Maybe. I struggled in MKWii to win even the 50cc cup the first time I touch the Wii Wheel.

Never tried the motion controls...

Then you don't have played MKWii.

I used the classic controller...

I only became truely good at Mario Kart in MK7, plus it's been so long since Wii I can barely remember, so can't say much about MKWii specifically, however the better players will perform well more often than not, this remains true for all Mario Karts. The variable is how fun the races are, and in that regard, I don't like MK8 as much as the previous two, though 200cc is pretty boss.

Real controls were programmed into the game. He's played no less than you have as such. If the fact that the standard motion controls were difficult to get used to because they were unreliable is what makes Wii a "good" game by comparison to 8, I'll take your definition of a bad game any day. 

That said, I do like 8's gamepad for motion controls because it actually works more than 75% of the time. 

And as a side comment, play higher level matches in MK8 online if you think it's a cakewalk. It's only easy until you reach people of a certain skill level. For me, it was when I started playing 6000s that I had trouble placing top four. I also sort of just got Mario Karted out at that point so I never cared to keep going. 

Are motion controls not real?

Would you say they cheese you off?

I may be biased towards the shortcuts after the race I had this weekend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6LY_sGowFg

By most conventional gamers' definitions, no. That's why the Wii wasn't a real console to many. Not saying I feel that way, for the record. That was more a mental lapse on my end when I posted.

I am curious, though, as to why you avoided literally everything else I said.