neils on wheels Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 The recent signing of Toni Bou to Honda has upset the applecart a bit and coupled with the fact that those Gas Gas financial rumours just will not go away, it seems Fajardo is off to replace him at Beta. Now Farjado is a good rider, but I can't see him breaking into the worlds top 5. Honda once again have 3 of the 5 top riders in the world, they have been powerful in previous years with the 2-strokes but the 4-stroke campaign has stepped it up a gear to the point where their budget probably exceeds the rest of the paddock's put together. Given that a trials rider's wage & the bike development is so small compared to funding an F1 & MotoGP effort, Honda just seem to be blowing the rest of the teams away. Gas Gas & Sherco now look like being one rider factory teams. Meanwhile Beta & Scorpa are either unwilling or unable to have a top 5 rider on their bikes. It would be fascinitaing to know what income Honda's WTC effort generates compared to the cost it consumes. I also have to think that trying to keep up with such a large & rich competitor has effected Gas Gas. I know this post isn't going to change one thing, but surely this cannot be a healthy situation can it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slapshot 3 Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 I think having the major manufacturers involved is vital and would love to see Kawasaki and Suzuki properly join Honda and Yamaha in the trials game. They need to do what Honda did and seriously link up with the likes of Beta or Fantic or Sherco or whatever other combo you want to look at. Remember montesa were dead and buried before Honda bailed them out....now look, that is the right formula. I suppose our market is not big enough to warrant them moving in otherwise what money there is would have to be spread much further around, however if the little companies don't link up they will continue to struggle. I don't know that having only 5 manufacturers is that good for the sport either, KTM, Aprillia get some of these other companies in too. Interesting conundrum for the sport, be interesting to see where it goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cota kid Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 So we restrict technological advances in trials because the competitors can't keep the pace. HRC have taken trials 4 stroke engines further than anyone else, surely thats not bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betajones Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Has Fajardo signed for beta? or just rumours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petec Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 I think Honda have one goal in Trials and that is to win world championships at any cost. They appear to have little interest in developing junior riders or selling bikes to the the whole trials community, otherwise there would be 125, 200, 250, and 280 models of the 4rt. They continue to buy established world champions off the smaller companys, ie Dougie and Laia, and basically you can't blame the riders for being lured by the dollars. All we really need is for them to buy Raga and we wont have a world championship. Maybe they should have to pay transfer fees to the smaller euro companys , but hey thats not going to stop them is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cota kid Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 I think Honda have one goal in Trials and that is to win world championships at any cost. They appear to have little interest in developing junior riders or selling bikes to the the whole trials community, otherwise there would be 125, 200, 250, and 280 models of the 4rt. They continue to buy established world champions off the smaller companys, ie Dougie and Laia, and basically you can't blame the riders for being lured by the dollars. All we really need is for them to buy Raga and we wont have a world championship. Maybe they should have to pay transfer fees to the smaller euro companys , but hey thats not going to stop them is it. They don't want or need Raga. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petec Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 Not to sure about that , who else is going to win a world championship for them, there's only Raga and Cabestany left to buy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Interesting topic this one and without wanting to start the 2t/4t arguement I do wonder where Honda might have finished in the WTC this last couple of years had they not had the top riders Doug/Fuji & Laia. I also think that at world level the sport needs Yamaha with their Scorpa connection as well as Suzuki & Kawasaki. Going back to the HRC trials bikes the 4RT does seem to be much nearer the production bike you or I can buy than anything Honda supplied to their works riders previously be it two or four stroke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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