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/127121
do n 't thin k that reflects on m y ri ding, ra ther on a lack of organ ization . I had trouble as the vear went o n wi th spare parts, and I had to run o ld pa rts a t times. I don't think th e arguments which were wi th th e bike sponsor has been a ny secret; but it was down to understanding how each o the r works. T owards the end of the season we go t this stra igh tened o ut and things have go ne a lot better on th at front. I won the Italian Championship, and all three motos of a team race wit h peo pl e lik e Geo rges Jobe rid ing. You tried the Boyesen bike in Austria early in the year. What happened to that? . There was nothing wrong wi th th e bike, but it needed so me changes to be ri ght for me. Eyjvi nd (Boyesen) obviously d idn 't want us to change th ings without him seei ng, so it would hav e been necessary for him to be in Europe. But hi s busin ess commitments in th e Sta tes wo uldn' t allow him the tim e. It's a pity. How did you find th e tra cks in Europe? They seem faster. It is as though th ey ha ve been design ed wi th 500s in mind. The starts are good a nd long, and th e diff erent riding style mak es a differen ce. Eu ro peans seem to u se a lot of mom entu m , whi le in the USA, with so m uch stadium racing, there is a lot of block passing a nd cu tting off. You don't have that here. Has that led 10 conflict wi th other riders? . . I gu ess tha t means so me riders have said somet hing to yo u, bu t nob od y has said anything to me perso na ll y yet. How rough is the opposition in Europe? I did n 't come here expecti ng it to be easy. My bi ggest problem has been the mud ra th er th an th e o ther rid ers. I expec ted one, ma ybe two. m ud races, but not eig h t of 12 in th e G Ps! It has been tough to adapt to tha t. In train ing in Spain I go t stuck in one deep hole for 40 minu tes, a nd Germany a nd Belgium-were also no fun . ret you stayed all year when many others have gone home early. I just hung in there. I am no t one who is goi ng to ru n ou t when the going gets tough . That's not my style. I a m here for as long as it tak es a nd ho pefull y before I leave I will ha ve a world title. How long do you plan to sta y? I ho pe to sta y for a minimum of five years. Did yo ur bad resul ts in th e GPs get you depressed? Yes, a little, but I got to rid e a lot of interna tiona l races towards the end of th e year and I go t go od results in those. After a year of experien ce I ha ve got a good training program worked ou t. Back ho me in Georgia it is almost always warm , but here it is ra ining' a nd cold a lo t of the time. You jus t have to ada p t to th e idea o f runnin g eve n' in th o se conditions. How does it look for you for 1988? I a m negotiating with th ree ma jor corporations to sponsor me in my own tea m , a nd I ha ve worked ou t a deal wi th the importer to ride Kawasaki again in the 500 GPs. I will again be based in Ital y, a nd I will again contest th e 500 Wor ld Ch ampionships, I intend to race m ore interna tio na l races thi s year. There is !\,ood money there and the competition is also good. But my mai n aim is th e World Cha mpions hip. I have go tte n used to the 45-mi n ute motos now , I have learned to race in m ud, I have co me to grips with the life-style so I do n' t have a ny excuses for not do ing well. I am goi ng out to win, a nd I beli eve I can. • a tJ 'E!ADVE TUREA D ENTERTAINMENT IN SAN DIEGO , Rick Johnson, Micky Dymond and Jeff Ward invite you to see the 2nd Race of the Series r:::-a--'\ , ::I San Dieg" ~ Jack lt1urphy~ Stadium ~ ~ ~ Saturday Night Feb. 20th ALSO ATYOUR SAN D IEGO COUNTY HONDA DEALERS Ga tes O pe n a t Au tog rap h & Photo Se ssion FIRST RAC E * FREE Pit Passes * Signtoup for Sweepstakes Drawing win : . • XR200 Honda Motorcycle '. Trip forTwo to Hawaii!!! (Air Fare and Hotel) • Tickets to Coors Super Crown of Stadium Motocross, LA Coliseum, June 11, 1988 GO TO YOUR SAN DIEGO AREA HONDA DEALER TODAY!! C'I ;>~ C\$ ~ ~ 5:3 0PM ..0 6:00PM 7:3 0 PM ~ (1) Rick Johnson won the Season Opener at Anaheim. Who will it be at San Diego? DONrrM. IT. SEE FO YOURSELF! SEE: • Teams Honda. Yamaha , Kawasa ki and Suzu ki and the Super Stars of Motocross. • Action Packed Entertainment • One of the toughest·tracks ever built • Wild Whoop-de-doos • Staggered Stutter Jumps .. . and mor~. You'll see the Manufacturer's Display of the ir 1988 line of Motorcycles - free with your adm ission ticket. Meet some of the Previous Stars of Supercross and Outdoor Motocross. Whil e Kawasaki and Honda Factory Riders . Jeff Ward and Ric k Johnson d 'SCU5S the poSSibility of who Will won the all new trophy for the newl y formed COO RS SUPER CROWN OFMOTOC ROSS SERIES, M ic ky Dymond flies overhead With dreams that he will be the Coors Super Crown Champion. 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