Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Bostrom Replaces Bostrom At Ducati T he Bostroms are back together. Bostrom is returning to America to take his Ben Bostrom: I definitely rode hard, and I took a lot more lumps and spills than I've ever taken in my life. I'm still feeling it, still healing up. I tried hard. We didn't put it brother Eric's place as Neil Hodgson's where we needed to. Even as our machine teammate on the Ducati Austin squad in the progressed, so did everyone else's. So we were always one step behind. Eric Bostrom: I can back that up. Everyone in the paddock that I talked to had that same opinion, that the bike was a deathtrap. And I saw with my own eyes that it def- After a frustrating year on an under- funded, uncompetitive Honda, Ben AMA Superbike Series. For Ben, it's a return to the V-twin world where he had his greatest success, including serial wins in World Superbike. Eric, meanwhile, leaves Ducati after two years to make the move back to the fourcylinder world - his most successful years were with Kawasaki - by joining Yamaha in the Superstock and Formula Xtreme classes. For 2006, he teams with Jamie Hacking (Superstock and Supersport) and Jason DiSalvo (Superstock and FX). Superbike is certainly in his and Yamaha's future. We caught up with the brothers at their home in Temecula, California, just before deadline on Monday, October 3 I, for a quick chat. initely was. What were you having to do that you wouldn't have done before? Ben Bostrom: You just had to override it a little past your ability in some places that you don't want to. And try to make up for big drives off the corners. I'm usually an entry [type rider]. I like carrying a lot of speed into the corner and swooping around there. But here you were trying to get big exits, and it just didn't fly. know. Start from the roots again here, AMA, a great ride, a factory ride with Ducati. We started there and start there again. So here we are, and all we can do is hope for the best. Maybe we can get another shot at it. You do get spoiled by those tracks, don't you? Ben Bostrom: Yeah, really spoiled. That part's hard to miss. That was the biggest thing, was leaving those tracks. After taking your lumps, learning the tracks again, putting a year into the new tracks last year, and then to leave - it's so hard. In the year 2000, we were over there and took our lumps and spills, and then by 2001 you're back. So we took the lumps and spills again, and then to not go back the following year is a little bit heartbreaking, but there just wasn't the right opportunity, and the best opportunity was right here in America, to get back with Ducati and start again. What about having Neil Hodgson for a teammate? Ben Bostrom: That's awesome. huh? Neil's a real good dude. Great rider. I've ridden against him a lot. I know his talent, and he'll definitely be helpful to have the guy help set up the bike. It'll be really helpful having my brother and his notes from last year. He knows the bike. So if I'm having problems, I'll have someone to bounce it off of. It's almost like I have two teammates. Neil tested at the end of the season in Italy and was under the Superbike lap record. Ben Bostrom: Which is a good thing. It means the bike is making some progress and Neil's a great rider. He's a good guy to have over there, testing the bike for us. to being the premier class again soon. It looks like things are going in that direction. The Superbikes are the most finicky bikes and the most fun to ride when you get them right. But when you go to the racetrack, you go there to win and really get that good feeling. I'm not going to miss being at the track and kind of being down on the cards for whatever reason, not quite believing I can win the race. There were just so many times this season where victory felt so far out of reach. I'm really looking forward to starting off fresh with Yamaha. That part's really cool, actually. I've been really impressed by the company already. They're different in a lot of the approach, but really cool. Then we can build something and you go with it, and hopefully one day we'll be back there and we'll have something that I really feel like I can make a good shot of it and enjoy really having fun doing it. Was there something about the V-twin that you didn't get along with and you're happier on a four-cylinder, or was it just that V-twin and that team? Eric Bostrom: It's a good question. I don't really know all the answers. The team that I had in '05 was great. I was surrounded by a good bunch of people. Something [about] the way you had to be on the throttle kind of before the apex really didn't suit my style. And so that part was weird for me. I always kind of felt I was extended a little bit, when I wasn't. I just didn't feel comfortable having to basically be on the throttle so hard in the middle of the corner. And I'm looking forward to getting back on the fourcylinder, because I know they're a lot different. You can kind of get the thing stood up before you get on the throttle. To me, it wasn't perfect for my riding style, of course. Being that it's the only real V-twin I've ever ridden, I wouldn't know if it that motor con- When did you come to realize you were going to replace Eric? Ben Bostrom: For the last five years, I've been planning it out [laughs]. No, I was pretty lost after the season on what to do and what rides were available there in Europe. I had a couple of opportunities, but they were up in the air, and I knew there was a bunch of us riders fighting for the When did you come to realize you were on a bad team? Ben Bostrom: The team tried hard, they just didn't have the resources. I always kept the faith because I like to keep the boys pretty pumped. So I always try real hard no matter what. Right down to the last lap, I didn't quit. At a certain point, you realize, ·Wow. I don't know if this is going to get any better,' same ride. Eric's got a lot going on at home, but there's no sense in [not] trying, because with some new business adventures. which when you stop trying, you stop learning. is pretty cool. And it's time to get in there and help out and put my feet back on the ground again. Sometimes you've got to start from scratch. It seems like I've hit a low. Sometimes you've got to hit a low to climb back up. I feel like I've got to start from the beginning again and make racing fun again and enjoy and start from my roots. Here we are. We're back. Ducati's Paolo Ciabatti said you were riding awfully hard for what was clearly not a first-rate machine. Is that the way you saw it? 8 If you had the choice, would you have stayed in Europe, if there was a good ride? Ben Bostrom: I still have this thought that it would be so nice to be World Champion. And I love the paddock over there. It's really fantastic. It seems to have every other paddock beat down. Everyone's friendly, and [it's a] family style. You just have What about the Pirellis? Are you going to miss them? Ben Bostrom: Oh yeah, oh yeah [laughing]. Actually, sometimes they were quite fun to ride on. I've got to hand it to them. It's pretty fun riding around the track with no grip sideways. That is actually quite fun. Sometimes they were quite dangerous. And you get into a spot, I guess a situation like Imola, where we can't actually run the second race and the spectators get bummed out because we didn't have a rain tire. They've got some catching up to do. I know they've been trying hard. I know what it's like to be one step behind like that. 15 this a one-year deal, or more? Ben Bostrom: Just one. figuration didn't suit my style or what. Yamaha is planning to be in Superbike in the future, as early as 2007, Is that your understanding? Eric Bostrom: They're definitely planning on getting there. I think that's definitely a goal that they would shoot to achieve. Did you have an operation at the end of the season? Eric Bostrom: I did. I had my shoulder worked on. I should have had it done a year ago, when I had a big crash at Road Atlanta. I don't know, I guess I was too stubborn to get it done. I thought I could just heal naturally, which I would have rather done. But it didn't ever work out. During the season here, I had several dislocations, and so it was Eric, how do you feel about not racing Superbike? Eric Bostrom: It's a disappointment, just time to get it done. Where are you in recovery? to stay over there for a season to understand to be the premier class. Unfortunately, it the warm feelings from it. Great paddock. Maybe we'll get another shot at it. You never hasn't been the premier class - it's just been Eric Bostrom: I'm actually ahead of schedule, that's for sure. Basically, I had surgery about eight weeks ago tomorrow. And one of four classes. Hopefully, it will return you're supposed to wear a sling for six NOVEMBER 9, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS obviously, on one side because it's supposed

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