patnicholls
12th June 2010, 00:31
I haven't done a big topic for a while. Apologies - I will now attempt to remedy.
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One thing I dislike about many internet forums is silly hypothetical conjecture about things that might happen but never actually will. I like discussion of things that are happening, things that have happened, and things that are likely to happen. And optimism and realism are high up on my list - I don't log into my computer to whinge :)
I believe motorcycling is pretty near to being in its golden age. There was probably one in the early-to-mid-Nineties, and then as the guard changed from the Doohan era in MotoGP to Rossi and now the other 'aliens', as well as Foggy's time changing to Bayliss's period and now 'BSB on tour' in World Superbikes we've got something up there with any time as strong as the series have been. Admittedly, the global financial situation has certainly hurt the teams near the back of the grid - 17 MotoGP machines isn't that impressive - but this period should rightly be remembered fondly.
But things change in all kinds of respects. When I was born in 1981, MotoGP had come off a 1980 season which consisted of just eight races in the top class, World Superbikes was still seven years from existing, but there were five classes in MotoGP - all two-stroke. Over the course of the years, things DO move on in ways we maybe can't predict and some we can.
The introduction of Moto2 this year has been a revelation. Firstly, the races have been absolute epics - the field is the deepest I've seen, the chassis are pretty much all competitive, riders from plenty of different backgrounds are in the running, and the races have just been so {expletive deleted}-ing good. The 250s had their time but I don't miss them compared with what's just showed up at the party.
But the success of Moto2 has wider ramifications. Firstly, it confirms that GPs are obviously moving towards an all-four stroke era (although I do hear whispers of more efficient and economical two-stroke technology being developed for some point in the future). It has made my beloved 125s look frankly rather antiquated, with pretty much just Aprilias or dressed-up Aprilias in the field and some of those older machines from past years - much as I love them the writing's on the wall and it now appears a new four-stroke (250?) formula will replace them in 2012, entitled Moto3. The British 125 champ has been running with 'grandmothered' Honda chassis for some years now so we knew the technology was at an end.
More evidence of Moto2's influence can be seen in Spain, where there is a national Moto2 championship - in place of the previous Supersport championship. It seems likely that this will spread to Britain and elsewhere - Moto2 is effectively a part-spec Supersport championship and is clearly cheaper to compete in than an equivalent Supersport championship as the respective regulations stand (those who complain that Moto2 bikes are a little slower than Supersport machines are missing the point - of course they will be, but only by a little).
MotoGP is scheduled to move back to a 1000cc four-stroke formula in 2012 (at the same time as Moto3 comes in). It is clear that MotoGP as it exists is too expensive to compete in, as witnessed by the small grid (although there are only a couple of bikes less than when I started following in 2000, and more competitive ones). It's clear that as technology gets better that for racing to remain a worthwhile 'sporting' competition that the technology involved has to be artificially limited, and costs cut significantly.
So what I am working round to is this: if Moto2 has moved the middle class pretty close to Supersport, the lower class needs to be reinvented, and MotoGP is set for a revamp as a 1000cc formula, can we conceivably see of a time (in the next five years or so) where MotoGP and Superbikes become one championship? Are we going to be covering enough common ground that there will not be enough difference? Could we see a reinvention of one series with five championships - three with prototype kit (inc chassis) and then two Superstock series as currently run with Superbikes but with a greater profile?
Your thoughts please.
--
One thing I dislike about many internet forums is silly hypothetical conjecture about things that might happen but never actually will. I like discussion of things that are happening, things that have happened, and things that are likely to happen. And optimism and realism are high up on my list - I don't log into my computer to whinge :)
I believe motorcycling is pretty near to being in its golden age. There was probably one in the early-to-mid-Nineties, and then as the guard changed from the Doohan era in MotoGP to Rossi and now the other 'aliens', as well as Foggy's time changing to Bayliss's period and now 'BSB on tour' in World Superbikes we've got something up there with any time as strong as the series have been. Admittedly, the global financial situation has certainly hurt the teams near the back of the grid - 17 MotoGP machines isn't that impressive - but this period should rightly be remembered fondly.
But things change in all kinds of respects. When I was born in 1981, MotoGP had come off a 1980 season which consisted of just eight races in the top class, World Superbikes was still seven years from existing, but there were five classes in MotoGP - all two-stroke. Over the course of the years, things DO move on in ways we maybe can't predict and some we can.
The introduction of Moto2 this year has been a revelation. Firstly, the races have been absolute epics - the field is the deepest I've seen, the chassis are pretty much all competitive, riders from plenty of different backgrounds are in the running, and the races have just been so {expletive deleted}-ing good. The 250s had their time but I don't miss them compared with what's just showed up at the party.
But the success of Moto2 has wider ramifications. Firstly, it confirms that GPs are obviously moving towards an all-four stroke era (although I do hear whispers of more efficient and economical two-stroke technology being developed for some point in the future). It has made my beloved 125s look frankly rather antiquated, with pretty much just Aprilias or dressed-up Aprilias in the field and some of those older machines from past years - much as I love them the writing's on the wall and it now appears a new four-stroke (250?) formula will replace them in 2012, entitled Moto3. The British 125 champ has been running with 'grandmothered' Honda chassis for some years now so we knew the technology was at an end.
More evidence of Moto2's influence can be seen in Spain, where there is a national Moto2 championship - in place of the previous Supersport championship. It seems likely that this will spread to Britain and elsewhere - Moto2 is effectively a part-spec Supersport championship and is clearly cheaper to compete in than an equivalent Supersport championship as the respective regulations stand (those who complain that Moto2 bikes are a little slower than Supersport machines are missing the point - of course they will be, but only by a little).
MotoGP is scheduled to move back to a 1000cc four-stroke formula in 2012 (at the same time as Moto3 comes in). It is clear that MotoGP as it exists is too expensive to compete in, as witnessed by the small grid (although there are only a couple of bikes less than when I started following in 2000, and more competitive ones). It's clear that as technology gets better that for racing to remain a worthwhile 'sporting' competition that the technology involved has to be artificially limited, and costs cut significantly.
So what I am working round to is this: if Moto2 has moved the middle class pretty close to Supersport, the lower class needs to be reinvented, and MotoGP is set for a revamp as a 1000cc formula, can we conceivably see of a time (in the next five years or so) where MotoGP and Superbikes become one championship? Are we going to be covering enough common ground that there will not be enough difference? Could we see a reinvention of one series with five championships - three with prototype kit (inc chassis) and then two Superstock series as currently run with Superbikes but with a greater profile?
Your thoughts please.