Losing my M/C Racing Virginity - MotoGP or MotoAmerica

[gixxerjasen]

One other plus for Barber though, pit access. One of the fun things to do is wander the pits and watch the teams prepping their bikes and burning race gas for the pleasure of your nose. Barber it seemed like you could get closer though I liked the upper catwalk over the pits at Mid Ohio. I stood up there for a while watching a team tear a bike apart and put it back together, all the while wishing I could be so smooth at doing a simple oil change.

Supposedly MotoGP pit passes can be had, but I haven't figured out how or had enough $$$ to do it. That would be awesome but sadly is likely not in the cards for me.

 

[senecahome]

I haven't been to any MotoGP but have been to several AMA/MotoAmerica races. You may want to consider the MotoAmerica race at Virginia International Raceway in May. Being in Virginia it is easy for me to get there. And it's a fun track - you can camp inside the track loop, have any number of vantage points to see the races and have full access to the paddock.

https://virnow.com/events/motoamerica-amg-championship/

Oh, yes go to Barber sometime and allow most of the day for the museum.

 

[steveoreno]

I would go to COTA and check out the MotoGP racing first. I am still gutted they pulled out of Indy.

 

[graler]

Thanks to all of you for your input. By all means, please keep it coming.
Swollen (and others) - I definitely get it. Seeing race cars in person is unbelievable. I have no doubt seeing race bikes in real life will be equally enjoyable.

Joe - I see that both the MotoAmerica and the MotoGP races at COTA are the same weekend. I could kill two birds with one stone. Each series has a 3-day ticket package. I suppose I have to buy both tickets to see all of the races? IOW - these two series are not related and I just buy one ticket?

My brother loves the COTA track - (come to think of it, what's not to love????) - we had an absolute hoot at the endurance races there two years ago.

OTOH - I'd really like to see the Barber Museum. Of course, as Biker Chuck points out, perhaps it would be better to see that on a vintage race event. Kind of place the museum pieces on the track.

Redfish - would you and your posse consider joining me this year for the race? We could ride out there together.

I clicked on the moto-america ticket link and it took me to the MotoGP ticket link. This would lead one to believe that you get to see all of the races for the price of your MotoGP ticket - GA is $89 for a 3 day pass. Motorcycle parking is free - as it should be.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Isn't that how it normally has been for combined events, be it at Laguna Seca or at Indy? I can't imagine them kicking 60K people out and then checking tickets again for another race.

 

[900gc]

It's all good! In fact, if you can find your nearest track with club racing you'll find that environment really fun too. It's VERY competitive and many of the top club racers do some national racing with the 'big boys' and do well. I used to take in the AMA races in the 80's at Loudon when that was one of the regular tracks. Saw Lawson, Spencer, Baldwin, and many more of the stars of the day. Fantastic! PJ Jacobsen showed up at NHMS a few years back for the Loudon Classic and now he's #2 in World Supersport! Too cool!

My bucket list includes a trip to Europe to tour around and take in races (MotoGP or SBK) in Spain, Italy, Holland, Czec. Rep., Britton, etc. but before that, some of the big races in the USA SBK or MotoGP.

 

[SkooterG]

MOTOGP!!!!!

I plan on attending my first ever this year at COTA. Would be great to meet up with a bunch of folks that talk funny!

 

[yamafitter]

Pants and I cannot make it that far. We both ride Gen3s and they only have 5 gears. No way we could ride that far with only 5 gears.

5 Speed Gen III are death traps. Far too slow and you will get run over by a semi if you are ever in Toronto trying to peddle one of those slowpoke 5 speeders across town.

I'll give you $5 CAD for your 5 speed Gen III as that is a fair scrap price.

 

[LKLD]

I'm not real worried about saving a nickel - let's face it, all of it is expensive.

Well, in that case Pants, go see the Isle of Man TT!

Seriously, I would go to COTA, for the reason you mentioned. To see Rossi race. Either would be a blast, I would think.

 

[gixxerjasen]

In fact, if you can find your nearest track with club racing you'll find that environment really fun too. It's VERY competitive and many of the top club racers do some national racing with the 'big boys' and do well.

Side note. I was out doing a track day running with the "B" group and was feeling my oats and thinking I was doing pretty well. Nothing like a bit of comparison to smash you down. I settled in at the fence watching the "A" group and noticed how much faster and smoother they were going out there. A couple of the CMRA racers were pretty much smoking the rest of the group though. After lunch a truck pulled up and a former CMRA guy who was racing the Hooters bike had showed up to do some testing and setup prep work. At this track there's a right, followed by a short straight, then a left and another short straight before another right. I remember this guy was going so fast through there that the bike was only upright during transitions and there appeared to be no straights as he linked up the curves. His knee pucks were smoking all the way. It was insane. That weekend I watched him get completely smoked as he was lapped by Matt Mladin and Ben Spies. That of course leads to the final comparison of Spies against the Aliens. Yea, I'm SOOOOOOO slow.

My bucket list includes a trip to Europe to tour around and take in races (MotoGP or SBK) in Spain, Italy, Holland, Czec. Rep., Britton, etc. but before that, some of the big races in the USA SBK or MotoGP.

MotoGP in Rossi's hometown sitting in the Rossi section, before Rossi retires. Sigh, pretty sure that one isn't getting checked off my bucket list.

MOTOGP!!!!!
I plan on attending my first ever this year at COTA. Would be great to meet up with a bunch of folks that talk funny!

Dang, we definitely need a get together. My wife and son are wanting to come down for the races but are absolutely bored by everything else. We've talked about me going down for the full weekend and meeting up with them Saturday night and then spending Sunday as a family watching the races.

 

[hppants]

Graler - I noticed that too, it appears that you get both series for 1 weekend price. So I think this one is settled. I am going to the COTA the weekend of April 8-10 to see some knee dragging. I'm going to get the G/A ticket so I can wander the track. I may or may not ride the bike - as previously mentioned, my brother is meeting me there and he is not a rider. Not sure how he can get to the track.

I now need to read up on both series and learn about the differences and nuances. Rossi is my favorite rider - after all, he does ride the best bike!!!!

Let's start a separate thread on the race and figure out how to meet up!!!

This might affect my ability to make SWOR

 

[gixxerjasen]

Note: If you buy grandstand tickets or a seats in a specific turn, it doesn't hamper your ability to wander around. I go GA because I'm cheap and worried about saving a nickle.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

Don't know what to tell ya, the racing in the past at Austin has sucked. But as mentioned above, some of the BEST BBQ in the world is around those parts and is well worth the trip there. Since there is no racing at Indy this year I will be returning to Austin and some good Texas beer and BBQ, and oh yeah, the race.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Don't know what to tell ya, the racing in the past at Austin has sucked.

Not sure I'd totally agree with that. At the GP level sure, and especially at the front. But it seems that happens a lot in that series where someone walks away with it. Watching the stuff further back in the field or in the other series results in good racing to watch, which you get to see more of being there since you don't have to watch what the cameras are focused on.

Seeing folks get their first wins was great, even if one of them was that little turd Marquez. I did get to see Maverick Viñales pull his first ever Moto2 win there and that was a pretty good race for most of it.

Besides, who knows what this year will bring. Since Marquez likes this track so much, maybe Rossi will kick him off his bike in Austin this year.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

With the action in Sepang last year, there might be some story lines worth following this year, The gloves are off between Rossi and Marcus. Hope it's a warm early April in Austin this year, wish they would move the race back to the third weekend of April like the first race there was.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Good Lord, that was a hot race. Still, better than cold and rainy. Tough time for trying to predict weather in Texas.

I'm interested to see what happens this year. Are the gloves going to be off, or are the eyes on them and any infraction will be severely dealt with resulting in them completely avoiding one another. It's going to be interesting for sure.

 

[hppants]

Been to Austin quite a few times. Plenty of good stuff to eat there and drink. I recall that somewhere adjacent to the U/T campus is a bar that must have 50 beers on tap. Anybody remember the name of that one? There was a fantastic BBQ joint just down the street from that bar, too.

The MotoGP website has a wonderful page on the bikes, classes, racing rules, etc. I cannot find any such information on the MotoAmerica page. Anybody know where I can find this?

 

[hppants]

Update - 1/26/16

This is turning out to be quite nice.

My brother and I decided to do the COTA event 4/8 - 4/10. We invited our dad to join us and he is in too. So Dad and I will drive up there likely on Friday. We may leave Thursday evening and do part of the ride, and then get to the track earlier Friday. My brother rented a nice loft apartment about 10 min. from the track.

I purchased "single grandstand" tickets. The G/A tickets didn't give me much option to see the turn 12 - 16 section, where I know a lot of overtaking happens. Also, I want a good view of turn 12 so I can see the beasts at WFO coming toward me. Our seats are in section 11 of the grandstand that parallels the short straight between turns 15 and 16. We can also visit the G/A areas as well.

I've got a parking pass in Lot F. We should have at least two seatbelts to spare in our vehicle if anyone needs a lift to and/or from the track.

Finally, I'm hoping to meet some of you there. If you are not sure how to find me, I'll be wearing either my Yamaha or my FJR T-shirt and screaming "ROSSI ROSSI ROSSI"!!!!! Seriously, send me a PM and I'll happily give you my cell phone.

Now - my next priority is remembering where that Beer joint was near the UT campus....

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Pop and I have discussed this one briefly. If I recall, it rained like hell there last year. Not sure if we would ride or drive. Knowing Pop... If we go we will probably ride. The prospect of meeting some of the forum members is nice.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Go to a Moto GP, but also go to a Mile Flat Track Race. Many of the Moto GP guys are racing some flat track because of the way the Moto GP bikes are cornered now. The Flat Track bikes on a mile are doing in excess of 140 when they pitch the bike sideways into the turn. You haven't lived till you see it.