The title of World Champion has become a bit debased, especially in motorcycle racing.

There a number of World Champions every year in a range of different classes. These range from Superbikes to the two learner categories for MotoGP.  Does a light weight jockey sized kid on a 125 really stack up against the best riders in the MotoGP field?

If we look at the progress of the best rider in the world, in the 250cc and now Moto2, class overall results show there is usually a gap in skill. It is usual for the 250cc graduates to struggle in their first year in 500cc or now MotoGP. Some continue to struggle as they find the competition at the top is tough.

What really made me think is the annoying Jonathan Green, a television commentator for World Superbikes on Speed  channel in Australia, and maybe for poor unfortunates elsewhere. Green keeps rabbiting on about Max Biaggi as a five times world champion. The same number as one of the all time greats, Mick Doohan.

Biaggi straddled the end of the Doohan era and the beginning of the Rossi era in 500cc/MotoGP racing. While Biaggi won plenty of races he could never quite mange to clinch the title, even in the transition period when Criville and Roberts Jr won single titles.

Looking through the records these are the top world champions in the senior category. Agostini with eight, Rossi seven, Doohan five, and then a number on four including names like Duke, Hailwood, Surtees and Lawson.

It seems more common for the small bike World Champions to struggle when they have to compete against the best riders. Think Melandri, Pedrosa, Capirossi,  Bautista, Dovizioso and Simoncelli. They all show glimpses of brilliance but so have failed to really perform consistently over season.

Lorenzo and Rossi are the exceptions, but even they too at least season to adjust to the fierce competition.

The Superbike World Champions in recent years have fared badly as well. Think Toseland, Edwards, and even Bayliss. The last rider to really succeed who learnt his trade in Superbikes was Hayden, and he took time to adjust to MotoGP.

MotoGP – 500cc World Champions

2010	Lorenzo	Spain
2009	Rossi	Italy
2008	Rossi	Italy
2007	Stoner	Australia
2006	Hayden	US
2005	Rossi	Italy
2004	Rossi	Italy
2003	Rossi	Italy
2002	Rossi	Italy
2001	Rossi	Italy
2000	Roberts Jr	US
1999	Criville	Spain
1998	Doohan	Australia
1997	Doohan	Australia
1996	Doohan	Australia
1995	Doohan	Australia
1994	Doohan	Australia
1993	Shwantz	US
1992	Rainey	US
1991	Rainey	US
1990	Rainey	US
1989	Lawson	US
1988	Lawson	US
1987	Gardner	Australia
1986	Lawson	US
1985	Spencer	US
1984	Lawson	US
1983	Spencer	US
1982	Uncini	Italy
1981	Lucchinelli	Italy
1980	Roberts	US
1979	Roberts	US
1978	Roberts	US
1977	Sheene	UK
1976	Sheene	UK
1975	Agostini	Italy
1974	Read	UK
1973	Read	UK
1972	Agostini	Italy
1971	Agostini	Italy
1970	Agostini	Italy
1969	Agostini	Italy
1968	Agostini	Italy
1967	Agostini	Italy
1966	Agostini	Italy
1965	Hailwood	UK
1964	Hailwood	UK
1963	Hailwood	UK
1962	Hailwood	UK
1961	Hocking	Rhodesia
1960	Surtees	UK
1959	Surtees	UK
1958	Surtees	UK
1957	Liberati	Italy
1956	Surtees	UK
1955	Duke	UK
1954	Duke	UK
1953	Duke	UK
1952	Masetti	Italy
1951	Duke	UK
1950	Masetti	Italy
1949	Graham	UK