2005 BSB - your tip?
 

The teams:

RIZLA SUZUKI (Suzuki GSXR1000K5)
John Reynolds
Scott Smart

HM PLANT HONDA (Honda CBR1000RR)
Michael Rutter
Ryuichi Kiyonari

HONDA GREAT BRITAIN (Honda CBR1000RR)
Karl Harris

RED BULL HONDA (Honda CBR1000RR)
Jonathan Rea

VITRANS HONDA (Honda CBR1000RR)
John Laverty

MONSTERMOB HONDA (Honda CBR1000RR)
(TBA)
Gary Mason
Michael Laverty

VIRGIN MOBILE SAMSUNG YAMAHA (Yamaha YZF R1)
Sean Emmett
Tommy Hill
Richard Wren

HAWK KAWASAKI (Kawasaki ZX10R)
Glen Richards
Dean Thomas

ETI A.I.M RACING KAWASAKI/YAMAHA (Either Kawasaki ZX10R or Yamaha R1)
John Mcguinness

SENDO KAWASAKI (Kawasaki ZX10R)
Steve Plater (TBC)
Jon Kirkham (TBC)

MSS DISCOVERY KAWASAKI (Kawasaki ZX10R)
Julien De Costa

VIVALDI KAWASAKI (Kawasaki ZX10R)
Ben Wilson
Tristan Palmer

GSE DUCATI (Ducati 999 F04)
Leon Haslam
James Haydon

NVIDIA YAMAHA (Yamaha YZF R1)
(TBA)
(TBA)
(TBA)

VALMOTO YAMAHA (Yamaha YZF R1) (TBC)
Craig Jones (TBC)

JENTIN YAMAHA (Yamaha YZF R1)
Dean Ellison


I think it will be another battle between Reynolds and Rutter with Scott Smart, Glen Richards (if he has his confidence back) James Haydon, Sean Emmett trading paint on most circuits.

2005 Race to watch: Thruxton (if its dry) and it is early this season - April I think. We could be looking at a 10 way dice for the lead.
:o:o:o

Its looking good!!!

I reckon that Rutter's the man, familiarity and experience. Reynolds will be there or there abouts, but the Suzuki is an all new bike and with a new team manager - a bit unsettled for he first part of the year I reckon. Scott Smart will take longer to get used to it too - 2006 will be his year!!

I reckon that with the factory backing the ZX10 will spring a few surprises as well, as you say if Glen can get confident then they'll be up there.

Hopefully the Virgin Yamaha will make a better fist of it next year, and there are plenty of great riders on good bikes that can stir things up a bit.

As for Ducatis? We'll I'm hoping for improvement over this year, but they really seemed to struggle with a base setup that would work at all tracks and only really shone on certain tracks - maybe they've resolved issues, but the dominance is now a distant memory and being consistant and competitive on all tracks would be a step in the right direction I reckon.

Only 16 weeks or so to go!!!

Tim:frog:

Probably between Reynolds and Rutter again, but this time it's Rutter on the developed bike and Reynolds with the new model (though not that much different)

Haydon and Haslam could be the dark horses - Leon just needs to up one more level to be a true challenger I think.

I can see Tommy Hill mixing it up front this year too and a real threat in 2006

I hope it's one of the Duke boys, but if not the I'd like to see Rutter win it - be great for his dad Tony too - I was standing next to him when Mike was on the Kawasaki at Rockingham and the crowd were all chearing him on, Tony looked like the proudest person on Earth when he won.

So I'll be chearing on Leon and Micheal - just like 20 years ago when I watched Ron and Tony
:burn:

My money's on Rutter,but i've lost count of how many times he's started a season as "favorite" for the title,then it all goes wrong! If he can stay consistant he should do it!!
As for the GSE Ducati team,Haslem should be quite strong at some tracks but top ten at others(not consistant enough to lift the title) & Haydon will highside everywhere!!:lol:

I feel that the young guns of Harris and Haslam (sounds like a firm of solicitors!) will do well this year.

Rutter will go well no they have reliable data from the tracks, Reynolds also if he can get the new bike do what the old one did.

Haydon to go well if he stays blackside down for a few races!!

Rutter will blow it yet again. JR will probably win it with Haslam pretty close too. Haydon will get most crashes award - but that prediction hardly makes me the oracle does it!

I'd like to see Rutter take it, but every season seems to be the same - start strong, fade in the middle and then finish strong. If he can be more consistant then I think he'll take some beating this year.