meyermetal, on 14 April 2012 - 06:54 PM, said:

Roger  was testing at Glen Helen one sat in about 1999 /2000 , he was on a 125 zook , we were doubling through a decent sized sixpac section side by side with me on the left , I out accelerated him out of the section ( I was on a 250 ) and beat him to the left hander and my speed made me drift up into the berm and I squezzed him pretty good , I was expecting a vist back in the pits but he never said anything , that was the closest I ever came to talking to him

Edited by DH367, 14 April 2012 - 07:36 PM.

vidarapido, on 14 April 2012 - 05:16 PM, said:

Bubba has had more than one opportunity "to spend some time around Roger", while a member of MXON teams. If Roger, "commands respect" why did James claim he was lied to about being included on the MXON team 2 years ago forcing Roger to explain himself?

Roger doesn't need Bubba's circus act, and he'd had enough of the interfering father type when he canned Allesi.

vidarapido, on 14 April 2012 - 05:16 PM, said:

And you discovered this while you were working with him? Seriously you make it sound like you've spent a considerable amount of time around Roger and witnessed this first hand, which I'm going to make a wild ass guess that if Roger bumped into you on the street he wouldn't know your name. Hey it's just a guess, and if it's true it shows that you are only guessing and hoping blah blah blah.

meyermetal, on 14 April 2012 - 06:54 PM, said:

I tested for Honda when he was there..

MotoEye, on 14 April 2012 - 07:53 PM, said:

James' immaturity is well documented. The MXON is one thing, U.S. National titles are quite another. I predict that James will reach a point in his career where he will either fade away because he took the money or get hungry for titles

DH367, on 14 April 2012 - 07:33 PM, said:

You expected retaliation. He's way too professional for that. When I rode with him at Perris, he went out on a 250 and ran with both Steve Lamson and Ron Turner, the Vet champ then. They both said Roger still had National pace speed at that time.

KTMRider4Life, on 15 April 2012 - 07:36 AM, said:

i was fortunate enough to spend a week around him testing Hondas. I seek not recognition, credibility or even respect from anybody. I merely wish to share my experiences and opinions in a fun way. All you can do is try to make yourself feel important by doubting everyone else. Good Luck with that.........

vidarapido, on 15 April 2012 - 12:11 PM, said:

not really , Im sure he could have stuffed me in the next turn if he thought I had it coming , I was kind of joking about expecting him to say something.......... just sharing my experiance with RD , and I get what you say about being doubted on here , it's the nature of the internet beast , there are so many BSER'S on here a lot of guy's first reaction is to doubt what they read , pretty sad really that you almost can't say anything anymore without someone calling you on it

Edited by DH367, 15 April 2012 - 12:35 PM.

vidarapido, on 15 April 2012 - 11:58 AM, said:

Good enough for me

I really don't think James should ever race again.  I obvious that he does not know how to ride around traffic.  He has a serious ego issue on the track, you would figure that Coach Gibbs would have been about to harness that beast.  As a competitor james is a lost cause.

I would respect him in the same way most of us respect Pastrana, for his innovation and enthusiasm.  Just keep him in the backyard making videos.

DH367, on 15 April 2012 - 12:27 PM, said:

I'll give you guys a moto history lesson that I experienced and any one correct me if I'm wrong. I met Eric Crippa at Chowchila during a CNC race and Honda come ride with us day and again at Hollister on another come ride with us day. We hit it off and he asked me if I was interested in doing some testing with them. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I got that one right and said HELL YEAH! I gave him my info and never expected him to call but he did in the winter of 90 and I flew down to LA. Steve Lamson was at the Chowchilla race and came to test at the same time as well as Ron Turner the vet champ at the time. Not only was Roger there but Bruce Oglevie many time Baja champ was there too. Stanton was supposed to be there but never showed. It rained like hell the few days preceeding the testing and Stanton went home I guess. I had to test at Perris, Carlsbad and a desert location that Ron Turner knew of. I think we were supposed to go somewhere else but I forget.

I had to sign a huge disclosure agreement and Eric would transport me around to the places where they were going to test. It was like living a dream. I got to go into Honda race HQ where few get to go. They searched me for cameras at the gate and reminded me of the disclosure agreement that i had signed. I saw Rick Johnsons #13 bike with the camel hide seat cover as well as Stanton's and Bayle's National bikes. To be honest, aside from it being Hondas shop, it was just another warehouse stuffed full of shelving, a machine shop, a dyno room and an assembly area. All the secrets and trick stuff was well hidden and put away. One thing they take very, very seriously is their privacy as any technology that got in their competitors hands could cost them millions. Eric told me that he actually had to destoy all R&D mules as well as all Honda race bikes after they were done with them. Because someone sold tricks parts one time, Honda sent a witness with him to watch them being destroyed.

We went to Carlsbad to test and we were waiting for the track to dry out and Cycle News or one of the street bike mags showed up to use the drag strip and you should have seen it. They immediately, literally threw all of the bikes into the trucks as fast as they could and split before the magazine got wind of what they were doing. Intense! I was bummed because I was so close to riding Carlsbad and got robbed! The statute of limitation has run out on the agreement I signed but I will honor my original agreement ,respect Honda's privacy and not tell what kinds of bikes were being tested or what was done to them.

Testing bikes for a living is HARD WORK! You drive for hours to get to the place, pound on a bike for an hour or more, fill out a detailed questionaire and do the same thing over again for as many bikes as they have. It doesn't pay that much and you have to be ready when they call. It might be different these days, I don't know. I'm pretty sure I could have gotten a job in R&D but between all the secrecy, the traveling and the insane hours, I made more money at home with a lot less hassle and I was p*ssy whipped at the time. Oh well.... I have nothing but respect for those who do it though! A major turn off was sitting in southern California traffic for what seemed like eternities at a time and seeing 8 lanes in either direction for as far as I could see just parked there. I don't know how they do it!

For those that don't who Eric Crippa is, he was Kent Howertons mechanic when Kent discovered the clutching technique that is so popular today and won a bunch of national titles aboard a Mag 250 Husqvarna. He was also Chuck Sun's mechanic when he won his world title as well as Andre Malherbe when he won his. Eric was responsible for many of the developments that took Honda's CR125 to many national titles as well as being a part of the XR600's many Baja wins. He is also a multi time Golden Wrench winner and deservedly so. (Some punk ass stole his golden wrenches out of his storage and I hope he got them back or re issued.) He has been totally committed to dirt bike racing, Honda and his job and spent countless hours working on engines and other things. He is a cool guy with a wicked sense of humor and likes to have a lot of fun. The man has a rare understanding of motorcycles and it was a true delight to make his aquaintence. He told hilarious stories and my favorite was the one where he wrecked the Husqvarna bus up in Washington I believe. The thing that I liked the best about him is that he was down to earth and just a regular guy. I hope that he and his family are well and he is in a happy place.

ALL HAIL ERIC CRIPPA!!!!

Edited by vidarapido, 15 April 2012 - 06:16 PM.

  Thanks for sharing the story......and yes I am one jealous son of a *****

Edited by Rich_Bing, 15 April 2012 - 05:26 PM.

Ya JGR bike threw Milsaps on his head in New Orleans heat race. Looked like tire or suspension to me. That bike sucks PEROID

djtroy, on 15 April 2012 - 11:24 PM, said:

So you see it as a Yamaha "bike error" AGAIN and nothing to do with the rider or track conditions huh  ?? Let's finally look at this bullshit claim you and others continue to   about with the Pro built Yamahas. Davy seems to be doing very well on the Yamaha ever since HE lost over 30lbs and got into shape. He has been on the podium this year and I've not once heard ANYWHERE that he has accused his bike of being unsafe or subpar, have YOU??

As for James Stewart and the Yamaha, I read a great article recently that put it better than anyone else that has an opinion on which is at fault for his disasterous riding the last couple of years.  Stewart has been on the Yamaha since start of the 09 testing season. He's had very top notch people with him the whole way working including THE FACTORY as well to make this bike completely comfortable for him and yet he's continued to never take any blame for his riding and pretty much soley puts all blame on Yamaha.

Now if you nelly's will just stop and take off your Stewart rose colored glasses for a moment and realize that Stewart has had going on 4 YEARS of riding to feel his way through what he wants out of this bike but yet these EXPERTS in the industry cannot give him EXACTLY what he is asking for because the custom built FOR HIM Yamaha is still THAT BAD right?? Well then I guess reality will never set into your thick skulls and you will continue to post stupid shit like I quoted!

djtroy, on 15 April 2012 - 11:24 PM, said:

dont forget about that KTM that sent malcolm stewart flying , what a total piece of shit

and the kawasaki that tossed weimer , bike is just junk

vidarapido, on 15 April 2012 - 12:11 PM, said:

So you think Roger should put a rider whose "immaturity is well documented" on a KTM for the Nationals? The Nationals that James already has a contract to race in for 2012 but many doubt he'll be involved in at this point? The Nationals that James' only appearance in for several years was at Unadilla in 2010?

At that race Roger witnessed his rookie rider beat James in the first moto handily, then saw James pack it in while well back in the pack and leave the track during the second moto, before complaining later on he was lied to about the MXON.

Roger has a rider that has won a National title with him and another by the name of Roczen, who will probably be on the 450 at KTM beside Dungey, challenging the top dogs in a year or so. Roger's not an idiot. He's bringing the KTM brand along nicely and doesn't need the JS7 drama anywhere near his tent.

As far as your prediction goes, the first part has already happened in the eyes of many. He can be as hungry for titles as he's ever been but younger, faster riders have arrived and shown they can beat him, as always happens in sport and that trend will only continue.

Bottom line is...

Stewart sucks AND his bike is crap.

The proof could not have been more apprent during last weekends race(s).

Stewart sucks theory - His brother Malcolm sucks just as well.  It's in their genes.  Just watch all of the lites races (East) and take note of what happens to MS.  His repeated bad decisions and repeated crashing is not much different from James'.

Bike is crap theory - Watch the footage again and look closely at what caused DM to crash.

LoneriderAZ, on 16 April 2012 - 07:18 AM, said:

I watched that footage over and over and in my not so professorial opinion it was the sea shells

meyermetal, on 16 April 2012 - 07:36 AM, said:

Had JS7 raced those seashells would definately have been the cause of his crash as well.

djtroy, on 15 April 2012 - 11:24 PM, said:

Funny how he lost the front end like he did. The bike needs a redisign and everyone knows it. In their attempt to centralize mass they took an already ill handling chassis and made it worse. Bummer.

MotoEye, on 16 April 2012 - 05:59 AM, said:

I agree with you for the most part but I still think Roger could work wonders with James if James' head were in it. I still believe that James has talent that doesn't come along very often and it is a bummer to see the current state of things. There's always hope though. You're pretty hung up on the MXON thing are'nt you?

Edited by vidarapido, 16 April 2012 - 11:09 AM.