Surprised that this hasn't made it to aus.moto as of yet, but there is a
rumour going around that Honda and Ducati were going to swap Rossi and
Bayliss for 2004.

News limited has this story:
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0...-23770,00.html

Anyway I just got off the phone with a mate who is editing the DVD
documentary about Bayliss (to be premiered at the GP in Oct, no less) and he
refuted the story outright. Apparently Troy has got no idea where the story
originated but insists it is complete *******s.

Manning

I think the "rumour" started here.

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/motogp/8085/


"Manning" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bkbjbd$e1f$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Surprised that this hasn't made it to aus.moto as of yet, but there is a
> rumour going around that Honda and Ducati were going to swap Rossi and
> Bayliss for 2004.
>
> News limited has this story:
> http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0...-23770,00.html
>
> Anyway I just got off the phone with a mate who is editing the DVD
> documentary about Bayliss (to be premiered at the GP in Oct, no less) and
he
> refuted the story outright. Apparently Troy has got no idea where the
story
> originated but insists it is complete *******s.
>
> Manning
>
>

"adrian clutterbuck" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I think the "rumour" started here.
>
> http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/motogp/8085/
>

Thanks for the link.

Amazing - the article which is 99% a discussion about Rossi and the
mysterious movements of Ducati executives, contains one idle speculation in
the second last paragraph about the possibility of Bayliss going to Honda
"if the Australian were to get an offer from Repsol HRC".

Somehow News Limited turned that into "Rossi and Bayliss To Swap". There's
some classy journalism there that is.

Manning

I'm sure Mladin thought the same about the rumour that Cagiva were courting Kocinski!
Clem
~
"Manning" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:bkbjbd$e1f$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Surprised that this hasn't made it to aus.moto as of yet, but there is a
> rumour going around that Honda and Ducati were going to swap Rossi and
> Bayliss for 2004.
>
> News limited has this story:
> http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0...-23770,00.html
>
> Anyway I just got off the phone with a mate who is editing the DVD
> documentary about Bayliss (to be premiered at the GP in Oct, no less) and he
> refuted the story outright. Apparently Troy has got no idea where the story
> originated but insists it is complete *******s.
>
> Manning
>
>

"Knobdoodle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bkbpjn$rcfkr$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm sure Mladin thought the same about the rumour that Cagiva were
courting Kocinski!
> Clem
> ~

I don't think my mate was suggesting that the rumour about Ducati courting
Rossi was being denied (or confirmed). The denial was in regard to Repsol
Honda courting Bayliss and/or a swap being on offer.

Cheers
Manning

"Manning" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:bkbr3r$km0$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Knobdoodle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:bkbpjn$rcfkr$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I'm sure Mladin thought the same about the rumour that Cagiva were
> courting Kocinski!
> > Clem
> > ~
>
> I don't think my mate was suggesting that the rumour about Ducati courting
> Rossi was being denied (or confirmed). The denial was in regard to Repsol
> Honda courting Bayliss and/or a swap being on offer.
>
Damn; I was happier thinking Bayliss had somewhere to go!

(....although spreading rumours can backfire on you. When Pete Goddard rode a ROC yamaha for Peter Clifford
he was the top privateer and he kept telling everybody that he was fielding offers to be in a works team next
year.
Naturally Peter Clifford signed up a replacement rider and the when the "works" offers all evaporated, Goddard
was out on his arse and came back to Oz [where he promptly won the championship])
Clem

Will Sutton wrote:

Put it this way, Ducati would love to have the best rider in the World ( and an
Italian at that ) on its bike but I cant see Honda wanting to let him go.

Rossi is a smart guy and knows Ducati are still teething so to speak too early to move ,and
furthermore he would be insane to leave a well established team,if so though Max would slot
perfectly into the Repsol team if Rossi left and then Max would start winning easily on a
factory hahaonda bike,with nobody to catch him (Max was not given 4 x 250cc championships on a
plate he is a tough skilled rider,top 3 for sure) so Rossi has it all to lose if he moves

Furthmore,i don't believe Rossi could really extract much more out of the Ducati at this
stage,in any case 125cc/250cc world champion Loris and SBK champion top guy digger Troy are
doing a great job,nobody could really have a complaint,Ducati SpA agree and both are signed on
for 04'

Rossi would first have to want to leave hahonda and then Ducati can do what William's did to
Senna and make him ride for NOTHING as in no pay just his personal sponsors would be his income
for the ride,that would make hhahondas current $15million a year be great salt in the wound for
them

Finally Rossi is already a better rider than doohan so that makes him one of the best ever for
sure,so the best result is Ducati must win without him otherwise they will say it is him and not
the bike that wins,i believe both Troy and Loris can beat him,only a little bit more work is
required
Currently Loris seems more comfortable on a Ducati MotoGP bike than Troy,but things can turn at
any moment but they best both look out as Hodgson is getting a DesmoMotoGP bike too next season
:-))

CDIHL

Dott.Ing.HatzOlah® wrote:

> Rossi would first have to want to leave hahonda and then Ducati can do
> what William's did to Senna and make him ride for NOTHING as in no pay
> just his personal sponsors would be his income for the ride...

You're getting pretty good at inventing your own version of history. It was
Senna who offered to drive for Williams for free, not the other way round.

Nev..
'02 CBR1100XX #2

"Dott.Ing.HatzOlah®" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> Yeah and lick the boots of a Japanese boss (whale killing one at that!)
>
as opposed to you? well at least bayliss will get some benefit out of that
whereas you on the _other hand_...

and here's something to testify that:
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...625182790.html

"Biggus" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> He would to get on a winning bike, as all the winners are willing to .
>
> Remember Hatz, Italy is shaped like a boot cause they cant get that
> much **** in a shoe....
>
> >Yeah and lick the boots of a Japanese boss (whale killing one at that!)
> >
> >CDIHL
> >
>