MotoGP 2019

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
I think Marc Marquez is misunderstood, the Ayrton Senna of motorcycle racing if you will.

He has an inherent and unwavering belief in his own ability, something that is present in the greatest racers across all disciplines. Given his seven World Championships, over eight seasons and three classes, I think his self belief is vindicated.

Time will soften many peoples harsh views of him and who knows, many of his critics may come to like him, or at least respect his craft.
Hmm, good points. It's pretty obvious he knows he's one with his bike and as you say, a lot of the best racer's seem to be the same.
I've always tried to avoid what a sports person is like off the field so to speak and not judge them on their personality but I will say that Senna was a total fucking tosser to me, seemed like the guy you'd only employ in the hope of winning a few races. Being a nice guy doesn't win you races but getting a camera shoved in your grill and carrying on like a wanker makes an impression.
I was interested to hear Doohan's comments on the E bike, is there a series next year for it running as a support to MotoGP?
 

Boom King

downloaded a pic of moorey's bruised arse
I've always tried to avoid what a sports person is like off the field so to speak and not judge them on their personality but I will say that Senna was a total fucking tosser to me, seemed like the guy you'd only employ in the hope of winning a few races. Being a nice guy doesn't win you races but getting a camera shoved in your grill and carrying on like a wanker makes an impression.
Watch the "Senna" documentary. It will give you a whole new perspective on the GOAT.
 

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
Watch the "Senna" documentary. It will give you a whole new perspective on the GOAT.
I never thought much of the guy before that doco and that made him even more of a wanker in my eyes. The whole thing in Brazil in '91 with the gearbox issue and the super human feat of holding the lead while he was exhausted and weak and driving with the support of God and all that bullshit; it just looked like an over dramatized crock of shit to me and made the rest of the people on the grid look like useless mongs who couldn't beat the guy with a broken car. Anyway, a friend of mine was at the MotoGP race at Eastern Creek when Doohan and Criville had the spill and they somehow fluked a spot in the scrutineering area after the race; parc ferme if you will. It was strictly off limits to everyone while the bikes and fuel were checked and these guys just stood there two feet from all the bikes. There was a photo of the damage to Doohan's bike and sure enough here is these two guys standing inside this garage with a general admission ticket, was a crack up.
 

hellmansam

Likes Bikes and Dirt
you should go, its pure madness

I think I'm going to make it a permanent fixture in my calendar.
I made the trip from the NT in '09, '12 and '14 and loved it but a bit less each time. Because of the travel and taking my elderly father in law along I forked out for VIP tickets - didn't want to risk having to being out in the rain if the weather went to shit. Expensive but deluxe, couldn't possibly eat and drink my money's worth over the three days but gave it a red hot go !

Each time the weather was looking bad on the Thursday but ended up fine by Sunday, I even got a bit sunburnt in 2012. It's awesome to be there, but in some ways you get a better view of the racing on TV. The sound and speed are diluted by the TV, trackside it's HOLY FAAAARK look at 'em go :cool:First time hearing the traction control at work out of Turn 4 had us thinking someone's bike was running pretty rough !

If I go to another one it'll be in Europe. My tips for the first time MotoGP goer is do at least two days if not all three, walk around the circuit on the first two checking out all the different vantage points. Moving around on the Sunday can be a nightmare and you'll waste some time just getting through the crowd.

If you have grandstand seating they are allocated so there's no need to grab a good spot for race day. In the VIP spots you are allocated a seat inside at a table but outside it's first in best dressed for a spot on the fence. My favourite spots are Turn 4 and Lukey Heights. The Bass Straight Grandstand is another prime spot.
For the interstate traveller best value place to stay is get a Juicy campervan in Melbourne and camp at the circuit. Avoid the traffic and parking hassles getting in and out each day. You can have reasonably peaceful space or party all night.

Haven't been to WSBK yet, and thinking of going next year. Wouldn't mind going to the air show the following weekend, coming from WA might as well get a couple of events in one trip. Maybe do some riding in between.
 
@hellmansam I car camped this time and had a ticket for the Doohan Pavillion (turn 2 & 3).

because I was car camping I brought all my own food (and smuggled some grog). I was a 5 min walk from my campsite to my seat, so was easy to go back and cook lunch and have a few beers between races. I purchased probably 4 beers the whole time and no food at the track, saved heaps of $$s. Sure the grandstand tiks are exy but being undercover out of the wind and rain and sun and whatever the fuck Phillip Island feels like doing was worth it.

I plan on seeing as many Moto GPs as I can at as many venues as I can. So far have been to Sepang, Phillip Island, Eastern Creek (500s).
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
I car camped this time and had a ticket for the Doohan Pavillion (turn 2 & 3).

because I was car camping I brought all my own food (and smuggled some grog). I was a 5 min walk from my campsite to my seat, so was easy to go back and cook lunch and have a few beers between races. I purchased probably 4 beers the whole time and no food at the track, saved heaps of $$s. Sure the grandstand tiks are exy but being undercover out of the wind and rain and sun and whatever the fuck Phillip Island feels like doing was worth it.
Turn 2 and 3 is a good spot, and the Doohan Pavillion looked to have good cover with the Bass Straits winds to your back. With good binoculars you'd see a fair bit of the circuit.

We just rode down for Friday practice, and walked the circuit.

Can't believe the roo on the track, it looks like Lukey Heights.

I love watching the bikes, MotoGP or SuperBikes… but in the end I'd waaaaaayyyyyyyy prefer to be out there (not racing) but on a ride day, club day or practice day. I reckon I've probably done one and half thousand laps over the years, on various Ducati's or my Superbike. It's a fantastic circuit to ride, and compared with Calder, Sandown, Winton or Broadford, it feels like a huge wide ribbon of perfection. Turn One (Doohan) can be daunting when the Bass Strait winds get up, as you break cover and the wind hits you the exact moment you turn in. Turn two (Southern Loop) is a double apex with endless permutations. Fast in, fast middle, fast out, take your pick. Turn three (Stoner) is so fast it's insane. Turn four (Honda) is really tough to get down to going so slow from turn threes speed. Siberia is yeah, whatever. Lotsa guys love Siberia, but it's just a corner. Hayshed is good fun, but it is really just setting you up for the best corner I have ever ridden, in my life, and that is Turn 9 (Lukey Heights) Going up there knee down, with the bikes rear slightly adrift, with almost no chance of throwing it away because of the elevation change, is bliss. Button off over the top then a very tough downhill with the rear end all light going into Turn ten (MG) then squirt and double shift into Turn eleven for the long drive to Turn twelve, which is very fast and quite bumpy out near the edge. The straight is boring but luckily not very long and coming under the bridge and catching sight of the water is spectacular, but the need to spot your braking point and turn point soon takes over as you tip into Turn one again.

Phillip Island is ace.
 
@Lazmo the roo is at turn two.

I've only done one track day and that was Oran Park before it became houses. It was fun, hard, daunting and something I'm glad I did. I rode the D group being a noob and I was ok with that not being out there to prove anything. In my last session the Formulae Extreme riders were on the track practicing, they were in their own group however due to the day being cut short by an impending storm they let them on the track again with us numpts. It was a crazy perspective for a non-racer as to how fast they really were. I'll never forget that.

I still plan to ride eastern creek and PI but I need full leathers that zip together and thats a big outlay.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
It was a shame for sure, but you could see one or the other was going to come off. Rossi's moments were subtle, but there was enough front-end almost-drops to show he was still pushing hard. Absoutely amazed Marquez didn't bin it with how hard he was punishing those tyres though. Dags hanging off the front tyre edges, chunks missing from the rear, and still pushing - t'was awesome! Good to see Zarco and Rins getting good results again too...
 

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
So who wants to bet how many rounds into the 2019 season before the HRC garage erupts into open warfare?

(Latest AMCN had an article comparing the Prost/Senna hostilities to the impending ego title fight looming at Honda. Seems to make sense)

I'm tipping 4 or 5 rounds and then the finger pointing, dummy spitting, name calling, toy throwing and blame passing will begin in earnest
 

kbekus

Likes Dirt
Phillip Island is ace.
agreed. I have probably done 10% of the laps you have there but it is an ace track. I've not tried Calder nor Winton, but Sandown is shit. I'm amazed the track even still exists given it's in the middle of suburbia but it's just a bunch of flat, boring 90 degree corners. At least Broadford has a decent layout with interesting corners and uses the natural terrain effectively.
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
I've not tried Calder nor Winton, but Sandown is shit. At least Broadford has a decent layout with interesting corners and uses the natural terrain effectively.
Yep, Sandown is shit. A few spots you are riding directly towards a wall of armco, and it might be kosher in a car, but on a bike it sucks. Sometimes we'd use the old gp infield part of the circuit which made it slightly more interesting. Calder is pretty crap too. Winton is fun, with the infield, Water Tank and the double apex on the extension being good value. Yeah, I like Broadford too, pretty rough and ready, but with good elevation changes. Turn two is power slide city.

Here's a shot, tipping in, on the infield of Sandown, with my wife on the back.

Laz and Sue at Sandown 1.jpg
 
The season be over, everyone knows JLo is riding a Honda next year. There is no marketing value left in JLo riding Ducati.

They are just being d1cks, I hope JLo smokes them next year (Ducati, not the D1cks).
 
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