Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Jecause it's fun and he makes a good iving doing what he considers fun. 'ie wins because he has a natural, :;od-given talent. In addition, he hates to lose. "I made a lot of money this year, ut Idon't think about itas making a It of money," he said. "I think about : as I won a lot of races and I did lme damage. I beat these guys bad in lot of races and I get a bigger charge ut of that than I do from getting the ig paychecks. "I just like winning. I don't know I like winning so much or if I just ate losing. The money is neat, don't et me wrong, I'm not going to say I 1st do this for the love of the sport. 'he money is important because I ave to make a living. I've dedicated ly whole life to motocross and if I on't make a good chunk of money 'hile I'm doing it then I'm wasting ly time. Okay, what's with the different .air sty les and clothes? "I've always been a little different," 'ohnson said. ''I'm not trying to be a tar, and I'm not trying to be anything ,pecial. Ijustdon't like to be the same IS everybody else. I've always been .hat way. I haven't had a flattop in a long time, so I said screw it I'll get a flattop. It's just hair, it'll grow back. I would never go as far as to get a Mohawk or completely shave my head. I do things because I like it. A lot of people might say, 'his hair looks like crap.' But I like it and that's what's important. You should always do what you like. You should never, ever change your style fora girl or anybody." johnson realizes that he's lucky to be in the position he's in and he wouldn't trade with anybody. He is what every up-and-coming racer dreams of being - a National Champion. But there is the side of johnson that wishes for other things and there is some regret for putting all his eggs in the collective motocross basket. "An education is so important," johnson said. "I always put it second to racing which is wrong and I'm suffering for it now. I read slow and I can do math okay, but I w,as never a whiz in school. When I was in school I never thought I would be what I am today. I can say I'm one of the best there is right now and that's an accomplishment not many have achieved. "I've been riding motorcycles since I was three and racing since I was nine. I can ride better than I can walk, run, talk or anything. But every now and then you get to the point, when you ride every day, that youjustdon't want to get on the bike. When training is a job it makes it a lot harder. For 90% of the public, their training is a release from their job. When they get up to go to work, I have to get up and physically beat myself to death. I'm sweating 80% of the daytime. I'm not saying that I'm a big fitness buff, but that's what you have to do. You have to keep stressing your heart out to make it and your body stronger." johnson earned big dollars this season in bonus money from his employers at American Honda, but they are getting !heir money's worth when you look at his off-season schedule. "It's been really hectic," he said. "I had to go to Europe for the Motocross des Nations. I had to go to japan for PR and now I have to go back to japan twice, and then I'll do a race in -Paris and a race in Italy." Johnson is getting used to the travel and is starting to enjoy his trips to Europe. "I've actually found myself thinking about going over and racing for a season in Europe. I would like to have a championship on both sides of the water. It would always be nice when I'm retired to say I've been World Champion and National Champion. The National Championship is a lot harder to get right now than a World Championship, but it would still be nice." johnson's three-bedroom home in EI Cajon is less than five minutes from his parent's acre-and-a-half spread. Since johnson needs more space, and his parents no longer need that much room, they soon will be switching homes. johnson needs the space for his toys (Jet Skis, a 1957 Corvette, motorcycles, surfboards, a 20-foot speedboat, a dune buggy, etc.) and plans to build a 4000 sqtiar~-foot garage in addition to the improvements that have already taken place at the johnson spread. . "I've always loved that place; that's where I grew up," he said. "We moved there when I was nine-years- old. I get a little bit more privacy there. Here people will drive by and see if I'm home and just drop in and want to talk. It's not that I don't like my friends. I care very much about them, but it's like people say, when someone becomes a star, or becomes popular, the people that suffer the most are the people they love. The people that I don't see that much are my family and my real close friends, but they understand that I'm really busy. "Sometimes you just need a little time to yourself. They are just trying to be friendly, but it's like being at the scene of an accident, you tell the story so many times. H you won, it's easy to say I won. But when you do bad its 'why?' You're pissed off because you lost anyway and here's someone asking you why? 'How come? Are you going to beat them next time?'" Although johnson had the nearperfect season, he regrets not being able to win all three championships. "The big mistake I made in the 500s was calming down after winning the other two," he said. "I knew that even if I didn't win another championship that it had been a good season. I won all the big races. I won the USGP, I won Daytona and I won San Diego." How can you follow up a season like johnson enjoyed in 1986? ''I'm going to go into it with the same attitude, but I'm going to start getting ready a little bit earlier. I still have the desire to race and win. I want to race real bad." But it still comes down to fun. "The bOttom line in eve.rything is to have fun, no matter what you do.Whether it'S racing, going to school, staying single, getting married or whatever. Do what you feel is right, not w ha t your friends or parents £eel is right. Do what you feel is right." Maybe he's not the next Bob Hannah, but he is definitely the first Rick johnson. • Johnson sits on his dune buggy with his parents Dick and Dolores. and his Shar-Pei dog Bogey. 7

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