At this time of year in the motorcycle racing season speculation becomes rife about where our favourite riders will end up next year.

Sometimes it seems unfair that certain racers get to lose their ride when their season has been dogged by injury and mechanical failures, but that is the lot of the professional motorcycle racer.

The latest casualty is reportedly British Moto GP rider James Toseland. After winning the World Superbikes (WSB) championship in 2007 James was hot property and was able to secure a ride in the Tech 3 Yamaha squad in Moto GP riding alongside another former WSB champion, Colin Edwards.

In 2008, James had six top six finishes, but pre season crashes have meant that his 2009 season has not worked out as well as he might have wanted.

Former AMA rider,Ben Spies, rode a couple of wild cards in the 2008 Moto GP championship and since then has been a whirlwind in the 2009 World Superbikes Championship and is currently leading it buy 16 points. Spies’ fantastic rookie season has brought him into focus as a potential rider to be offered the satellite Yamaha Moto GP ride next season.

Colin Edwards recently signed a new one year deal with Tech 3 Yamaha, which appeared to rule out Ben Spies as a teammate given speculation that two Americans would not be run in the squad.

Spies has apparently already signed a contract to race in WSB in 2010 moving on to Moto GP in 2011, but it appears that the contract with Yamaha is flexible and if he decides to make a move to Moto GP then he will take Toseland’s Tech 3 Yamaha ride.

So where does that leave Toseland?

Most likely with a move back to World Superbikes. He has been reported in the motorcycle press as saying that would not be his choice and he would prefer to stay in Moto GP, but that no longer looks an option and he will probably have to make the most of a bad job.

So what are his options in World Superbikes?

James’ former team Ten Kate Honda are yet to finalise their riders for next season and it is also possible that he may get offered the Yamaha ride vacated by Spies.

Going back to World Superbikes isn’t necessarily a backward step. Troy Bayliss managed it successfully by going on to win the title twice more before he retired.

At the moment it is all speculation, but we hope to still see James competing at the top level and to see whether Spies can live up to his exciting form this year if he does make the swap to Moto GP.