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+--- Thread: With hindsight... (/showthread.php?tid=20839)
With hindsight... - HammerHead - 21-09-2015
...was Michael Dunlop right to switch from Yamaha to BMW at the TT?
At the time I don't think there were very many people (me included) who didn't think that he had done exactly the right thing for him. He wasn't to know he'd suffer a fall in the Superbike race which would severely hamper the rest of his meeting (even though he was still able to post the second fastest lap ever on the final lap of the senior).
With Josh Brookes going from strength to strength in BSB (yes, I know on short circuits) and Dean Harrison having such a successful meeting at Scarborough does the decision now look like it might have been an error?
The R1M is, of course, still unproven over the mountain course and so I guess we won't know for sure until after 2016 when we see how it goes with a year of development under it's belt.
I can't make up my mind either way and just wondered what views others had.
RE: With hindsight... - Kursaal Flyer - 21-09-2015
All decisions are based on the facts you have to hand at the time. Its not hard to see that Michael's decision was based on comparing two different makes of bike one and which at that time had winning pedigree the other was new out of the box and still needed development , which in his mind had a better chance of a win. Michael is a winner and wants to stay that way that is way he made the choice to switch bikes. He is more fortunate than most that he is in a posistion to be able to make choices like this , what effect that will have on what rides he get offered in the future only time will tell, but then maybe not .
RE: With hindsight... - DBD 34 - 21-09-2015
Interesting thread,
Personally, at the time I was half and half with MD's decision to switch manufacturers, but in the end I think he made the right decision. The bike has gone on to achieve nothing on the roads in its first full season. I know that DH has stuck with it this year and has had some fair results at the smaller road races but when you talk about Real Road Races the three big meetings are without doubt the TT, NW and UGP and I don't seem to recall any rostrum places for the new R1.
I also wouldn't class MD as"fortunate" because he can choose rides, he can do this for one reason, which is that he is the top man at the moment.
I think that the top teams will understand his passion for winning and realize that as long as they can provide him with a competitive machine then he will wipe the floor with the opposition.