Why Should You Care? - Suzuka 8 Hours

(UPDATED: May 27, 2012)

The 8 Hours of Suzuka is one of the most famous motorcycle endurance races in the world. The race's history began as far back as 1978, with the majority of bikes being centered around Tourist Trophy Formula One motorcycles then. Since 1993, however, it's all about some of the best superbikes racing around this course.


^ from: racecorporation.co.uk - the #7 Seven Stars Honda CBR1000RRW won the 8 Hours of Suzuka in 2004 and again in 2005. The 2004 tandem was Tohru Ukawa and Hitoyasu Izutsu, and the 2005 tandem was Tohru Ukawa and Ryuichi Kiyonari.

Suzuka is one of my favorite race tracks in the world. Perhaps the eight hour challenge is unique because Suzuka is a figure-eight road course. The endurance is part of the FIM Endurance World Championship, which can be thought of as the motorcycle equivalent of the Le Mans Series in terms of importance and in terms of competition. Riders and teams from around the world compete on Japan's amazing Suzuka Circuit for over eight hours of intense racing. If you've played Tourist Trophy, you may have unlocked any or all five of the Suzuka 8 Hour bikes from the 2005 race. Maybe the most memorable motorcycle I've heard of that raced this track were Suzuki Hayabusas raced by the Kenz J-Trust team.

The only real difference in the course layout for motorcycles is that there is an extra chicane after Turn 11 of the Grand Prix course. This is to help slow the bikes down through 200R and heading into Spoon Curve (Turn 13, Grand Prix course).

A bit of the information for this blog entry was supplemented by the Wikipedia entry for this topic. Why should you care about this race? Some of the world's best endurance motorcycle racers, some of the world's best motorcycles racing, all racing on one track from day-to-evening-to-night fashion, and on one of the world's finest race tracks. Any more convincing needed?





THAT'S why you should care about the 8 Hours of Suzuka. Thank you for reading. Please take care and have an amazing day!

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