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Is Jonathan Rea The Best Racer In The World?


Jaybird180

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This is the reason they usually disallow this type of direct comparison. Sometimes when a WSBK (or MotoGP) round is combined with US Superbike round, there will be some change that won't allow apples-apples. In this case, the similarities stop at the fact that both bikes are 1000cc. WSBK bikes have been developed for years with incremental improvements over the years, while MotoGP is subject to major rules changes each year, which sends them back to the drawing board. Sometimes, the rules are changed for the purpose of slowing them down (remember the short era of the 800cc bikes?). I'd theorized that Jonny Rea would be competitive against MotoGP riders, but I had no quantitative measure to say that HE COULD actually be the BEST rider in the World.

 

http://www.motorsport.com/motogp/news/rea-outpaces-the-motogp-riders-on-day-two-at-jerez-853466/

 

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I've seen him struggle on a Honda so you have to wonder if other WSBK riders are struggling because of their bikes. The Kawi is very well developed in race trim.

 

Rea is obviously very good and I won't say he would fail in MotoGP. He has the skills to do well if the right bike/team had an opening. I never bought into the idea that there were only 4 riders standing tall above everyone else. It made more sense to me that there were just 4 bikes (2 Yamahas and 2 Hondas) capable of winning. The 4 aliens proved their talents to secure their rides but surely there were other riders who could stir things up if given a chance. With the spec software in place, this seems to have been the case. Lots more capable of winning and coming close. But the top 3 remains unchanged. The 3 best in the world are still at the top, but on any given Sunday, it is not as certain as it once was. I think Rea would be comparable to CR35 on the same bike. Maybe 3rd or 4th in the championship on a factory bike.

 

The craziest thing I've been hearing is that the test proves the Kawi is good enough to race in MotoGP. I think it proves Michelin has a lot of work to do more than anything. Here's a well written article on the nuances that made the test results possible.

 

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/wsbk/jonathan-rea-motogp-world-superbike-jerez-test-analysis/#more-124980

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  • 1 year later...

We just may get the chance. It was reported this morning that Rea is in talks with Repsol Honda for Dani Pedrosa’s slot on the team.

Things could be very interesting and I predict that Rea and Marquez will be an intra-team rivalry.

Rea is also a physically larger guy and the bike seems to be designed for the smaller statures of the riders like Dani and Marq. Crutchlow’s struggles could be an indication of what Rea will have to face in that concern.

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I doubt Rea would ever become MotoGP champ. Spies, Toseland, Hodgson, Bayliss - many a splendid rider has tried, but the level at the top of MotoGP does seem to be a bit above the peak of any other class.

That doesn't mean I think little of Rea; I cheer him on and love to see him dominate WSBK.

As to the Repsol ride, that has gone to Lorenzo.

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  • 4 months later...

Anyone take note that Rea has secured a 4th consecutive Championship. Rea is the 1st rider to have ever done 2 consecutive, let alone 4! Rea joins the records books; the only other 4X Champion is Carl Fogarty.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Several riders have to titles on the trot, but I believe Rea is the only to take 3 and now 4. He really is dominant in the series, despite having to ride an emasculated bike, enforced on him in an attempt to slow him down. He is so far ahead of the other Kawasaki riders most of the time, I have wondered if Kawasaki give them less competitive material to prevent further engine restrictions for the team.

Didn't he also set a new points record for a season this year? And winning the final 12 races of the season is also darn impressive. I still doubt he has what it takes to beat Marquez, Lorenzo, Dovi and Rossi, though.

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I cannot fathom how he stomps over everyone else. He manages to nearly holeshot every start and from there he charges forward like a raging bull. Then, he hardly makes mistakes either.

Apparently there’s a formula for recognizing talent. As a Honda fan, I’m pretty teed off that Ten Kate couldn’t keep him. But he wouldn’t have had the success on such a lackluster machine- but I’m not sure if it’s the bike or the rider looking at the other Kwak riders in the WSBK field.

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Sometimes, a rider is a perfect match for a bike, like Stoner on the Ducati. Doesn't mean the bike is particularly good, but that the combination is. That seems to be the case with the current Kawasaki, where Rea perhaps is able to use the extra torque that comes with a lower rev limit to good effect, whereas the others may struggle to get the bike to hook up and get drive. Just speculating, but there obviously he has found strengths with the bike others cannot utilize. You see the same thing with Honda in MotoGP, where only MM is consistently winning and taking podiums; it could be that that bike also is very difficult to master, but if you have that extra bit of talent - natural or learned - it  may be possible to explore terrain restricted to "lesser" individuals.

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