Certainly for the first two you can fudge your way with turning angles, hazarding the right ratio between rev and lean to carry you up and out of corners as opposed to pancaking across tarmac and gravel. You're missing out on the art of a perfect turn though. With simulation, you can't bluff - on turning and everything else. And certainly knowing the intricacies of your rides, and the minute tweaks for better handling makes the world of difference.
It also increases your enjoyment of the game tenfold. Because SBK is your biker's bike game. While there's a three-tier difficult setting you'd come to expect from the sim racing genre, its best to shift that particular gear up as quickly as possible to get the full experience, though for the uninitiated you'll need to do some research prior to starting, as there's little in the way of tutorial. SBK doesn't make it easy for entry-level players.
You'll need the know-how to get the most out of an extensive and impressive Career mode that breaks down every element of the race day, from multiple race practices to adjusting your bike's calibrations just so to milk that extra bit of performance out of it before you're due to race - and all with the light pressure of a ticking timer counting you down to the real thing.
From the multiple race practices with a ticking timer counting you down as you try and get the feel for the course, that also adds pressure in adjusting your bike's calibrations just so to milk that extra bit of performance out of it before you're racing for real. For SBK fans, a SBK Experience mode rolls out a number of challenges based on recent race seasons, and sets up specific goals within each that you need to clear in proceed.
Looks-wise the game suffers the same fate of any racing title sticking to realistic courses: there's little track-side visual flair for the engine to chew on and so things tend to look slightly bland. The bikes themselves and your crew serve their purpose, but Generations is lacking in the rich polish witnessed in this generation's top tier racers.
Another argument: fans of the sport won't care for the lack of refinement in the package, only that it evokes the feel of the real thing. In that capacity the game does its job, and given the lack of real competition in the field enthusiasts will find the title fulfilling their needs: for newcomers and casuals though, it's a tough nut to crack, lacking the entry-level finesse to make it appealing.