Pierre

I keep hoping this will be John's break out year. Tough to start it with injures. Things not quite as bad as first thought, apparently. From Hopper's web site: Hopkins aiming to be fit for first round in Qatar Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer John Hopkins has been evaluated by on orthopaedic specialist in England following his heavy crash in Qatar on Thursday, with encouraging results. Following the 190+km/h crash initial reports were of several injuries, but following a thorough assessment Hopkins has a fracture in the second toe of his right foot, some damage to both hands and acute bumps and bruises over his whole body. The Anglo-American will undertake intensive physiotherapy work in Great Britain and with Team Physio Dean Miller this week, and will join Rizla Suzuki MotoGP at Jerez in Spain for the second Official MotoGP Test starting on Friday. It is not yet known whether he will be fit enough to ride. Hopkins will continue to be assessed by Miller and the Rizla Suzuki rider will continue with his convalescence over the next couple of weeks to guarantee that he is fit enough to take his place on the grid for the first round of the season at Losail in Qatar on Saturday 10th March. Dean Miller – Team Physio: “John was re-evaluated in the United Kingdom on Friday 16th February. The fracture to the right second toe is confirmed. John saw an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in wrist and hand injuries and further evaluative X-rays were negative for any additional complications. The bumps and bruises and the sprain/strain injuries to the soft tissue areas of the hands, wrists, arms and overall body are of some concern. John will rest and recuperate over the next few days and join the Team in Jerez this week, we do not know as yet whether he will be fit to ride in the test because the main aim of John, Suzuki and myself is that he will be 100% fit for the first round of the season at Qatar next month.”

LOL! I sure hope Honda shows the Kentucky Kid some respect this year. He'll be wearing the # 1 plate fer cryin' out loud. # 1 looks good on a full size bike. On Pedrosa's, it'd look more like an apostrophe.

February 15 2007 Flash: Hopkins in hospital By: Matthew Birt http://tinyurl.com/3a3l6t

IRTA Qatar Tests last day : 1.Dani Pedrosa (Spa/Honda) 1'55,471 (now 800's are faster - this broke Stoner's Q time last year) 2.John Hopkins (USA/Suzuki) 1'55,825 (crashed hard - may miss Jerez) 3.Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 1'55,954 4.Alex Hoffman (Ger/Ducati) 1'56,315 5.Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 1'56,371 6.Randy De Puniet (Fra/Kawasaki) 1'56,753 7.Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 1'56,807 8.Casey Stoner (Aus/Ducati) 1'57,834 9.Alex Barros (Bra/Ducati) 1'56,950 10.Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda) 1'56,980 11.Shinya Nakano (Jap/Honda) 1'56,980 12.Makoto Tamada (Jap/Yamaha) 1'57,232 13.Toni Elias (Spa/Honda) 1'57,246 14.Nicky Hayden (USA/Honda) 1'57,629 15.Chris Vermeulen (Aus/Suzuki) 1'57,365 16.Kenny Roberts Jr (USA/KR Honda) 1'57,408 17.Carlos Checa (Spa/Honda) 1'57,497 18.Sylvain Guintoli (Fran/Yamaha) 1'58,379 19.Shinichi Ito (Jap/Ducati tyre test rider) 1'58,974 20.Andrew Pitt (Aus/Ilmor) 2'00,455 21.Olivier Jacque (Fra/Kawasaki) 2'02,081 22.Jeremy McWilliams (Gbr/Ilmor) 2'02,612 Losail lap record : Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2006, 1m57.305s Losail pole record: Casey Stoner (Honda) 2006, 1m55.683s

Race lap, yes. However, Stoner turned in a 1:55 and change in qualifying last year on the 990. (006 Qatar Grand Prix – 8/04/2006 (990cc) :Pole position: Casey Stoner AUS Honda LCR (M) 1min 55.683secs) Not sure if they are running qualifying rubber at all in testing - so no idea if it's fair to look at last year's qualifying laps. Still, pretty impressive out of the box. Edwards sure looks good right now. Why? Guess he likes the 800. FWIW - I'll be gone most of the day so won't get day 3 posted until later. Anyone having access please feel free to update.

Qatar day two : 1.Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 1'56,296 2.Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 1'56,537 3.Dani Pedrosa (Spa/Honda) 1'56,712 4.Carlos Checa (Spa/Honda) 1'56,874 5.Casey Stoner (Aus/Ducati) 1'57,040 6.John Hopkins (USA/Suzuki) 1'57,065 7.Shinya Nakano (Jap/Honda) 1'57,274 8.Randy De Puniet (Fra/Kawasaki) 1'57,288 9.Kenny Roberts Jr (USA/KR Honda) 1'57,504 10.Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda) 1'57,591 11.Nicky Hayden (USA/Honda) 1'57,629 12.Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 1'57,698 13.Chris Vermeulen (Aus/Suzuki) 1'57,770 14.Alex Hoffman (Ger/Ducati) 1'57,999 15.Alex Barros (Bra/Ducati) 1'58,513 16.Makoto Tamada (Jap/Yamaha) 1'58,610 17.Toni Elias (Spa/Honda) 1'58,990 18.Sylvain Guintoli (Fran/Yamaha) 1'59,617 19.Shinichi Ito (Jap/Ducati tyre test rider) 1'59,620 20.Andrew Pitt (Aus/Ilmor) 2'02,453 21.Olivier Jacque (Fra/Kawasaki)000000 22.Jeremy McWilliams (Gbr/Ilmor) 000000

Not quite yet. No 800 machine has matched the fastest qualifying lap from the 990 era. Here's Qatar in '06. 2006 Qatar Grand Prix – 8/04/2006 (990cc): Pole position: Casey Stoner AUS Honda LCR (M) 1min 55.683secs Fastest race laps (by manufacturer): Yamaha: Valentino Rossi ITA Camel Yamaha (M) 1min 57.305secs Honda: Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda (M) 1min 57.381secs Ducati: Sete Gibernau SPA Ducati Marlboro ( 1min 57.523secs KR211V Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 1min 58.202secs Suzuki: John Hopkins USA Team Suzuki MotoGP ( 1min 58.765secs Kawasaki: Shinya Nakano JPN Kawasaki Racing Team ( 1min 58.913secs

Unofficial lap times day one Qatar : 1.Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 1'56,774 2.Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 1'56,891 3.Casey Stoner (Aus/Ducati) 1'56,960 4.Kenny Roberts Jr (USA/KR Honda) 1'57,064 5.Nicky Hayden (USA/Honda) 1'57,070 6.John Hopkins (USA/Suzuki) 1'57350 7.Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 1'57,360 8.Carlos Checa (Spa/Honda) 1'57,370 9.Alex Barros (Bra/Ducati) 1'57,690 10.Dani Pedrosa (Spa/Honda) 1'57,700 11.Randy De Puniet (Fra/Kawasaki) 1'57,730 12.Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda) 1'57,760 13.Alex Hoffman (Ger/Ducati) 1'57,800 14.Shinya Nakano (Jap/Honda) 1'57,850 15.Chris Vermeulen (Aus/Suzuki) 1'57,900 16.Makoto Tamada (Jap/Yamaha) 1'58,408 17.Olivier Jacque (Fra/Kawasaki) 1'58,740 18.Toni Elias (Spa/Honda) 1'59,400 19.Sylvain Guintoli (Fran/Yamaha) 1'59,700 20.Shinichi Ito (Jap/Ducati tyre test rider) 1'59,966 21.Andrew Pitt (Aus/Ilmor) 2'01,667 22.Jeremy McWilliams (Gbr/Ilmor) 2'10,341

Unofficial Lap times of the last day (laps) : 1.Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 2'00,248 (46) 2.Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) 2'00,793 (43) 3.Randy De Puniet (Fra/Kawasaki) 2'02,071 (63) 4.Olivier Jacque (Fra/Kawasaki) 2'02,607 (55) 5.Makoto Tamada (Jap/Tech 3 Yamaha) 2'03,380 (35) 6.Sylvain Guintoli (Fra/Tech 3 Yamaha) 2'04,636 (35) 7.Andrew Pitt (Aus/Ilmor SRT) 2'07,393 (70) Record lap (race rubber) 990cc : Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2006 - 2'02.127 Record lap (qualifying rubber) 990cc : Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2006 - 2'00.605

Sepang Test: Day 2 Unofficial Times 1. Valentino Rossi- Yamaha Racing 2’02.099 – 53 laps 2. Colin Edwards- Yamaha Racing 2’02.118 – 44 3. Randy de Puniet – Kawasaki Racing 2’02.554 – 67 4. Makoto Tamada – Yamaha Tech 3 2’02.745 – 46 5. Olivier Jacque – Kawasaki Racing 2’03.761 – 60 6. Sylvain Guintoli – Yamaha Tech 3 2’05.002 – 50 7. Andrew Pitt – Ilmor GP 2’07.923 - 47

MotoGP Test - Sepang Feb 5, 2007 Day One: Unofficial Times 1. Colin Edwards – Yamaha Racing 2’02.175 – 47 laps 2. Valentino Rossi – Yamaha Racing 2’02.221 – 40 3. Randy de Puniet – Kawasaki Racing 2’02.966 – 85 4. Makoto Tamada – Yamaha Tech 3 2’03.219 – 68 5. Olivier Jacque – Kawasaki Racing 2’03.959 – 60 6. Sylvain Guintoli – Yamaha Tech 3 2’06.558 – 55 7. Andrew Pitt – Ilmor GP 2’08.640 - 49

Phillip Island official lap records (990cc): Pole position: Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda 1min 29.020secs (2006) Fastest race lap: Marco Melandri ITA Movistar Honda 1min 30.332secs (2005) 2006 Australian Grand Prix interrupted by rain.

Ducati fast. Suzuki with grip problems (again). Hayden will need a new (larger) bike - ouch. Yamaha MIA this round. Shaping up as a very interesting year. Day 1 1.Alex Barros (Bra/Ducati D'antin) 1'30,60 2.Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda Gresini) 1'30,70 3.Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati) 1'30,78 4.Nicky Hayden (USA/Honda) 1'31,18 5.Dani Pedrosa (Spa/Honda) 1'31,29 6.Casey Stoner (Aus/Ducati) 1'31,40 7.Alex Hoffman (Ger/Ducati D'Antin) 1'31,50 8.Carlos Checa (Spa/Honda LCR) 1'31,80 9.John Hopkins (USA/Suzuki) 1'31,80 10.Kenny Roberts Jr (USA/KR Honda) 1'31,90 11.Toni Elias (SPA/Honda Gresini) 1'32,00 12.Chris Vermeulen (Aus/Suzuki) 1'32,00 13.Shinya Nakano (Jap/Honda Konica Minolta) 1'32,23 Day 2: 1.Alex Barros (Bra/Ducati D'antin) 1'30,01 2.Loris Capirossi (Ita/Ducati)1'30,34 3.Casey Stoner (Aus/Ducati) 1'30,39 4.Dani Pedrosa (Spa/Honda)1'30,45 5.Alex Hoffman (Ger/Ducati D'Antin) 1'30,60 6.Nicky Hayden (USA/Honda)1'30,61 7.Marco Melandri (Ita/Honda Gresini) 1'30,74 8.Carlos Checa (Spa/Honda LCR) 1'30,84 9.Chris Vermeulen (Aus/Suzuki) 1'31,19 10.Shinya Nakano (Jap/Honda Konica Minolta) 1'31,35 11.Kenny Roberts Jr (USA/KR Honda) 1'31,55 12.John Hopkins (USA/Suzuki) 1'31,65

Day 2: 1.John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki, 2'01.64 2.Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki, 2'02.00 3.Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha, 2'02.43 4.Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda, 2'03.28 5.Makoto Tamada (JPN) Yamaha, 2'03.36 6.Toni Elias (SPA) Honda, 2'03.55 7.Carlos Checa (SPA) Honda, 2'04.27 8.Tadayuki Okada (JPN) Honda Test Rider, 2'04.44 Day 3: (cream rises) 1. Valentino Rossi - Yamaha Racing 2'00.936 2. John Hopkins - Rizla Suzuki 2'01.026 3. Loris Capirossi - Ducati MotoGP 2'01.274 4. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda 2'01.664 5. Chris Vermeulen - Rizla Suzuki 2'01.691 6. Randy De Puniet - Kawasaki Racing 2'01.878 7. Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda 2'01.884 8. Colin Edwards - Yamaha Racing 2'02.266 9. Casey Stoner - Ducati MotoGP 2'02.407 10. Marco Melandri - Honda Gresini 2'02.489 11. Carlos Checa - Honda LCR 2'02.583 12. Alex Barros - Pramac d'Antin 2'02.630 13. Toni Elias - Honda Gresini 2'02.927 14. Alex Hofmann - Pramac d'Antin 2'03.040 15. Shinya Nakano - Konica Minolta Honda 2'03.077 16. Makoto Tamada - Yamaha Tech 3 2'03.308 17. Kenny Roberts JR - Team Roberts 2'03.330 18. Olivier Jacque - Kawasaki Racing 2'03.592 19. Shinichi Ito - Bridgestone MotoGP 2'03.973

Sepang Test Times - Day One: 1. John Hopkins - Rizla Suzuki 2’02.277 2. Chris Vermeulen - Rizla Suzuki 2’03.049 3. Valentino Rossi - Yamaha Racing 2’03.184 4. Colin Edwards - Yamaha Racing 2’03.337 5. Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda 2’03.413 6. Loris Capirossi - Ducati Marlboro 2’03.538 7. Randy De Puniet - Kawasaki Racing 2’03.542 8. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda 2’03.620 9. Makoto Tamada - Yamaha Tech3 2’03.785 10. Casey Stoner - Ducati Marlboro 2’03.944 11. Alex Hofmann - Pramac d'Antin 2’04.003 12. Alex Barros - Pramac d'Antin 2’04.011 13. Kenny Roberts Jr. - Team Roberts 2’04.088 14. Carlos Checa - Honda LCR 2’04.101 15. Shinya Nakano - Konica Minolta Honda 2’04.138 16. Marco Melandri - Gresini Honda 2’04.270 17. Shinichi Ito - Bridgestone MotoGP 2’04.641 18. Toni Elías - Gresini Honda 2’04.710 19. Olivier Jacque - Kawasaki Racing 2’04.718 20. Sylvain Guintoli - Yamaha Tech3 2’07.403

This is a little scary. Any UK guys have more details? http://tinyurl.com/tkrau

On my sport i, I simply wrapped the CRG cradle around the existing clip on bar end. Since the bar end was a little too large (in circumference), I had a machinist cut a groove into the bar end sufficient to accommodate the mirror mount. FWIW, I use a full size CRG on the left, and the small convex CRG on the right. A workable combo for me, and I've had them on there for 4 years now.

Dude! You own two of the finest motorcycles made. Don't worry! Be happy!

It's a beauty, Carl. Congratulations!

http://tinyurl.com/y29j2n

Ya' know, as a confirmed liberal I can't entertain those thoughts out loud. But it's hard not to enjoy them vicariously. god bless you bad dude.

Well, we're not raging so much any more, nor are we nearly as bitter as we were prior to November 7.

OK, songs it is. I too find it a curious response. Almost like GG has become a lost lover. But then, I suppose, what is more intimate than having exchanged ideas with another mind? Perhaps we simply pine for what we've lost. OK - I can deal with that. So I turn for inspiration to words penned by my favorite song writer / poet - Leonard Cohen. From "the Tower of Song." For you GG: I see you standing on the other side I don't know how the river got so wide I loved you baby, way back when And all the bridges are burning that we might have crossed But I feel so close to everything that we lost We'll never have to lose it again Now I bid you farewell, I don't know when I'll be back They're moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track But you'll be hearing from me baby, long after I'm gone I'll be speaking to you sweetly From a window in the Tower of Song Yeah my friends are gone and my hair is grey I ache in the places where I used to play LC 1988

Now that's funny. True maybe, but still really funny.

Seen this kind of thing on several boards recently. The right wing (self anointed non-whiners / bleeding heart haters) this side of the pond are, as a group, having a bit of an epiphany of late. And it has nothing to do with David per se. Unfortunate, but revealing.