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/128393
Ryan Hughes: New Horizons When Ryan Hughes announced recently that he's retiring after a long career of racing motocross, he had no intentions of giving up on racing alltogether. After dabbling a bit in off-road racing the past couple of years and having some success, most notably winning a round of the WORCS series and the inaugural EnduroCross in Las Vegas last year, Hughes figured that off-road racing just might be his new calling. He thought about it, made the call, and made a connection with Team Suzuki Off-Road to be one of its newest team riders after signing a lucrative two-year deal. We recently chatted with "Ryno" about his new direction in life. come about that qUickly. I just wanted to see, but I'm so stoked to be working with Mike and Suzuki. He's bent over backwards to make this thing happen, and Suzuki stepped up and is very excited about me being there. Mel Harris and everybody at Suzuki have been very cool, and Mike Webb is every way on my side. It's just cool to be wanted again. and that kind of gives me some energy, you know? cn: So how did your signing with SuzukI's off-road team come about? ryanhughes: I had an idea driving down the road one day, and when I went and talked to Mike Webb [Suzuki's off-road team manager] about it, 30 minutes later he had a whole deal lined up, got the okay from Suzuki and this and that, and I was like, 'Whoa.' I didn't expect it to cn: What kind of money will you be making? ryanhughes: The deal Igot with Suzuki is almost funny. I'll probably make more money than I did in my whole career racing motocross - I'm so stoked about that. cn: And what Is your deal exadllol? ryanhughes: Isigned a two-year deal to do the WORCS races and some other races here and there. cn: How does It feel to be venturing away from motocross 16 AUGUST 31,2005 • CYCLE NEWS after putting In 50 many y r of hard work? It's pretty much all you've EVer known. ryanhughes: Doing the Nationals, it's a lot of pressure and a lot of stress. You got to go to the limit if you want to do good, and I want to do good. I've raced the Nationals for IS years. That's a long time. I've been Pro for 17 years, and there comes a time when you just... that motivation and drive kind of leaves you, and it's gone now. With the off-road thing, it's something new. It's a little more relaxed. I can spend more time with my family and kind of live a normal life. Plus, I can extend my racing and riding career a lot longer. Doing stuff like the National [motocross] circuit is hard, and Idon't like not battling for the top positions. cn: Are you ready to go off-road racing, considering the longer formats like those of the WOReS races? ryanhughes: My fitness is not a problem. I've always been fit. I rode one [WORCS] in '03 and won that, and Ihope Ican carry that along. cn: Now that Suzuki has the RM-Z450. will you be helping to develop an off-road production version of It? ryanhughes: I have no idea, that's up to Suzuki. If they came over and wanted me to ride it, that's their call. KIt Palmer