natalie leaving?

[bcg717]

yes he is leaving, but does anyone know where he is going?

[veenser2000]

He is not leaving for sure... Honda just hasnt renewed his contract for 2008. He only had a 2 year deal which began in 2006.

[bcg717]

interview on home page with atvriders and natalie.....

*Now that the season is wrapped up, what do you have planned for this winter?*
"I’m going to start training next week for next year already. No rest for the wicked so to speak. I’m going home and start training and working on some new things. I’ll be on a new bike next year. I can’t say what it is yet, but I can say it definitely isn’t going to be red. We’re going to come out a lot stronger next year than we did this year."





Hopefully he is just switching to the white plastic

[mx1791]

he already had white plastics, so i doubt he'll be on a honda. i hope hes not on a ds450 though, i just aint feeling those quads

[veenser2000]

Actually back home (Canada) at the last race I heard a rumor that Greg Gee had signed with Can-Am... and he is Natalies protege.


Heres the rest of the backround :
Atvriders interview with Natalie:

You’ve been working with Greg Gee and Bobby Ross, how’s that going for you?
It’s going good, I have a lot of good protégé’s under me. Greg is coming along, he’s got a lot of speed, his head’s on straight,

Never know

[Rulz]

He's going to be on CanAm!! Hope Bombardier makes a better race quad than their cheap *** SeaDoo wave runners!! But honestly, how much can you expect from the French!?????????

[maticus]

i dont know about you guys but im pissed! im sick of seeing good riders leave honda because the douche bags wont help out the riders and set up a team. dont get me wrong i love my honda and wont ride anything else. but what more is it going to take to get them to step up to the plate, they just had a "factory" rider win both the ama and the wpsa championships and still no word of some support. it kills me when you read an interview about one of your role models and he is ragging on the company because they dont help him out. and its not just him ive talked to other "factory" riders and they said the same thing. i mean how long till the mighty joe byrd has to leave cause he cant stick it out on the red? it just sucks cause as a honda rider you have less and less riders to look up to cause they are all leaving to go to suzuki or kawi teams.

[maticus]

does anybody know of a honda email address i want to write them to let them know how bad they are screwing up.

[Nate Dogg #76]

Originally posted by maticus
i dont know about you guys but im pissed! im sick of seeing good riders leave honda because the douche bags wont help out the riders and set up a team. dont get me wrong i love my honda and wont ride anything else. but what more is it going to take to get them to step up to the plate, they just had a "factory" rider win both the ama and the wpsa championships and still no word of some support. it kills me when you read an interview about one of your role models and he is ragging on the company because they dont help him out. and its not just him ive talked to other "factory" riders and they said the same thing. i mean how long till the mighty joe byrd has to leave cause he cant stick it out on the red? it just sucks cause as a honda rider you have less and less riders to look up to cause they are all leaving to go to suzuki or kawi teams. I agree 100%.

[allstock]

im thinking a ktm or ds

[mx1791]

i have a feeling it will be a ds or a ktm, but im praying he will be on the ktm. i just cant picture him on a suzuki or a kawi though...

[D-7#61-450r]

John Natalie, Greg Gee Can-Am can You? Factory Rig and all. Very sad day for red.:confused:

[Justin#38]

Originally posted by mx1791
i have a feeling it will be a ds or a ktm, but im praying he will be on the ktm. i just cant picture him on a suzuki or a kawi though...

yea i def cant see them on kawis or suzukis and i def dont want to se them on the ds hopefully the Ktm!

[D-7#61-450r]

Nice new Can-Am semi at the last WPSA for someone, Wonder who?

[GIXXER1KR]

Who cares where he goes.Its not the bike its the rider.And i bet both will be nice bikes.Chit i think all the 08 quads will be really nice performers!

[Elduner]

Why should Honda pay??? I bet he is going to Can-Am and they have a good reason to add all those zero's on his check....

I personally could care less about the MX circuit. But it all comes down to what my pop's use to say...

"Money talks, Bullpoop walks!"

[KingpinsEx]

Sure i agree with the statement that Natalie could do well on any bike, which could be said about any of the top pros. However, I find it very interesting how alot of the top pro's have stuck it out with honda for this long without major support. That says alot about their bikes...sure i would like to see a factory team, could you imagine Natalie, Byrd, and a couple other riders?? They would be more than able to compete with Suzuki with some serious factory backing.

I think losing these riders will hurt their sales, but at least honda isn't paying for their choice. It says alot to see guy's like, Weinen, Natalie, Byrd, running honda's even though they arent getting paid the big bucks. It just goes to show what great machines they really are. Unfortunetly a pro's goal is to make a good living at what they do, so when a better deal comes along they have to take it. All i can say is so long Natalie, you will be missed, but for now at least, im staying RED.

And one more thing i would like to say about why honda should keep these rider's and give better factory support. In this high tech day and age, it is nice to see honda's coming out on top. All the media would have you believe is that you cannot win without fuel-injection or an alumium frame, what a bunch of BS. I remeber all the hype about how much better the Kawi will handle due to its narrow front end design. I have yet to see one come out on top. I know i know...its the rider not the machine, but there really is not that much seperating the machines.

[mxraptor149]

Two reasons why Honda will never again support a factory ATV semi and you've all said them both: "I'm still riding RED" and the fact that Honda took both major MX titles this year.

Factory teams and championships are all about SALES! That's why Suzuki and Kawasaki are chasing championships.

People will always buy Honda because they've had bulletproof engines from the start, and people who ride red have an uncanny brand loyalty.

Honda sees no need to dump money into a semi and signing big fat contracts with factory riders because people will continue to buy their quads regardless of their motocross efforts (or lack thereof) as you've all stated, and riders continue to win championships on Hondas even without that factory semi.

You won't see a factory Honda semi in the pits until either A) you all stop buying Honda, or B) no one is winning championships on Honda machines.

It seems foolish that everyone is clammoring for a team, but people like Byrd and some of you Honda riders continue to run their machines. If you want them to change, you've got to show them by forcing them to, and you will accomplish that by not supporting them until they support you fans with a semi and more of a presence at the races.

Their quads may be coming in first, but they are certainly finishing last to every other Quad manufacturer in terms of supporting the industry.

My money's on Natalie pitting out of the Can-Am semi next season.

[KingpinsEx]

Good point about them not needing the advertising. It's interesting that seemly all the top rider's are riding a Honda until another manufactuer pays them to ride one of theirs...

I think the big reason us quad guy's are upset about honda not backing other than losing some very good riders, is that it seems like they are still not giving atv's credit. The same logic could be appiled to their dirtbikes, honda has a reputation and will probably sell regardless, yet honda has factory support to their bike teams. Everyone wants to see this sport advance and Honda is draggin their feet...

[FHKracingZ]

i dont know about that bullet proof engine thing. Honda 450r's are just as unreliable as any 450 when u start modding them.

[Jersey450R]

you never know, John could be bluffing. he's a relly indecisive dude. i dont see him switching for some reason. why would he? because he dosent get support from them? if hes all about money, then i could see him signing a green check, but it seems he does the best on a honda.

[jb500ex]

Originally posted by mxraptor149
Two reasons why Honda will never again support a factory ATV semi and you've all said them both: "I'm still riding RED" and the fact that Honda took both major MX titles this year.

Factory teams and championships are all about SALES! That's why Suzuki and Kawasaki are chasing championships.

People will always buy Honda because they've had bulletproof engines from the start, and people who ride red have an uncanny brand loyalty.

Honda sees no need to dump money into a semi and signing big fat contracts with factory riders because people will continue to buy their quads regardless of their motocross efforts (or lack thereof) as you've all stated, and riders continue to win championships on Hondas even without that factory semi.

You won't see a factory Honda semi in the pits until either A) you all stop buying Honda, or B) no one is winning championships on Honda machines.

It seems foolish that everyone is clammoring for a team, but people like Byrd and some of you Honda riders continue to run their machines. If you want them to change, you've got to show them by forcing them to, and you will accomplish that by not supporting them until they support you fans with a semi and more of a presence at the races.

Their quads may be coming in first, but they are certainly finishing last to every other Quad manufacturer in terms of supporting the industry.

My money's on Natalie pitting out of the Can-Am semi next season.

yamaha doesn't give any more support in atv racing then honda so put them in your statement as well

[jb500ex]

Originally posted by Jersey450R
you never know, John could be bluffing. he's a relly indecisive dude. i dont see him switching for some reason. why would he? because he dosent get support from them? if hes all about money, then i could see him signing a green check, but it seems he does the best on a honda.

no john is with can-am he's not bluffing

[Jersey450R]

Originally posted by jb500ex
no john is with can-am he's not bluffing

This is official?? It was announced?!

[Jersey450R]

16 posts and you rule the forums.


Originally posted by GrowinupMX
He is on a Can Am next year, get over it . Geezs.

i was seeing if it was official or unofficial. if he is so what? no need to get irritated newb. :D

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by GrowinupMX
He is on a Can Am next year, get over it . Geezs.


Ok if he is where is the official press release??????

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by GrowinupMX
Go run some WPSA races and talk to people who know, then u will know. You won't be lookin for a "press release". Thats just to let the world know, the informed already know.


And I suppose you are one of the informed ones? :rolleyes:

[Jersey450R]

time to "grow up"
man u must be from tennessee cause your the only 10-i-see! effin newb.
i'm no top dawg just given you a shout about whats acceptable and whats not on here. this type of topic is very sketchy just to blab about it. i'm 25 years old and stand behind every post i write dude. if you were smart, you would take your wspa hearings and keep them to yourself until the OFFICIAL press release come out, not the unofficial release of some has been 3wheeler. see, now u got me irritated.

sorry, wont post in this thread anymore.

[Pappy]

For someone downing anothers age, you sure are coming off like a school boy:ermm: I am not sure which one of the Adam's you are, but kncok off the crap, take it elsewhere.

[Pappy]

For the record, he deleted his own posts...no wonder

[Jersey450R]

Originally posted by Pappy
For the record, he deleted his own posts...no wonder

i noticed that ;)

[N300exJ]

I hope everyone leaves honda. Its what they deserve. I cant wait to sell my 450r for a real race quad. My 2001 400ex is a better machine than my 05 450r will ever be. Honda is going downhill at a rapid pace. Everything in our garage is honda but not much longer theyve lost our loyalty after 10 years of honda machines.

[450mxh]

Yeh if anybody has a email address for honda let me know I would like to write them a thing or two on how stupid they are to let one of the best quad racers go to some other team. I hope the ironman does well wherever he signs with. I don't see honda winning any wpsa races next year as of right now. Honda will have there wake up call coming sooner they they exspect, and i won't feel sorry for them one bit.

[kyleschonert]

I have heard that Byrd will have a semi in the next few years. It is an 05 bike semi that will be converted for a quad. And he isn't going to leave Honda anytime soon. And there are factory Honda riders, they just don't have rigs like Suzuki, Kawi, and such. But they still get salary.

[450rJam]

I love to see honda's on the podium, me/my wife/and 3 of my kids ride red and they love to brag after a race, when they tell their friends "honda is the best"
it wont drive me to change brands, I started riding honda because of the reliability not the podium finishes, the pro's winning ways are really just icing on the cake
(I really like icing)

if we are talking racing then I have to call bs on the 400ex being a better atv than the 05 450r but I do understand your agrivation

honda is smart, if they are making a move or not making a move there is a reason for it

[hendershot106]

Originally posted by N300exJ
I hope everyone leaves honda. Its what they deserve. I cant wait to sell my 450r for a real race quad. My 2001 400ex is a better machine than my 05 450r will ever be. Honda is going downhill at a rapid pace. Everything in our garage is honda but not much longer theyve lost our loyalty after 10 years of honda machines.

i am a diehard honda rider and i have been on hondas since i was 8 yrs old- i am now 23. my 2000 400ex with 1980;s technology motor is a more durable long lasting machine than my 450r- but not "better" just more reliable- when my honda is running- i love it and its handling- if u race u are gonna break sh+T thats a fact. doesnt matter what brand u ride ur gonna break something- honda 450's have motor and frame problems, yamahas have frame subframe problems, suzuki have had frame problems- how can u knock can am, kawaskaki, and suzuki for being innovative suppportive and learning from their mistakes and redesigning instead of the current honda engineering concept- BOLD NEW GRAPHICS???????????

but i still have two hondas in my garage-- and tomorrow i may have none. or i may continue on with my 06; dumping more and more money into the motor-- but why????

Honestly- no one can blame natalie if he does/has in fact left honda- not like he had anything to leave??? he has put his time in on this sport for many years--- remember watching him on old huevos movies on a 250r?????? Natalie deserves a real "factory" ride.

[jb500ex]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
Ok if he is where is the official press release??????

all the guys under contract now you wont see press releases until the begining of the year. their contracts run until the end of december and usually they do not put press releases out until their contracts are up

[bumble bee band]

I agree to everyone that says honda doesnt support atvs. i wish they would show some love but the the harsh truth from my point of view is that i think honda is making soo much money that they really could care less whats goin on in their atv department. you gotta remember they also make cars, generators, dirtbikes mopeds and i cant even think of whatelse. I love my honda 450r but damn what can you do? congrats to natalie and im proud to say that honda took the podium to all those yamahaters out there who claim their quads rock, this was hondas year and you cant take that away from us oh yeah!

i hate how honda loses riders. I really hope natalie stays with them. I was mad when honda lost carmichael. But for quads losing Natalie would suck.

[xcracer416]

how about the gncc? borich might even give honda a third championship this year. natalie is gonna do what every man should that has a family or wife. if there is greener grass on the other side of the fence graze! natalie is going to still ride as hard and good as always no matter what he is on.

[GrowinupMX]

It's offical and their is a press release.;)

[Predator8me]

Go look in the Can Am section.

[kyleschonert]

I thought Byrd was supposed to be Can-Am:confused: :confused: :rolleyes:

[GrowinupMX]

Joe was the only one Honda signed with for next year and it is for one year only as i understand it.