While there are signs of the motorcycle industry recovering from the global recession, the US motorcycle race scene still shows signs of a mighty struggle. Riders who have never seen an unemployed day in ten years are facing their second year of forced bench-sitting. Now comes word that several American riders may be forced to ride in the British national series this season.
One of the biggest indicators of better times coming is the fact that all of the big four manufacturers have new streetbikes for 2011. While some of this is owed to scheduling, or faith if you will, the OEMs usually have hard sales forecasting data to support a new model introduction.
It will take some time for that faith to show itself in the form of a circa 2002 racing support deal for a rider or team, and many riders would rather do anything but sit on the sidelines.
The last time the US economy and motorcycle industry took a major bounce, riders like Dave Aldana and Mike Baldwin wiled away their time by racing in World Endurance events all over Europe and Japan. It was a paying gig that helped both riders later in their career. Baldwin made good contacts in Europe and Aldana added yet another chapter (or two) to his 'left the rental car hanging in the tree' legend.
Sources in Europe link former American MotoGP rider John Hopkins with a Monster-sponsored British Superbike ride for 2011. Additionally, some sources say that Jake Zemke will go with him, while other sources say that Zemke may try to do his own team here in DMG. Zemke has not returned any phone calls requesting comment.
While Hopkins raced in Europe, Brit-based PR outfits treated his being born in America as merely a formality. Hopkins lineage is British based, but he was born in America (unlike Jamie Hacking who was born in the UK and became a US citizen). Hopkins' feelings on the UK can be summed up with one look at him shirtless--Hopkins has a Union Jack tattoo on his back. Additionally he is known to have owned property in the UK.
If Hopkins does race BSB this year, it'll be a homecoming that many across the pond have been waiting for.
