2017 Twin Ring Motegi Moto GP...!!!

[waialaeboy]

I'm heading to my very first MotoGP...!

October 13, 14 & 15, 2017(the picture above shows 2016 dates)

Need help/tips from you GP groupies who have gone to many of these *peers at @Thrasher *...

Where's the best place to buy tickets?

Best seats?

What activities we 'must do' during the three days at Motegi?

- yes, I plan to visit the Honda Museum and see my favorite bikes while I'm there

Etc...

This is lifetime bucket list stuff for me so I'm trying my best to plan everything out to maximize the fun. I plan on going to the GP with my step dad and my son. A few friends from HI may come join us for the weekend as well...

Thanks in advanced for any help ya'lls can give me...

Okay, what should my plan include? GO...!!!

[Thrasher]

Wow thats awesome buy the best tickets you can afford right off the MotoGP website, get a hotel as close to the track as possible, Traffic is crazy!!! Study the track because the most expensive tickets may not have the view you want. watch some videos of races there so you understand the layout, direction of travel and elevation changes and what fan clubs sit where!!! Congratulations. We are going on a cruise to Alaska this summer but in 2018 both of us will be retired so I hope to stay in France and see the French GP and a Spanish GP on the same trip!!!

[SIXDOG]

Way to go brother!

[Cherry Bomb]

Great to hear this news brother! You picked a great venue too!

Take everything @Thrasher said to heart. I would def look into some of the older races there and find the turns or straights with the best action. Also, check to see if they have monitors so you can watch the rest of the race when you can't see them. At Indy they had a few of them around the track so I would sit in different places as long as I had the monitor in front of me.

Buy a pit pass if possible and get the full blown experience. Seems like the best time to meet riders is during the first two days (Friday/Saturday) when they are more relaxed and ha e more time. I found a great time is right after qualifying.

Look to see if Honda is doing a ticket package deal that includes everything you want to do (museum, track, pit pass, swag bag, etc etc) as some places do especially when it's a home track.

Don't pack anything you won't need. Just extra weight you'll have to lug around and it'll tire you out. End of the day you'll be dog ass tired. Take a backpack as you'll find places or vendors that give out free swag and you can get great deals.

Autographs, keep a sharpie with you, black/silver. Never know who you'll bump into. No lie brother. I've met lots of people there at the GPs who you'd never imagine would be there. Most are planning future deals.

Grab up a cheap plastic poncho just in case it rains. Walmart, Costco, or a sports store should have some cheap ones. Think travel kit. Small items easily packed into a small area and lightweight.

Feel free to DM me or text me Shane. I'll try and get back on here if anything else hits me from memory lane that'll benefit you.

[Thrasher]

Right on Cherry Bomb, Take a backpack, bring water and extra Sharpies and check they work. Lots of tracks in Europe dont let you get near the riders but if you find out this one does maybe consider taking a helmet for autographs. Make sure you phone works there and if they are like Europe you can just buy a sim card anywhere but get the dick head at the store to set it up and make sure it works! Take lots of pictures PLEASE.

[Cherry Bomb]

Definitely make sure your phone is charged or take a separate camera. I'm not up to date on how cellular services work overseas.

I'd check to see if they do have a fan walk or see if the pit passes get you close to the riders. If so, I'd def take a helmet. Had Nicky sign his 05 Laguna Seca Aria. Told me 'That's a nice helmet'. Just never know !

[Thrasher]

Bring extra battery for the camera and make sure its fairly new and holds a charge and carry it with you in your pocket. If you don't have big SD cards bring a laptop, never mind just get a 64 gig SD card for the camera. international luggage is 50 lbs and only one bag person plus a carry on and a backpack briefcase purse whatever. Although I think I some south east Asian airlines it mighty be more generous but double check. if kids are coming they can bring a big bag just like an adult so use that to your advantage. Bring hearing protection for the kids for sure and maybe yourself.

[TrackSol]

I don't have any advice about Motegi/Japan, but from going to COTA GP the last two years a portable battery of at least 2000 mAh was well worth it to charge up my phone. The one I have is about the size of my iPhone 6 so it fit fine in any pocket I put it in. Cargo shorts made it easy to carry it, phone usb cable and anything else I need without always having to reach into the backpack.

[waialaeboy]

1) watch old races to get an idea of where to buy seats

Carry backpack with:

2) poncho

3) water

4) sharpie pens

5) ear plugs

6) cell phone charged & portable battery charger

Thanks for the great advice so far boys...!

So far we've secured our flight to Haneda. We're planning to drive out of Tokyo (about 90 miles) to Twin Rings Motegi early late Friday night or super early Saturday morning to catch qualifying. We're planning on staying in either Utsunomiya or Mito City as they are the closest hotels to Motegi. My step dad doesn't want to watch practice so looks like we'll be skipping Friday. We drive back to Tokyo and meet up with the girls late Sunday night to early Monday morning...

@Thrasher
@Cherry Bomb
@TrackSol

[Thrasher]

What is the distance between Hotel and track. Make sure you take a GPS that will work there or get a car with a GPS.

The traffic at Laguna Seca was big but not difficult.
The traffic at Assen was an incredible mess and we got twisted around a couple times.
The traffic at Mugello was not bad either. But I always plan for the worst and hope for the best.

[waialaeboy]

What is the distance between Hotel and track. Make sure you take a GPS that will work there or get a car with a GPS.

The traffic at Laguna Seca was big but not difficult.
The traffic at Assen was an incredible mess and we got twisted around a couple times.
The traffic at Mugello was not bad either. But I always plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Utsunomiya is one of the closest cities that we are considering staying. The other is Mito, about the same distance but East from Motegi.

We will be purchasing AT&T Passport Program which gives us full use of our iPhones on the DoComo Network in Japan for 30-days so that will be good.

The drive should be nice. I will be the driver and we plan to drive in the middle of the night so we avoid traffic...

[Thrasher]

Do yourself a favor! Just stay 3 nights here if rooms are still available

https://www.orbitz.com/Motegi-Hotels...l-Guide-Hotels

[Repsol Dave]

And have fun!!!!! If you don't have paddock passes, get 'em!!! (beg barrow or steal if you have to!!) Get to the track early. Generally the riders are friendliest, and most talkative on the morning of the first day of practice. (before they've been out on the track and have to start thinking about adjustments and such.) Most of them are very friendly and will make time for the fans. Of course it also depends on how things are going for them..... Try to resist the urge to smack the daylights out of Lorenzo... (You'll see.......) If you can even get to Rossi and Marquez, you'll find them both friendly and pretty funny. (At Indy it was best to catch Rossi near the motor home parking.) keep your eyes open in the paddock, there's always lots of ex racers and racers from other formats walking around. Check out all the vendors. The last day is the best day to make deals on gear. (When the vendors woud rather sell stuff at a discount than have to pack it up...) Download the MotoGP live app to your phone so you can keep tabs on where the riders are on the track and when they will be coming passed wherever you're sitting. (getting your phone to work shouldn't be a problem since it's Japan, where every cellphone is made...)

Enjoy and yeah, take lots of pics!

[paul13131313]

Stop by the Honda tent and tell them about/show them your Repsol. A couple of team members at Laguna Seca gave me one t-shirt and after I told them my history of a 2007 600RR,2009 Repsol and now 2012 CBR1000RR in the parking lot, they gave me another one and one took off his Honda pit pass and gave it to me. Dani Pedrosa autographed one t-shirt and I passed on the pass toTeamzigen after the race. I had leave immediately to get back to work the next day.
Speaking of autographs, don't forget to pack the seat cowl/helmet,etc.
Yes, I know it's Japan but, it's an international forum. Someone must speak English at the display tent.