For more years than I care to remember (but lets say 30) the ride to Akaroa has been my, and everyone else's, local go to. And over those years friends and I have often discussed a couple scenarios. Firstly, wouldn't it be great to have an Akaroa TT. Close off the road and have timed runs. And secondly, as we liked to play GP500 back in the early 90's on computers, it would be cool to have the road in a virtual world where you could ride any bike on it. Fast forward to 2022 and thanks to a little known motorcycle sim, GP Bikes, and VR the potential to have this has been realised.
Just over 3yrs a good friend said he needed a new computer and was going to get a Virtual Reality system. I too needed a new computer, and having read about the use of VR with severe chronic pain sufferers (and yes it has an effect) I figured I get the same. And my perception of computers changed. If you've not tried VR it's hard to explain, you know you're not in the world you're experiencing, but your brain reacts like you are. And it's very easy to believe you are actually in that world when you get involved with tasks. Your heart races in intense scenes, you physically react, ducking, moving, flinching. I have over 1500hrs in a driving sim, and I still sometimes reach to adjust the rear view mirror, or tense up and close my eyes when sliding towards the armco at 100mph haha.
Then last year I discovered the title GP Bikes, and that it supported VR. It's actually been around for maybe 8yrs but always in development, and it still is. But it's at the point where the community is strong now (we have a Moto2 rider who is involved daily with the community) who have made some great content for it, from 50cc to 500cc GP bikes, SBK legends, MotoGP and WSBK from different seasons, M2 and M3, along with Cup bikes and a few street bikes, plus a huge variety of tracks. So I figured it was time to learn a new skill.
With no experience of making anything on a computer (video editing aside), no knowledge of 3d software, game engines or anything I set about learning to create a track, Of course, it had to be the Akaroa GP. That was just over 3mths ago. I've put somewhere between 400-500hrs to get where I am now and I'd say I'm around 60% complete. Just for the hill. I've placed over 16,000 objects manually, trees, bushes, made road signs, fences etc. And there is so much more to add, power poles, mailbox's, driveways, buildings etc. But it's at a point now where I'm actually quite impressed, in fact I wouldn't believe I'd made it if it wasn't for the hundreds of builds I've been through the past few months ha.
To those that say "it's just a game" or "I'd rather be out riding my real bike", yes it is just a game and so would I. However, as it's a game (simulator) you don't get tickets, you don't get injured, you don't pay for tyres, you don't have to put up with other traffic, you don't have to worry about the weather. And yeah I'd rather be out riding my bike too, and I still do. But the Akaroa GP is gone now, 60kmh limit on the hill, 80kmh on the other roads.
My friend and I are building a couple of motorcycle rigs for it. With rearsets, clipon's, hydraulic brakes, clutch, simulated gearbox feel, bike throttle. We're already on v1 of that and you hop off after a session exhausted. With the VR system it's incredibly immersive, I lowsided a Husky SM450R the other night, I lifted my inside leg up as I went down. I laughed to myself how dumb that was, as I ducked under a couple branches returning to the track...
It's also taught me a lot more about clearly looking through corners. I've always done that but never to the extent the sim allows because you can take more 'risks' without the consequences. I seriously believe it could not only be used for entertainment but also as a learning tool. Especially with the bike rig.
So here's a video (best to watch in 1440p) of the latest build. As I said, this is maybe 60% complete. And 3mths ago I didn't know a 'normal' from a 'node'.
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Originally Posted by Jane Omorogbe from UK MSN on the KTM990SM
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