Wait is over MotoGP starts this weekend.

[Lozza]

My TV guide says Monday at 9am on Ch10. After a winter of upheavals the flag drops and the BS stops.
I have ditched all my previous allegiance's and am now fully behind Marco Melandri and the all new HAI-KARATE team. Which I'm hoping for an appearence of some limited edition team merchandise I can proudly wear

[yzhilly]

It was delayed due to rain does anyone know when it's on now .

[GD66]

The ever-infuriating Greg Rust implied the telecast is scheduled from 3:35 am, restart will be at 4am Eastern, Tuesday morning. We shall see...   

[gilletty]

Stoner   One down. Well done

[mainline]

those night time events have a great feel to them don't they

[GD66]

 Jeez, I'll say ! The tension ! The atmosphere ! The pandemonium of an enthusiastic crowd going off ! Ah.........well, no......

[Graeme M]

I'm sorry but that wasn't a race. It bordered on F1 levels of dullness. With such big, wide, safe tracks, brilliant tyres and all the traction control, suspension technology and handling perfection of the modern MotoGP bike, I think MotoGP is in danger of killing itself off. I wouldn't pay to go watch that. At least when the bikes were crap the riders made up for it with some brilliant riding and scrapping.

Then again, I've barely watched any races for a few years. But still, the few I have watched look the same - a procession of bikes until the chequered flag.  Tell me I'm wrong and why I should keep watching.

Good work Stoner tho, hope he takes it out this year!

[Wombat]

...With such big, wide, safe tracks, brilliant tyres and all the traction control...

Jeez you're a hard man Graeme!

I recently read a biography of the Great Barry Sheene, and he mentioned often the numerous Riders killed - season after season - coz Promoters were too tight-arsed to make safe the tracks for bikes.
The bikes had to run on tracks designed 100% for cars - and the crashes cars might have to endure.
 
I'm impressed by the speeds and control of the modern Riders.
And I'm happy to watch a legend in the making (Valentino) but of course always hoping Stoner will take home the silver!

[Graham]

Naah   Wobat hes going to take the Gold again this year,I think Ducati have one special rider and a very special bike,

PS,   Graeme  keep watching its only going to get better as Rossi trys to find a way past stoner, the sparks will fly

[Graeme M]

No no no, I don't mean in that sense at all. The rider safety of modern tracks is an absolute Godsend for the racers and we can't complain about that at all. What I mean by what I said is that the tracks aid and abet the overall capability of the package - that is, all of those aspects combine to rob the sense of spectacle, unless your idea of spectacle is a procession. I am not debating the skills of the rider, the incredible technology, the vast improvements in tracks and infrastructure, etc. Those are clearly first class and worthy of admiration. But that admiration is an abstract thing because it is not matched by an improved spectacle in what we watch a race for - the competition, the thrill of racing, the combat between riders and machines, the cut and thrust of the whole thing. I think I read that this is about the 37th consecutive GP without a change of leadership on the last lap... dunno if that's true, but if it is it says something, surely.

Mind you, the race last night did have one attraction - the lighting and black background showed the bikes and riders in a clarity and colourfulness missing from daytime events. And the sparks when they ground out look prettyy cool too

[Wombat]

Yep, point taken. But I don't see Moto GP as a procession.
I know several on here agree with you on the 'boring' thing but that's not how I see it.
Perhaps it's the sheer speed of those things - the balls it takes to ride at that level and at that speed.
I like the Superbikes too, but for me I can't decide which is the better spectacle.

I missed the GP so I'm hoping to catch a replay - just now finished watching a replay of the latest Supercross with Stewart 1st and Chad 2nd.
That's the beauty of the 'pay telly'; multiple replays over the course of the week.

And Graham, let me clarify I meant 'the Title' when I said I want Stoner to take home the silver.
Silver as in 'silverwear', not as in second place silver medal.
It's too close to ANZAC Day to be barrackin' for anyone not an Aussie!

[Lozza]

What a few riders have highlighted as a problem(especialy with the 800's) is the incredibly short braking distances, which give no real opportunity to pass, robbing some of the spectacle. Cutting a swathe through backmarkers seems to be a lost skill with 17 riders on the grid also.A part of it also has been Rossi's liking for winning in the last lap and Stoner on the first.Tracks play a big part in it 'riders' tracks like PI and Laguna Seca produce good racing.

THIS is very interesting though.

[mainline]

Amazing stuff Lozza, they just keep pushing the boundaries don't they.

As for the tracks, the Island and Laguna would have to be my two favourite races of the year for any type of bike racing. Especially the Corkscrew section at Laguna.