Le Mans has announced a ban on fans blowing up their bikes at the 24 Heures Motos race as part of a move to improve the experience at the race for spectators.
The chaos of the Le Mans campsites is well-known. Whether it is for the MotoGP race or the World Endurance race, it is unreasonable to expect anything less than a murderbrawl of redlined four-strokes, bonfires, and enough booze to send 100,000 people collectively into another dimension.
Part of the chaos, specifically the redlined four-strokes, has one pretty obvious result: the expressive expiry of the motor. Blowing up a bike is great fun - we imagine - and especially so when you have consumed enough of your favourite (or least favourite) beverage to ensure that you can no longer see or hear anything.
FCC TSR Honda at 2023 24 Heures Motos. - Honda
Credit: Honda Racing Corporation.
However, for those not involved in causing the explosions the reality of spending a night in a place which has all of the attributes of a battlefield short of the corpses is perhaps not the most pleasurable experience. Le Mans sees that it is its duty to act on behalf of those people.
The result is a ban on destroying motorcycles in the campsites of Le Mans. A social media post by the 24 Heures Motos account said that the ban, and other measures made in seeking the same goal, have been enforced “In order to improve the spectator experience for everyone.”
Other measures include the banning of vehicles more than two metres tall; trailers heavier than 750kg; and of loud, backfiring exhausts.
The full list of new rules, which includes that “It is essential to maintain silence from midnight to 8am,” can be read on the 24 Heures Motos website.
Lead image courtesy of 24 Heures Motos/Solene Bailly (ACO).
