Wsbk 2003-2004

Free-to-air superbike coverage (highlights) ceased in NZ after 2002 and I didn't get satellite TV until the beginning of the 2006 season so I missed three years of superbikes but at least we did get Motogp coverage. I have detected some negativity towards Neil Hodgson from some forum members - was he not a popular championship winner or has the negativity come from his time in Motogp? Also, more than once the race commentators have mentioned that when Toseland won in 2004 it was a strange year. Anyone care to enlighten me?

[Corny]

2003 was a World Ducati Superbike Championship.. That's why Hodgson was not seen as a champion like Bayliss or so, he simply had the best bike and before he even started with the championship, it was known who was going to win it..
2004 was quit an interesting championship, but still with many Ducati's and only a Honda that could beat them. Laconi and Tose on the Ducati from the works team, and Laconi was probably the faster one but crashed few times (and wasn't taking part in Assen as I can remember), wasn't it? Haga was on a private bike, and from what I could remember he had some trouble in the beginning of the year getting used to the Ducati. And last was Vermeulen on the Ten Kate, they started with a CBR which was almost standard, I can remember in a Dutch interview with Ronald Ten Kate, where he said they were riding half a season with a startersengine (don't know the name of this in english, sorry) and winning races with such a bike.. A Magny Cours showdown gave Toseland his title because he was beating Laconi there.

[racer69]

Haga's problem in 2004 to start with was i think a lack of funds for the Renegade Ducati team. It didn't take him too long to get used to the bike, he won Race 2 of the opening round at Valencia.

Another interesting factor in the season finale was the favouritism in the Fila Ducati team for Regis Laconi, and blank (almost frowns) looks on the teams faces when Toseland upstaged Regis in races 1 & 2 that day.


As for 2003, yes the two Fila bikes were the best, but Hodgson did earn that bike, and someone had to have it. And really, he delivered the results he should have. It was just a pity Xaus took unitl mid-season to give him a decent run for his money.

[ArmchairBikeFan]

When Hodgson won, the factory Ducatis were on incredibly fast Michelin tyres, which Michelin refused to supply anybody else. Also it's said that Ducati didn't make too much effort with their customer bikes that season, so Hodgson and Xaus won just about everything.
I think some of the criticism is a bit unfair on Hodgson as he was actually very quick on a privateer Ducati the year before.

[mx311]

I have detected some negativity towards Neil Hodgson from some forum members - was he not a popular championship winner

NO.

or has the negativity come from his time in Motogp?

It has, but the negativity was already there cause he sucks.

Also, more than once the race commentators have mentioned that when Toseland won in 2004 it was a strange year. Anyone care to enlighten me?

WSBK 2003 and 2004 were Ducati Cups with only the two factory Ducati's really any chance of taking the title. 2003 was a two man race due to the fact that it was the first year of the new 999 and Ducati had the works Michelin tyres. Podgy Hodgy and Xaus were in a class of there own and Ruben spent the first half of the crashing and Hodgy the first half winning thus settling the championship. Really most people agree a blind monkey (or even Kurtis Roberts) could have won the title on a Michelin shod factory 999 in 2003 so Neil didn't really get the respect as 'champion' as the men before and after him.

2004 was still really all Ducati as Ten Kate's project was just getting going. Toseland wasn't as fast as Laconi but he was smarter and won a well deserved title.

Important side note (well question really): Mod man Pat, can we censor the words Neil Hodgson so it only shows up as **** *******? That would make this board much nicer.

Seriously, all the negativity surrounding Neil Hodgson is only in jest, no-one here has a real problem with the bloke, it's just the ease in which he won combined with the fact he's English and alot of us here are Australians make him an ideal candidate for sledging.

[ChrisS]

also the fact that he moved to AMA after motogp in 2005 rather than SBK or BSB didn't help his popularity

a lot of fans saw that move as Hodgson being scared to compete in the series he won the championship against a much more competitive 2005 field

Thanks for your comments everyone, a good balance of opinions. I guess that WSBK credibility was somewhat dented for a while but thankfully 'normal service was resumed' by 2006 when I rejoined the fans around the world watching the fabulous exciting racing that is superbikes.

[Nick@S]

Now we just have to wait for the 1200cc can of worms there seems to be a fair bit of flapping about how they're going to upset the applecart.

[burger]

Haga's problem in 2004 to start with was i think a lack of funds for the Renegade Ducati team. It didn't take him too long to get used to the bike, he won Race 2 of the opening round at Valencia.

Another interesting factor in the season finale was the favouritism in the Fila Ducati team for Regis Laconi, and blank (almost frowns) looks on the teams faces when Toseland upstaged Regis in races 1 & 2 that day.


As for 2003, yes the two Fila bikes were the best, but Hodgson did earn that bike, and someone had to have it. And really, he delivered the results he should have. It was just a pity Xaus took unitl mid-season to give him a decent run for his money.

The 2004 Ducati team reminds me of the Aspar team this year in the 125 class, they favoured Hector Faubel greatly - to the point where they weren't smiling when Gabor Talmacsi rode a great race to win the 125 championship. Good on both he and Toseland for overcoming the odds to beat their favoured team-mates

[burger]

Now we just have to wait for the 1200cc can of worms there seems to be a fair bit of flapping about how they're going to upset the applecart.

Be interesting to see what happens there, as it's been a loooong time since Ducati raced anything in the sbk class that wasn't running very after market pistions, valves, valve springs, cranks, injectors and other goodies the in line (and soon to be V) four manufacturers weren't allowed to use.

My money is on Ducati's exploding everywhere in the first race and then haven't the power wound down to the point where Bayliss crashes chasing Nori in race 2 at Qata r