Bushiee46
20-12-2006, 16:30
This interview was conducted for Road Racer X magazine last week:
http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6252&stc=1&d=1166628519
The MotoGP riders are currently enjoying their winter testing ban, but so far, the top man in testing has been none other than John Hopkins. The Rizla Suzuki rider has been at or near the top of the timing charts at every outing on the 800cc machines thus far, and he intends to remain on top in ’07. We talked to Hopper last week, as he was taking a break from riding with Vision Hayes, a seven-year-old road racer he has taken under his wing.
Interviewer: So, are you enjoying your off-season?
John Hopkins: Yeah, it’s going really good. Just getting a little bit of relaxation in this last week, not doing a whole lot.
Much-needed R & R, probably?
Yeah, exactly.
Testing has been going well for you so far….
Yeah, definitely, testing has been going extremely well. We’ve done a lot of laps already; we’ve got a lot of laps under our belt on the 800. I’m really happy with the way things are going. I’ve been really motivated throughout the off-season to start testing again in January.
Why has this bike been working so well?
Basically, I think Suzuki and Yamaha have done both themselves and the riders a favor by keeping the chassis that was used last year. A lot of people seem to be struggling, really, with the shorter chassis—it’s just not handling that great—whereas our bikes are quite a bit longer and developed throughout all of the last couple years. The things are good. There was no problem with our chassis last year; it was just pure motor-works. Basically, I think it was the right decision to make: just throw a motor in. Right now, it’s working better than our 990 ever did because it throttles a lot smoother. It makes the bike a lot less active, and I’m able to just pin it everywhere.
Do you think throwing in a new engine and a new chassis at the same time creates too much of an unknown?
Yeah, I think it was throwing in too much all at once—especially in the short amount of time that we had—so I think Suzuki has definitely done the right thing.
Has riding on the underpowered 990 during the last couple of years made it easier for you to adjust to the 800?
That’s what I think the biggest thing is—the way I’ve had to ride over the last couple of years. Our 990, I think it was really suited to the style you have to use on the 800: you’ve got to hold a lot more corner speed, you’ve got to break a lot later—everything about it. I think I’ve been preparing myself for the last couple of years for this, for what’s going to happen next year. Now I’m really excited about it.
http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6253&stc=1&d=1166628593
Is it fun to ride compared to the 990?
For me it’s a lot more fun, just holding the corner speed. Like I said, the bike’s a lot less active coming out of the corners and stuff like that. But it’s more like a 250 and it just makes everything flow a lot more. You’ve just got to hit from mark to mark and just keep the corner speed up, that’s the main thing.
So how did this thing happen with Vision?
Well, it happened because of [CMRRA President] Al Lyons. He was the one who helped me out when I first started in 50s, and he’s been a family friend throughout my career. He was telling me about a kid who always comes down—his family drives all the way down from up north—and we started looking into it. I’ve always wanted to give back to the sport and sponsor someone, and I think this is a good way. He was just the perfect candidate at the time. My sister always comes out and does the scoring at all the Mini Motos, so she knows him very well and said he was a really good rider. We basically put two and two together and just made it happen, so now I’m getting him bikes and leathers and stuff like that. The first time I actually met him was today.
Are you going to try to pass him some of your knowledge, or is that more down the road, maybe?
That would be more down the road. But yeah, we’re going to talk on the phone throughout next year and see how the racing’s going. Right now, we’ll just take it easy and let him have some fun [laughs]. I’m not going to go out and push him to do anything. I’m going to let him go out and enjoy himself and have fun for a year, and eventually he’ll start getting into it.
Are you pretty impressed with him so far?
Yeah, very much so. He’s very quick, holding corner speed; I’m very excited about him. He reminds me of me when I was younger and riding the 50s, just the way you’re hanging off of it and the helmet’s barely on your head [laughs]. He’s still going for it, really going for it; there’s really a lot of potential there.
Are you feeling pretty confident going into ‘07?
Yes, very confident. Like I’ve said, we’ve got to keep our advantage from what we’ve had in the past, the previous tests. We’ve just got to keep our advantage, not let anyone develop anything that’s going to be better than ours, and just go out—I have to be ready myself—and just go for it. I’m really, really excited to go race at the front next year.
Bridgestone had some good races last year, but there was a lack of consistency with the tires. Do you think they’re going to find that consistency?
Yeah, definitely. They’re putting a lot of stuff together. I think it’s definite that we’re going to have a lot more consistency from the Bridgestones next year. I mean, there’s the tire rule next year, so that can come into play, but we’re already going for it. In testing, we’re pretty much testing only three tires. It’s good. I think it will be good for the sport, and I think the Bridgestones will definitely be there.
Thanks, John.
No worries.
http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6252&stc=1&d=1166628519
The MotoGP riders are currently enjoying their winter testing ban, but so far, the top man in testing has been none other than John Hopkins. The Rizla Suzuki rider has been at or near the top of the timing charts at every outing on the 800cc machines thus far, and he intends to remain on top in ’07. We talked to Hopper last week, as he was taking a break from riding with Vision Hayes, a seven-year-old road racer he has taken under his wing.
Interviewer: So, are you enjoying your off-season?
John Hopkins: Yeah, it’s going really good. Just getting a little bit of relaxation in this last week, not doing a whole lot.
Much-needed R & R, probably?
Yeah, exactly.
Testing has been going well for you so far….
Yeah, definitely, testing has been going extremely well. We’ve done a lot of laps already; we’ve got a lot of laps under our belt on the 800. I’m really happy with the way things are going. I’ve been really motivated throughout the off-season to start testing again in January.
Why has this bike been working so well?
Basically, I think Suzuki and Yamaha have done both themselves and the riders a favor by keeping the chassis that was used last year. A lot of people seem to be struggling, really, with the shorter chassis—it’s just not handling that great—whereas our bikes are quite a bit longer and developed throughout all of the last couple years. The things are good. There was no problem with our chassis last year; it was just pure motor-works. Basically, I think it was the right decision to make: just throw a motor in. Right now, it’s working better than our 990 ever did because it throttles a lot smoother. It makes the bike a lot less active, and I’m able to just pin it everywhere.
Do you think throwing in a new engine and a new chassis at the same time creates too much of an unknown?
Yeah, I think it was throwing in too much all at once—especially in the short amount of time that we had—so I think Suzuki has definitely done the right thing.
Has riding on the underpowered 990 during the last couple of years made it easier for you to adjust to the 800?
That’s what I think the biggest thing is—the way I’ve had to ride over the last couple of years. Our 990, I think it was really suited to the style you have to use on the 800: you’ve got to hold a lot more corner speed, you’ve got to break a lot later—everything about it. I think I’ve been preparing myself for the last couple of years for this, for what’s going to happen next year. Now I’m really excited about it.
http://www.gixerjunkies.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6253&stc=1&d=1166628593
Is it fun to ride compared to the 990?
For me it’s a lot more fun, just holding the corner speed. Like I said, the bike’s a lot less active coming out of the corners and stuff like that. But it’s more like a 250 and it just makes everything flow a lot more. You’ve just got to hit from mark to mark and just keep the corner speed up, that’s the main thing.
So how did this thing happen with Vision?
Well, it happened because of [CMRRA President] Al Lyons. He was the one who helped me out when I first started in 50s, and he’s been a family friend throughout my career. He was telling me about a kid who always comes down—his family drives all the way down from up north—and we started looking into it. I’ve always wanted to give back to the sport and sponsor someone, and I think this is a good way. He was just the perfect candidate at the time. My sister always comes out and does the scoring at all the Mini Motos, so she knows him very well and said he was a really good rider. We basically put two and two together and just made it happen, so now I’m getting him bikes and leathers and stuff like that. The first time I actually met him was today.
Are you going to try to pass him some of your knowledge, or is that more down the road, maybe?
That would be more down the road. But yeah, we’re going to talk on the phone throughout next year and see how the racing’s going. Right now, we’ll just take it easy and let him have some fun [laughs]. I’m not going to go out and push him to do anything. I’m going to let him go out and enjoy himself and have fun for a year, and eventually he’ll start getting into it.
Are you pretty impressed with him so far?
Yeah, very much so. He’s very quick, holding corner speed; I’m very excited about him. He reminds me of me when I was younger and riding the 50s, just the way you’re hanging off of it and the helmet’s barely on your head [laughs]. He’s still going for it, really going for it; there’s really a lot of potential there.
Are you feeling pretty confident going into ‘07?
Yes, very confident. Like I’ve said, we’ve got to keep our advantage from what we’ve had in the past, the previous tests. We’ve just got to keep our advantage, not let anyone develop anything that’s going to be better than ours, and just go out—I have to be ready myself—and just go for it. I’m really, really excited to go race at the front next year.
Bridgestone had some good races last year, but there was a lack of consistency with the tires. Do you think they’re going to find that consistency?
Yeah, definitely. They’re putting a lot of stuff together. I think it’s definite that we’re going to have a lot more consistency from the Bridgestones next year. I mean, there’s the tire rule next year, so that can come into play, but we’re already going for it. In testing, we’re pretty much testing only three tires. It’s good. I think it will be good for the sport, and I think the Bridgestones will definitely be there.
Thanks, John.
No worries.