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/126597
ยท22 changed. Do you feel more aware of being in the public eye? Yes. It's kind of difficult for me to adapt because I guess I feel like I'm kind of shy in a way. To have people coming up asking for your autograph, and taking pictures, it's kind of awkward for me . You know . . . I'm nobody, I'm just Eddie Lawson , you know? It 's weird to be in the limelight like that, but that's all pan of racing. You got to just ... I'm adapting to it more and more. Is it hard to divorce yourself from everything that's going on and go out and go fast on a motorcycle or does business at hand sort of take care of itself? Well , when you have people taking pictures of you and asking you to make appearances here and there, I think you have to ride harder. I think that helps you. Because you've got people depending on you to do the job , you . tend to push it a little more just for them . I want to do well for Kawasaki. I want to see them do well because I like the company. I enjoy the money, sure, but I like the people that I'm working for . Just like Rob , you know , he works so hard and it's a whole team. The ads after you and Ron Pierce won the Budweiler 6-hour .howed a big smiling, happy crew. Is it that way in real life? Does the Kawasaki team ~t along very well? Oh yeah, we get along real well, all of us, Rob Muzzy, Mark Johnson and Steve Johnson. We 're kind of like one big happy family , really . There's no problems between any of us and that's what is so neat. When it comes to rid ing the bike , I get on it and I tell them what I feel is wrong and they change it . They don't ask any questions or anything; they take my word for it. "It's nice to have toys and do things, but I don't feel that I've changed." What do you see in your future? Do you see yourself going over to Europe to try for the 500cc championship? Possibly in 1983 or 1984. The money's good here and it's getting better all the time so I wouldn't mind staying here and racing Superbikes or Formula One for Kawasaki. I feel better at home and you can get around. There's no language barriers. I'd rather stay here, to tell you the truth. But the ulti mate al is the 500cc World Cham- pionship, so eventually I've got to do it . With the right backing, if Kawasaki wants to go all the way, then I will. Have you ever dealt with Kawasaki of Japan or have all your dealings been through Kawasaki Moton? We do all our dealings with Kawasaki Motor Corporation, but the factory is geting more involved. Before, they didn't think too much about American racing, but now it's getting qu ite big so they're putting in a lot more input. I've got two new 5005, the full -on World Championship stuff, the best equipment that they can possibly give me , so that riJ:ht there is telling' me that they're interested in seeing me do well. On the subject of American road racing: If you were talking to Mike DiPrete or Bill Boyce or the AMA Board of Trustees, what suggestions would you make to further improve American road racing, Superbikes and Formula Ones? They are going to a 750cc Superbike rule in '83, which is good. As far as road racing, I think they should split it away from the dirt track and give each class a number one plate. The fac tories would enjoy that more. They would like a number one plate on their bike as well any anybody. I think they could advertise it more and get better unes and more s nsors. Do you think in road racing the technology will keep pushing the speeds up or do you think we're about a. fast as riders can go? We 're getting to that limit now when we're nitpicking at things to get a little more out of the bikes , but I think the AMA is going in the right direction to going down to the 750cc rule for the Superbikes. We really don't need to go that fast , although I don't mind it. I enjoy going 160 mph. I think if they slow them down, it would be closer , better racing. Let everybody ride 7505 and you'll have more riders out in front. People can afford them a little easier just because of maintenance. I think they'll stay together a little better. You'll see a lot better racing with 750s. Do you think. it'll ever get to where a privateer can win in the Superbike class? They're going in that direction now with the rules in '83. You have to use a lot of stock production parts now and so they 're going to that rule . A privateer could right now, if he had the ability to do it. I could pretty much build the bike that I have now. As good as that. I think Rob Muzzy could build a bike like that bike, even if he wasn't working for the factory . ..