Best Biker in the world

[freud]

Alright, here's the poll. Who's the best biker in the world right now?

I go for 'Troy Bayliss'. Alright, I think he's better than Rossi and he'll beat the heck out of him. Imho Rossi look good because has too much of an advantage in terms of superior machinery. Rossi's good but not as good as Doohan and now Bayliss.

[Speedworx]

Rossi. He is the best on a bike and should be good in a rally car.

[JGM]

I seem to remember that Chris Walker used to compete at the same level as Bayliss in BSB. He got a bit of a shock when he stepped up to GP level. It's a different level to superbikes. Bayliss won't be winning anything next year if he's riding for Ducati in GPs.

[freud]

Offcourse considering the dominant machinery Rossi has, he will win races.

[Fiorentina 1]

Mike Metzger!!!!!!!

[Dani Filth]

When Walker races 500 .. it was a two stroke machine .. now it's a 4 stroke .. and the difference isn't that big anymore .. but still Valentino Rossi is the Best .. on equal bike he beats the hell out of anyone including Mick Doohan ... I think Rossi is at least as fast as Doohan .. but the point where Rossi shines is close combat ... in melee nobody can beat him ...

[freud]

Dani, Rossi doesnt cope with pressure as well as Doohan did. Rossi also never had a great teammate to challenge him in equal equipment.

[Dani Filth]

and who challenged Doohan ... is it Criville ... or Okada .. Rossi doesn't cope with pressure ....he's the one doing the pressure .. on the others ... tell me an year when we had so many world champions(all classes) in the top class(500 or MotoGP) ... Biaggi, Roberts, Harada, Capirossi, Katoh, Jaques .. and how many GP winners ... ?? many ... next year with Ducati and Kawasaki ... he's gonna kick some a**es .. i put my money on that ..

[f1manoz]

I simply picked Rossi (and Bayliss) because they are still the classes of their chosen fields of motorcycle racing, irrespective of bike performance.

[freud]

Dani, point taken. But see Rossi's bike is just way too ahead of the pack. I have nothing against him, he's a great great biker. But I wouldnt easily put him above Doohan.

[f1manoz]

Originally posted by freud
But I wouldnt easily put him above Doohan.

Yes, but us Aussies won't accept that until Rossi has won 5 consecutive world titles and utterly destroyed the competition in each of those years

Rossi is still young and has plenty of time to beat every record there is though.

[WheelMan]

Probably an unpopular choice but I vote for Anthony Gobert.

The results of late haven't shown it but then a combination of rotten luck and inferior equipment in the AMA Superbikes have not helped his cause.
His attitude problems seem to have gone with age and I would love to see him on the international stage again.

And no I am not Australian!

[gomick]

well i am an aussie and i reckon anthony gobert is the most talented road racer going around - besides rossi....

[Dani Filth]

Gobert ..i've seen him in 500 .. wasn't him the one with the drugs.... you all(aussies) keep reminding the Honda V5 .... what about Doohan's Honda 500 .. the screamer or the big bang ... wasn't that bike ahead of the pack ... it is the same situation as now .. the best driver(at the moment) with the best bike ... or you think the Yamaha's the Suzuki's the MUZ ... or the V2 Aprilia was better than the Honda ....?????

[Warwick]

Rossi by a mile,perhaps if Doohan hadn't done all five on a Honda,but a guy who has won in 125,250 and 500 and now looks like cleaning up the new class would rate well above him.

[calcium]

Errrmmmmm, Foggy?????? Not the best of men but bloody fantastic on a bike,no????

[DavidStHubbins]

Rossi is supreme. Edwards said as much when they won the Suzuka 8 hr together last year. That cat can ride anything. Bayliss is doing wonderful things in WSB but to say Rossi is only good because of his equipment is... erm... "pas inteliigent".

[Arneal]

It is tough deciding between Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi, but I have to go with Nicky because I doubt anyone else is going to pick him.

[freud]

52% of forum members think that Rossi is the best biker in the world..
omg..gimme a break

[Winther]

Well soon he will be double GP champ

[av8rirl]

Currently Rossi is the best GP rider but no one will ever beat Mick Doohan. Well, maybe Rossi will (eventually).

[mac]

Originally posted by Dani Filth
and who challenged Doohan

Did Doohan not go head-to-head with Gardner, Schwantz, Rainey amongst others? Other than Biaggi and maybe Kato, I would hardly call the rest potential greats of bike racing.

Untill Brno, only Ukawa had the same bike as Rossi. After that, there were 2 Yamaha 4-strokes and 2 Suzuki 4-strokes. Hardly startling competition.

At one time there were 3 or 4 Repsol Hondas, as well as many other same-spec Honda 500s. Also, the Yamahas and Suzukis were a lot closer to the Hondas back then.

I rate both Doohan and Rossi. The fact of the matter is that you cannot compare them. It's very similar to Senna vs Schumacher in F1. They're both greats in their own time ... and that is all that matters.

[Speeddemon555]

Rossi is the man and I hope he will three peat next year in Moto GP. Bayliss could be up there with Rossi next year if the Ducati deal gets together.

[Dani Filth]

Originally posted by mac


Did Doohan not go head-to-head with Gardner, Schwantz, Rainey amongst others? Other than Biaggi and maybe Kato, I would hardly call the rest potential greats of bike racing.

Untill Brno, only Ukawa had the same bike as Rossi. After that, there were 2 Yamaha 4-strokes and 2 Suzuki 4-strokes. Hardly startling competition.

At one time there were 3 or 4 Repsol Hondas, as well as many other same-spec Honda 500s. Also, the Yamahas and Suzukis were a lot closer to the Hondas back then.

I rate both Doohan and Rossi. The fact of the matter is that you cannot compare them. It's very similar to Senna vs Schumacher in F1. They're both greats in their own time ... and that is all that matters.

no... from 1994 the Honda dominated ... remember 1996 with Capirossi winning in Australia .. on a Yamaha ... only after Criville and Doohan crashed .. I remember the Susuki eforts ... hardly on the front row or a podium ... and those raced against Doohan only a few seasons when the majority of titles were won .. only Criville ... initialy and than Okada, Biaggi or Kosinski ... but the only one of those realy good(my opinion) was Biaggi .. .. You are right when you say can't compare them ... yes Doohan was very fast .. but i didn't like the riding style ... I like Rossi's style ... combat style ...

[mac]

I am right in that we cannot compare, and you are right in that they had very different styles.

Rossi likes to fight a lot, he'll sit back and dice with guys just for his amusement, until he decides he wants to win the race. And even then he won't pull out very far.

Doohan practised intimidation and demolition of his opponents. From a competitive point-of-view, I preferred Doohan's style. But, we're allowed to have different points-of-view.

Aren't we?