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time for kids over the weekend<br />
and if I can give them<br />
knee sliders or team hats then<br />
it’s pretty cool. I used to be<br />
a fan of the sport and now it<br />
is a job I see my old self in<br />
them.<br />
Could you both swap what<br />
you do? Would you be interested?<br />
JR: <strong>No</strong>!<br />
BW: Haha-<br />
JR: I enjoy motocross a lot because<br />
it is so accessible. I can<br />
put the bike in the van with a<br />
lunchbox and go riding with<br />
my buddies. But I think at the<br />
top level the sacrifice in order<br />
to be successful…[is amazing].<br />
I’m not old for my sport<br />
by any means but I am 32 and<br />
I’m starting to value ‘life’ and<br />
to make it as easy and normal<br />
as I can. This racing life is not<br />
normal: it is really tough when<br />
you talk about the actual<br />
racing, the preparation, the<br />
obligation. We’re not racing<br />
because we’re good guys and<br />
the teams like us. We’re doing<br />
it to sell bikes and sponsors.<br />
Superbike is the nicest niche<br />
for me now and something<br />
I’m good at but motocross is<br />
so tough. If I could swap the<br />
success I’ve had in Superbike<br />
for motocross then I probably<br />
would because it was my<br />
dream as a boy and I’d probably<br />
be more fulfilled. <strong>Road</strong><br />
racing was my curveball and<br />
something I was more naturally<br />
good at but I think the life<br />
you have to live to get to that<br />
point is mad. The sacrifice<br />
you have to make to be even<br />
half-decent is mad.<br />
BW: And the sacrifice some<br />
people make can mean nothing<br />
to others that have given<br />
so much more. I’d love to<br />
have a good on a road bike,<br />
whether that’s a Superbike<br />
or something else. But racing<br />
one…?<br />
JR: Don’t say that because I<br />
can sell it to you! I don’t know<br />
why all these federations are<br />
making all these schemes to<br />
find the next young talent.<br />
If I was a Team Manager or<br />
worked for a brand I would<br />
just down to the tracks to<br />
scout best of youth motocross<br />
and encourage these kids on<br />
the cusp of making-it to try<br />
the road. When you are riding<br />
a bike with gears and a clutch<br />
from the age of seven-eight<br />
and then are tempted by road<br />
racing at fifteen-sixteen then<br />
you already have so much<br />
experience. I think the talent<br />
in road racing comes from<br />
motocross.<br />
JR & BW
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