MotoGP - live on free to air TV - Thanks Prime!!!!!

[LB]

.
.
A BIG thumbs up to Prime TV :niceone: :niceone: :niceone: :niceone: :niceone: :niceone:
.
.
Please email or ring Prime with your "thanks" - this is a real coup for us, and one in the eye for bloody Sky! (I've both rung and emailed them)

Press release from Prime TV:

MotoGP LIVE ON PRIME
Prime Television has secured the final six races of the 2004 Grand Prix
Motorcycle racing, MotoGP, and the complete 2005 season. The first of
these races will screen exclusively free to air and live at 11:45pm this
Sunday 5th September from Estoril, Portugal.

The extensive screening of round eleven of the MotoGP season will
include all racing classes from 125cc to the big boys of 500cc.
Prime's live coverage of the 2004 and 2005 MotoGP is proudly
sponsored by Yamaha.

Estoril, venue for this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix will see
leader Valentino Rossi of Yamaha attempt to defend his lead against
nearest rival, Honda's Sete Gibernau.

Tune in this Sunday 5th September to Prime's live and exclusive free
to air coverage of motorcycle racing's most coveted crown.


For further information,
Martine Buchter
Ph: (09) 414-0700
Or visit www.primetv.co.nz

[Blakamin]

Yup!!!! looks like monday mornings off work!
Have emailed prime and got a a thank you :eek:

GO PRIME

[Slim]

Done. :niceone:

[Ms Piggy]

I done it too. :2thumbsup

[Ms Piggy]

Actually my email just got bounced back. :spudwhat: Any ideas? It was the info one from their site.

[riffer]

I emailed Andrea Bell at Prime within minutes of finding out and got a nice email back from her.

I guess she had a pretty good day today with all the nice emails she got.

Yippee. I couldn't really hassle them for reporting that not only did they have 125s and 250s but the 500s TOO!

I guess its been so long since its been on telly live to air they can be forgiven.

Good on ya Prime! :niceone:

[Hooks]

Yup !! Done my bit too .... yeehaa and I just got my big screen TV back after 4 weeks waiting for parts ..... :niceone: Can't wait .. !!

[enigma51]

My day is made THANKS PRIME

[gav]

Hmmm, a big thanks to Yamaha as well, guess they must be banking on Rossi to do the business? Of course everyone will say, jeez that Rossi must be good if he can win on a bloody Yamaha (or maybe not....) :msn-wink:

[denill]

Andrea Bell,s email is ABell@primetv.co.nz

Yep, the more appreciation shown, the more we are likely to get decent motorcycle sport coverage.

Bill W

[Marknz]

but but but.... I'm a loooong way away from my TV at the moment... is Prime in the Sky Digital package or is it a U/VHF signal? Am I going to need a new antenna to pick it up? Need to know as I have to have my priorities in order when I get back next week :-)

[riffer]

but but but.... I'm a loooong way away from my TV at the moment... is Prime in the Sky Digital package or is it a U/VHF signal? Am I going to need a new antenna to pick it up? Need to know as I have to have my priorities in order when I get back next week :-)
You can get it on the Sky Digital or UHF package, or like me, with Saturn's package.

You can also get it via boggo-UHF telly -

here's the instructions on how to tune in straight from their web site.

http://www.primetv.co.nz/howto.asp

Also worth a mention is Jesse James' Monster Garage on Friday at 7.30pm and Jeremy (love him or hate him) Clarkson and Top Gear on Sundays at 7.30pm.

They also have a bit of interesting motorsports action on Saturday afternoons.

[merv]

I love Top Gear, but unfortunately they are doing repeats at the moment.

[riffer]

I love Top Gear, but unfortunately they are doing repeats at the moment.
Latest series is on. BBC TV Channel 55 on Sky Monday 7.30pm.

[merv]

I'm too tight to pay for Sky so stick with my free to air.

[riffer]

I'm too tight to pay for Sky so stick with my free to air.
Not to worry Merv. There's plenty of us here with VCR's that are going almost unused in this time of the ubiquitous DVD player... I'm sure someone can record it and pass it around.

It will be nice to get some use out of my VCR for a change.

[wkid_one]

Shit Prime is good - they are even managing to cover a non-existent class - 500cc, they must have some super-duper contract that let's them do that!

[merv]

Not to worry Merv. There's plenty of us here with VCR's that are going almost unused in this time of the ubiquitous DVD player... I'm sure someone can record it and pass it around.

It will be nice to get some use out of my VCR for a change.

Yeah I'll record MotoGP myself off Prime, I'm buggered if I'm going to be up to suit Northern Hemisphere timezone. Interesting one will be if they do PI live which will suit us that don't fly over there.

[vifferman]

Hmmm, a big thanks to Yamaha as well, guess they must be banking on Rossi to do the business? Of course everyone will say, jeez that Rossi must be good if he can win on a bloody Yamaha (or maybe not....) :msn-wink:Did you not know that was why Rossi changed camps? He LOVES a challenge and a decent race, and being on the top bike didn't give him enough fun. It's been very good for Yamaha too, as he's done a fantastic job of helping them sort their bike out.

[denill]

but but but.... I'm a loooong way away from my TV at the moment... is Prime in the Sky Digital package or is it a U/VHF signal? Am I going to need a new antenna to pick it up? Need to know as I have to have my priorities in order when I get back next week :-)

Some general info on tuning to Prime is at: http://www.primetv.co.nz/howto.asp

[jrandom]

Prime rocks.

I'll be sending a very nice email shortly.

[Slim]

Yamaha e-mail address: p_payne@yamaha-motor.co.nz


I've also just received a reply from Andrea Bell at Prime. :)

[jrandom]

I've also just received a reply from Andrea Bell at Prime. :)

I haven't!

What did *you* say that was so much better than MY email, eh?

Huff huff.

[Blakamin]

Yamaha e-mail address: p_payne@yamaha-motor.co.nz


I've also just received a reply from Andrea Bell at Prime. :)


Just emailed yamaha, and i got a reply from andrea yesterday!

[jrandom]

OK, I got *my* reply from Andrea now.

"Many thanks for your email. Let's hope the hundreds of people that have emailed me will definately tune in and tell all their friends to tune in on Sunday night, the only way to keep these types of shows on air is to get the big viewer numbers!!! HAPPY WATCHING!!!!"

[riffer]

OK, I got *my* reply from Andrea now.

"Many thanks for your email. Let's hope the hundreds of people that have emailed me will definately tune in and tell all their friends to tune in on Sunday night, the only way to keep these types of shows on air is to get the big viewer numbers!!! HAPPY WATCHING!!!!"
Got one from Andrea yesterday. Just got the following from Peter Payne from Yamaha:

"Simon,
Thank you for your thoughts.
We at Yamaha, like you were frustrated to hear the GP results on Monday morning, but not able to actually see the race. When it was suggested that Prime TV were seeking the Telecast rights we wanted to be associated immediately. We will onforward your memo to our Advertising Agency for Prime TV's information. The FZR750 is a good model that has many of the innovations which are featured on current Yamaha SuperSports bikes. Keep enjoying it.

Kind Regards,
Peter Payne
Yamaha Motor New Zealand"

[jrandom]

The FZR750 is a good model ... innovations

Now we *know* he's just making things up.

[James Deuce]

Now we *know* he's just making things up.

:killingme

Got my email today.

I can't wait! This Sunday isn't it?

[White trash]

:killingme

Got my email today.

I can't wait! This Sunday isn't it?

11:45pm. Looks like the folks staying at my place this weekend are getting Fuck All sleep, what with the party Sat night, "The Ride" Sunday and the MGP Sunday night.

[Menial]

0MG 4ll my s3x 4r3 b3l0ng t0 pr1m3!!!
thats great news, i wont have to download anymore races from the 'net.
if anybody want to get them off me, i can set up a torrent...

[merv]

11:45pm. Looks like the folks staying at my place this weekend are getting Fuck All sleep, what with the party Sat night, "The Ride" Sunday and the MGP Sunday night.

No worries eh, because presumably Mondays are a slow day at the shop - wouldn't matter if you are a bit dozy would it?

Me, I'll rely on the VCR.

[riffer]

Now we *know* he's just making things up.
The FZR Genesis is a milestone model as it marked the transition from 2 stroke to 4 stroke supersport motorcycles. This shift represented a new generation of high performance big bikes, which employed Yamaha racing technology from the track. The first FZR Genesis, presented to the public at the Cologne IFMA motorcycle show in Germany on September 18, 1986 continued the success of it's supersport predecessors the RD 350 and RD 500. However, the FZR layout had already made its debut 2 years earlier. The first YZF 750 Genesis endurance racer was entered at Suzuka 8h race and at the Bol d'Or on the Paul Ricard track in France to "race proof" the "Genesis" technology.

<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="10" width="37%"> <tbody><tr><td height="396">

http://ymedc.introweb.nl/en/archive/classics/images/FZR1000/FZR1000_87_act1_lt.jpg</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> The endurance racer featured an all aluminium DELTABOX type chassis like the YZR 500 GP racer in 1984-86, which won the world championship under Eddie Lawson. This frame was a novelty and combined strength with lightness.

Project leader Yoshiharu Nakayama benefited from Yamaha's vast racing experience with this layout, as Yamaha used the first aluminium frame in 1983 on the GP 500 racer.

<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="10" width="41%"> <tbody><tr> <td>http://ymedc.introweb.nl/en/archive/classics/images/FZR1000/sonauto-genesis.jpg</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="picture_text" height="2">Former French team sonauto (today Yamaha Motor France) entered the Bol d'Or with the Genesis racer. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> One of Yamaha's most talented engine designers, Tamura-san, had worked on a radical new layout: four cylinder engine with five valves per cylinder and downdraft carburettors mounted on the 45° forward incline cylinder bank. Today, the basics of this power plant still represent Yamaha's four stroke high performance layout.

The engine and frame were designed as a unit, therefore they fitted together very tightly and gave the FZR 1000 Genesis a compactness, that a big bike had never seen before. The handling set new tandards and the machine felt more like a racer than any other mass production Yamaha before it. With a weight distribution of nearly 50/50 front and rear and a rather low centre of gravity with the rider neatly fitted in the bike, the FZR was not only a high performer for straight line roads. This big bike was made for cornering and enjoyment both on a track and on public roads.

<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="10" width="40%"> <tbody><tr><td>http://ymedc.introweb.nl/en/archive/classics/images/FZR1000/87/FZR100087_re_3r_lt.jpg</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="picture_text" height="2">The first model in 1987</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Machine of the year 1987

The official Yamaha press kit called it the "Ultimate Road Machine" and the media responded enthusiastically. Ex-racer and former editor of a German bike magazine, Franz Josef Schermer, commented after his first test ride, "This was great…it may be likely I have just ridden the bike of the year. The FZR is a superbike through and through and I can only say: excellent." And indeed the FZR 1000 won the title "Machine of the year" only a few months later, from magazine readers all over the world.

<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="10" width="39%"> <tbody><tr> <td>http://ymedc.introweb.nl/en/archive/classics/images/FZR1000/89/FZR100089_re_3r_lt.jpg</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="picture_text">Second generation in 1989</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

[gav]

So are they showing 125 and 250's live with MotoGP? Didnt the MotoGP race usually race around midnight with the 250's at 10.30 on Sky? If the coverage is at 11.45 must be just the MotoGP race live, right? Are the 125's and 250's on after that? (delayed)

[jrandom]

The FZR Genesis is a milestone model...

I know. Was yanking chains, etc.

That was interesting, though. Ta.

[Coldkiwi]

why are people emailling yamaha too? did they do something to get it shown? I'm not suprised they were keen though with Rossi upsetting Honda so publicly on a yammy machine!

[riffer]

why are people emailling yamaha too? did they do something to get it shown? I'm not suprised they were keen though with Rossi upsetting Honda so publicly on a yammy machine!
Yamah is meeting some of the costs involved in purchasing the television rights to MotoGP for NZ.

[gav]

Makes you wonder how hard Sky tried to secure the rights, doesnt it?
Only thing is now for Rossi to ride for Kawasaki next year, so we might get back to some close racing.

[jrandom]

Makes you wonder how hard Sky tried to secure the rights, doesnt it?
Only thing is now for Rossi to ride for Kawasaki next year, so we might get back to some close racing.

Then it would be a bunch of Hondas at the front with a Kawasaki dancing around them, instead of a bunch of Hondas at the front with a Yamaha dancing around them.

I think it's fine as is...

[k14]

Apparantly rossi said the other day that he is going to ride the rest of his career for yamaha. His current contract expires at the end of next year, so maybe he will retire from gp then. Probably getting too boring for him. If honda doesnt make a big step forward next year it will just be the rossi show again.

[denill]

why are people emailling yamaha too? did they do something to get it shown? I'm not suprised they were keen though with Rossi upsetting Honda so publicly on a yammy machine!

From Prime's press release: Prime’s live coverage of the 2004 and 2005 MotoGP is proudly sponsored by Yamaha.

So if Yamaha NZ are putting their money where their mouth is - why not email P_Payne@yamaha-motor.co.nz and say - thanks heaps guys.

Any one who can't be bothered getting off their arse and making that simple gesture is NOT a M/cycle sport fan........... :angry: :angry:

Cheers
BillW

[vifferman]

Has anyone in D'Auckland got a tape/DVD of the race? The hotel I stayed at in Melbourne didn't appear to be screening the MotoGP, so I rang home (twice) and asked the kids to tape it.

They 'forgot'.....

[jrandom]

Apparantly rossi said the other day that he is going to ride the rest of his career for yamaha. His current contract expires at the end of next year, so maybe he will retire from gp then. Probably getting too boring for him. If honda doesnt make a big step forward next year it will just be the rossi show again.

He'll go drive cages in F1 and make five times the money, IMHO.

[jrandom]

Oh yeah.

I didn't actually manage to watch it, but have since accifidenticalistically found out the results anyway.

I'd still be keen on a WMV download from the website. Anyone keeping up with those?

[riffer]

He'll go drive cages in F1 and make five times the money, IMHO.
Let's hope his results in an F1 car are better than his results in a Seat Rally car. :bleh:

[k14]

Yeah, lol. He also got to drive a peugeot 206 in rally great britain a few years ago. He crashed out on the 3rd otr 4th stage though.

I reckon he should retire to new zealand and race the production bikes ;)

[riffer]

Yeah, lol. He also got to drive a peugeot 206 in rally great britain a few years ago. He crashed out on the 3rd otr 4th stage though.

I reckon he should retire to new zealand and race the production bikes ;)
or retire to NZ and teach us how to race the production bikes.

[TonyB]

Makes you wonder how hard Sky tried to secure the rights, doesnt it?
Not very. I emailed them earlier this year when I realised Sky weren't going to show it:

SKY's reply:
Hello Tony,

Thank you for your email and comments.

Once a contract for a sport has expired SKY puts in a bid for the continuation of rights.

Unfortunately our bid was not accepted by the distributor this year and they were unwilling to negotiate a price. While we would love to continue showing the MotoGP and MotoCross, the asking price was prohibitive and viewing very limited we were unable to secure rights for this seasons race.

In total we have had around 170 customers emailing regarding MotoGP from a customer base of around 550,000.

Although we would love to be able to provide our subscribers with everything they request unfortunately we don't have unlimited resources and decisions have to be made which will please some customers and frustrate others. We are aware of the following for this type of motorsport but unfortunately the amount of emails we receive will not affect our decision

We will continue to put in a bid each season hoping to secure rights.

To which I said:
I can see your point, but here’s something for you to think about. Here in NZ, if you don’t buy a bike magazine, you will have no idea when the MotoGP is likely to start. Therefore many of the people who want to watch it are probably just now beginning to wonder when it will be on. If, on the recent coverage of the world Superbikes, the chap that hosts the bike racing had said “…and the MotoGP bikes are on the Grid as we speak. We’re not covering them this year….” Instead of just saying they were “on the grid and we’ll keep you updated”, I guarantee you would have had a lot more emails. Although apparently that still won’t affect your decision?

Never got a reply. Lets hope they loose the Superbikes as well.....

[vifferman]

He'll go drive cages in F1 and make five times the money, IMHO.
Let's hope his results in an F1 car are better than his results in a Seat Rally car. :bleh:
Yeah, lol. He also got to drive a peugeot 206 in rally great britain a few years ago. He crashed out on the 3rd otr 4th stage though.When Rossi started out in bikes, he crashed A LOT, as he tested what the limits were and what the bikes felt like as they approached the limits (and obviously, what it felt like OUCH!! Ooh! Ahhrrgghh!! when the limits were exceeded :laugh: )
Apparently he loves rally driving, so if he does go to cars when he grows up, don't write him off! He was The Crasher before he was The Doctor....

No-one's offered me a tape or DVD of the MotoGP yet. I could wait until the race screens on TV1, but that'll be weeks, and it'll be edited highlights only. So, did anyone record the race? Can you PM me?

[Slim]

No-one's offered me a tape or DVD of the MotoGP yet. I could wait until the race screens on TV1, but that'll be weeks, and it'll be edited highlights only. So, did anyone record the race? Can you PM me?
I taped the whole thing. It's on VHS on long play mode. The man hasn't seen the 125 race yet, so I'll be taking it over to Te Puke.

I could courier/post it to you on Tuesday if you like?

[merv]

I enjoyed the free coverage, but it was obvious last year that Rossi was a cut above the others with the ease at which he could put a second a lap or so on others as needed like he did at Philip Island. In all honesty based on their performance previously I did not believe he would win so easily on the POS Yamaha, but him and Burgess have proven my thoughts wrong. What's wrong now is he is making the racing boring again. I can understand his approach with the Yamaha being down on top speed he just bolted otherwise it would be like trying to race a triple or a 250 or something against the other bikes - its OK if your lap times are great in free air but if you aint got the speed down the straights and the other guys get in your way on the corners it knocks the hell out of you times. Rossi said he knew he would have a hard time if someone was with him on a faster bike so the boy just opened up the gap so no one could touch him. That is genius stuff. He will surpass Ago as the winningest rider, no doubt about it.

See the attachment, this is of the fastest speed attained in the wekend. Rossi's bike was 12th fastest at best.

[vifferman]

I taped the whole thing. It's on VHS on long play mode. The man hasn't seen the 125 race yet, so I'll be taking it over to Te Puke.

I could courier/post it to you on Tuesday if you like?Thanx, Slim. Maybe I could use this as an excuse for the wife and I to visit Hamilton or Te Puke by bike?
On second thoughts - we've had two weekends in a row away from the boys; I don't think the house could stand another weekend of that...
I'll let you know, if I don't get any D'Aucklanders offering to lend me a copy.:)

[Slim]

I'll let you know, if I don't get any D'Aucklanders offering to lend me a copy.:)
Sure thing. Just PM me your mailing address (to work?) if you want it. :)

[Coldkiwi]

I think Rossi has done a great thing for the sport by racing for Yamaha. Its made the whole show a lot more interesting and has created a great deal of speculation and rumour about how the factories are going to fight against it and keep winning.
He's still only 23 so I think retiring isn't going to happen anytime soon. I suspect he would like to win the GP on an italian bike but until ducati or Aprilia get themselves sorted out, he may have to keep racing the Japa's

[The One]

I have done my bit to thank sky. Thanks to this site as well as I wouldn't of found out otherwise.

Go Prime.

Go Rossi. :eek: Rossi is the man. Taking a lesser machine, and not only keeping in touch with the Honda's but leading the Moto GP with it. Awesome. Just because he wanted a challenge.

You wouldn't see Schumacher doing that in F1 would you.

Rossi you da man.

[Kickaha]

Yeah, lol. He also got to drive a peugeot 206 in rally great britain a few years ago. He crashed out on the 3rd otr 4th stage though.

I reckon he should retire to new zealand and race the production bikes ;)


Why would he waste his time with those when he could race the premier Bucket class :msn-wink:

[merv]

Why would he waste his time with those when he could race the premier Bucket class :msn-wink:

Reckon we could encourage him to come and live here like Fred Merkel?

[TonyB]

What surprises me is how ordinary Bayliss and Edwards etc look in MotoGP. I really thought those two would do well. Is it because they're on inferior bikes now, or were they just on vastly superior bikes and tyres when they were in SBK? I never thought Hodgson would do any good- he won without any real competition unless you count Zaus (CRASH!). I still remember from last year the one time Hodgson got his wheels out of line going into a corner he paniked and rode off into the sand trap :killingme

As for Rossi, I think he's proven that he is a rare talent (with a good team behind him). The thing I like about him is that he can have fun while riding fast- he isn't being pursued by his own demons like some of the past champions- and he hasn't wrecked his body getting to where he is. He's a good ambassador for the sport.

[gav]

There has been a link on here for the last four days that you could download the races if you want? Have you seen that? Its called "Download link for weekends racing" http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=4985

[vifferman]

There has been a link on here for the last four days that you could download the races if you want? Have you seen that? Its called "Download link for weekends racing" http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=4985Forgot about that. But what sort of resolution is it? I'd like to sit in the lounge with a beer or 5 and watch it on my TV, rather than some crappy blurry picture on my PC.

[jrandom]

There has been a link on here for the last four days that you could download the races if you want? Have you seen that? Its called "Download link for weekends racing" http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=4985

Lubbly, ta. Missed that.

[Slim]

Forgot about that. But what sort of resolution is it? I'd like to sit in the lounge with a beer or 5 and watch it on my TV, rather than some crappy blurry picture on my PC.
I've got that tape in my bag today, if you want me to chuck it in the post for ya. :)

[Slim]

Boing!


Prime have done it again! :first:

I've just sent an e-mail to Andrea to say thanks again. :)

[jnr]

Sky TV actually bought Prime New Zealand for $30.36 million. The big upside for Sky is being able to take its sports broadcasting and replay it later on free-to-air and not have to give it to a competing network.

Not sure if it was actually Live or just delayed as one race quickly changed to another.

[GSVR]

Not sure if it was actually Live or just delayed as one race quickly changed to another.

Delayed Live coverage.

At the end of last season the coverage had the feature MGP first then the 250 and 125 races.

Rossi's sportsmanship has gone right up in my opinion after the way he handled being taken out in the first corner rode on to get points and then not get pissed at the guy who took him out.

[sAsLEX]

Rossi's sportsmanship has gone right up in my opinion after the way he handled being taken out in the first corner rode on to get points and then not get pissed at the guy who took him out.

But we didnt see that as Prime only showed the bare bones of the race and not much of the aftermath, and cut to a programme no one in NZ would really care to watch at 3 in the morning

[Slim]

The e-mail for Andrea listed earlier in this thread is no longer valid. :( I'm trying to resend to "info" at Primetv instead & see if I get a response.

[denill]

Rossi's sportsmanship has gone right up in my opinion after the way he handled being taken out in the first corner rode on to get points and then not get pissed at the guy who took him out.

But if had been Gibernau - or Biaggi:ar15: :ar15:

[denill]

Rossi's sportsmanship has gone right up in my opinion after the way he handled being taken out in the first corner rode on to get points and then not get pissed at the guy who took him out.


But we didnt see that as Prime only showed the bare bones of the race and not much of the aftermath, and cut to a programme no one in NZ would really care to watch at 3 in the morning

Rossi said later: "I saw Toni come up on the inside and he hit me; this is racing and these things happen. I have known Toni for many years and he is a good rider. He apologised to me after the race so I told him not to worry - only to remember to brake next time and if it is too late then to hit another bike instead of me!"

[sAsLEX]

Rossi said later: "I saw Toni come up on the inside and he hit me; this is racing and these things happen. I have known Toni for many years and he is a good rider. He apologised to me after the race so I told him not to worry - only to remember to brake next time and if it is too late then to hit another bike instead of me!"

I DL the gp and toni actually came up to him on the out lap and apologised on the track, but we didnt see that.....