https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HrnByzBh7/ Listen the the FULL clip I know some of you are too cool to use Facebook but this little clip got me thinking that regardless what side of the pond you are there it's something very broken about the way things are right now. How we went from $25,000 Super Sport bikes to $50,000 Super Sport bikes? Even accounting for inflation the math is not mathing. And who does this benefit? These spec rules and spec ECUs? Homologation this and that? I think we have long decided that professional racing is expensive but I'm trying to figure out who's benefiting from all this because it's not the fans or the racers. Go on and tell me how wrong I am.
I am sympathetic to Johnston's viewpoint. He makes a valid rider's view argument about money in vs money out. But the assumption that money is being made... I'm not sure how you can say that (shy of the Dorna level) when the money just isn't apparent. I like that he makes a distinction between F1's "racing" and "the show." They are certainly not the same thing. F1 has done a very good job of making the racing and the characters relatable. It's amazing to me that motorcycle racing can't do the same. The hard pill to swallow is that the thing we love just isn't relatable to many people. Especially young people (i.e. future audiences). -Tom
I think this is the biggest problem. People are incredulous that I race motorcycles. They think it's some kind of illicit, super deadly thing that exists in shady corners of the world and on rural highways or in Europe.
I get where you're coming from but I think broadening the popularity of the sport is not going to fix the basic fundamentals. It seems like the money doesn't trickle down to the paddock? I realize there's only so many ways you can cut the pie but there is no incentive to curb the costs associated with the sport that affects the teams/racers. The push for "spec racing and parity" has laid the burden and costs associated with it squarely on the shoulders of the people that it was supposed to "help". And I'm just trying to figure out who's actually benefiting from all this. Even the cheapest MA SuperSport bikes are stupid expensive anymore and so are the JR Cup bikes. Like Lee Johnston states, at some point when the people that choose to spend their own money on racing leave, what is that going to look like? I realize that "racers race" but I'm not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze.
50/50 motoamerica still exists in 5 years as a top level national series Racing in the US is on life support. Europe still has some legs but we'll see
Yep, I think the money will run out and folks will go back to club racing without all the stupid rules. My question is when/who started this "the rider brings the money" start? For any team your rider is your most valuable asset not his sponsor money.
The problem is much bigger than racing. Motorcycles are dangerous and no one should ride them. I can't even get a 19yo to drive himself to college, 5 miles away. But lose the internet for a 1/2 hour....
As someone with 27yrs at an ISP, a 1/2 outage will be hard, would you be ok with them suffering for say, 4hrs to a few days instead?
This! My stepson didn't get his driver's license until he was 21, and my grandson is 22 and doesn't yet have his driver's license. As was the case for many of us, I suspect, I got my driver's license on my birthday; the first day I could. In those days, regular guys with average jobs could go racing cars or motorcycles competitively out of the back of a pick up truck or van. Now, or nearly so, you need to be decidedly well off or downright rich to race either competitively (except maybe drifting).
"Gentleman racers" of the 1950's and 1960's. Grand Prix racing was rife with them, on 4 and 2 wheels. Mike Hailwood was a fantastic rider, without a lick of actual mechanical aptitude. But, his daddy brought a big wallet.
I mean in them days you had to fund your racing team because sponsors/advertising depts were sparse. Pepsi and Malboro were big players...dont ever remember seeing a Coke race bike advertisement.
I'm old enough to have gotten my car license on my 16th birthday. As soon as the test was done, I walked right back into the DMV to get my motorcycle license from the same lady who had just finished my car test. Racers never bring the money to professional racing, unless the entry fee is enough to pay cash prizes. The series money would normally come from series sponsors. The series sponsors show up when there is enough interest to justify their investment. Now, you asked about spec classes and does that help the racers. Your answer is yes. Proof is in the Honda Grom and the thread here. Look at how much money people poured into a $3500 bike. Would a Grom racing class have been any different? Racers want to win, and will spend whatever is necessary if an equally talented racer competitor spends it first.
You say that but a lot of talent is coming from overseas to race here. My take is racing in the US is on the upswing, the low being DMG calling "Daytona Sportbike" the premier class. I attended 3 MotoAmerica races this year, and attendance was up on all three. Admittingly, the baggers may be part of the upswing and the sustainability of them is questionable due to cost. I may attend less races this year due to the demise of the stock 1000 class, I quit attending races with BTR. Edit: I refuse to attend races with BTR.
Apparently not! At all of the pro level motorcycle racing the riders bring money to the team, unless they are the team and not front runners, in which case they are bringing all the money. Thinking back to the good old days, I was at Little Tally talking with Larry Shorts (anybody remember him) and he commented that the AMA paddock was just club racers with money. He was at Tally collecting contingency money so he could race the AMA Pro season.
