Should there be an age limit?..........

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Yamahamer-AL @ Mar 29 2007, 04:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>...........in the 125 class???...

...i was thinking to myself while watching the 125 race live this past Sunday....what the hell is this 25 year old man, doing racing these 15 - 17 year old kids??...don't you think it time to move on?..granted i have no issue beating the piss out of a kid cause i hate KIDS....but as a sport, wouldn't you think it's time to move UP...to the 250s, WSS, WSBK etc etc...i count about 10 or so that are 21 or above, the rest are just kids...just seems a bit un-fair to me...

thoughts?

Generally these guys are still in the 125s coz they are not good enough to race in the 250s or other series.

It would be unfair to say that they must quit the series when they are just 21 or whatever age limit you think would be reasonable.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Yamahamer-AL @ Mar 29 2007, 04:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>well by your logic...if they're not good enough don't you think it's time to give'm the axe...but if they're placeing in top 10 or so, wouldn't you think it's time to move up?

Well its for the team managers to decide to whether or not to axe them. And top 10 finishes is not enough to move up a class. They need to be winning races and getting podiums or if on a bike known to be particularly rubbish in the class then impressing enough to earn a switch to a better team in that class or a ride in the next class up.

There IS an age limit in 125cc. 25 y old for newcomers (28 y old for the riders that were already participants when the rule was stablished a couple of years ago)

125cc being for kids is a very new concept. In the past 125cc where as important or more (for certain countries/manufacturers) than 500cc category. It's only since the MotoGP idea was invented that 125cc and 250cc became "lower" categories.

I dont agree with any limit, because the 125's isnt officially a youth development series. So why limit it? Seems pointless to me. If they can beat the 17 or 18 year olds they deserve their ride

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Orrmate @ Mar 29 2007, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I dont agree with any limit, because the 125's isnt officially a youth development series. So why limit it? Seems pointless to me. If they can beat the 17 or 18 year olds they deserve their ride

I'm also against the age limit. What if you start racing at 25? Bayliss was 27? Why would it be right to have denied him the chance to be 125 World Champion if he had wanted to try? We already have the great red bull rookies!

In my mind 125, 250 and 800 should be equal and are equal gps.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pirkkalan GP @ Mar 29 2007, 06:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>In my mind 125, 250 and 800 should be equal and are equal gps.
Hmmm.. maybe on paper, but the fact is that MotoGP is the pinnacle. No matter how much you want them all to be equal, the fact is that riders aim to be in MotoGP, because its the pinnacle of bike racing, its the fastest man, on the fastest bikes.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Yamahamer-AL @ Mar 29 2007, 05:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>...........in the 125 class???...

...i was thinking to myself while watching the 125 race live this past Sunday....what the hell is this 25 year old man, doing racing these 15 - 17 year old kids??...don't you think it time to move on?..granted i have no issue beating the piss out of a kid cause i hate KIDS....but as a sport, wouldn't you think it's time to move UP...to the 250s, WSS, WSBK etc etc...i count about 10 or so that are 21 or above, the rest are just kids...just seems a bit un-fair to me...

thoughts?

There IS an age limit. Also you have to keep the privateers in mind. These guys don't have official team financial backing and moving up a class in motgp isn't like forking out a bit of extra loose change you have running around in your back pocket.

An age limit was brought in a couple of seasons ago for the lower classes,
although the lower classes are traditionaly for the up and coming youngsters
if your good enough to mix it up with the rest then why not, don't forget you only get to race if you qualify within the time limit.

Also its not just a case of just moving up a class there has to be a ride available and once you get to the GP level they don't come up too often.
Even when they do come up they're not always guarenteed to last, Ilmor for instance.

I don't think there should be any limit on it. There are bound to be riders who are good but just want to stay in 125s and not go up, and being 35 or 25 is still an adult and it's not affecting the kids who come into the sport.

Traditionaly the smaller catagories were not steps up, but just different riding styles with different specialists. The age limit was put on the 125cc class to stop old experienced guys dominating and making it too hard for youngsters to come through. I'm not sure i like the idea really but its not a bad thing for the sport.

i think they should keep the 125 class for the younger up & coming racers. keep the talent conveyor belt moving!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Yamahamer-AL @ Mar 29 2007, 04:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>...........in the 125 class???...

...i was thinking to myself while watching the 125 race live this past Sunday....what the hell is this 25 year old man, doing racing these 15 - 17 year old kids??...don't you think it time to move on?..granted i have no issue beating the piss out of a kid cause i hate KIDS....but as a sport, wouldn't you think it's time to move UP...to the 250s, WSS, WSBK etc etc...i count about 10 or so that are 21 or above, the rest are just kids...just seems a bit un-fair to me...

thoughts?
I feel really insulted by that post (even though I understand where you are coming from; kids need to start somewhere though, and 250/WSS/WSBK does not seem like a good option, most begin in the R6 cup or national tournys), seeming as though I am 14 myself and planning on starting to race this year. What gives you (older people) the right to race and not us? We are humans, age is just a number. Generally, 125 riders stay in 125 because they can't cope with a bigger bike, because they aren't good enough, or simply because they enjoy racing 125s and continue to do so. (one of) the only good british riders in the gps is Bradley Smith, and hes 16... how does it make any difference?

There is an age limit anyway... 15... (for world class 125 I think..)

this is a good question,and first time i read it i thought ,sure there should be an age limit but after reading all the posts im now not so sure.
i think it depends on how you see 125 and 250 racing, do you see it as a series in its own right as i now do or just a stepping stone into the premier class. after all its not as if motogp only gets its riders from these classes.
does an age limit actualy make a difference in fairness ? theres just as big an age gap between some motogp riders so should there be age limits there to.
i no there is actually an age limit in place in 125s but is it really fair and what were dornas reasons for making the ruling.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Apr 3 2007, 12:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>this is a good question,and first time i read it i thought ,sure there should be an age limit but after reading all the posts im now not so sure.
i think it depends on how you see 125 and 250 racing, do you see it as a series in its own right as i now do or just a stepping stone into the premier class. after all its not as if motogp only gets its riders from these classes.
does an age limit actualy make a difference in fairness ? theres just as big an age gap between some motogp riders so should there be age limits there to.
i no there is actually an age limit in place in 125s but is it really fair and what were dornas reasons for making the ruling.


McWilliams was hardly a spring chicken when he won the Assen 250 GP, I think if someone is competative and capable of winning or at least running at race pace, let them do it.

Pete

Yeah well i think the idea was that by stopping the older and experienced riders from racing 125's, the young up and comers can get the comptetative bikes and factory backing that they otherwise wouldn't get. This system is good for the sport as it brings in new riders all the time and keeps them moving through their careers, but it is at the expense of the 125cc bikes as a riding speciality in its own right. Although i miss the way the 125'ss used to be not so many years ago, i think the sacrifice is worth it overall.