MotoGP is one of the most physically demanding sports, period.

[sir pball]

The riders are manhandling 300-lb motorcycles at speeds upwards of 220mph; if you've ever ridden a motorcycle you know how hard it is to push it around at highway speeds…now imagine doing it 3x as fast.

[mitch96]

1. I've ridden motorcycle most of my life.. The level that these guys that race motoGP is nuts. What I though

was interesting was when GP racer Valentino Rossi took a few laps of the Isle of Man circuit he said
famously deemed the event "too dangerous" for him to compete in professionally.
. The Isle of Man is run on local streets on an Island in the Irish sea. Not on a track..
Same speeds, more danger.
Now THAT'S nuts...
m

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. Ditto

[yonder]

3. Same here including a dash of mx and flat track 50 some years ago.

Declining reflexes and vision along with ubiquitous cager cell phone use put an end to my 2-wheeled fun about 5 years ago.

I agree that going faster than sport mode anywhere other than a designated track IS nuts and exponentially nuttier with age. Add heat, humidity, lack of training or a tough qualifier to any Sunday afternoon and one is just asking for it.

Since 1907, 270 people have lost their lives on that Isle of Man circuit. Mr. Rossi made the right call, IMO.

[mitch96]

5. "Declining reflexes and vision put an end to my 2-wheeled fun about 5 years",,,Yup same here but I bowed out sooner

Retired in 2013 and as an adventure Me and a buddy rode from Florida to Prudhoe Bay Alaska.....and back.
After that trip, the hand writing was on the wall. Mine was reflexes and balance. 10+ years ago I decided to hang up my riding boots and put another hobby in the can... One hobby I miss..
Great adventures, Great fun and this is one big beautiful country... Now I'll see it from my metal and glass cage, not out in the sunshine, wind and the elements...
m

[yonder]

8. I'll speak for both of us: Was it the right choice? Yes. Do we miss it? DAMN STRAIGHT!

That sounds like quite the trip to Alaska and back as well as a fine way to top off a career. I'll bet there are some stories there, eh?

My big touring memory was on the other end of our saddle history. At the age of 17, I made a solo 3k+ mile loop through the SW on a Brit-built '69 Royal Enfield Interceptor while carrying a few spare parts, tools and a bit of good sense. Didn't have a lick of trouble even though the Prince of Darkness, aka Lucas Electrics, was naturally lurking as a constant companion.


Also, apologies to the OP for busting their thread.

[mitch96]

9. "My big touring memory was on the other end of our saddle history". Boing, you just reminded me of a kid we met

in Monticello Utah. We stopped at a gas station to off load and on load some fluids...
This young gent was on a 200-250 cc dirt bike with a duffel and a sleeping bag. He was touring also.
Quit a difference between us on our big touring bikes and this kid on an old dirt bike.
We both had the same plan...GO RIDE!!
m

[sir pball]

6. IoM is a different animal altogether...

It's less physically demanding, since there are a lot fewer sharp transitions that need muscling the bike around like MGP…but it has a much less predictable surface, and the elephant in the room of "you either finish, or you die."

For comparison, here's Hicky setting the IoM record…there's not a lot of safety features compared to COTA

[mitch96]

7. Now the IOM would be a great bucket list adventure... nt

[Tbear]

4. Valentino Rossi said the same thing

watching the flat trackers at the Indy Mile. “Guys are crazy, not for me.” Or something to that effect.
Same race that Kenny Robert’s did a tribute lap on his two stroke beast. I was there. I thought he might do a parade lap, but heck no! The King was slinging that machine around the track.