|
HT-Okay Jim, what have you been up to in the last couple of weeks apart from testing the Triumph at Croft.
JM-mmm what have I been doing. Ah, I've been doing a few appearances and one, believe it or not, was at the Tractor pulling and ploughing club.
HT-How did you get roped into that then Jim. (Trying to keep a straight face)
JM-(Jim says as cool as you like) because of my tractor connections (as we burst out laughing).
HT-okay, this is a wind up, I can't believe we're talking about this.
JM-No seriously, I done it for a friend Robby Allan, yes it was okay. So I done that, then I went to Magna Cours for the final round of the world superbikes with Tom French.
HT-So what were you up to at Magna Cours, what did you hear.
JM-I was just down looking at possibilities for Sean Emmett, but the possibilities were impossible.
HT-Ah, now that brings me onto the next question…….Sean, what's happening there and how did this come about.
JM-Well we had a good talk at Ian Simpson's wedding and the first impressions I thought, no chance. But he came back to me the following day with a deal and he was definitely serious………… I then thought, yes, I'll have a go with him. What helps, I like his style, because I think I would struggle to work with someone who I didn't particularly like.
HT-This is not really anything new, as you've helped various riders in the past. So you're just making it
official.
JM-Yes, that's it, all I'm doing is what I've done in the past on the quiet.
HT-Will this conflict with anything you're doing.
JM-No, it doesn't conflict…...Sean's in superbikes, so nothing conflicts at all.
HT-Sean Emmett then, can you say much on what's happening on that front.
JM-Well, I'm working on a few things but that's as much as I'll say.
HT-So what about Jim Moodie for next year.
JM-I'm committed to Triumph. The bikes not that far from being totally competitive and Steve's (Mellor) found more power. I certainly wouldn't want to go away when it's all coming together.
HT-What about Craig Jones.
JM-As far as I know he's committed too.....In fact the whole team is committed, the mechanics, the lot.
HT-Although you won't be riding at the TT, if Triumph goes, will you still be involved.
JM-Yes, 100%. I'll definitely still be at the TT, one way or the other.
HT-The North West, what's happening there.
JM-I'll still do the North West, definitely.
HT-Back to Triumph--Steve Mellor is still busy working on the engines and with that in mind do you think the team could be up and running with the rest of the field next season, rather than playing catch up.
JM-Yes I think so, we've got to. To stand any chance in the championship we've got to for sure. I think the bike genuinely needs another 5 or 6HP. What they've found recently is quite amazing but to be totally competitive it still needs another 5 or 6. I mean they've found a power increase in the last fortnight, far superior to anything they've got all through the season, so it's already looking much better. One of the big things that's changed with the Motech system……is the bike's stopped backing into the corners. The Motech management system has completely transformed the way the engine performs, not only with the power, but the characteristics of the bike.
HT-I phoned you the other day and you were painting a tractor, what's this all about.
JM-Painting my tractor……..cutting the grass……flying my helicopter. I've not just painted my tractor any old colour you know. I had to mix red and yellow to get orange.
HT-So you've been mixing colours, is that to save you buying the right paint.
JM-I couldn't get orange hammerite, so I bought a red and a yellow tin. Red and Yellow makes orange with a wee dod of white. You can't just mix all the red and yellow, you know, you got to mix a certain amount. Have you seen it, it looks like a full factory tractor.
HT-So did you learn this at school or did you get this off the internet or what.
JM-No, I just made it up myself.
HT-What's this about you refuelling helicopters. Is this you keeping up with you're old sparring partner James Whitham.
JM-No, this is boring.
HT-Well then, back to Magna Cours. Did you see anything in the 600s that could be incorporated into the Triumph.
JM-Not really, but what I did see is world superbikes finished. That's what I did see.
HT-Are you wanting to talk about this………serious.
JM-Yes, we have Ducati, Petronas, Alstare Corona Suzuki , Belgarda Yamaha then Ten Kate Honda. After that it's less than the BSB UK paddock. It's unbelievable. There are less motor homes than in the British paddock. There's not as much money in the transporters as in the British paddock. The atmosphere's gone, even from last year at Valencia it's gone, it's hard to believe……it's unbelievable.
HT-If that's the case, what about this situation with Dunlop and Pirelli.
JM-I don't think Dunlop will get it overturned.
HT-So you think that Pirelli will go ahead.
JM-Yes, I think it will, and I think it's bad for the championship, it could kill it. It's nothing to do with Pirelli, I'm all for Pirelli and I run Pirelli, but it wouldn't matter if it was Dunlop, Bridgestone or anybody. The fact that all the other tyre manufacturers haven't got the opportunity and all the other teams haven't got the opportunity to compete on the tyres they choose. It will make it a more level playing field, but it's not as simple as that. Competition keeps the whole thing healthy, it's that important. Look at Dunlop in this year's British Superbikes. Because they have no competition, they could completely control lap times if they wanted. They don't have to give people the very, very best….as long as they give everybody the same. When the other manufacturers are there, they have to give out the very best in order to compete at the highest level.
HT-What about your mate Ian McPherson, what happened to him at Magna Cours.
JM-He highsided in the first qualifying and concussed himself, he was lying fifth at the time and did you know he's looking to come back to the UK next year. He's looking at British superbikes, but there's not that many good jobs about.
HT-Rumours are flying about BSB staff changes, what have you heard.
JM-Yes I've heard, but I don't know much although I know Jos Foulston's away. Jos got a bit of a slagging from people but I never had a problem with him.
HT-He really changed the BSB championship, going for 1000cc fours before anyone else.
JM-Yes, he also made a few mistakes. One of was downgrading the Supersport championship, but he sorted that again. It's hard to get everything right, nobody gets everything right. All the things that are right you don't hear about, just the odd thing that's wrong. Oh, sidecars are also back in Britain.
HT-Sidecars…….explain.
JM-All the world sidecar boys are going to be racing here…..Did you know that? It will be like a world championship run in the UK with the likes of Webster, Klaffenbock and Steinhausen competing here in a series. There will still be World Superside, but they'll be here also.
HT-Do you think it will be a good thing for the BSB
JM-Absolutely……whether you like sidecars or not, its variety. It might not be good thing for ten years, but it might be a good thing for two or three years.
HT-Okay back to this years supersport championship. It's been a tough year so how would you sum up the season.
JM-Tough.
HT-help me out here Jim………considering you came straight in and you didn't have a lot of testing, even before the Isle of Man.
JM-Frustrating…….I still think frustrating is the best way to describe the season. You break existing lap records; you go round circuits faster than you have ever done before. You cannot really ask much more on a brand new bike. Oh, and to be just into the top ten is quite hard to except, and trying to develop it……..it's been quite tough. Anyway, we've got to the point where we don't really need any major changes.
HT-What's next
JM-I'm away to cut the grass then I'm off to a fund raiser for Stevie (Hislop)..........End. Home Page
|
|
