Friday night on the net - tossing up between going out and doing the socially acceptable thing, or staying home to watch live-timing of MotoGP free practice 1 at Jerez. I assume all my readers are in a similar position. Right?
If you're reading this in anticipation, having checked out last week's entry and wondering whether I have anything valid to say - I assume you are someone for whom MotoRacing is more than just a pretty race and occasional social event. I assume, like me, that you have an interest in what is going on - the information as well as the spectacle.
If not, you're probably best tuning out for a few weeks.
As promised, I will gloss some of the sources I use for information on MotoGP - my knowledge of news sources and writers might not be special, but it is enough to satisfy me, and should be more than enough for most fans.
Anybody willing to share their information sources I would love the input -see the comments section below, or however else you might prefer.
MotoGP.com
This is the most obvious stop, and should usually be your first stop. Please, though, don't make it your last stop. As I wrote in my notes on these sources, it is 'so good, yet so bad'.
The site is dedicated to MotoGP (+125s and 250s - these last two seemingly becoming sidelined with the new site layout), carries reasonably timely news, has summaries and previews (quite general in nature), lots of interviews and articles on what people have said, extras like videos and articles on rider equipment and tracks etc (usually quite basic and uninteresting).
For the keener, the site maintains a live timing system which is simple but effective - when it works - and a pretty good database of results in various formats (e.g. lap-by-lap analysis - mainly in pdf).
For the richer, willing to subscribe to membership, there are a pretty good range of videos of interviews, on-track-laps, highlights and other footage, and of course live-streaming and replay-streaming of all races.
This all sounds pretty good, right?
Well - much of the site is geared towards encouraging you to take out a membership, and that which isn't is held together by a frustrating structure which is of use only to the casual netsurfer. It is a real pain to navigate, exasserbated by the hugely image-, ad- and flash-heavy pages which take forever to load what will likely be a few sentences you want to read, a simple link or a single picture.
Unfortunately, forking out for a membership does not solve these problems, more often than not adding 'unsatisfied expectations' to the list: having signed up in 2008, I never will again. I found myself writing numerous complains letters about faulty videos and live timing (among other more minor irritants), requesting some sort of partial refund - never getting a response of course, and not really expecting one given the difficulty of contacting them at all - and using virtually none of the services I paid top dollar for.
I have heard of people happy with MotoGP.com, and if you spend a lot of time on YouTube watching random videos, are lucky enough for the site to work, and have some $$ to burn, then it might be for you.
Personally, I still download the pdfs of practice/qualifying lap-by-lap results and analysis (invaluable in determining the pace that riders are actually able to lap at), and the news articles I subscribe to via RSS.
There is a reason that many MotoGP news sources are more-or-less rewritten from this site, as passionate as I am about its shortcomings.
www.moto-live.com
An ESPN-run site (apparently), with a variety of general (apparently original) news stories, on both MotoGP and WSBK. It is solidly MotoGP focussed, and I can't find any WSBK-specific sections (just the odd article). I don't bother with the news as it generally covers little original ground, and the RSS feed never worked for me. But that's not why you use moto-live.
When I get the shits with MotoGP.com's live timing (often), this is where I end up. The system is a little archaic, frequently refreshing a page with basic rider details and order, but it has always been very reliable.
The site offers premium-memberships (quite cheaply, especially in comparison to MotoGP.com), and I think this is the site I have had recommended for coverage of GP races - when I get off my arse I will look into it and probably subscribe this year. (Ping me if you want an update.)
Crash.net
A pretty good source of general MotoGP news, a worthy alternative first-stop over MotoGP.com - I unsubscribed from updates, however, as the general news seemed largely to double up on what was available at MotoGP.com
HighRevs.net
Quite a basic, unoriginal, infrequent (and poorly written) MotoGP news feed - I love the RSS, however, as the feed text is a proper summary, and is very convenient on the mobile phone when I'm away from real news.
MotoGPMatters
http://www.motogpmatters.com/
I love this blog, it is awesome.
The site is run by David Emmett, a journalist with a genuine passion, who writes his own summaries (based upon on-site or telecast action and other information - not rehashed motogp.com articles like many minor news services) and previews, and frequent genuinely insightful, provocative and well-considered articles. He would not suffice as a primary news source, but as a primary point of discussion he should be your first stop.
His site contains a few other less-interesting sections, though also a seemingly decent forum (not yet having joined) for enthusiasts like us.
My only real complaint is that I haven't been reading it for long enough to make a proper comment on it.
MCN
Motorcycle News
British bike-mag's online presence - heaps of articles, all mixed together in news feeds, often of dubious quality and where not they are often mere placeholders for articles in their magazine. People seem to read through these (the articles are linked to often enough), but don't set your sights on enlightenment.
Other Info
Australian Foxtel TV guide
https://www.foxtel.com.au/whats-on/tv-guide/default.htm
Because we can only dream of a day when MotoRacing is broadcast live on free-to-air.
Missing?
I just realised how little good WSBK (or any SBK) sources I refer to. No wonder I'm so far out of the loop.
Well, only 35 minutes now until FP1 - I think my social life can deal with a little more postponement.
@JohnSBaxter
2009-traveldiary.blogspot.com
2009-motorcyclist.blogspot.com
jsbaxter.com.au (coming soon!)
Posts
Does moto-live stream all the motogp races? Is it restricted at all based on region? I can currently stream from a BBC news site, but only when I'm in the UK. Quality is crap, but hey, its better than nothing!
ReplyDeleteI was in the same position as you over the weekend... I was in Dublin, supposed to be having a good time, but did I really want to be out having that pint of Guinness when the motogp was on? I removed any amount of choice that I had by not taking my computer. Devastated about missing the race, but the pint was pretty good.
The pint can't have been as good as Sunday's race!
ReplyDeleteIt surprised everyone (except me... I was eying up the odds Rossi was offering on Sunday, and am now ruing not having had $$ in any betting accounts), and had some really positive results, as well as some edge-of-the-seat stuff.
And by 'really good' I mean the race was 'not bad, but exciting all the same'. MotoGP really does have some competition issues, and I'll be buggered if I know why. I think maybe everyone is just Too good - too consistent. It's not for lack of ability to overtake.
hmm... do I feel a post coming on?
Oh, and I don't know about Moto-live yet. I'll look into it next week (before the next GP round on the 17th).
ReplyDelete