Another interesting article....

[Dawn]

http://www.amasuperbike.com/2004/Feb/040216b.htm

[quicktoy]

that is fricken awesome..imagine the fan base Jordan could bring to our sport

[251am]

 It is awesome for our sport. However, it sounds like he would rather keep it under wraps? Yea or nay Nate? Under wraps or wide open?

[Nate R]

I can't really talk about it now.


As it was said in the article, no comment. Can't say more than that, really. Just wait until the season starts, and the rumors will fly for a while, (as they already have) but reality will show soon enough.  ;) :D ;D

[PJ]

Nate,

Do you work at Gemini? Or do you have some connection there? I used to work alot with Pete and the rest of the guys during the VR 1000 era. Not sure who still works there...

[motomadness]

Nate,

check your e-mail.

[Nate R]

PJ, I do work at Gemini. Drop me an email or PM. I'd love to talk about the place  :D

Did you work with Chris G?

[Xian_13]

Let me take a min to offer my OPinion... Cuz I know everyone really wants to hear it :P

I think its great that he Maybe/May not be Racing.
I for one will treat him no differantly out on that track, then I treat everyone else.

Now the sticky part of my opinion...
If he wants to be Low Key... I understand this, and respect this. I would hate to be in the public Eye and then try and go racing.

However! From all accounts that I have heard about, he is trying to use his good name to make a Racing effort (be it a team or racing himself).
If the AMA artical is true... he is using popularity to get motorcycles, furthermore I heard another rumor today, in his reguards about another sponser.
Getting backing from major companies to support a racing effort based of of who he is...
Well in my opinion...
He through away  the low key effort already.
Lets face it... Yamaha could care less if Xian was on their bike.. thus Xian has to buy his own bikes...
Put MJ on a bike, and you will be sure people know he is on that bike!

[Howlin_Mad]

For the business that may or maynot be backing this effort you can believe it is a business decision.  MJ is a good businessman.  Most of his money didn't come from shooting hoops but other associated interests.  Good luck to him in any regard!

[hooter31]

it's a shame but your right ,what you ride or i ride might help sell maybe a dozen bikes a year...but what MJ rides would probably turn into hundreds of sales

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

No comment! ;D  Those guys sure can dig, though...

[Super Dave]

Ok, so MJ will be part of the road racing community.  Some don't know if he'll ride or if he'll have a team.

Regardless, how will he be treated?  How will the MC industry treat him and his fan base?

When Crystal Benard showed up with Eddie Lawson for the Daytona 200, she just about blended in.  We saw Heather Lockleer at Daytona too.

If you want to live in anonimity, go to a motorcycle road race in the US.

Do you remember when you didn't ride motorcycles?  Do you remember the dealerships being somewhat adversarial?  Personally, I do.  It was like I wasn't part of the "club" and what did I know anyway.  

So, will MJ's appearance be welcomed and cultivated, as he is a very famous person in addition to being a sport bike enthusiaist?  Or will it be met with the lack of emotion that kind of permeates American Motorcycling?

Certainly, if MJ's presence is recognized by the public, it will be through his business decisions...not AMA Pro Racing...although they could do a lot for motorcycle road racing and the teams and riders by helping cultivate this program.

"Yeah, I race motorcycles...just like the one's that 'Mike' rides."

That's a lot different than trying to explain what "motorcycle road racing" is and how they are like "ninja" motorcycles.