Booked for 24 hr motorbike Le Mans
Discussion
I'm booked, with a grand stand ticket at the Start / Finish to see the famous running start.
Really interesting, and totally different - things I've learned:
1. Its a French event, totally - even the website for Le Mans only covers the bikes in the French language version. Its full of mad French bikers who like to burn things - mainly pallets. All the top teams are French factory teams running Japanese bikes
2. You can book an Ibis right by the circuit for normal money if you spot the news of the event date before they do
3. It uses the Buggatti circuit which seems to be pretty full all the way round, even in the early hours of the morning - its a popular race.
4. Its a race, like a proper race - at least 5 teams are in the running to win it, with a good 5 more ready to pick up the pieces
5. Alcohol is banned on Sunday period to prevent accidents after the race...but drunk by the tanker load on the Saturday (but there is apparently never any trouble)
6. The handful of Brits who go report of being adopted by the crazy French bikers pretty much wherever they go - to share fires, beer and attempts to understand each other
We're going to head down on the Saturday morning in the trusty Passatt Estate - its boring but its 10 times more practical and comfortable than the XKR I normally drive to Le Mans. We will be driving from Midlands and back from Saturday to Monday, comfort is going to be key.
Folding bikes will take us around, and especially down to the restaurant on the Mulsanne Straight - no bikes racing down there but its a nice place to eat, show my mate a little snip of the car side of things.
1st tickets sorted my entrance and Grandstand, everything else I just booked myself.
Total cost I estimate is 400 GBP each including fuel, 2 nights of hotels, insurance, breakdown cover, entrance - everything except food, booze and fags.
Means I have 2 months less to wait for my Le Mans fix than usual...and not the same misery when its over - I'll still have the car race to look forward to.
Being as I'm a motorbike racing fan this should be one hell of a weekend.
Really interesting, and totally different - things I've learned:
1. Its a French event, totally - even the website for Le Mans only covers the bikes in the French language version. Its full of mad French bikers who like to burn things - mainly pallets. All the top teams are French factory teams running Japanese bikes
2. You can book an Ibis right by the circuit for normal money if you spot the news of the event date before they do
3. It uses the Buggatti circuit which seems to be pretty full all the way round, even in the early hours of the morning - its a popular race.
4. Its a race, like a proper race - at least 5 teams are in the running to win it, with a good 5 more ready to pick up the pieces
5. Alcohol is banned on Sunday period to prevent accidents after the race...but drunk by the tanker load on the Saturday (but there is apparently never any trouble)
6. The handful of Brits who go report of being adopted by the crazy French bikers pretty much wherever they go - to share fires, beer and attempts to understand each other
We're going to head down on the Saturday morning in the trusty Passatt Estate - its boring but its 10 times more practical and comfortable than the XKR I normally drive to Le Mans. We will be driving from Midlands and back from Saturday to Monday, comfort is going to be key.
Folding bikes will take us around, and especially down to the restaurant on the Mulsanne Straight - no bikes racing down there but its a nice place to eat, show my mate a little snip of the car side of things.
1st tickets sorted my entrance and Grandstand, everything else I just booked myself.
Total cost I estimate is 400 GBP each including fuel, 2 nights of hotels, insurance, breakdown cover, entrance - everything except food, booze and fags.
Means I have 2 months less to wait for my Le Mans fix than usual...and not the same misery when its over - I'll still have the car race to look forward to.
Being as I'm a motorbike racing fan this should be one hell of a weekend.
Edited by wsn03 on Thursday 18th October 15:04
FredericRobinson said:
'Never any trouble'?
Aside from setting fire to things from what I've read. Ive been to Assen TT a few times, same thing from what I can gather. Wild but never any fighting, European bikers just seem to like getting very drunk and enjoying themselves. Sone tv series covered the UK Honda team about 5 years ago, John Mc Guinness and Simon Andrews went wondering through the campsites and said the same thing.Ive got a few mates who have been to the event and again said the same thing.
Have you been to a big European bike race meeting?
Davwlk said:
Lowdrag has reported on this event in the past . It'll be interesting to see if he agrees with you. Good luck.
Hopefully he can give an account on here. Assen is wild and I've been a few times. Harmless unless you're an old motorbike in need of revvving, a tree, a wooden pallet or in the path of an out of control scooter.We're in a hotel and the grandstand, hardly living on the edge.
Just looking forward to seeing a decent race, something sadly missing with the cars atm
If anyone is interested the motorbike Le Mans takes place Easter Saturday. It's not the full circuit, but also delivers a good close battle between several factory teams - hotly contested and well supported, worth a watch on TV (Eurosport usually cover it).
Keep an eye out for Brit kid Stephan Hill, currently fastest in the Superstock category (the standard off-the -shelf class) with ex Grand Prix racer Robby Rolpho, riding the factory supported Yamahas. I'm travelling down with his Dad, so will have a genuine interest in the race, a real bonus considering this is a one-off trip.
Keep an eye out for Brit kid Stephan Hill, currently fastest in the Superstock category (the standard off-the -shelf class) with ex Grand Prix racer Robby Rolpho, riding the factory supported Yamahas. I'm travelling down with his Dad, so will have a genuine interest in the race, a real bonus considering this is a one-off trip.
The race was epic.
From a fans perspective i have to report it was a very laid back atmosphere, with many of the usual families, old people and children present. Quite a few Brits but nothing like the scale of the car race.
The majority of French fans go nuts for it, the crowds get really worked up. It was electric in the stadiums, really unique to anything I've seen before.
The racing was close. Right up to the closing stages 3 leading manufactures were on the same lap, with the race being decided in the final few minutes with Kawasaki France seeing the better of Honda Britain - the crowd went wild.
The main campsites looked mental, crazy - one big nuts beer drinking party. Many many motorbikes died in the night from being revved to death, literally. There were fires burning well into Sunday evening and acres of litter and debris everywhere. There were though many normal sites. As at any bike race people just had a good time, never saw any trouble.
For ourselves we got to go inside the Ain team hospitality because we were with Stefan Hills dad, and inside the garage ( though keeping well out the way). Seeing a changeover pitstop close up was something I'll never forget, unreal. The team recovered from a crash to finish 2nd in the Superstock category, it was one hell of a result, and great to be in the teams midst as it all unfolded.
The race itself is very French and about 60% as busy as the car race. Weird seeing Terte Rouge empty, and being able to drive the entire Le Mans road sections. The airport was like an abandoned airfield, so different to its set up in June.
All said I'd recommend it, fully, but get a hotel - its warmer and void of partying French bikers burning pallets and killing motorbikes for fun.
There are plenty of rooms - my mate managed to book his just 4 days before jumping in on a cancellation (though the hotel was full). Hotels in the city had spare capacity.
As for the racing, always a good battle between factories, well worth watching on t.v. For the start and finish atmosphere however I'd suggest adding a trip to the event with a grandstand ticket - definitely one to add to a bucket list at least once in your life if you don't mind seeing vehicles with only 2 wheels.
Its definitely not like the car race. Different circuit, atmosphere, crowds. Its not as big and not as iconic, but its still worth seeing in my opinion.
From a fans perspective i have to report it was a very laid back atmosphere, with many of the usual families, old people and children present. Quite a few Brits but nothing like the scale of the car race.
The majority of French fans go nuts for it, the crowds get really worked up. It was electric in the stadiums, really unique to anything I've seen before.
The racing was close. Right up to the closing stages 3 leading manufactures were on the same lap, with the race being decided in the final few minutes with Kawasaki France seeing the better of Honda Britain - the crowd went wild.
The main campsites looked mental, crazy - one big nuts beer drinking party. Many many motorbikes died in the night from being revved to death, literally. There were fires burning well into Sunday evening and acres of litter and debris everywhere. There were though many normal sites. As at any bike race people just had a good time, never saw any trouble.
For ourselves we got to go inside the Ain team hospitality because we were with Stefan Hills dad, and inside the garage ( though keeping well out the way). Seeing a changeover pitstop close up was something I'll never forget, unreal. The team recovered from a crash to finish 2nd in the Superstock category, it was one hell of a result, and great to be in the teams midst as it all unfolded.
The race itself is very French and about 60% as busy as the car race. Weird seeing Terte Rouge empty, and being able to drive the entire Le Mans road sections. The airport was like an abandoned airfield, so different to its set up in June.
All said I'd recommend it, fully, but get a hotel - its warmer and void of partying French bikers burning pallets and killing motorbikes for fun.
There are plenty of rooms - my mate managed to book his just 4 days before jumping in on a cancellation (though the hotel was full). Hotels in the city had spare capacity.
As for the racing, always a good battle between factories, well worth watching on t.v. For the start and finish atmosphere however I'd suggest adding a trip to the event with a grandstand ticket - definitely one to add to a bucket list at least once in your life if you don't mind seeing vehicles with only 2 wheels.
Its definitely not like the car race. Different circuit, atmosphere, crowds. Its not as big and not as iconic, but its still worth seeing in my opinion.
Edited by wsn03 on Monday 22 April 03:01
leyorkie said:
After the race people gather at roundabouts and cross roads just to see the bikes and wave to the riders.
I’ve see the same at Essen
Well you had the weather for it.
Ive seen the same at Assen motogp, people lining motorway laybys and bridges up to 100 miles into the journey home.I’ve see the same at Essen
Well you had the weather for it.
We saw nothing because we were there with the team until 730pm, then did a lap of the car circuit - roads were empty.
Went to our favourite campsite btw and handed them a pictorial of my requirements for June!
See you at La Lude on the Friday night....only 2 months to go :-)
Edited by wsn03 on Monday 22 April 10:22
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