View Full Version : Top Gear / Isle of Mann
Just saw some shorts for Top Gear Sunday at 7.30pm on Prime.
They are talking about a track that has claimed 200 lives and Clarkson is abusing bike riders again.
Hey I may have got this totally wrong ... Yes change Title to suit.
Coyote
21st May 2005, 16:40
Clarkson loves to be in expensive cars, must be compensating for something :whistle:
They used to race cars at the IOM but the King banned it or something back in the early days. Wise King he must have been. :D
dveus
21st May 2005, 16:46
I thought it looked more like the nurburgring from the ads.
Ghost Lemur
21st May 2005, 16:52
Hey I may have got this totally wrong ...
Maybe but I doubt it. Clarksons <Strike>fear</Strike> (oops I mean) dislike of motorcycles and <s>jealousy</s> (oops again) of riders is legendary.
Yup definately nurburg well I maybe well wrong only heard homo (clarkson) bitching about bikes looked up and saw some part of the track that just rings bells in my head after I watched a video of a ZX10-R do a lap! Those bikes were rigged - cant tell me that a car (looks like hes in some BEEMER? which would make sense in relation to the track) would catch any big bike so easy, only saw it once but I think it was either a ZX-10R or ZX-6R thats all I think I know anyway.
Cool that track must have claimed at least 200 lives. :niceone:
Just seeing the bikes has me interested in whats going to be on.
edit: Just saw it again, I vote for nurburg x10.
I have no idea, I just thought nurburg-ring when I saw it on tv sorry, allthough it has taken its fair share of lives.
Getting accurate figures for Ring fatalities is almost impossible as even the police may be unaware when someone dies in hospital after they have decided that no police action is required (ie. no other vehicle involved and deciding not to prosecute the victim). At the upper end of estimates, an ITU nurse at Koblenz hospital told us they get 2-3 admissions a week from the Ring, around half of whom don't make it. However, I suspect this figure includes people who crash in the surrounding area.
Oscar
21st May 2005, 17:52
The fact that the Isle of Man TT has an average annual death toll of summat like 1.7 riders and 4 spectators is a disgrace. It allows people like Clarkson and every Safety Nazi in Christiandom to have a go at Motorcycle Racing (and with some justification).
On a local level, the fact that Motorcycle NZ supports and funds riders to the Isle of Man just shows what a bunch of backwards idjuts run the sport in NZ.
speedpro
21st May 2005, 18:03
The fact that the Isle of Man TT has an average annual death toll of summat like 1.7 riders and 4 spectators is a disgrace. It allows people like Clarkson and every Safety Nazi in Christiandom to have a go at Motorcycle Racing (and with some justification).
On a local level, the fact that Motorcycle NZ supports and funds riders to the Isle of Man just shows what a bunch of backwards idjuts run the sport in NZ.
Talking of safety nazis . . . . . . .
Not everyone is a pansy. Overseas riders who come here are generally horrified, and justifiably so, at our race tracks. When you get down to it Pukekohe and Wanganui are terrible from a rifer safety viewpoint. For some obscure reason, and it wasn't because of the slick organisation, I used to really enjoy racing at Wanganui.
Oscar
21st May 2005, 18:10
Talking of safety nazis . . . . . . .
Not everyone is a pansy. Overseas riders who come here are generally horrified, and justifiably so, at our race tracks. When you get down to it Pukekohe and Wanganui are terrible from a rifer safety viewpoint. For some obscure reason, and it wasn't because of the slick organisation, I used to really enjoy racing at Wanganui.
I've seen it from all sides - as a racer I got impatient with officialdom, but as an official and/or organiser I can still remember the feeling in the pit of my stomach when told that a rider had been injured. In one case I was told by a Police Sargeant that a rider had died and he was shutting us down - fortunately the cop was a bit previous - he was revived.
I don't know how the IOMTT guys live with themselves.
BTW - Not everyone is a pansy, but pansys' tend to live longer...
Coyote
21st May 2005, 18:18
But pansy's can be trodden on, young grasshoppar
I was surprised that the VIC club doesn't scrutinise bikes anymore, instead us riders sign a sheet saying we believe that our bike is up to standard. I thought this was kinda odd :confused:
Oscar
21st May 2005, 18:23
But pansy's can be trodden on, young grasshoppar
I was surprised that the VIC club doesn't scrutinise bikes anymore, instead us riders sign a sheet saying we believe that our bike is up to standard. I thought this was kinda odd :confused:
Yeah, I was surprised when I came out of retirement to help with the KR Motard thing at Taupo last year - no scrutineering. When I volunteered to do it, they told me it was a liability thing, if we declared the bikes OK, it would our fault if summat happened...
Having said that, I sent about 10 bikes back from the dummy grid, no catch bottles, nuthin' wired up, one guy leaked coolant (glycol) all over the dummy grid and a couple of einsteins still had their sides stands on (the KTM ones that stick up and back, just to make 'em even more lethal), sheesh....
Ixion
21st May 2005, 19:07
The fact that the Isle of Man TT has an average annual death toll of summat like 1.7 riders and 4 spectators is a disgrace. It allows people like Clarkson and every Safety Nazi in Christiandom to have a go at Motorcycle Racing (and with some justification).
On a local level, the fact that Motorcycle NZ supports and funds riders to the Isle of Man just shows what a bunch of backwards idjuts run the sport in NZ.
Motorcycling is dangerous. Motorcycle racing is very dangerous. This is in the nature of the beast. It would be possible to make motorcycle racing very safe. Just make the riders go very slowly,
The TT is motorcycle racing. Track racing is a spectator sport with interest and purpose removed along with the risk
Surely the same logic that has been put forward with regard to crashes by experienced riders on KB rides applies even more so to racers ? If you are a motorcycle racer it is up to you to know the limits of your skills, of your bike. If you ride outside the safety margin of your skills or your bike, and you crash it is your shortcoming that is responsible. Not the bike makers, not the race officials (unless they are guilty of some absurd dereliction), not the people who laid out the track. They are not sitting in the saddle Only the rider is, only the rider makes the call about how hard to push. [Credit : I pinched some of this from someone elses post about that SH22 ride - Mr White Trash or Mr Wickd One I think. ]
Blackbird
21st May 2005, 19:29
I love Jeremey Clarkson, he's a breath of fresh air in that he's outrageous, opinionated, takes the mickey out of everything (with the possible exception of himself) and completely irreverent. He's a showman and is it in for entertainment value. His two co-presenters are both serious bikers. Anyone who gets offended by him is probably missing the point and taking themselves too seriously.
At least his show isn't boring - more power to entertaining TV :niceone:
Ghost Lemur
21st May 2005, 19:52
I don't know how the IOMTT guys live with themselves.
I do.
No one is forced to partisipate, nor be a spectator. They do it knowing full well the risks involved.
The only way to make it safer is to remove that which makes it such a great event.
If people were uncomfortable with the risks they wouldn't attend/take part. The only one's up-in-arms are the moral-minority who are forever thinking they somehow have the right to dictate to the rest of the world what is ok and what is too risky/harmful/immoral/whatever/etc.
If the risks too much don't go. But don't interfere and spoil everyone elses fun.
Edit: Looks like everythings been eliquently sumed up by other
or put less politely.... e;fb
I don't think Clarkson is as much against bikes as he is on the show - he does this to stir up comment...works really well I reckon...we wants debate,feeds the fire - he's a tosser,but I like the show,gives the cars heaps,physicaly and verbaly.
Phill Read was called a pansy when he refused to ride IOM,he took a lot of flack for that stand,but they went his way in the end and took it off the international circuit.It should stay,but everyone who rides it has to know the dangers.
eliot-ness
21st May 2005, 21:11
Yeah, I was surprised when I came out of retirement to help with the KR Motard thing at Taupo last year - no scrutineering. When I volunteered to do it, they told me it was a liability thing, if we declared the bikes OK, it would our fault if summat happened...
Having said that, I sent about 10 bikes back from the dummy grid, no catch bottles, nuthin' wired up, one guy leaked coolant (glycol) all over the dummy grid and a couple of einsteins still had their sides stands on (the KTM ones that stick up and back, just to make 'em even more lethal), sheesh....
Hi Oscar. Under the present "Somebody must be held accountable" rule I'm not surprised. A good mate of mine runs an organisation called "Straightliners" in the U.K. 750 members and dedicated to sprint racing on stock or modified road bikes. He runs a couple of meetings on the IOM T.T. week. a guy was killed when he lost control in the braking area. Sad, yeah. but he was 60, using his own bike, and knew the risks. Jan. 05 Said mate is at work. The cops come in, and he's arrested for manslaughter. Taken back to the Island and jailed pending court appearance. Allowed out on bail after one week he realises this is bloody serious and employs a well known lawyer at 250 pounds an hour. Hearing put off twice so far and he's still paying big money. Seems that as clerk of the course he's liable for everything that goes wrong. Same law applies here. As mentioned in previous posts IOM has an accident/fatality record second to none, How the hell can they be so two faced when most of the officials at the TT are unpaid volunteers. If this guy loses his case TT racing could be over.
Re Clarkson/Car vs Bike. Saw a clip a month ago on same show. Porsche 4wd versus Yamaha R1 Rider and driver both championship winners iin their own field. At first corner Porsche not in the frame. Second corner Porsche drives round bike on the outside. Bike once again leaves car for dead only to be passed again on next corners. Same thing right to the last bend. Unfortunately the finish line was just after the corner so Porsche won by 1/200ths of a second. Didn't believe it was possible. Still wearing black armband. I think that particular track was Snetterton. U.K.
P.S. Don't believe everything you hear from Clarkson. He's a bloody effective stirrer where bikes are concerned but I know he's not only ridden bikes but as
recently as two years ago test rode a Ducati and remarked "I didn't know anything could accelerate so fast." He may be an idiot but, Hey, who wouldn't be when you get paid a fortune for wrecking somebody else's new car ????
I love Jeremey Clarkson, he's a breath of fresh air in that he's outrageous, opinionated, takes the mickey out of everything (with the possible exception of Biff - coz he's just way too cool) and completely irreverent. He's a showman and is it in for entertainment value.
At least his show isn't boring - more power to entertaining TV :niceone:
I fully agree. The guy is an absolute arsehole, yet he's great entertainment.
Irrespective of his opinions on bikes - any guy that wears pink shirts, jeans, cowboy boots and dons a curly perm for a hairdo must be a grade a grade A sausage jockey IMHO.
I fully agree. The guy is an absolute arsehole, yet he's great entertainment.
Irrespective of his opinions on bikes - any guy that wears pink shirts, jeans, cowboy boots and dons a curly perm for a hairdo must be a grade a grade A sausage jockey IMHO.
You make it sound so normal re:sausage jockey! :lol:
250learna
22nd May 2005, 00:07
Jeremy hates bikes and caravans. Loves cars. Thats how it is, he is too old to change. He can buy any supercar he chooses making him quick. I respect him even tho i disagree on the bike issue :nono:
Let him be, enjoy top gear and all the primo cars he trashes, and just ignore the odd comment bout bikes, because it realy is a great show :niceone:
I enjoy watching his show, the man is a car fanatic... I am sure that this reaction from us is the reaction he loves!
To each their own, look at the threads here slanging cage drivers.........
I also think he is an arsehole for his motorcycle views, but I do not miss TOP GEAR
Go figure
Al
denill
22nd May 2005, 09:18
Off the subject a bit:
But read a book of Clarkson's awhile back. Consisting of short stories. I think the were extracts from a BBC show he does.
He takes an unholy view of many subjects that he takes the piss out of and a bloody good read with a laugh a page. (Well I thought it was a good read?)
Cheers
Bill
James Deuce
22nd May 2005, 12:11
For those of you what find Clarkson amusing.
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,12529,00.html
I do, but I have to count to 10 and then force myself to be calm when he bags bikes.
crazylittleshit
22nd May 2005, 12:15
Just saw some shorts for Top Gear Sunday at 7.30pm on Prime.
They are talking about a track that has claimed 200 lives and Clarkson is abusing bike riders again.
Hey I may have got this totally wrong ...
Its called envy I bet a 20k bike ripped a hole in one of his 200k cars and know he has a vendetta :yes:
Looked up this site after the show http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/
Lots of bikes doing laps.
Ducati rider leaving in ambo.
Two Smoker
22nd May 2005, 21:11
I want to race at the IOMTT, and i can say if i died from crashing there, i wouldnt hold anyone accountable!!! It would be my choice to race there...
Thats a crock of shit that the clerk has been charged... hope he gets off, and keep us updated :niceone:
Sensei
22nd May 2005, 21:15
Phillp Island would be my choice :yes:
James Deuce
22nd May 2005, 21:44
Watched Top Gear tonight. The sound bite chosen for the advert was out of context, and deliberately feeding into the "Clarkson hates bikes myth."
He was shown chatting to a bunch of bikers. No aggro or attitude evidenced. He was actually quite stressed when he made the comment about the bikes, and to be honest the guys on the bikes were being reasonably cautious and the bikes looked like Sports Tourers.
Watched Top Gear tonight. The sound bite chosen for the advert was out of context, and deliberately feeding into the "Clarkson hates bikes myth."
He was shown chatting to a bunch of bikers. No aggro or attitude evidenced. He was actually quite stressed when he made the comment about the bikes, and to be honest the guys on the bikes were being reasonably cautious and the bikes looked like Sports Tourers.
Yup I was really impressed with his attitude - I noticed a deep down respect for them comming from clarkson myself, as Jim said the bikers were definately not all pushing themselves that day, well the track was wet I suposed, sad to see that 748(?) wrecked..
I'm glad I saw that episode showed him in a new light, have alot more respect for him now.
StoneChucker
22nd May 2005, 21:51
Just watched TopGear too. I REALLY would love to take my bike there, and pay the 14 Euros (or however much they said) and have a go around the track, with...... 147 corners! And that carousel corner, quite interesting! Saw a nice blue R1 on the track, as well as many other bikes. Jeremy seemed to be overtaking a few, but you can't make any assumptions from that, the riders could be of any skill, etc......
Hey, kinda liked seeing Sabine beat Jeremy's time, in the same car! Although, she lived at the track by the sounds of it!
The comment from Jeremy, saying he wanted the bikers spleen (being taken away in the Ambo) was rather annoying :whistle:
DAMN those Germans, they have the Autobahn AND the Nurburgring!
He cleaned up bikes in a bloody diesel!!!! I'd say he's got the right to stir up shit for doing that.
See who he was talking to about the track....bike riders
Now - I'm waiting for 3 pages of oppologies!
StoneChucker
22nd May 2005, 22:02
He cleaned up bikes in a bloody diesel!!!! I'd say he's got the right to stir up shit for doing that.
See who he was talking to about the track....bike riders
Now - I'm waiting for 3 pages of oppologies!
Um, whaddya mean pops? There were a few bikes leaving him, and his curly locks way behind. But, we've had this debate before... GOOD cars are faster than good bikes in the CORNERS.
Who did you want the apology from? The peeps saying bikes are faster than cars? I'm confused, again ;)
Um, whaddya mean pops? There were a few bikes leaving him, and his curly locks way behind. But, we've had this debate before... GOOD cars are faster than good bikes in the CORNERS.
Who did you want the apology from? The peeps saying bikes are faster than cars? I'm confused, again ;)
I Think he means that we will all be like 'Oh sorry clarkson your cool to bikers can you father my child' etc.
StoneChucker
22nd May 2005, 22:15
I Think he means that we will all be like 'Oh sorry clarkson your cool to bikers can you father my child' etc.
Ahh, ok, well I'll let Moto father Jeremy's child :killingme
Just for the record, I do like Jeremy, and Top Gear. I think his bike talk is a bit of a stage show, as someone has already mentioned.
gamgee
22nd May 2005, 22:48
oh no, you wait till they have the aerial atom, he fully rips into bikes in that one, they race an aerial atom which is like a formula one car but road legal with a super charged type r engine in it, they race it against a cbr600 the cbr had it in the straight but as soon as it hit the corners the atom left the cbr for dead, the only car they have had go round the track quicker was the ferrari enzo, it's bloody funny though because it's out open air no windscreen or anything, and he's hitting up something like 160mph (no helmet either) and it's just tearing his face back as if he's in a wind tunnel or something, DO NOT MISS THAT EPISODE it's the best one of the series love the sound of that type R winding up through the supercharger sounds like a jet or something
gamgee
22nd May 2005, 22:50
it's the last episode of the series so won't be on for about a month or so
Um, whaddya mean pops? There were a few bikes leaving him, and his curly locks way behind. But, we've had this debate before... GOOD cars are faster than good bikes in the CORNERS.
Who did you want the apology from? The peeps saying bikes are faster than cars? I'm confused, again ;)
HE WAS DRIVING A FUCKING DIESEL!!!!!!! :killingme :killingme :killingme
StoneChucker
22nd May 2005, 23:13
HE WAS DRIVING A FUCKING DIESEL!!!!!!! :killingme :killingme :killingme
Ok, settle down, settle down... We know how your ticker gets when you get excited!
Are we really doing this again? Ok... Yes, but it's a rather nice looking diesel. And if I was on the track on my bike, he'd overtake me in Prius or some other wobbly people mover. People there have different skills, it's all open class. But like I said, cars are faster. Maybe I'm missing the point?...
He said if you have to buy a diesel, thats the one to get.
Hey, what did you folk think of the first car shown? The Norton (Morgan)I think. 1000 kgs, 330 bhp, modern chassis/suspension, very retro body but a pretty good sound coming out of it. I'd love one, just imagine conversation at the lights. I'm just on my sunday drive sonny, in my 1920 (LOOKS) roadster. Say, what you younguns driving now, and EVO8 you say? Those any good sonny? hehehehe
Faster than an EVO 8 around the TG test track, and almost as fast as the Lamborghini Murcilago (I think)
SPman
22nd May 2005, 23:23
HE WAS DRIVING A FUCKING DIESEL!!!!!!! :killingme :killingme :killingme
Yeah - a 2.7, twin turbo, 240 Hp diesel - not yr average Pajero plonker.
Quite liked the people carrier race - now thats something that could be fun....
JC's articles in the Motoring Times are great, as well (see Jims post)
HE WAS DRIVING A FUCKING DIESEL!!!!!!! :killingme :killingme :killingme
Yeah - a 2.7, twin turbo, 240 Hp diesel - not yr average Pajero plonker.
Quite liked the people carrier race - now thats something that could be fun....
JC's articles in the Motoring Times are great, as well (see Jims post)
Hey - I've been working on diesels for 35 yrs,and I grew up with them as my father was a diesel mechanic.....you don't have to tell me how good they are....good to see a wake up call.
Ixion
23rd May 2005, 00:07
..
Hey, what did you folk think of the first car shown? The Norton (Morgan)I think. 1000 kgs, 330 bhp, modern chassis/suspension, very retro body but a pretty good sound coming out of it. I'd love one, just imagine conversation at the lights. I'm just on my sunday drive sonny, in my 1920 (LOOKS) roadster. Say, what you younguns driving now, and EVO8 you say? Those any good sonny? hehehehe
Faster than an EVO 8 around the TG test track, and almost as fast as the Lamborghini Murcilago (I think)
If it was a Morgan, then sorry you've left it too late.To get to buy a Morgan you have to have your father put your name on the waiting list at birth.If not conception.Pretty much anyway.Or know Peter Morgan i guess.The waiting list is something fearsome
inlinefour
23rd May 2005, 00:24
He is far to gay to ride a bike and admits that he is scared of motorcycles :killingme
Blackbird
23rd May 2005, 07:29
If it was a Morgan, then sorry you've left it too late.To get to buy a Morgan you have to have your father put your name on the waiting list at birth.If not conception.Pretty much anyway.Or know Peter Morgan i guess.The waiting list is something fearsome
So is the waiting list for a service. A friend of mine in the UK had his Plus 8 at the Morgan works (and I kid you not) for a thorough checkover for 9 months despite being told it would take a month :mad: . This left him with his Jensen CV8 for regular transport (a thought too horrible to contemplate!) or his Fireblade. No contest really!
It wasn't a real Morgan - it had no leather strap holding down the bonnet...that's how you tell a morgan y'know.
TonyB
23rd May 2005, 08:04
Also noticed that Clarkson spent a lot of time talking to bikers. I think he respects us, the whole anti biker bit is a windup to get a bite and good ratings. His whole show is done that way.
I think the track footage illustrated graphically the main difference between cars and bikes: at the Nurburg Ring, if you loose control in a car you'll hopefully just spin around a couple of times, tag the armco and you'll be OK. If you makesame mistake on a bike you have a much, much higher chance of heading home in an ambulance. Sensible bikers are never going to push as hard as a guy in a car, the penalty for a mistake is just too high.
Lou Girardin
23rd May 2005, 08:19
Jeeza takes how many laps to do a 9.59? Then the German chickie does a 9.12 first time up. Good one Jeremy!
As far as him passing bikes in corners though, I'm damn sure I'd let some stranger in a cage have the line too.
Ixion
23rd May 2005, 09:02
It wasn't a real Morgan - it had no leather strap holding down the bonnet...that's how you tell a morgan y'know.
Well, therer are those who would say that a real Morgan doesn't have a bonnet. Just this honkin' big V Twin engine out front, all exposed.
Oscar
23rd May 2005, 09:21
Motorcycling is dangerous. Motorcycle racing is very dangerous. This is in the nature of the beast. It would be possible to make motorcycle racing very safe. Just make the riders go very slowly,
The TT is motorcycle racing. Track racing is a spectator sport with interest and purpose removed along with the risk
Surely the same logic that has been put forward with regard to crashes by experienced riders on KB rides applies even more so to racers ? If you are a motorcycle racer it is up to you to know the limits of your skills, of your bike. If you ride outside the safety margin of your skills or your bike, and you crash it is your shortcoming that is responsible. Not the bike makers, not the race officials (unless they are guilty of some absurd dereliction), not the people who laid out the track. They are not sitting in the saddle Only the rider is, only the rider makes the call about how hard to push. [Credit : I pinched some of this from someone elses post about that SH22 ride - Mr White Trash or Mr Wickd One I think. ]
All true, and I personally agree with it to point.
There are two flaws in the argument, however.
One is that if you look at the history of MotoGP you will see that it is often the riders who lead the charge for saftey. It was probably Kenny Roberts Snr's rider revolt in the late '70's early '80's that marginalised events like IOMTT in the first place. You see, it's not always a clear cut choice for the rider. Often sponsor commitments and the pressure to keep ones ride has people doing what good sense would otherwise rule out (in the Motocourse 50 Year Annual, there is a picture of a 750gp race crossing a railway line - the lights and signs are still in place, with hay bales roped to them).
Secondly, and sadly, we no longer have the freedom to think that way - there are too many people out there who just know better. In this country we know better than most that the authorities will grab any excuse to restrict and/or tax anything...
bugjuice
23rd May 2005, 09:25
here's a lap in an M3, aparently he broke a record (but you can't hear the music skip..)
http://www.m3gurus.com/videos/m3_gtr_nurburgring.wmv
~53mb but a good lap of the full circuit.
I recorded TG, but haven't watched it yet. Don't think I'll get to til tomorrow now.. sux. but looked good, and I remember seeing him in the car and slagging off the bikes he catches up to. If I was on the bike and saw he was driving, I would have wasted him! Just to proove the point..
I generally like JC, but not when he's up his own arse about bikes, cos he just can't handle one, so he has no opinion on them except his 'cars are better'.. He's a pretty good journo, and knows his stuff on cars, but the 2-wheel thing has just stumped him, so he doesn't bother to try. So he can only slag off.
As for the diesel thing, didn't Ford put together a diesel racing class in the UK? I remember hearing about it, and saw a fukin sexy Focus ready for the track, to find out it's a 300hp tractor engine in it!! Not sure on the class, but I'm sure they go thru more tyres than fuel!
Pixie
23rd May 2005, 10:32
As Lou pointed out, the german chick hadn't driven the car before she put in the 9.12s lap.
As for diesels ,both fifth gear and top gear have run a skoda diesel against a BMW mini cooper and the skoda beat it on the race track both times.
Cummins developed a diesel Indy car in the 60's,useing one of their commercial engines.It had so much potential,especially fuel efficiency,that they changed the rules to ban diesels.
ManDownUnder
23rd May 2005, 10:38
Jeeza takes how many laps to do a 9.59? Then the German chickie does a 9.12 first time up. Good one Jeremy!
As far as him passing bikes in corners though, I'm damn sure I'd let some stranger in a cage have the line too.
I thought that too - but then realised it's probably a good demonstration of how important knowledge/familiarity of the track is relative to that of the vehicle...
She KNEW that track!
Put them both on a strange track and see what happens... (I don;t know - just think it would be something interesting to do).
And yes - watching him talking to the bikers there - there was no biker anti going on. He just likes to wind people up, and he happens to have a go at bikers.
Of interest, one of the presenters rides a bike... (not clarkson, not the short one, the other guy - the Bently man). He mentioned it on the show a few weeks ago.
MDU
James Deuce
23rd May 2005, 10:41
.
Of interest, one of the presenters rides a bike... (not clarkson, not the short one, the other guy - the Bently man). He mentioned it on the show a few weeks ago.
MDU
James May. Rides a Guzzi Corsa I believe.
Richard (the short one) rides as well.
Lou Girardin
23rd May 2005, 10:59
I thought that too - but then realised it's probably a good demonstration of how important knowledge/familiarity of the track is relative to that of the vehicle...
She KNEW that track!
Put them both on a strange track and see what happens... (I don;t know - just think it would be something interesting to do).
And yes - watching him talking to the bikers there - there was no biker anti going on. He just likes to wind people up, and he happens to have a go at bikers.
Of interest, one of the presenters rides a bike... (not clarkson, not the short one, the other guy - the Bently man). He mentioned it on the show a few weeks ago.
MDU
I think she'd do him anywhere, she was far more aggressive, Jeeza was all over the place.
I liked her comments about his "unusual" driving style.
ManDownUnder
23rd May 2005, 10:59
James May. Rides a Guzzi Corsa I believe.
Richard (the short one) rides as well.
... which I expect explains part of the harrassment of motorcyclists... it's a go at hi fellow workers as much as anything...
Oscar
23rd May 2005, 11:15
Did you catch Clarkson's reference to Homotorcyclists...bastid.
He is still a funny man tho.
The competition 5th Gear actually tests motorcycles.
chris
23rd May 2005, 11:19
No one is forced to partisipate, nor be a spectator. They do it knowing full well the risks involved.
Quite true. But Oscar's statistic that 1.7 riders and up to 4 spectators is an average yearly death toll at the TT is simply not good. Just imagine that every year in MotoGP, 2 riders and 4 spectators are killed. Just how long do you think that would be allowed to carry on.
I have probably completed over 100 laps of the Nordschleife in a race car and believe me, it can be scary and very dangerous. There is NO run off of any note, maybe 3 gravel traps and 2 escape roads. Other than that, you have approximately 2 to 3 metres (less in a lot of places) of grass between the edge of the track and the armco. It is also an extremely fast circuit that is very narrow in places. My biggest shunt in a race car was at the 'ring, BUT, I would go back tomorrow to race there, I wouldn't on a bike though.
By the way, Sabine would most likely blow the doors off anyone around the 'ring.
chris
23rd May 2005, 11:22
Sabine is a professional racing driver. She is employed to drive the passenger laps. She is very very quick and would be at any circuit.
Lou Girardin
23rd May 2005, 12:08
The 4 spectator deaths at IOM would be from the public 'mad laps' would they not?
I don't seem to recall any dying from being hit by racers lately.
Hitcher
23rd May 2005, 13:07
Great camera-work on last night's TopGear coverage at the Nurburgring. I hadn't realised before how technical some of those corners are. And how unforgiving (Particularly the one where Nicki Lauda "lost his ears". Oh dear).
I had to laugh at the end when Sabine blew Jeremy's much (self-)lauded lap time out of the water. With a bit of practice she may well have got the Jag under 9 minutes.
I've been around the Nurburgring (yet another BiffBoast ™) in an Audi S3 as a passenger. The track is sooooo long it's impossible to learn the lines and coreners in a day. I don't remember the lap times we did though. I've mailed the guy I was with and await a reply.
Did you hear what the Mufker Clarkson called us all last night? As he was passing an R1 (I think) he said, "get out of my way homotorbiker". :eyepoke:
gamgee
23rd May 2005, 13:49
he also made the call "GET OUT OF THE WAY BIKES, get a car and some proper clothes" then proceeded (once past them) to go straight over an apex, rather than round it, get overtaken by a VW golf and then have the car break down with the performance restricter kicking in for no reason, so now who's the homo?
StoneChucker
23rd May 2005, 15:53
http://www.touringeurope.org/biker-tours/faq/riding-the-ring.cfm
I really hope to ship my bike over to the land of Bratwurst and Rotkoln to hit the autobahn and Nurburgring!
chris
23rd May 2005, 15:53
oh no, you wait till they have the aerial atom, he fully rips into bikes in that one, they race an aerial atom which is like a formula one car but road legal with a super charged type r engine in it, they race it against a cbr600 the cbr had it in the straight but as soon as it hit the corners the atom left the cbr for dead, the only car they have had go round the track quicker was the ferrari enzo, it's bloody funny though because it's out open air no windscreen or anything, and he's hitting up something like 160mph (no helmet either) and it's just tearing his face back as if he's in a wind tunnel or something, DO NOT MISS THAT EPISODE it's the best one of the series love the sound of that type R winding up through the supercharger sounds like a jet or something
:whistle:...................................
If you have Grand Turismo 4 you can lap Nurberging, had a crack last night, couldnt find a Jag diesel but drove a 4 door XJS thingy in silver, 9m 36 sec first lap out, mind you, you can bounce off the armco a bit better on the PlayStation2 and doesnt slow you down too much :Punk:
betti
23rd May 2005, 19:21
Has to be said clarkson is an entertaining git, but M.A.G. in the Uk were up in arms at a column he writes in (I think) the times in which he was railing at bikers carvin through whichever posh home counties village he lives in.
The rant basically suggested that he was goin to string cheesewire across the road and decapitate bikers!.
Obviously controversy for controversy's sake, but there are a lot of mindless bike hating cretins in the Uk, and plenty of wire!!.
As for the TT, it is the most spectacular motorcycle racing I have ever seen, been a lot of times as I used to live 10 minutes from the heysham ferry. I have also had two friends die racing over there, they knew the risks and so do there family and friends, of course it is a tragedy, but bloody good on the I.O.M for sticking to their guns and holding the best bike racing festival anywhere in the world, dont forget most of the marshals are volunteers, and the festival is put together by fans and racers for fans and racers.
The world is a dangerous place and not everybody wants wrapping in cotton wool :niceone:
Jeremy
23rd May 2005, 20:41
Just got around to watching it. That's one nice track. I can just see myself going around at 100km/h trying to goad the GN250 to go faster :P
Pixie
7th August 2005, 10:11
In last night's Top Gear,Jeremy Clarkson's co-presenters attempt to embarass him further,by getting Sabine Shmidt,to do the circuit faster than Clarkson, in a standard Transit van.
The first attempt achieved 10:23 with a passenger and was further slowed by having to pass slow traffic such as wankers in Porsches and motorcyclists.
Then they stripped out the seats and anything else they could ,including the passenger and duct taped anything to improve airflow.They got a Dodge Viper to follow so they could slipstream,but towards the end she was yelling for the Dodge to go faster.
Unfortunately they could only get the time down to 10:08.
Still I don't think Jeremy has anything to be smug about.
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