Imagine yourself enclosed in a bubble cabin, cramped up on all sides and hardly place to move your head around, let alone your body. In front of you is an array of instruments, all beeping and showing various pieces of information. Everything outside of you is a deep blue and there are no boundaries anywhere. All of this, from within the enclosed bubble is somewhat crazy to behold, and yet, magnificent at the same time.
Now imagine all this, while hurtling through the sky at atleast Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound. Everything is a blur at these speeds, but for you, inside your glass bubble, it is all in slow motion. The slightest input to the joystick, makes monumental shifts in scenery and feel, and yet, everything feels under control. An easy feeling.
And imagine a dogfight. Nerves tensing, hearts pounding maybe, yet the mind works calmly and methodically. It is a time when quick reactions are for losers. Response is vital. Not reactions. A ‘response’ is more thought-out. It’s takes into account information from our conscious and unconscious mind, balancing it all and weighing everything up. A response considers the longer-term events
Fighter pilots plan their emergencies long before it ever happens. It is how their brains have to work to ensure they survive to fly another day.
Now, motorcycle racers are somewhat similar. Because motorcycle racing is more battle sport, and riders have to be smart enough to think their way through the track layout, determine where they will make their pass so it can stick. Of course, the initial reactions if another racer passes you is to pass straight back at the very next corner, but more often the overtake will come a couple of corners further, because it is all about holding the line when you make the pass. This is a response to an external event and is well thought of. Racers plan their moves long before the move happens. It is how their brains work to ensure they win again.
A motorcycle is very similar to an aircraft, with very similar dynamics. Motorcycle racing at a very high level is basically flying on the ground. A motorcycle comes in, pitches into a corner, gets to 60 degrees of lean, there's two gravities going down through the tyre. That's exactly the same as of any aircraft when it pitches into a turn, and there's two gravities working against the wing, trying to tear it off.
It is actually no surprise that many of the early motorcycle racing pioneers were fighter pilots and aces from the second world war.
Making very few mistakes is one of the defining qualities of a motorcycle racer. They have a strong sense of self-preservation and an over-weaning confidence in their own ability. They are human then, but human of a rare type. Motorcycle racers have extraordinary hand-eye coordination, their cool heads in a fight, the combination of extreme discipline, dedication, training and testing, and the willingness to risk it all when the moment demands it.
Motorcycle racers are similar to fighter pilots. It is as simple as that.
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Great post batz, and is so true! Both are at the too level of vehicle speed and control, both have to have inhuman focus, insane precision and balls of steel! I always wondered what the acceleration of a fighter jet would be... I mean, would it be much faster than a gp bike? Obviously some jets go above Mach 2, but I wonder how quick they accelerate. Thinking of it, it will be more comparable to a jet powered drag bike or car! Just maniacal!
I’m pumped for lights out! It’s abot to go down at Le Mans 😀 this should be a good one! I’m predicting Zarco, dovi, Rossi!
Did you see Moto3? There was an insane crash and motocross style action from a rider it was so cool!
Enjoy the race bro :)
I think the initial acceleration of a motogp bike is far greater than a jet fighter (power to weight ratio taken into account), but over a stretch, the fighter's acceleration as it gains momentum is immense. But i'll say this - whether on a bike or a fighter, you'll get the OOOMPH factor for sure - that bodily pull and push you get when you have hard acceleration propelling you through space!
I watched Moto3, I pity Jorge Martin! I was rooting for him! The moto 3 boys are crazy.
Moto 2 was expected, Bagnaia won it by a mile. He's definitely someone to watch out for.
MotoGP was just so disappointing. I was rooting for Dovi, and I was excited to see him take the lead, only to be disappointed when he lost it. Zarco, too bad for him. Marquez is simply looking unbeatable this year due to the slides other folks are having. Honestly, I want Maverick and him to go toe to toe for a season. That would be epic.
Yea both would just be insane!
Moto3 is always so good, it has the craziest battles for sure!
I know MotoGP was frustrating! Seeing dovi crash out and Marc win.... imagine if Marc wasn’t in the championship it would be like craziest standings ever where anyone could potentially win! But Marc is too good... he fixes his mistakes instantly, he rides almost faster than physically possible... him vs maverick would be amazing, but it does seem like Marc is a step ahead. All of the other riders are pretty close, I mean there are around 10 riders who wouldn’t surprise me to win a race or at least battle for a podium, just Marc really looks ahead of the game at the moment
Yeah, I am afraid the title is decided already! Marc is too consistent and ahead of the bunch now. Let's see how Mugello unfolds. I would love to see Vale on the podium there!
It would be incredible to see vale on the podium there! I’m going with my heart and saying:
1st Rossi
2nd Dovi
3rd Iannone
4th Petrucci
I doubt Rossi would be, looking at the racing news. Yamaha is still struggling. Their Mugello test wasn't the best. Dovi, Marc and someone else on the podium is my take.
We should meet once when I'm in the UK.
I know, but it would be amazing to see Rossi win at home, and to have an all Italian podium in Italy! I hope dovi can win and Marquez crashes out haha!
Yea we definitely should it will be great to talk about bikes and motogp!
@thebatmanbiker, both have similar challenges but are different at the same time.
since im not a fighter jet pilot, and doubt there is a bunch of them in here. i will go ahead and state that motorcycle is more difficult since it requires more interaction for a longer period of time, where as a jet pilot is limited by how long they can fly and most likely don't fly alone or have a ton of support in the ground.
motorcycle racers are one with the machine much more so than a fighter pilot i would imagine.
Maybe, you never know how a racer feels or a fighter pilot feels when the visor slams shut or the canopy closes. Man and machine. It's crazy to think of such things from a mortal standpoint of view.
For sure, fighter pilots have much more ground support, etc, but they are no less as one with the machine as racers are with their bikes.
It's hard to differentiate, I suppose.