next­ year, with a years world SBK experience, and a real­ chance of winning the championship.

Those at Borgo Panigale must reallise that they have­ dropped a bo11ock after choosing Nori rather than­ Shakey...........maybe they weren't looking when­ Shakey rode the hugely uncompetitive 'Prilia in­ MotoGP a few years back..............Wakey-Wakey­ Ducati!!!!!!!!

kato was a suberb rider, I agree. The number 74­ would've had a number 1 before now!!

Japanese rider daijiro kato won the motoGP250 world­ championship in 2001. The following year he won rookie­ of the year in his first moto gp season. Sadly he died­ in the first race at suzuka in 2003, he had alot of­ potential.
Haga should have won the title in 2000 if he­ didn't test positive for a banned substance­ ephedrine, which later turned out to be a herb found in­ his weight loss pills. He was robbed of the title to be­ honest.

The racing will be rough this year, so many out there­ with possibility of winning there will be no quarter­ given. With Bayliss gone its wide open after all Rossi­ and Bayliss must be considered number 1 and 2 in the­ sport . Biaggi is finished just after a pay cheque now­ it seems.

This can only be good for the sport, privateers beating­ the factory bikes can only spur more sponsors/potential­ team owners to step forward, the manufacturers have­ shown they can pull out without notice, Any privateer­ team that is successfull will encourage others to­ believe they too can be successfull, which can only­ help to ensure the sports long term future prospects...

X RACER
"A japanese rider has never won a major­ motorcycle championship. Great bikes less than great­ riders"

So Haga is a "less than great­ rider",is he? Have you ever seen Haga ride a­ superbike?

I am glad that Shakey is top of the time sheets, but­ hay its one track, Let’s hope it continues at other­ circuits.

I am sure Shakey will show he is world­ class. Ben Spies is quick and world class. just let­ them all get on with it. It does not matter if they are­ from the UK, USA, Spain or Japan just give us full on­ racing in 2009.

Tim gron......your a star.....lolol.

I can't believe Shakey wasted all those years as a­ mediocre pop singer during the 80s, when clearly his­ talent as a bike rider is where his focus should have­ been.

If Haga wins the championship he will never be allowed­ to pay for a meal in japan again. A japanese rider has­ never won a major motorcycle championship. Great bikes­ less than great riders. Maby this is the year.

there are some great riders in the American series and­ their not only american. A former WSB champion Neil­ Hodgson to name one, Miquel DuHamel is another and both­ have Moto GP experiance so to get there you have to be­ pretty good.
Ben Spies is the real deal and he­ won't be intimidated trading paint. Just wait,­ he's a winner, He'll show you.

Only American's to race agaist?......Matt Maladin­ is an Aussie lol , toally agree .. IF Ducati give­ Shane's team the support ( which l rather doubt as­ Haga's contract will say that HE has the best bits­ /parts etc)he will run top 4 ......Ben Spies , lets see­ how he does when the racing really starts , elbow to­ elbow...real WSB style!.

With all the talk of Ben Spies, the media seem to­ forget that he's only really had American­ competition as his mark up until now. But this is­ another great performance from the American. Sure, WSB­ is the king of bike racing now. It's closer and­ more competetive. Shane Byrne should have been a WSb­ champion long ago, and it only goes to show that he­ wasted time riding for Suzuki and Paul Bird Honda in­ BSB. Tom Sykes is also going to shine this year. The­ Brits are coming, just like back in the Foggy days the­ Brits ran high in the order and won races. Come on­ lads, do us proud....Tom Sykes for Yamaha Motogp ride­ next year....And Ben Spies, now that would make Motogp­ more exciting....

World superbikes- LOVE IT!!! watch and weep moto gp,­ now this is what you call entertainment and can't­ wait for worldsupersport as well -BRILL!!!

SUPERBIKE RACING AT ITS BEST, NO JUST THE LUCKY FEW ON­ FACTORY BIKES CAN WIN OF BE FASTEST, SOMETHING MOTOGP­ CAN LEARN FROM

It would appear that the Ducatis start out equal but­ may not get all the very latest mods during the year.If­ Shane can put some really good results in in the early­ races, which he has proved himself capable of,maybe,­ just maybe we could have a Brit on top!
How brilliant­ would that be?