As someone who loves the idea of thrill and adrenaline, I always seek new ways to fulfill those needs. My search box usually looked like, ‘car meets near me’ or ‘upcoming track days,’ and to my surprise, my search was answered better than expected. MotoAmerica, a series of motorcycle racing in the US, was coming to Circuit of the Americas on Sept. 15. As quickly as I could, I ordered the tickets.
I’ve been around lots of racing, spanning from cars to motorcycles. Whether it’s drag racing, circuit racing, or endurance, I always attend them when I can. My favorite however has to be MotoGP, the best motorcycle racing in the world. Every year, MotoGP comes to COTA, Circuit of the America, and every time I get my tickets.
Even with MotoGP being the best of the best, there are some cons that appear. First of all, there are a ton of people. People from around the world fill the stands of this racetrack. With that, waits for everything are outrageous and the prices for things are even worse. Also, two bridges that go over the circuit are covered in sponsorships, making one of the best views covered.
But, with something as popular as MotoGP, there are lots of pros that pop up. The best one of course is free parking for motorcycles. At events like these, people usually have to spend an extra $40 just for a parking spot, which clearly makes motorcycles the better source of transportation. Another great pro is the amount of manufacturers that come to COTA to show off their motorcycles. Top companies like Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, BMW, Suzuki, and many others show off their motorcycles and let visitors sit on them. Being able to sit on some of the best motorcycles around is definitely a privilege. Since I am one of the biggest fans of motorcycles, the sound during MotoGP is unlike any other. Though some people think it’s too loud or just unpleasant, I think they’re wrong, it’s amazing.
In general, MotoGP is an experience like no other, and the racing is unbelievable, but it doesn’t compare to the friendliness and openness of MotoAmerica. Paddock access came with general admission which is around $70. Paddock access for MotoGP is around $300, which is too expensive for me. Being able to see all the racers, engineers, and bikes up close is something not a lot of people are able to see. The fact that you can do that for $70 is actually crazy.
Not only is paddock access a huge win, the openness was one of the best parts. There weren’t any crazy waits for anything. As well as that, the bridges weren’t covered with lots of sponsorships, so people were able to get great viewing. The ability to walk anywhere to get the best view was definitely a plus. Another thing about MotoAmerica was that it seemed super family oriented. At MotoGP, people from all over the world came just to watch top motorcycle racing. At MotoAmerica, people came just for the experience. There weren’t any crazy fanboys or diehard fans, everyone was there just to enjoy the viewing. This really helped MotoAmerica feel super welcoming.
One con though was the lower amount of popups. Less manufacturers showed up to show off their motorcycles or their motorcycle related products. Even though some people think that less manufacturers mean that MotoAmerica isn’t getting a big audience, I think it’s more meaningful. Manufacturers go to MotoGP because they know lots of people will be there. The manufacturers that went to MotoAmerica go to invite others to the world of motorcycles. All the salesmen were much friendlier and it really made the whole experience much more enjoyable.
Overall, both motorcycle racing experiences are going to be like no other. I do think that MotoAmerica is more for a family weekend trip and MotoGP is for the actual fans of the sport. MotoAmerica is a great event that happens throughout the US and there are those die hard fans, but I will say, the MotoAmerica fans are much nicer than the MotoGP ones. Each event is amazing, just fit for different audiences.
