Hooniverse Asks- What's More Fun to Watch, Motorcycle Racing or Auto Racing?

Robert Emslie

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CarvsBike

Racing is one of those sports that in practice is probably more fun as a participant than as a spectator. It’s also however, a sport where should you not know what you’re doing, your participation could – and likely will – be short lived. Besides, that La-Z-Boy in front of the TV allows you to nod off during the yellows should the mood hit. Not only that, but enjoying motor sports as a spectator lets you try out the multiple variants at your leisure, so you can determine which you find the most engaging.

One of those choices with which you might find yourself confronted is the preference for two wheel racing as opposed to four. Motorcycle racing, in my book at least, is some of the most exhilarating imaginable. That is, until you compare it to the fender bumping in Touring Car racing, or the hyperdrive cornering in F1. Motorcycles – at least the road course racers – tend to enjoy the luxury of wide tracks affording sights of sinuous strings of racers traversing their length, and that can be almost hypnotic. On the other hand cars, well, car racing, is just so bombastic, it’s like watching incredibly spry hippos make mad, violent love. 

Perhaps it is possible to like  both forms, but I think that the proclivities of each would win out adherents of one over the other. What do you think, do you go both ways? Or, do you like watching one form of racing over the other? And if it’s the latter, what for you is more fun to watch, two wheels, or four?

Image: Mototest

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Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

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58 responses to “Hooniverse Asks- What's More Fun to Watch, Motorcycle Racing or Auto Racing?”

  1. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    My MotoGP tickets for the Austin GP have been purchased for some time, so that is where I stand.
    That said, I do enjoy the hell out of some Rally Vidjas.

    Reply
  2. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    Auto racing. I just think that having two wheels to work with is saving at the wrong end, even though bike racing can be spectacular to watch.
    Is there any sport that is less fun as a participant than as a spectator?

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      "Is there any sport that is less fun as a participant than as a spectator?"
      24 Hours of LeMons?

      Reply
      1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        Wow, THAT got downvoted? I thought irreverence was the very heart and soul of LeMons.

        Reply
        1. dculberson Avatar
          dculberson

          I gave you a thumb back up.. but while Lemons is awesome to spectate at, it's even more fun to participate, because you get to dress up and be berated by the judges and drive a crappy car way too fast on track.
          Then again, I've never been just a spectator. And I know a few people that were and enjoyed the heck out of it, so maybe?

          Reply
          1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
            Peter Tanshanomi

            I was just recalling the 24HOLM website's assertion that, "It's kinda like a loud, hot, noisy version of driving to work. For a really, really long time."

          2. dculberson Avatar
            dculberson

            Not so far off the truth, except amended to add "without speed limits or oncoming traffic and where nobody is texting while driving."

          3. mdharrell Avatar
            mdharrell

            I myself don't make those last two assumptions.

          4. dculberson Avatar
            dculberson

            I've certainly seen my share of cars facing me on the Lemons track!
            p.s. to make it clear, I didn't thumbs-down your first comment there. I don't know who did, but re-reading my comment it sounded like maybe I did! I just thumbed it up to make up for whoever did. 😉

          5. OA5599 Avatar
            OA5599

            I've been a spectator a handful of times, and would like to put a car on the track. Spectating is a lot less inertia to overcome than building a car, though, and being on the Saucy Minx's comp list is more budget-friendly than fielding a team.

    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Being Suzie Patrese?

      Reply
  3. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    <img src="http://www.theriderfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/race.JPG&quot; width="580">
    Seriously? There's debate about this?

    Reply
    1. Vavon Avatar
      Vavon

      Yes, seriously!
      <img src="http://faimg1.forum-auto.com/mesimages/245753/R5%20Cup.jpg"&gt;

      Reply
      1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        Okay, what do you say we just split the difference?
        <img src="http://mylifeatspeed.com/my_life_at_speed/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Screen-shot-2012-05-21-at-3.31.17-PM1-1024×575.png&quot; width="530">

        Reply
        1. IronBallsMcG Avatar
          IronBallsMcG

          Or this. (Which I didn't realize existed until recently.)
          <img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zrobnHbsT0k/UMytmSw5NEI/AAAAAAAABSU/DmQxFN7t76M/s655/2012-12-15_11-04-05_35.jpg"width=500&gt;
          Photo credit: me.

          Reply
        2. Vavon Avatar
          Vavon

          That sounds like a great plan! I'll do the driving, you'll do the hanging on! 🙂

          Reply
    2. dculberson Avatar
      dculberson

      I haven't been to very many non-Lemons races, but the one Supermoto race I went to was a ridiculously good time. Watching those bikes come flying straight at you with their rear tires tossed out like that when there's nothing but a hay bale and chain link fence between you and the track, then smelling the race gas and burning tire as the fly by, damn there's nothing quite like that.
      I would never – well – at this age I would never start motorcycle racing. But if it was a question of what kind of race to go to watch I would pick Supermoto every time.

      Reply
  4. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    While I'll occasionally stop and watch a MotoGP race, I'm definitely in the 4-wheels better camp. HOWEVER, I will caveat that with saying the following
    This:
    <img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6836125775_02ea64df93.jpg&quot; width="500" height="400" alt="Fiesta Snowbank Crop">
    Is greater than this:
    <img width=500 src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-67WZwhzdiLw/UBZpGyzhWwI/AAAAAAAAAtc/YBsDE4hwqxg/s1600/MotoGP-first-lap.jpg"&gt;
    Which is far greater than this:
    <img width=500 src="http://bookmarksmarkyourplace.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/nascar.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. danleym Avatar
      danleym

      My thoughts exactly. Nascar sucks, F1 is boring, so 2 wheels over those any day. But I'll take rally or even a good road race like V8 Supercars over motorcycles.
      Maybe it's just because I've never owned a bike. I suppose if I owned one and rode it often I might be able to better appreciate the difficulty of what they're doing. I mean, I know it's hard, but I have no personal experience to compare it to, so I think my spectating experience is diminshed.

      Reply
      1. engineerd Avatar
        engineerd

        That's a great point. Maybe motorcycle racing isn't as interesting to me as autos because I don't have that frame of reference.
        About 8 years ago I was a week away from buying my buddy's GSX-R when it got stolen and trashed. If I had bought it my answer may be different.

        Reply
        1. danleym Avatar
          danleym

          I've come close to buying a bike a few times. One of these days I'm actually going to pull the trigger. I've got 5 or 6 projects stacked up at the moment between the cars and the house- if I can clear those out and not have anything else big sitting on my list, I think I'll be taking another look at a bike.
          Actually, make that 4 or 5 projects- I just finished rebuilding the rear end in my truck yesterday, so that's one big project out of the way.

          Reply
          1. engineerd Avatar
            engineerd

            I'm married. The projects never end.

          2. danleym Avatar
            danleym

            Me too. I know. But I haven't yet lost hope.

          3. engineerd Avatar
            engineerd

            Godspeed and good luck.
            Luckily, I have the house to the point where I can finally get power to the garage and reorganize it so it's not quite so big of a disaster.

          4. danleym Avatar
            danleym

            Fortunately we bought a house that was pretty much ok as it sits, so the only thing I have to do there is get the banisters rehung on the wall (and repair the wall) from when my nephews decided that banisters look like playground equipment, and that they should swing and jump on them until they pull out of the wall.
            And my wife isn't crazy about redecorating or doing many projects, so I don't often get roped in to that stuff. But I usually only have one free day a week, which limits the progress on other stuff.

  5. smalleyxb122 Avatar
    smalleyxb122

    I find the number of wheels to be irrelevant. It’s more about the type of racing, and there is an analogous car (or truck) race for any motorcycle race, and almost vice versa. The only exceptions that I can think of are swamp buggies, tractor pulls, and monster trucks.
    Consider me a bispectator.

    Reply
  6. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    I'll just leave this here.
    [youtube Ph0SjLC_lqk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph0SjLC_lqk youtube]

    Reply
    1. Number_Six Avatar
      Number_Six

      If you can't make it to the Isle of Man, there's always this:
      [youtube vj6aFeHwShQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj6aFeHwShQ youtube]

      Reply
      1. Irishzombieman Avatar
        Irishzombieman

        Yes. This. Never thought anything'd beat the TT for excitement value until I saw this.

        Reply
  7. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    I like them both but when it comes to motorcycles, my favorite form of competition is trials.

    Reply
    1. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      The only motorcycle event I've seen is trials, and I loved it. Other than that, I prefer four wheels.

      Reply
    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Trails is nothing at all like racing. It's low-key, but amazing, like a mix of watching golf and a Vegas magic act. You divide your time between clapping politely and muttering "I know I just saw that, but I still don't believe it."
      [youtube kJxcu2ydg2c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJxcu2ydg2c youtube]

      Reply
  8. IronBallsMcG Avatar
    IronBallsMcG

    The one race I make sure I see every year is Supercross.
    AFAIC, racing is way too varied to make a definitive statement, but thankfully I don't know of a two wheeled version of NASCAR.
    Yet.

    Reply
    1. danleym Avatar
      danleym

      I can see it now. A bunch of big Harleys driven quickly in circles by large men wearing leathers covered in advertising. It would be epic…
      …ly terrible.

      Reply
      1. IronBallsMcG Avatar
        IronBallsMcG

        …carbureted Harleys…

        Reply
        1. Plecostomus Avatar
          Plecostomus

          with FOUR speed gearboxes

          Reply
        2. Alff Avatar
          Alff

          Any rider weighing less than 250 lbs. gets the restrictor plate.

          Reply
          1. IronBallsMcG Avatar
            IronBallsMcG

            Last time I saw someone >250 lbs on the pole…
            Never mind.

          2. Alff Avatar
            Alff

            Just like riding a moped.

      2. Alff Avatar
        Alff

        I hope nobody from the France family reads Hooniverse.

        Reply
      3. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        Actually, that's already a thing…
        <img src="http://www.cycleworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ama-pro-flat-track-finals-pomona-law-tigers-la-county-fairplex.jpg&quot; width="512">

        Reply
  9. scroggzilla Avatar
    scroggzilla

    I suppose it depends on the race, doesn't it. Some forms of auto and motorcycle racing don't do a thing for me (ex NASCAR or motorcross); others (Isle of Man TT or Bathurst) provoke near Pavlovian responses.

    Reply
  10. Irishzombieman Avatar
    Irishzombieman

    I gotta say that as much as I love rally racing, and F1, and Brit touring cars, and Aussie V8s, none of 'em get my blood pounding nearly as much as a good* motorcycle race.
    And no motorcycle race, not even Isle Of Man, gets me as excited as the Ulster Grand Prix. It's IoM TT with a pack start.
    Check out the picnickers at 1:37. Sitting on the side of the road as the pack roars by at 200 mph ten feet away.
    [youtube wzScR8wyW4c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzScR8wyW4c youtube]
    *There are, occasionally, bad ones, and I'm not counting those.

    Reply
    1. Number_Six Avatar
      Number_Six

      They pass my folks' house at @170mph, much to my parents' disgust/horror.

      Reply
  11. wisc47 Avatar
    wisc47

    Cars or bikes doesn't really matter that much to me, however like real estate, what matters is location, location, location.
    [youtube jFlSG9_Ue4A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFlSG9_Ue4A youtube]

    Reply
  12. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    As for the worst, I went to an SCCA RallyCross event a couple summers ago. I was expecting it to be really something special, but I must have set my expectations a bit too high. In comparison, the reality ended up being rather a snooze. The cars never appear to be going very fast, and with the single-car timed format, the pace of the whole program is a bit unexciting. In my head it was going to be some sort of junior-grade Group B, but what I got was more like valet parking in a field. I'm not putting it down from a driver's perspective; I know it takes a a great deal of skill and is very satisfying to do well, and it's probably a lot of fun to drive. I've even fantasized about doing it (but unfortunately, the Town Cow isn't the most suitable candidate). I'm just saying that from a spectator's POV, it's near the bottom of the barrel.

    Reply
  13. racer139 Avatar
    racer139

    Myself its cars but I would much sooner go to my local oval or road course and watch the regular joe schmoe do their thing. Definatly better in the pits as well, most every driver will take a moment and shoot the shit, and it dosnt feel like they are talking down to you. Also as a driver most of the guys are willing to lend a hand if needed or have no problen dishing out some info on setup or just advice.

    Reply
  14. Jeff Glucker Avatar
    Jeff Glucker

    [youtube 94_9qO19z-0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94_9qO19z-0 youtube]

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Respectfully, a counterpoint…
      [youtube 3HXqZh5oTK0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HXqZh5oTK0 youtube]

      Reply
      1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
        Jeff Glucker

        Pretty good counterpoint.
        Allow me to post another though:
        [youtube b20xuPuI6Ps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b20xuPuI6Ps youtube]

        Reply
        1. Vairship Avatar
          Vairship

          Pshaw, that's nothing. They don't even have a jump at the finish, nor are they driving in reverse or pulling a caravan.[youtube S7ipFApsFec http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7ipFApsFec youtube]

          Reply
          1. Vairship Avatar
            Vairship

            And hooray for swing-arm suspension at 1:58!

          2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
            Peter Tanshanomi

            I assume they were speaking Dutch? What a bizarre-sounding language.

  15. POLAЯ Avatar
    POLAЯ

    Why need any wheels? (Except for the whole takey-offy/landy thing)
    Before Always even thought of them, racing had wings!
    <img src="http://www.dmairfield.com/people/doig_ma/images/1930_Oct_Independent_Woman.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  16. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    Anyone here who remembers what the BTCC was like in the mid and late 90s? Drivers were really smoking their tires, there was a lot of action and aggression, but first of all proper racing. I miss that!
    The fibreoptic cable that connects my village to the world has a "complicated break", meaning I get like 0,3mbps and can't even watch Youtube. This hurts today with all the uploads above…

    Reply
  17. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    There is, of course, this:
    <img width=500 src="http://www.monsterarmy.com/RFS/2010/05/14/a44dc147-c648-440a-8c53-1bfb5bd4d93a.jpg"&gt;
    Though, it may be outside the bounds of this discussion.

    Reply
  18. Dillon Avatar
    Dillon

    I prefer motorcycle racing, because it seems like passing is easier / there is less blocking going on.

    Reply
  19. myticketin Avatar
    myticketin

    Wow, awesome looking to me. I've never enjoyed live motor cycle or care racing but after seen your information I am very much inspired to enjoy this kind of racing and please, let me know about your next racing as well.

    Reply