Happy New Year to everyone!

So my plan was to post my ‘05 AMA rider review tonight (its finished and just needs a proof-read before I publish it) but I received my copy of the new collectors edition of Faster this past week. I sat down tonight to watch it and that changed my blog plans for this evening.

Maybe its the sub-freezing temperatures outside. Maybe its that I haven’t been on a bike in almost two months. Maybe its the residual euphoria from my holiday vacation. I don’t really know but I can say that I really enjoyed watching the new disc of additional material that is part of this new collectors edition. I can also say that, as with Long Way Round, I get downright giddy when I see motorcycles on the TV shown in such an exciting way.

I know I raved about Faster in my Motorcycle Porn blog posting but seeing high def images of MotoGP racing just gets my blood boiling and I’m still feeling excited after turning off the TV and tucking the DVD safely on my media storage shelf. This movie goes a long way toward showing just how amazing these guys are and, above all, gives detailed evidence that highlights just how amazing Rossi really is with the strongest clues being the personal admissions by other world class riders. Some of the interviews are eminently quotable and great for a laugh.

If you are even remotely interested in motorcycle racing, take the time to find and watch Faster. As documentaries go, it probably isn’t the best (the story line jerks around a bit) but it shows the passion, the thrills and the danger of racing at the highest levels. Its worth a viewing just to enjoy the various first person interviews. The second disc (basically a review of the ‘03 MotoGP season, various “extras” and some things cut from the movie is even more discontinuous than the main movie but many of the short segments are worth in. Even the infomercial for Riders for Health is interesting and includes a great interview with Randy Mamola.

I have a copy of the movie (the non-collectors edition) on DVD that I’ll be glad to loan out to anyone local. Just ask…

[image from Faster web site]