Laguna Seca MotoGP, any advice?

No. The main argument is that 125cc are the entry bike for most kids into
motorcycling world-wide, so there are gadzillions of people that can
identify very powerfully with a 125cc racing out there. Just not in the USA.
But as usual, it is easier to blame the rest of the world and claim it's
part of an Euro-conspiracy rather than amusedly detect and state the
difference.

Kids demonstrating enormous talent, and a few of them will be the ones
mounting challenges in MotoGP is some years. I kind of enjoy a competitive
race where the future talent of the sport is comming up through the ranks.
But to each their own.

125s are the perfect tools to teach razor sharp accuracy in every riding
aspect. It could be argued it is motorcycle racing at its purest from a
riding perspective. It's 90% rider. Some enjoy actually that, and it is kind
of strange to witness people who are always carping on about tires and
whatever making all the difference in favor of this or that rider in other
classes to not have ny interest in a class where such factors don't exist.

Ah, the AMA SS class. Where Superbike factory team guys that mostly have
never been and will never be good enough to win Superbike get a chance to
win a national title, and rule supereme over a crowd of amateurs that mostly
has never been and will never be good enough to make much of a dent in more
significant racing events. The significance of it all is astounding. SS?
Forgive me while I slip into a short coma thinking about it.

Excuse me, but I'd rather get an early glimpse at future superstars in the
making.

I wish I could get excited about AMA since MotoGP has now officially started
to look as exciting as it was during Doohan's peak, where the only
excitement is to witness someone pile up a new record number of consecutive
wins, win a GP by the largest margin ever, and perhaps for the first time
lap the other two people that share the podium with him. The problem is that
AMA has been in that mode for longer. Mladin is so much better than the
others that unless he has an off weekend no one else stands w whiff of a
chance. And the races are dominated by the bigger team with the better
equipment, and mostly guys well over 30. If *any* of the classes were
designed to nourish young talent I might actually look at that race. But
they are *all* classes where bigger teams with established riders dominate,
and the new and future talent laps behind hoping to get nourished.

....pablo

 

"Yes, but." Just thought I'd get that in before Mark does. ;-)

Well put, Pablo.

 

Actually the issue is noise and traffic congestion and the local residents. The area around the
track has undergone major residential development in the last few years, with at least one new
development actually on what I thought was the track grounds (you pass it on your way out). I have
to admit I wouldn't particularly like it if I was a resident either (but I'm not so screw um .

I would also suggest that people are getting a bit too freaked out about the crowd. Officially they
are expecting 145k people across all three days. That is a lot but the WSB races regularly pulled
in close to 100k across all three days and it has never seemed really crowded at that number. And
at this point only about 65% of that 145k is sold (about 100k). So it is definitely more than in
the WSB days but not that much more. Especially since they are expecting 45k of those on Friday
which I am skeptical about. There have never been that many people there on a Friday before.

I do expect it to take quite a bit of time to get out of the track though, especially if you are
parked on the hill (which quickly gets deadlocked and tied up with paddock traffic leaving,
especially on the last day). So plan to leave early or stay late. I do think it sucks that the
races are so late in the day as that will make the traffic problems worse. I would plan on a couple
hours to get out of the track if you are parked in one of the locations inside the track and want to
leave right when the races end. Assuming you are in a car. Bikes car cut lanes, etc. and get out
much faster.

 

Too late for this year but if you buy hospitality tickets, but them one or
two at a time. Don't do this: I just spoke with someone on craigslist who
ordered four at once and so got only one parking pass. Brutal! He's trying
to sell two of his four club tickets without parking. I said he's going to
have to lower his price a long way, maybe to face value (snicker).

 

Well, I went to an AFM race one day long ago, and what did I find? A young
lad, Randy Mamola, racing a 125. So there. Ha ha ha ha ha. (You got to me
;-) ).

Which brings me to this page of famous racers who rode 125's and 250's,
including some Americans -- but it admittedly includes 250's:

http://www.usgpru.net/famous.php
--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

 

Even when he was on the Honda?

I thought he was always pulling away, and so demoted himself to the Yamaha
to be sporting (or maybe be payed alot and allowed to be more himself).



--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

 

Well, now that I look at it more closely, it says they all rode 125's and
250's early in their career.

All 3 Haydens, John Hopkins, John Kocinski, Ben Spies, Neil Hodgson ;-).

"Some of the biggest names in roadracing today got their starts on 125GP and
250GP machines. For decades, these purpose-built race bikes have been the
best way to develop the specialized skills needed to compete at the highest
level of roadracing. "




--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

 

Well maybe that's why Italy and Spain are producing the best young
riders in the world ? Seriously Mark, what class of bikes do you
think very young riders should be racing ? Personally I reckon that
they're much better off on 125s than trying to muscle a 600 around.
I don't think going that route has done Toseland any favours, for
example.

Cheers,

 

Hmm well apparently they may have started in club racing, according to the
old AFM:

Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kenny Roberts Sr., Randy Mamola, Rich Oliver,
Chuck Sorenson, Steve Rapp, Tony Meiring and Jeff Tigert are a some who have
raced with the AFM, a club known for its high level of competition.

Famous 125 riders now riding big unweildy blunderbusses, for unknown
reasons:

http://www.usgpru.net/famous.php

--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

 

Funny thing. I veglia remember a whole rash of Japanese in 125s. And for
most of this year a Finn has been leading the points with a Hungarian
currently sharing the top slot. On an Austrian bike. In third we've got
a Swiss. There's even a couple of French kids coming up. And plenty of
Germans over the years.

 

They may have started their two wheel career on dirt bikes but that doesn't
guarantee a success in RR. Their coatch probably had to remove the rear
brake and tie their feet to the pegs to learn them RR basics, just like
other ex dirt riders I know

/MBE

 

Ruining a god discussion with facts again? ;-)


/MBE

 

I think they mean their start in roadracing.

--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

 

Rossi has certainly proved himself over the last few years, he's without
doubt a real champion, but what makes him that much better, that much
more consistant then the rest?
On the Honda I argued that he was was on the best bike with the best
team so he had an advantage, seemed a good argument then he moved to
Yamaha and continued to win, one could point out that Yamaha had made a
huge investment in Rossi and as such had to develop the bike to get the
benefits of that investment which I'm sure is true and Rossi has
certainly rewarded that investment, could another rider have achieved
the same with the same bike investment? I don't know, Colin Edwards is
doing OK but not at a Rossi level, but then has he got Rossi's bike?

Honda seem to be snookered at the moment, Max isn't delivering and
really I don't think he will, Hayden is much the same, potential talent
but thats it, Gibs, hmmm what can you say I don't think the bike (i.e
switching to HRC)is the problem, he's a damn good rider but just not a
Rossi beater over a season, Melandri looks to a really good bet at the
moment, new talent comong through, he's not going to clinch the
championship from Rossi this year barring Rossi breaking a bone but he's
showing real performance at least so far, I guess we will have to see if
he remains consistant and next year he may be the best bet on beating
Rossi, especially if he gets a factory ride, (although that seems to be
the nemisis of great riders the expectation of delivering on a factory
team means they stuff up, well except Rossi and Doohan).

It will be a real shame is Rossi retires from the sport before he is
really challenged as with Doohan, I'd like to see Rossi's "replacement"
beat him in a real championship battle, at the moment the only real
possible challenger is Melandri, but that won't be until next year.

Go Mel and go Rossi!!!

Paul

 

Maybe he's saving his tires, engine, and himself by not setting the pace,
and drafting.

Then at the end he finally does his thing, and they haven't had practice
keeping up.


--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

 

Nowadays all Rossi's generation riders and above will start their racing
career with a minimoto like this one (at least in Italy).
http://www.polini.it/photo/w/w_910_gp3_reverse_for_race.jpg

His mental strength is what makes he look unbeatable.

Gas

 

Actually that's a valid point.

A few years ago I was in Italy & wandered into a bike shop in Rimini to
buy some boots.
The owner's biggest line was Polini pocket bikes & accessories. I got
chatting to him. He showed me photos on the wall of the various current
day MotoGP riders for whom he had built or help build up, racing
Polinis. Amoungst them were Rossi, Melandri, Battaini & many others I
can't recall.
They were trick bikes too. Titanium & Carbon fibre bits, trick pipes,
lightweight discs & Brembo calipers, etc. Slick tyres.

These racers were well into 2 wheeled racing before riding 125s.

Bummers

 

So sweet!

A similar thing is actually widespread here in the States and Canada.

http://www.teamcalamari.com/
--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

 

Starting on 125's in America. Nope, brutally fast and torquey 50's! Then
125's -- for the brave.

Roger Hayden, AMA star:

"I raced YSR50s for years. My very first time on a bigger roadrace bike
happened at Mid-Ohio. One year they had a school after the Mid-Ohio AMA
roadrace and I did it on a 125."

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2005/Jul/050701rlh.htm

YSR's:

http://www.teamcalamari.com/

They produce the stars!

--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.

 

More American road racing roots by Roger Lee Hayden: Club Racing.

"Growing up my biggest rival was Ben Spies; we were always traveling to
Texas to go roadracing in the CMRA series, which was a good series. They let
you start racing when you're nine years old in Texas. They had a lot of good
guys there, a lot of fast local guys, and you could always find somebody to
race with, and push you and beat you around a little bit.

"Spies and I were heated rivals and it was fairly serious for 11 year olds.
We'd race each other at the GNF-the finals for club racing-and he'd win one
year and I'd win the next. I remember once beating him at the GNF and
looking back after the checkered flag and seeing him pounding the gas tank
on his bike, which made me pretty happy..."


--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at

Thanks, robots.