I cant believe it is so quite here, only a month to go before the greatest motorcycle race meeting in the World, is everybody asleep ??

(04-05-2011, 09:50 PM)pat slinn Wrote: I cant believe it is so quite here, only a month to go before the greatest motorcycle race meeting in the World, is everybody asleep ??

Could it be, Pat, that a large majority of those who use this forum are growing disenchanted with the direction that the TT is now taking?

And now we apparently have the Manx going the same way . . . . .

Too many egos being exercised in the corridors of power perhaps??

Please explain Larryd. Or not, I'm interested in what you mean.

Surely the TT is on the upward direction as far as its popularity? Why would fans be "disenchanted?"
The T.V coverage is outstanding. Even in Aus. we are getting full coverage in HD.
That super slo mo hi motion camera thingy is fantastic! Even to non bikers.
Youtube is showing the world a fans eye view from the hedges.
There's even a TT movie in bloody 3D!

Has there been compromises made to achieve this rise in popularity over the last few years?
Whats happening to the Manx?

I'm just a fan of the races, I've been lurking on here for years and have only been posting recently due to the lack of posts available for me to read.

I can't understand why it's so quiet. Have I missed something?

I remember this place being full of very smart and enthusiastic fans.
It looks like the most interesting topic on here is where are they?

Larryd I've just read over this post and I see how many question marks I have punched in. They are not all directed towards you. LOL. I'm just having a wee winge as I miss all the build up and news.

Lee, it's not really correct to say that the TT is growing in popularity. There will be a blip this year because of the Mountain Course centenary but generally I would say that visitor numbers are dropping off and those that do come are mainly coming for a long weekend. I'm not going to chuck any statistics at you - it's just an opinion I've formed based on what I see.

Sure, it's being marketed more aggressively but I sometimes get the impression that the event management would prefer to have 'virtual' fans on Facebook or Twitter than real ones...

I guess it depends on how you define popular...

What's happening to the Manx is that the govt have now stuck their oar in and are trying to fix something that wasn't broken.

Is it the technology that is is suddenly come to the fore and making it too easy to follow the TT.

I can sit at home and follow most races on a laptop including F1 cars, MotoGp, the NW200 and of course the TT.

It is being reduced to a "vitual game" situation where it is all on a PC screen and people I have chatted to over this subject say that they will be saving the petrol and hotel costs by staying home this year and following all the racing on PC. We can even see it on webcams !

I make a point of sitting in the Crosby Hotel pub for at least one race now, watching the bikes going past, eating from a good old barbecue, and I can follow every rider during the race on my laptop.

Lee states "Surely the TT is on the upward direction as far as its popularity? Why would fans be "disenchanted?"
The T.V coverage is outstanding. Even in Aus. we are getting full coverage in HD.
That super slo mo hi motion camera thingy is fantastic! Even to non bikers.
Youtube is showing the world a fans eye view from the hedges.
There's even a TT movie in bloody 3D!"

But Lee you are NOT THERE !!! You are able to see more in Aus than what some of us fans can see AT the TT!

There's nowt like being at the TT with all the other associated events, the people and the racing itself. But there is a danger that the TT will suffer from diminishing crowds who can no longer spend money to get and stay there..

Classified as the "free TT" ("you don't have to pay to watch it") it is now a major outlay to get there (£300 + return for person and car) and petrol is always dearer over there and accomodation is pricey this year.

Personally I love it all -- but I can see why people would rather have a weekend at a mainland race such as Oulton or Croft.

We can buy the DVD, see the 3DTT and hear it live on internet radio.

Do not price the TT out of the market or replace it with too much technology!!!

Thanks guys for the reply's.

My comments were more targeted at Pat's original post.
I was agreeing that it was very very quiet here.
Since the re-vamped TV coverage and media technology I feel amongst bike fans the TT has been coming more popular. I'm just surprised that this new technology has not injected some enthusiasm on here.

I was interested in Larryd's comments as I wasn't sure how fans were becoming disenchanted with this forum.

I sense with some of the comments above and those that I have read on here recently, there are many political and personal reasons that some are not happy with the organisation of the event. I wouldn't mind a few changes either but I'm just happy that this great event still exists! Its a one off!

Ian, I WAS THERE last year and I WILL BE THERE again next month! lol Remember! I'm gonna take you up on that lap you offered me lol! I did take a break from 2003 due to me moving down here tough. The only thing I noticed different was maybe that the crowds were behaving themselves a bit more? And of course the loss of the 2 strokes

There are so many people that I know around the world that would love to increase the numbers at this years TT. Unfortunately most have only 2 weeks holidays a year The more positive media out there the more likely people will come.

There's plenty of time to discuss the future of the TT and where it should or should not go after June?
Maybe lets just have a bit of fun until then?

Lee.