INTERVIEW
2006 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION NICKY HAYDEN
P90
good transition, and finish my ca-
reer at Honda. I know they work
good and probably above all that
new bike coming in 2017, it was
a nice little thing. That is why I
chose to do a two-year deal."
At 34, Hayden is considered
to be relatively old, but when
Biaggi scored a World Super-
bike podium well into his 40s,
and Bayliss won a championship
at nearly 40, Hayden could ride
for a very long time now. But he
thinks not that long.
"Maybe, but I do not think they
started racing at four years old!
Did you say 10 years? Yeah, that
is probably a bit pushing it. I am
thinking about 2016. I signed a
two-year deal. I am just not get-
ting too far ahead of myself."
It's clear Hayden was asked
to come to World Superbike
by Dorna not just because he
is American, not just because
he can be a player at the top,
but because he is a star. Like
Biaggi, he could move things on
a number of levels for a World
Superbike paddock that is in
some form of stasis in terms of
its public perception.
So what does Hayden himself
think he—beyond being a good
rider—can bring to the party?
"I have not really through of
that, I guess that is for you guys
to decide," said Honda's new
star. "I hope I can bring some-
thing to the series. Already a lot
of my fans have been saying 'I
will follow you in Superbike' and
being an American in a series I
hope to bring new faces and give
the fans a reason to tune in but
I have to be going fast. That is
more what I am thinking about."
At the start of World Super-
bike version 1.0 for Nicky, on
a venerable Honda that only
current and convincing World
Champion Jonathan Rea could
make a regular winner out of in
recent seasons, more than one
I HAD SOME
MOTOGP
TEAMS
ASKING ABOUT
BEING A TEST
RIDER BUT,
TRUTHFULLY, I
WANT TO RACE.
Nicky knows
his Superbike
roots will
serve him
well this time
around.
