Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126462
How do you feel about your chances of mcas with Team Yamaha in 1980? Well, by the looks of what we're getting together right now - with Bill Bell, Kenny Clark, the riders, and the whole effort - it should be a really, really good year. Are you going to be riding modified stocken, or are you going to have your own IOrt of works bikes? They're production bikes. IT and YZ, but they will be basically IT. Our job is a Jot of testing, this and that, whatever it takes. You're going to be riding the SCORE enntl, the Two-Day Qualifien, the ISDT _,",National Enduros? With my contract, the first on the list is to ride all the SCORE events. In between them, I'll ride all the Two-Day Qualifiers - there's one that conflicts with the Mexicali 250 - so there are six of those. In between all that, I'll try to ride as many National Enduros as possible. In those I'll ride the new IT 175, which has a ftame just like the 125 YZ. It will be a very good bike. I'll ride the Open class in SCORE and the Open class in the ISDT and the TwoDays. Rick Munyon, John Fero and Mike Hannon will ride the 250 in enduros and Two-Days, and for the Two-Days, Jim (Fishback) and myself will ride Open. In switching from Husqvarna to Yamaha, what made the difference? The money Yamaha has? It wasn't just the money. They got in touch with me and a proposal was made to go off-road racing. They said they were going to hire mechanics and trucks, all the expenses. With a company this big it sounded really good. When I came back from the 1000, it materialized. I figured the money was better, but just in general. They agreed on it - the proposal - and put Kenny Clark in charge of it to do the hiring, just as he does in motocross. It took me a long time to decide. But it seemed like a good opportunity to move on and do good. I'm really pleased with the bike, so that was what decided it. "The last (ISDT special) test was the day I'll neverforget. " Did you and Husky part on good terms? Oh yeah. I talked to them, told them and they understood the situation. They wId me there was no way they could match the offer Yamaha made, but w try and remember what they do have to offer. It was a tough decision, but now that I've been with Yamaha for a month or so and riding the bikes, I'm really happy with the bikes, so I think it's going to be a good year. Do you think that this year, being Yamaha's fint year at SCORE races, that they're going to be at somewhat of a disadvantage compared to Husqvarna's amount of experience? Well. with Bill Bell and JackJohnson, and with Jack's knowledge, my knowledge, and Bill's knowledge, I think we know what it takes to win. We've got wheels ordered, and heavy spokes, the pits, the quick-dumps, whatever it takes. All that is paid for. I don't think it's going to be any disadvantage, no. Then with the new 465 motor which we will be using; it's definitely high performance ... You even rode it in a motocross ... 1 rode itat the Golden Sta te Series at Saddleback. That was the first time I raced the bike, the first time I'd ever been on a motocross course with it. I was thinltinl! of Six Days, practicing, g~tting in shape. Just for racing the bIke - box stock - I was really impressed. I think I surprised a few people, too. Do you think there will be much more motocrossing? yes, just for practice purposes, trainmg, nothing professional-wise. Just for training, I'll ride a 101 more local races. Is Yamaha going to try and get the ISDT Vase team or the Trophy team? Nothing has been mentioit~d to me; I haven't heard. But I would like to see it happen. I think after the Two- Day Qualifiers, you're going to see some very good results by Yamaha riders. Jim is still going to be in, Rick Munyon is very good on grass tracks, motocross. I think they're going to try and get it, but I don't know yet. I think that will be figured out in the weeks to come. '1felt good going into the 1000. Its stzll hard: No matter how much you ride, riding 10 hours is 10 hours. " You have quite a foIlowing in France during the last couple of yean. Do you think that wiu be an adva~ge for you, with the Six Days in France? I definitely think it will be. When I was over there, I've gotten to know quite a few people and I even met the Yamaha importer. I think he'll be enthused that I'm on a Yamaha and I think it's going to be really good. The people too my name over there is the "Baja King" and "King of the Desert" and this and that. They'll know who I am and that will be to my advantage. They'll be looking for me for sure. Looking back at last year's Six Days, you were top American. Did that surprise you, considering your comparative lack of experiellce? Going into the Six Days - I'm not one to go and tell everybody "Hey, I'm going to go out and beat everybody" - 21