Cycle News online

[XRpredator]

y'know, it kinda chaps my hide that the only time there's any MX/SX/AX/Off-Road coverage on Cycle News online is after an event, but if a roadracer farts sideways, it's freakin' news. Case in point, out of the 20 headlines on their page right now, 17 are about freakin' road racing. ENOUGH ALREADY! Cripes, it's like watching Happy Hour practice for a NASCAR race! Troy Corser did .002 second/lap faster than Carl Fogarty! Whoop-de-freakin'-do! Tell me about Honda's and Yamaha's testing and SX and AX practice. Show me some more of the sattelite teams.

I'm spent . . . :confused:

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Originally posted by XRpredator
I'm spent . . . :confused:

That doesn't even begin to cover it Pred. :eek:

 

[biglou]

Pred-Gas her up, pull her around, and pick yerself up! :p

 

[BEEF706]

He's right, though. I get a little sick of all the roadrace coverage too. I'll watch if all the paint os already dry at my house, but I think they definitely go overboard. I,m curious, does anybody know ir the roadraces draw the kind of crowds that SX does? Gotta worry about anybody that spends that much time in tight leather unitards........ :laugh:

 

[fishhead]

If you had done it then you would know whats going on and what to look for. It's to bad they dumb the commentary down for the avearage viewer rather than educate the viewers on whats taking place. Backing it into a corner at 100+ is a little more intense than you might imagine, its a full strength braking pirouette on the front wheel and feathering the clutch, throttle and and rear brake with steering input, and and thats just the supersport guys on dot tires. It gets real hairy when you fight headshake at 135 or so when you are driving out of the corner to head up on the straight. At 170 you are traveling 270ft a second and the hot line is about 1 tire width wide. A mild high side is like falling 8 ft onto the asphalt on your side and back. Tucking the front end is like slipping on ice and not catching yourself. Oil or water and you hit the pavment before you know what happened.
Trust me, riding in the dirt is like picking daisies compared to roadracing not to take anything away from the dirt guys buts the skills are way differnt and the carnage on asphalt is much greater.

By the way watch for Dale Wirtmann in the supersport races at Daytona, He is an amatuer that took a top ten last year and made consistent improvment all season. He started racing at age 28 and does quite well at the local club races. Mike Sullivan #74 is another guy who has been racing a long time in the Northwest as a flattracker and roadracer. He had been at it for 6-7 years when I hung it up in the mid eighties.

You yzf and crf enthusists could lace up a set of 17" wheels and some sticky skins (Pirelli rains or motorad) on your thumpers, pack on some extra gearing, borrow a set of hides, and head out to the local tracks for a run at the local open single classes for a little taste. :yeehaw:

 

[dirt bike dave]

While their webpage may not give SX a fair shake, Cycle News weekly printed coverage is GREAT! The good stuff in the 'Briefly..." section alone is probably worth the subscription price for an SX junkie.

If you would like to see more SX/MX on their website, send the editor an email.

Overall, the printed version of CN probably devotes as many or more pages/covers to dirt bikes as they do to street. When the post office has trouble delivering my CN, I go into withdrawl.

 

[XRpredator]

Don't get me wrong, it takes big'uns to back it into the corners at over 100, but dang, man! Just because Aaron Yates picked his nose 3 times today, which puts him 2 ahead of Nicky Hayden, that don't make news!

I just wanna see whether Fonseca has picked his nose as many times as Ferry. equal coverage!

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Pred - Hand over the keys and get your big :whiner: crybaby ass in BACK.

I'M DRIVING NOW. :|

 

[XRpredator]

You think you're man enough to take 'em? Do ya?

Bring it on! :p

 

[Okiewan]

Shot to the grapes!

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Originally posted by XRpredator
You think you're man enough to take 'em? Do ya?

I ain't askeered of no secretary (unless I need a new stapler :eek: )

 

[dirty~d~]

Dang, Pred. Do I need to bust out my violin for ya?

 

[XRpredator]

all I'm askin' for is a little equal time . . .

Besides, I ain't had nothin' to bitch about in a long time :confused:

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Originally posted by XRpredator
all I'm askin' for is a little equal time . . .

Sit down, put your seat belt on, keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle, and PIPE DOWN. If I have to pull this website over in the middle of the information highway you are in big trouble mister! :debil:

 

[fishhead]

hey Pred, a little more balance would be nice but at least it isn't another round of coverage of spamina can or nazkar or what ever they call that stuff on speed. besides thet got better looking umbrella girls on WSBK :confused:

 

[XRpredator]

Originally posted by Rich Rohrich
Sit down, put your seat belt on, keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle, and PIPE DOWN. If I have to pull this website over in the middle of the information highway you are in big trouble mister! :debil:

but I don'wanna pipe down!

EQUAL TIME!! EQUAL TIME!!!

Hell, I'd even settle for some of that freaky supermotard ;)

 

[jmics19067]

Originally posted by Rich Rohrich


Sit down, put your seat belt on, keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle, and PIPE DOWN. If I have to pull this website over in the middle of the information highway you are in big trouble mister! :debil:

ohmy that was just too funny I can still hear my father saying something similar to that out of my mouth at my 7 year old!!!!!!!!

especially when you threaten to turn around and go home while in Georgia on a trip from Pennsylvania to Florida

 

[fishhead]

Smokey the Bear now inhabits the forum.

In his best authoritative bear voice.

"Better make sure this fire is out, dead out!"

"Remember, only you can prevent forest fires!"

 

[Lissa]

I have respect for sport bikes. I have respect for any form of motorcycling (except maybe those dorks that buy a Harley just so they can be considered a 'real biker'). I have a lot of respect especially for those of us that put limbs and occasionally life on the line to race.

The shop I am employed by sponsors a sportbike racer. This guy is rather good and is a professional already. His name is Nate Kern. Not only do we support him but so does Team Hooters Suzuki. Anyway, this guy has told me of 90mph get offs and highsides and everything in between. You know what, these guys walk away less injured (in most cases) from a 90mph spill then a MXer who endos in the whoops! He hasn't been injured yet, just a few bumps and bruises. I've had worse injuries smack'in into trees at 30mph then he has dumping at 90mph in a turn. Needless to say if you hit a obstacle at any speed it ain't gonna be too pretty.

Back to the subject, the reason CN show so much Sport Bikes is because over in Europe that stuff is huge, here its on a smaller scale. The kind of crowds that come out for a sportbike World GP event there is huge. Thats why alot of Sportbike racers here aspire to do the world series unlike SX or MX where we dominate and everyone else aspire to race in America. CN is pretty fair on coverage (even though I wish they covered mor National Enduros). Sometimes though the sportbike stuff does seem a little like overkill but I might be a little dirt biased.