I have had a scooter 50 cc for five years until I decided
it was the time for a change. I gave a careful look to the market and
I wasn't happy with the scooter philosophy so it was a time for a good
change. While I was looking at city-bikes, all of a sudden I realised
my increasing interest in the MotoGP world and started to look other
possibilities. After a careful inspection to the market and after a few
authorised opinions I decided to make one of the bests purchases of my life: a Suzuki
GS500. A good bike for starters and, at the same time, one that allows
going out with friends on weekends on a sport mood. It is widely known that in Spain is quite common to find "moteros"
(bike riders) who, as "aficionados" go for fast riding in empty and
bendy roads on weekend mornings. So I took the plunge and decided to
join that fantastic entertainment, slowly and smoothly. This bike also
would allow me to move through the city for any kind of context. So my
bought was excellent and that's why 7th April 2006 stands as an important
date in my life. And I started going out on weekends, on a solo way, to start
with. Not to feel the pressure of following anybody, just going steady and
getting into the business. Within a fee weeks I got certain confidence and
one of that outings a group of moteros passed me over and one of them
(quite skilled to mimics) indicated me the next village for a stop and
"almuerzo" (soft drinks, bocadillos/bagettes, coffee, and nice chatting),
so I joined them: Juan, Javi and Jose. Quickly became close friends and
now we go out on Sundays on a regular basis in what we have recently coined
as the "Cuadraruedas" motoclub. Also I joined a similar group on Saturdays,
headed by expert rider Pablo, my colleague at ITQ, and we really have lots
of amusing experiences with our bikes. Cheste 2006: a unique experience
Ricardo Tormo circuit in Cheste (25 km NW from Valencia) is always
the last Grand Prix of the Motorbike Road Racing World Championship season.
It had been always the case that the World Champion in the 3 motorbike
classes (125 cc, 250 cc and MotoGP) was decided beforehand, but not
this season in the 250 and MotoGP classes. So apart from watching a
nice race, it was the occasion of feeling all the emotions when
several riders have their final opportunity to fight for the World
Championship. This does not mean that more people go to the circuit
because Valencia's circuit is always at its full capacity: 125000
people on Sunday. As you may know, free practice and qualification
seasons run on friday and saturday and even then the people gather
in numbers 30000 and 70000 respectively which makes it, all together,
the highest in attendance from all 17 existing. The reason is the
incredible interest that bikes have in Valencia. As well as in Madrid
and Barcelona, it's common to see motorbikers over the weekends who
look for roads with many bends, good pavement and no traffic, to run
fast wearing proper garments and powerful bikes. Having recently
joined that tribe I can tell you that the average quality is really
good, and this in part explains the high number and quality of
Spanish riders such as Alvaro Bautista (125 cc Champion),
Jorge Lorenzo (250 cc Champion) and Dani Pedrosa (possible MotoGP
Champion in the next furure), to name a few.
Apart from the special occasion this year in the
winners of 250 cc and MotoGP to be decided, the other interesting
thing was the fact that a friend of mine works now for Sedesa, one
of the sponsors of the MVA Aspar Team (Alvaro Bautista's team) and
so he got a paddock pass for me and Pablo at the circuit.
Being at the paddock we were able to
see all the riders and the set up of the teams. Anyway that's just
an anecdote. The 125 cc race went ok although without too much struggle
for the first position taken by Hector Faubel (another good spanish
rider and also importantly a local from Valencia) who by passing
Alvaro Bautista before mid race went on alone in the first position.
The next race, 250 cc, was the best of all three with Jorge Lorenzo
finishing in 3rd position, more than enough to become world champion,
and with a lot of fight in the first position after Locatelly was caught
up by Aoyama and De Angelis with about 6 laps to go. Aoyama had been
the first in the free and qualifying practises on friday and saturday
and was doing an excellent race though he started badly, but then catched
up, came first, and had an unlucky bend in Angel Nieto's bend (bends
have names in the circuits!) possibly giving too much throttle while
still having the bike too inclined, but you never now what really happens
(unless its you who drives). So while Aoyama crashed Locatelly had
to divert and then De Angelis got his gold opportunity to win his first
race this season. And then the big surprise in MotoGP which you already
know by the news and unfortunately Nicky Hayden does not really have many
supporters by his way of racing, but this is another story anyway. In
any case good again to see this huge machines running and accelerating
so incredibly fast and fantastic show as always.
One final point ... ... some people were quite shocked with Rossi's crash. I
just didn't care: I reckon he is the best rider but don't mind
whatever happens I'm only focused in watching good races. I like
John Hopkins and Dani Pedrosa and many others but it's not like
following football where people are only focused in their team winning:
bikes are completely different and here a complete change of mind
is mandatory: the general attitude is watching a good race, and
people is happy with that. No one gets angry with anybody. Some
people suppport specific riders but the atmosphere is that of watching
good races. Really civilised people and this is one of the things
I love of this sport. No referees that can make a mess. Riders do
not want to be second: struggle to the end. There are a few exceptions
as always but the general way is like that, so this has been a good
surprise for me. People is really civilised in the circuit and if you
ride a motorbike you can say hellou to any one of them, even not
knowing them. "How was your trip?, Where do you come from?, Would you
like a sandwich or a drink?". These are the kind of questions you can
face in the circuit and also during the whole weekend lasting this
event. I've been following the sport more and more closely during the
may be six years, startingby watching at TV, then going to the circuit
to watch the race, and also buying a just decent motorbike to practise
myself and make tons of good friends.
April 2007: Yamaha Fazer 600
With only one year of having enjoyed my GS, I couldn't have guessed I
would be changing bike so quickly. This time I went for a more serious
bike, and after slightly one year of 500cc I made the step forward to
600cc, which in this case meant four cilinders and 98 hp, a serious
improvement. This superb bike is giving me all I need and more, and
a few times in "circuito" can attest I'm right.
