Okay, everyone knows how loud MotoGP bikes are, but "loud" is a poor describer of the auditory assault one takes from MotoGP bikes.

One of my pals has some high zoot passes here at the race so we went over to the spectator area by the fence near the start finish line just as the MotoGP practice started. People with earplugs seamed fine, but anyone without -- including me -- was howling in pain and putting their hands over their ears each time a bike came by.

These boxes contain loud bikes image by DMT Imaging

And then a Ducati would pass. The shrieking blew through your eardrums and went straight for the brain. At that point, I sympathized with how Manuel Noriega must have felt when they blasted 130 decibels of Ted Nugent at him. Sounds a weapon ...

Bring your earplugs, folks.

It makes for a good comparison: MotoGP goes for exoticness and excess to draw in the fans, while in AMA Pro the series is headed for the more common and mundane in their race bikes. Which side will win out?