Toseland's style praised by someone, criticized by others.

Toseland's debut in MotoGp has surprised riders as well commentators for his ability to adapt to a totally new bike and riding technique. While moving from 250 to 800cc is certainly less traumatic today than in the past, for WSBK riders MotoGp is still very different to what they are used to. Regardless since the last winter tests "Giacomino" Toseland has proved to be totally comfortable with his M1, to the point that only his Yamaha top speed seemed to be the limit factor in the first two races of the season. If in the straights, he has been relegated in holding slipstreams of other faster bikes, oppositely he has been very aggressive overtaking other riders going into the turns. We, MotoGp enthusiasts, have been delighted by his breathtaking maneuvers but he has definitely upset if not frightened other riders.
If touching or hitting other competitors is, to a certain degree, something normal in Superbike, we cannot claim the same for MotoGp. Every time it happens fans are very quick in finding the past actions, or skeletons in riders closets. So, today I read that Capirossi and Vermeulen have vented their criticism toward Toseland abrupt passing in the first two rounds of the season, with Loris claiming that if it should happened again he will find himself among the spectators! Indeed Vermuelen's experience must have been quite unpleasant since his leather suit got somehow ripped during the regrettable contact. Another rider suffering Toseland's roughness was Lorenzo, who if certainly astonished by Toseland's move, didn't complain too much especially after the incredible performance at his first race in Qatar. On his end, Toseland has not been apologetic for his moves, stating that he has not choice if not to pass on the brakes. In my opinion his moves are certainly very dangerous and in the long run could take out some riders out. Yes, he is passing on the brakes, but only a few feet away from reaching the apex, while the other rider is almost on the point to accelerate again while looking at the exit of the turn. While his move is still acceptable, I do recognize that the other rider will realize that Toseland is taking his inside only when his body and/or bike get hit or brushed by the English rider.
Unfortunately to win a racer has to get to the border line of what is acceptable or not, gambling with a potential crash or victory at every turn during the most critical moments of the race. Capirossi, who I esteem as a stout rider, has some famous skeletons too in his career as shown in the following video.

Would you have flipped that coin?

In joining the Team Green, that in my broken English I often refer to as the green tea-m, has Hopper tossed a coin in the air or not? From the money perspective I am sure that it was a no brain, but on the track, do you think that Hopkins is going to have a brighter future with Kawasaki versus what he could have achieved with Suzuki? If we looked at the time sheet at the end of the second day of testing in Sepang, he was damn right: 2’02”200, very close to Pedrosa’s pole position of 2’01”877 and ahead of his ex-teammate Vermeulen with the best lap time of 2’02”344. Now my question is: has he left Suzuki because he thought that the bike had reached the full potential? Was he afraid of missing the possibility to fight for the World Title with the baby blue Rizla Suzuki? But if he was concerned with the Suzuki potential, at the time he signed up the contract did he know that next season Kawasaki would use the 2007 model? The bike has certainly improved in the last two years but the marginal improvements of an “old” project are going to guarantee the level of performance needed to win? I am confused and at the same time intrigued to discover what has guided the MotoGp riders during the “Silly Season” as our friend Jimmy calls it in his Armchairbikefan blog

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