NORTON Commando 961 - 2ride.ca Motorcycle Magazine

Up Close and personal,
(an Interview with)
SImON bAkeR
a
current sOaR contender (www.
soaracing.ca), he is happiest
doing his thing away from the
politics of the race industry. For 2Ride
he is the perfect example of the every
day racer in all of us.
Age: 39
location: Mississauga, Ontario
Hometown: newmarket, uK
Current race bike: 07 GSXR 600
stORY BY AleX COllINs
Favourite thing about Canada:
I’m always in awe of the diversity and
amount of nature in Canada. Mountains,
oceans, forests and the very distinct
seasons, it’s amazing.
Day job: Information Security
sponsors:
Pro6 Cycle
altered Image Graphix
armour Bodies
the Halton Compass
Rider’s Choice
2Ride: simon you are 39, and you have
been racing for 2 years, lets go back to
the start and tell me where it all began.
simon: Well about 40 years ago my dad
had a certain twinkle in his eye …
Oh, not that far back?
I started riding motorcycles when I
turned 16. My mother wouldn’t allow
me to have a bike because ‘they’re too
dangerous’. the summer I turned 16, I
brought one home. It didn’t make for
pleasant family dinners.
since then, I’ve been involved in
motorsports in one way or another. I
apprenticed as a mechanic, competed
in demolition derbies, got hooked on
snowmobiles. I had been track riding for
a while and decided it would be fun to
start racing.
2Ride: What drives this passion
for racing?
simon: I love everything about it. the
speed, the competition and especially
the friends I’ve made through racing.
2Ride: Funniest moment on the track/
at a race?
simon: Most recent that comes to mind
is trying to get the Pirelli rep’s son to
wear a dunlop hat while accepting an
award because his hair was messy. If
looks could kill, you would have thought
I offered him a dead skunk to wear on his
head!
2Ride: Most embarrassing moment on
the track/at a race?
simon: stalling and then honking to
horn on a bike that wasn’t mine. not
only did I stall the bike, which at a
1000cc is tough, when I went to restart
it I honked the horn as if to call out to
everyone – hey look at me … I’m an idiot.
2Ride: If you could change one moment
in your career what would that be?
simon: starting earlier, I’m glad I didn’t
start in my twenties (or earlier) because
I didn’t have the common sense back
then and I wouldn’t be around today.
I do wish I had started about ten years
ago; I’d have more experience,
smoother, quicker.
2Ride: How many classes do you race in
and what is the draw to each class?
simon: this year I’m racing in Old
Boys and the Pro6 dunlop Challenge as a
regular entry. I’ll probably participate in
600 extreme and a couple other classes
throughout the year. the grid sizes
can vary drastically, anywhere from a
dozen to three dozen bikes can be on the
starting grid.
2Ride: Where would you like to be in
5 years?
simon: Frankly, I haven’t thought that
far ahead.
2Ride: Favourite modification on your
bike/s?
simon: My favorite is the Bazzaz unit.
I’m a technology geek and love playing
with the fuel management set-up.
2Ride: do you have any quirks that
might seem strange to anyone?
simon: I don’t watch television. I don’t
know anything about american Idol, or
who dances with whom. I don’t keep up
with that sort of thing.
I do enjoy a couple of television series
that I have on dVd such as doctor Who.
2Ride: When you’re not at the races,
what is your favourite thing to do on a
Friday night?
simon: It’s difficult to pick one thing …
stay home and watch a movie.
2Ride: Who is the person you are most
interested in racing with this year, who
is going to push you?
simon: I’m aiming for anyone that’s in
front of me!
I had an accident last year in turn 1 at
tMP and I’m not carrying the entry
speed I should be or am capable of
because of it. I need to work on that
this year. I pulled some seriously decent
times at Calabogie a couple of weeks ago
and was strongest in corner entry speed,
I’m going to try to take this confidence
and use it at tMP.
I think with the increased corner
entry speed I’ll be battling the front
consistently in upcoming rounds.
2Ride: What sort of advice can you
offer to anyone interested in starting up
at the track/racing?
simon: do it! If you want to see what
your bike is truly capable of then try
track riding.
2Ride: You’re favourite track and why?
simon: Calabogie, it’s wide, smooth
and technical
2Ride: Favourite turn and on what
track?
simon: that’s a toss-up between turn
six and eight at Calabogie. turn six you
accelerate blindly out of until you crest
the hill and turn eight is a decreasing
radius turn that feels fantastic when you
get it right.
2Ride: Most memorable moment?
simon: the hospital in arnprior. I
had an unscheduled dismount and
the bike following me didn’t have a
chance to avoid running over my legs.
the whole episode at the hospital was
funny in retrospect; wandering around
the hospital (those gowns are chilly!),
my buddy commenting on how much
Percocet is in demand in front of the
doctor … I blame him for the doctor not
prescribing any pain killers. I think they
were really glad when I was discharged.
2Ride: What sort of things do you drink
at the track to stay hydrated?
simon: Water and diet Ginger ale.
2Ride: and for the ladies of course, I am
sure they want to know just what exactly
you wear under the leathers?
simon: If anyone wants to know they
can help me out of my leathers.
sept/OCt 2010 [62] sept/OCt 2010 [63]