Biker gods or raving loons?

Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

I have no interest in motor sports, unless I get free or cheap tickets. On the odd occasion i will go to Donnington or Oulton Park because I enjoy the atmosphere but other than that I stay well away.

This week I've been watching the TT. I am totally hypnotised by the racing. These road racers appear to be normal people that have to have a proper job for most of the year but are happy to race at up to 200mph on roads that appear to be little better than the one outside your house. What drives them? They have families to support and to the best of my knowledge generally have very little sponsorship in comparison to BSB or MotoGP.

Just watching them chuck bikes around that course with potholes, leaves, damp patches and white lines makes me feel so insignificant when I think back to the back end skipping out a bit on the ride home that I've wondered what goes on in their head while they race.

Are they biker gods that know all there is to know and therefore fear nothing, or just crazy loons that really don't care less?

Could you imagine people like Rossi competing with them?

BTW I've already decided that Guy Martin should be in a strait jacket having seen the interview on ITV4, that is some serious adrenalin hype Laughing

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

Where's the 'Both' option?

teampots · Spanner Monkey Joined: 01 May 2007 Karma :

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Think "commited" might be a good description.

Doing what they want to do and accepting the risks.

All the best

Keith
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Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

You just never looked properly Neutral

JakeyR · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Karma :

I voted both, you must have a certain lunacy to go balls out round the TT like that, but also you've got to be so damn skilled and thats where the Godly bit comes in. Thumbs Up

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Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

Yeah but what makes them committed? Is it just the desire to win? To be honest I have no idea what the prize is apart from the trophy.

What makes them so special compared to the rest of us?

Wafer_Thin_Ham · Super Spammer Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Karma :

JakeyR · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Andy C · Tree Seeking Missile Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Karma :

Does anyone have an stats of injuries from these races each year??

Voted Both Thumbs Up

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D O G · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Karma :

CortezTheKill... · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Karma :

Just over 200 riders killed in 100 years.

I'm so glad it's held in a place where the race is enshrined in law. Will stop the safety nazis ending it on grounds that hurtling round an island at 130mph average with houses and walls and lamp-posts inches from your head (you actually have to move your head at one point of the circuit to avoid being decapitated) is a bit dangerous.
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Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for them but me and my missus were both laughing, in a nice way, when Guy was doing his interview just after the race. He was so wired it was superb. The others just acted like they had been shopping at Asda.

So what about the BSB / motoGP guys, do you think they could compete at the same level on the road?

thegubner · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Karma :

CortezTheKill... · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Karma :

40 years ago I think they could...Mike Hailwood rode anything and everything in terms of road-racing and would compete in 3-4 races a day from 125s upwards.

Nowadays, they the GP boys would not be allowed to. I'm not 100% certain that Rossi etc would be able to excel on the TT, but he'd probably do well given time to learn the circuit to a high level.

The BSB guys cross over obviously, but none of the BSB guys hold a candle to McGuinness (he's a special breed) at the TT. Hutchinson will need watching closely, though. I think he'll be the next TT Great - maybe not legend status but still a Great - and he has a comedy voice. Thumbs Up

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thegubner · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Karma :

Any one got link to guy martin's interview?

SoND · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Karma :

Rhys · Trackday Trickster Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Karma :

What I've wondered is how many times beforehand they go round the course to learn it. I'd certainly want to do it all day every day for a couple of weeks to drill in where bends are and which way the go, where to watch out for etc before going balls out like they do.

Oh dear, looks like this thought would have prevented my crash earlier! Laughing

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Diggs · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Karma :

My missus and I saw the Guy Martin interview... she reckoned he was on speed... which is apt!
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Ariel Badger · Super Spammer Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Karma :

My friends have a son that rides the IOM. He took his mom on the back of his sports ( not his racing) bike on mad Sunday a few years back and gave her a 100mph+ lap. That is madness.
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