boring boring bike racing on TV
Discussion
just a quick rant really about how boring I now find motorbike racing on the TV channels.
I used to avidly watch all of the race series and look forward to each race with some eager anticipation.
I still record all the races and for some reason feel honour bound to watch them but they are just so boring this year.
Marquez, Toprac and Ray just romp away ahead in every race and usually win by good margin with no competition at all. and as a result they all pretty much have the championship in the bag.
and the rest of the race is like the procession that I used to see and which stopped me watching F1 years ago.
and you just know the TV director knows the same from the control room and is doing the best possible job of trying to keep it interesting by replaying the start and then following the "battle for 10th place" for most of the race because it's the only chance of seeing an overtake.
I find myself watching the start because there's sometimes a bit of action and crashes in the first few corners and then after lap two I just skip forward continuously using the remote whilst watching the placings list down the left hand side. it's so easy to see all the names staying in the same order so nobody is overtaking for almost the entire race.
and just when I thought the racing couldn't get any worse or more boring we have the whole facade of the low tire pressure thing with Marquez. The race leader with a 3-second lead slows down to let the field come through so he can warm his tires up and then jumps to the front again and wins the race. what a joke.
surely it's only a matter of time before the spectators, fans and sponsors realise the whole thing is so tediously boring that it starts to fall apart commercially.
or maybe it's just me and I'm missing some excitement that others are watching.
I used to avidly watch all of the race series and look forward to each race with some eager anticipation.
I still record all the races and for some reason feel honour bound to watch them but they are just so boring this year.
Marquez, Toprac and Ray just romp away ahead in every race and usually win by good margin with no competition at all. and as a result they all pretty much have the championship in the bag.
and the rest of the race is like the procession that I used to see and which stopped me watching F1 years ago.
and you just know the TV director knows the same from the control room and is doing the best possible job of trying to keep it interesting by replaying the start and then following the "battle for 10th place" for most of the race because it's the only chance of seeing an overtake.
I find myself watching the start because there's sometimes a bit of action and crashes in the first few corners and then after lap two I just skip forward continuously using the remote whilst watching the placings list down the left hand side. it's so easy to see all the names staying in the same order so nobody is overtaking for almost the entire race.
and just when I thought the racing couldn't get any worse or more boring we have the whole facade of the low tire pressure thing with Marquez. The race leader with a 3-second lead slows down to let the field come through so he can warm his tires up and then jumps to the front again and wins the race. what a joke.
surely it's only a matter of time before the spectators, fans and sponsors realise the whole thing is so tediously boring that it starts to fall apart commercially.
or maybe it's just me and I'm missing some excitement that others are watching.
Think your last sentence is a large part of it. Aero and shape shifting devices have screwed MotoGP up, tyre pressure rule is leading to farcical events, but, most significantly, Marc having a few years out lowered the talent bar a bit. If all you watch bike racing for is battles for the lead, then MotoGP might not suit you right now.
I'm finding this season more interesting, and less predictable, than the previous couple of seasons of Jorge and Pecco squabbling for a few corners then playing follow my leader to the finish. Moto2 has had some cracking races this year, even though Manu has spent most of it looking a cut above. Rueda is waltzing off with the Moto3 title, there's a bit of a talent vacuum there.
The good news is the new rules will address a lot of the issues, but until Fabio and (maybe) Pedro get comparable equipment, Marc is going to romp it.
I'm finding this season more interesting, and less predictable, than the previous couple of seasons of Jorge and Pecco squabbling for a few corners then playing follow my leader to the finish. Moto2 has had some cracking races this year, even though Manu has spent most of it looking a cut above. Rueda is waltzing off with the Moto3 title, there's a bit of a talent vacuum there.
The good news is the new rules will address a lot of the issues, but until Fabio and (maybe) Pedro get comparable equipment, Marc is going to romp it.
Not a biker, not a lover of bike racing as 4 wheels was my bag. BUT I used to love watching about 7 years ago when non factory bikes were winning and Cal was around but mostly getting beaten by his non-factory team mate. 46 was still round but not guaranteed to win. Scott was in moto 2 or 3 and coming through. Different winner most weeks and great watching.
I stopped watching as it wwnt behind a paywall. Half glad i didn't stick with it if it has degraded similarly to f1, yawn. FE is pretty interesting with different winners but sounds awful and tracks are crap.
I've gone back to watching trials but even that seems to be big business nowadays.
I stopped watching as it wwnt behind a paywall. Half glad i didn't stick with it if it has degraded similarly to f1, yawn. FE is pretty interesting with different winners but sounds awful and tracks are crap.
I've gone back to watching trials but even that seems to be big business nowadays.
Paywall aspect is a big thing for many these days
I think you simply have to take the rough with the smooth, you are in periods of domination by riders and bikes right now,. Marquez, Ray, Toprak and Bulega, even Moto3 it is rare to have a guy be that dominant.
All the classes have established rule series, so there is very little danger, one bike or rider dominates.
I have been lucky to live through some amazing seasons in bike racing, the mid 00's in BSB and BSS were superb, there have been lots of great season in SBK, WSS and MotoGP all classes, this is just a lull period.
I do not really pull for riders, more just good racing and right now, tyres, aero, control, have removed a lot of the ability for most riders to shine, the true greats still do eg Marquez and Toprak. Which is a good thing. But Marquez has lost his spectacular edge and is just a winning machine. Its like watching Lorenzo and that was dull as anything
I think you simply have to take the rough with the smooth, you are in periods of domination by riders and bikes right now,. Marquez, Ray, Toprak and Bulega, even Moto3 it is rare to have a guy be that dominant.
All the classes have established rule series, so there is very little danger, one bike or rider dominates.
I have been lucky to live through some amazing seasons in bike racing, the mid 00's in BSB and BSS were superb, there have been lots of great season in SBK, WSS and MotoGP all classes, this is just a lull period.
I do not really pull for riders, more just good racing and right now, tyres, aero, control, have removed a lot of the ability for most riders to shine, the true greats still do eg Marquez and Toprak. Which is a good thing. But Marquez has lost his spectacular edge and is just a winning machine. Its like watching Lorenzo and that was dull as anything
I still watch as much as I can on Free to Air.
OK the 3 riders mentioned are dominating things, but it wasn't so long ago when VR was winning all the time on Moto GP until MM took over, then had a few years in the wilderness but is now back with a vengeance.
In WSBK it may be Toprak all the time, but a few years ago nobody could beat Jonathon Rea.
It's cyclical, and tends to happen in most sports. Doesn't put me off.
OK the 3 riders mentioned are dominating things, but it wasn't so long ago when VR was winning all the time on Moto GP until MM took over, then had a few years in the wilderness but is now back with a vengeance.
In WSBK it may be Toprak all the time, but a few years ago nobody could beat Jonathon Rea.
It's cyclical, and tends to happen in most sports. Doesn't put me off.
I'm also not enjoying it so much this year.
My favourite series has always been BSB but I'm just not getting excited this year.
Think it's also because I used to watch the entire races and now I'm relegated to highlight shows, which seem pretty poor quality. The MotoGP highlight show in particular is terrible this year.
My favourite series has always been BSB but I'm just not getting excited this year.
Think it's also because I used to watch the entire races and now I'm relegated to highlight shows, which seem pretty poor quality. The MotoGP highlight show in particular is terrible this year.
Look on ITV4 for their 'King of the Roads' road racing programs.
https://www.itv.com/watch/king-of-the-roads/2a5089
https://www.itv.com/watch/king-of-the-roads/2a5089
I’ve also got a problem with BSB this year.
I haven’t watched wsb or MotoGP properly for years but always enjoyed BSB.
This year has been rubbish so far and I’m thinking about dropping the tnt sub I’m paying £18 a month for as I only got it for BSB.
Bit sad really as I think if I stop and it stays on an expensive sub that I won’t get back into it.
I’ve watched pretty much every season since the Cadbury’s boost Yamahas when I first started.
Could just be an age thing too of course.
I haven’t watched wsb or MotoGP properly for years but always enjoyed BSB.
This year has been rubbish so far and I’m thinking about dropping the tnt sub I’m paying £18 a month for as I only got it for BSB.
Bit sad really as I think if I stop and it stays on an expensive sub that I won’t get back into it.
I’ve watched pretty much every season since the Cadbury’s boost Yamahas when I first started.
Could just be an age thing too of course.
A500leroy said:
Guys it's not that long since the epic BSb final last year which was probably one of the best bike races ever.
Ok so Ray is romping off this year, but he's only one bad weekend away from making interesting again.
And let's be fair, he did more or less the same thing in his championship year. The last two years have been nail biters to the end of the season, Bridwell winning by half a point then Ryde last year by inches, been great seasons.Ok so Ray is romping off this year, but he's only one bad weekend away from making interesting again.
Okay WSBK is a bit dull but then we can hardly complain that Toprak is winning everything, before him it was Bautista and before that it was Rea, at least Bulega made last year interesting and hopefully will push Toprak all the way this year.
bergclimber34 said:
I do go and watch other things, but is it a crime to still keep an eye on stuff you wish was better, of course not, it is a cycle and will hopefully get better some time, usually rule changes
Single tyres, electronics don't help.
Of course it's not a crime, nobody's suggested it is?Single tyres, electronics don't help.
I just don't get the mentality. I've followed bike racing my whole life and it naturally goes through spells where it's more entertaining and exciting than others; it simply can't get better every year!
One thing I've noticed is that people don't tend to be really into a specific rider or team any more. Myself included. Back in the day I was a massive Chris Walker fan and followed him and cheered him on whatever he was riding and however well he was doing. Same as the Jordan team in F1 - I loved the team whoever was driving and however well they were doing. It meant that even if they were scrapping for 10th I still had an interest if it was boring at the front - which without the rose tinted glasses it often was.
srob said:
bergclimber34 said:
I do go and watch other things, but is it a crime to still keep an eye on stuff you wish was better, of course not, it is a cycle and will hopefully get better some time, usually rule changes
Single tyres, electronics don't help.
Of course it's not a crime, nobody's suggested it is?Single tyres, electronics don't help.
I just don't get the mentality. I've followed bike racing my whole life and it naturally goes through spells where it's more entertaining and exciting than others; it simply can't get better every year!
One thing I've noticed is that people don't tend to be really into a specific rider or team any more. Myself included. Back in the day I was a massive Chris Walker fan and followed him and cheered him on whatever he was riding and however well he was doing. Same as the Jordan team in F1 - I loved the team whoever was driving and however well they were doing. It meant that even if they were scrapping for 10th I still had an interest if it was boring at the front - which without the rose tinted glasses it often was.
It comes from frustration
You move away from the traditional F1 stuff and find bikes or other things, racing great, loads of passing, then after time it becomes like this year, a bit predictable, not amazing racing.
Pay walls don't help as it stops casuals passing over it, most bike race fans I know got hooked from simply browsing, hearing a name they knew and watching, enjoying etc, that is harder with payrolls, but all sports is now a business for a few very rich people to make money out of sadly.
I will always love it, but there are times like now when I can happily take a passing interest for a bit, like I might do with golf, football, NFL or other things.
You move away from the traditional F1 stuff and find bikes or other things, racing great, loads of passing, then after time it becomes like this year, a bit predictable, not amazing racing.
Pay walls don't help as it stops casuals passing over it, most bike race fans I know got hooked from simply browsing, hearing a name they knew and watching, enjoying etc, that is harder with payrolls, but all sports is now a business for a few very rich people to make money out of sadly.
I will always love it, but there are times like now when I can happily take a passing interest for a bit, like I might do with golf, football, NFL or other things.
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