[rlmesq]

There are lots of four wheeled racing threads, but I don't see anything about motorcycle road racing. Does anyone else care about it?

BMW doesn't compete in MotoGP, but they provide safety cars (and those bikes that serve no real function). The S1000 was developed specifically to compete in World Superbike and is very competitive.

My enthusiasm for MotoGP this year is down a bit since Valentino Rossi missed a race due to a fractured leg and is out of companionship contention... but I still hope the oldest guy on the grid will win another world championship before he retires.

[DK71]

Hard core MotoGP fan here
I have been riding bikes since 1988 and have been following MotoGP since then. I have been to a few races over the years, all of them in Europe.
A big part of the joy at the races are the BMW cars ( safety, pace, medical, etc ). They really do bring all the good stuff to the tracks.

I miss Laguna Seca, by the way.

[Chihuahua]

Yes I still watch MotoGP and WSBK even though I stopped riding a few years ago. Watching Simoncelli get killed on live TV and what happened to Hayden took some of the wind out of my sails though. I have my DVR set to record WSBK this weekend, I'm sure it'll be more of Johnny Ray-gun show but it's still fun to watch.

[MGM135is]

I live motogp and WSBK but it’s impossible to find to watch in the US. Motogp was on bein sports but PlayStation Vue cancelled the channel.

[rlmesq]

Originally Posted by Chihuahua

Watching Simoncelli get killed on live TV and what happened to Hayden took some of the wind out of my sails though.

I met Super Sic at Indianapolis in 2008, the year they first held a race there. I didn't actually get a chance to see him race until the following year at Laguna Seca because the tail end of Hurricane Ike rolled through on Sunday, canceling the 250 race.

I have a photo with himself at the Indy museum. I was surprised at his height: more than six feet (not including his orange afro), towering over the other riders who are built like jockeys.

Originally Posted by DK71

I miss Laguna Seca, by the way.

I worked every MotoGP race at Laguna Seca during the most recent era, mostly as a "communicator" calling conditions for race control. I was in the raised box in the apex of the Corkscrew in 2009 when Rossi made the controversial pass on Stoner, probably closer than anyone on Earth but the riders themselves

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by rlmesq

I met Super Sic at Indianapolis in 2008, the year they first held a race there. I didn't actually get a chance to see him race until the following year at Laguna Seca because the tail end of Hurricane Ike rolled through on Sunday, canceling the 250 race.

I have a photo with himself at the Indy museum. I was surprised at his height: more than six feet (not including his orange afro), towering over the other riders who are built like jockeys.

That's a great story. Sic was, at the time, my favorite rider on the grid. He was huge and always looked like he was manhandling his bike. He was destined for at a minimum several GP wins and possibly more. It's still upsetting for me to think about. I'll never forget watching him take his first podium and how excited he was. Race your life #58.

[NyC fireman]

Moto GP fan here as well...Rossi fan
But if the old timer cant do it this year, hope Divo takes the championship but doubt it going into the last round down ... 21 points? something like that
Did Euro Delivery this year in June , picked up a M2..... drove to Italy and went to Mugello for the GP race... very cool
Think next year will try to hit Austria at the Red bull ring... keep my fingers crossed
btw .. M2 is fun to drive , love it

[zx10guy]

Fan of both here too. Haven't been able to see a GP or WSBK race in person yet. My brush with GP greatness was this year at VIR. I was there doing the CSS camp. The MotoAmerica guys were there setting up for the race over the weekend. I saw someone cruising around the paddock that looked familiar. It was Wayne Rainey. Got to get a picture with him and he chatted with me for about 10 minutes. Extremely nice, cool, down to Earth guy.

[Chihuahua]

Did anyone else see that save Marquez made in practice? It was probably the most insane save I've seen anyone make on a GP bike in recent memory.

[NyC fireman]

saw that... amazing is right.

Love Rainy.. a legend indeed

[zx10guy]

I didn't but did see the save Lorenzo did. The slow mo showed him leaving a red streak on the asphalt from his left knee slider using that to keep his bike up. Simply amazing.

[Smonkbmw]

Was at laguna in 2010. Austin in 2015 and this year. Love me some gp, Rossi fan, tired of Marquez and Lorenzo. I miss Stoner. I was hoping Aprilia would come with it this year, thankfully it looks like Aleix is finally getting the hang of it!

[BlackJetE90]

Never forget watching live Stoner vs Rossi battle 2008 Laguna. Highlight video of all passes on Motogp YouTube channel, has 24+ million views.

Stoner was the best, I swear that Ducati he rode to championship would try to kill him just about every race. People think Marquez is on limit, they forget about Stoner on that nutty Ducati.

Rossi tried to ride that thing after Casey left for Honda. Rossi went winless for two seasons on the Ducati, before returning to Yamaha.

[zx10guy]

I agree about Stoner. It would have been awesome seeing him compete with Marquez, Lorenzo, Vinales, Dovi, and Rossi now. The fact no one could ride that Ducati GP bike and win says a lot about his talent; despite the criticism he was receiving at the time.

Also, Ducati luring away Luigi has done wonders for their GP program as evidenced by what's happening now.

[uniqueMR]

Hard core motoGP fan here..
Vale 46 fan
Cannot wait for Rossi to be champion again

[rlmesq]

Originally Posted by uniqueMR

Hard core motoGP fan here..
Vale 46 fan
Cannot wait for Rossi to be champion again

He's already won in 125, 250 and 500 two-strokes, and 990 and 800. I doubt there will ever be another five-class winner, now that smokers are gone and Dorna has admitted that the 800 experiment failed, but would love to see Vale make it six.

[rlmesq]

BTW, if Rossi retires and makes the move to NASCAR, I'd watch just to see the post race interviews.

All of the European riders sound the same: "Zee race, eet is very good. I am glad for my team and very happy that I make a good race. I make mistake in the first, but then I am able to poosh, poosh, poosh and I see that the victory is possible. Then I win and thees is very important for the championship, for sure!"

Nicky was great for breaking up the monotony with that Kentucky drawl: "I wanted to win this race for my daddy. All I could think of was that time me and my brothers wanted to race at Daytona, but the house needed a new roof and we didn't have enough money for both, so daddy put out a bunch of buckets to catch the rain and me and my brothers went racing at Daytona."

[uniqueMR]

Originally Posted by rlmesq

He's already won in 125, 250 and 500 two-strokes, and 990 and 800. I doubt there will ever be another five-class winner, now that smokers are gone and Dorna has admitted that the 800 experiment failed, but would love to see Vale make it six.

Yup, that's what I am referring to: his 8th champion in motoGP class which will bring his overall championship to 10

motoGP: 7 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009)
moto2: 1 (1999)
moto3: 1 (1997)
.

[rlmesq]

Originally Posted by uniqueMR

Yup, that's what I am referring to: his 8th champion in motoGP class which will bring his overall championship to 10

motoGP: 7 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009)
moto2: 1 (1999)
moto3: 1 (1997).

But the Grand Prix premiere class championship has been three very different classes (and possibly four, depending on how you view 2002 & 2003, when both 500cc two strokes & 990cc four strokes were allowed) during Rossi's career.

2001: 500cc. MotoGP name adopted the following year.
2002: 990cc (500 still allowed)
2003: 990cc (500 allowed, but none in the field)
2007: 800cc
2010: 1000cc

The world championship was renamed MotoGP in 2002, but it took longer to extend that naming convention to the support classes. Moto2 didn't exist until 2010, when the 600cc bikes replaced the 250 GP class, and the 125 GP two strokes were replaced in 2012 by Moto2.

Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner both won championships in 125 and 250 two stroke, and 800 and 1000 four stroke classes. Nicky Hayden was the only MotoGP champion during Rossi's career who never raced in the two stroke classes. Marq Marquez is the first MotoGP champion who raced in a four stroke feeder class. He won the 125 GP championship in 2010 and Moto2 in 2012.

Even if Marquez wins three more premiere class championships, he won't do it on three distinctly different bike specs.

I'd love to see Rossi, Lorenzo, Stoner and Marquez go head to head on vintage 500 two strokes without electronic rider aids. They're beasts that seem incredibly primitive compared to today's bikes. A stock Yamaha R1 (or Suzuki GSXR, or any other current liter sportbike) could dominate the field of fifteen years ago.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by rlmesq

BTW, if Rossi retires and makes the move to NASCAR, I'd watch just to see the post race interviews.

All of the European riders sound the same: "Zee race, eet is very good. I am glad for my team and very happy that I make a good race. I make mistake in the first, but then I am able to poosh, poosh, poosh and I see that the victory is possible. Then I win and thees is very important for the championship, for sure!"

Nicky was great for breaking up the monotony with that Kentucky drawl: "I wanted to win this race for my daddy. All I could think of was that time me and my brothers wanted to race at Daytona, but the house needed a new roof and we didn't have enough money for both, so daddy put out a bunch of buckets to catch the rain and me and my brothers went racing at Daytona."

I hope Vale doesn't go into NASCAR. Every premier racer that has gone into that black hole has been sucked into oblivion. Just don't get why anyone thinks their career is going to be enhanced by having IROC...I mean....NASCAR on their resume.

[Super Sic]

Huge MotoGP fan. Also spent years racing with ccs when I was younger. Looking forward to Sepang!

[VMRWheels]

Looking forward to the coming season! Lorenzo was fastest in the first test at Sepang, but will it be another Vinales story? Personally, I'd like to see Dovi take the championship. With the developments that Ducati has made, combined with Yamaha's struggles, I highly doubt that Rossi is going to be at a competitive enough level to win another championship.

See you all in Austin in April!