WSBK – MNC Interview: Tom Sykes, Kawasaki Superbike rider – KAWASAKI Pre-Owned

Posted on by admin

MNC interview: Tom Sykes, Kawasaki Superbike rider

WSBK - MNC Interview: Tom Sykes, Kawasaki Superbike rider - KAWASAKI Pre-Owned

World Superbike champion in 2013, runner-up in 2012 and 2014 (and 2015 ?!), Tom Sykes is one of the best speed motorcycle riders on the planet. MNC ran into him during the presentation of the 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. Interview.

MNC: Hello Tom! You arrived in WSBK in 2009, but when did you start riding and racing? ?
T. S .: I rode motorcycles from a young age, but I really started riding when I was twelve, in motocross. I got up to speed two years later and turned pro at sixteen.

Site: You have been riding Kawasaki for five years and you participated in the development of the previous model (ZX-10R 2011). What was the main focus of work on the 2016 model ?
Tom Sykes: Well, I can only reason in terms of performance on the track. We concentrated on the inertia of the machine, although we also worked on other small points. Kawasaki did a really good job, taking all of our feedback from the racetracks into account and trying to make the best use of it to create the new version of the Ninja..

MNC: Your 2015 racing machine was quite different from the 2014 one because of the stricter WSBK regulations on engine preparation, in particular. What do you think of this evolution ?
T. S .: Ah, unfortunately those rules didn’t work in my favor … We really had a hard time coping with some changes in, say, the bike’s "character". It’s a shame. Thank God the 2016 model comes out at the right time, I can’t wait to work with this machine which will be better given the new rules.

MNC: Do you think this Ninja will also suit your own riding style better? ?
T. S .: Yes, I am convinced that this bike will match my style much better than the current model. And at the same time I think it will be better for bikers who use it on the road.

MNC: Despite the new rules supposed to limit the development and preparation costs of motorcycles, pole positions and lap records are constantly being broken. What is this due to? To electronics, to tires, to pilots…
T. S .: No no. It is the combination of many factors. We are always trying to improve the bike and its balance, the tire components are constantly improving, the suspensions are improving … There are a lot of small details that, in the end, allow us to turn faster. And with the improvements made to our Ninja for 2016, we’re going to bring the times down even further.

MNC: Our little finger told us that you don’t understand why MotoGP and Moto2 have so copied Superbike and Supersport … Do you think the Superbike should stand out more? To run on 2-stroke 750 cc (Sykes owns one, Editor’s note) ?
T. S .: Ah, I don’t know, it’s strange. MotoGP has come very close to the philosophy of the Superbike in the sense that it has adopted 4-stroke, a displacement of 1000 cc … Ditto for Moto2. So I have the impression that the Superbike has been overshadowed even more by the MotoGP, almost killed, but the two championships are now organized by the same promoter so we will see how it evolves in the years to come. All I hope is that MotoGP and Superbike can maintain the very high level they have reached today, and continue to coexist.

MNC: What do you think of MotoGP and have you ever tested a Grand Prix prototype ?
T. S .: I would really like to try the adventure. I find the development settings to be much more extensive and I think I would like that a lot, that my style would work just fine. We will see. I would love to have the opportunity to try, but the chances are not very high anymore.

MNC: Kawasaki should get back into competition…
T. S .: Yes of course, that’s easy to say! (Laughs)

MNC: What do you like most about World Superbike? ?
T. S .: Ah, that’s hard to say. It’s a category I’ve known for quite a few years now, it’s a nice universe. I like the strategy of two rounds per weekend … There are a lot of things that I like about the WSBK, and I realize how lucky I am to be part of it.

MNC: You recently appeared in a video for Kawasaki, in which you ride the Ninja H2R. Is it cool, awesome, very different from your racing bike ?
T. S .: Yes, I really enjoyed riding this bike. It’s very high level engineering, the performance is really fantastic. I happen to own an old H2R. And I liked the news so much that I got one !

MNC: In the WSBK news, what do you think of Biaggi’s freelance in Qatar for the 2015 final? It may not be convenient for you to take back "your" second place in the championship ?
T. S .: Yes, we’ll see … Honestly, it’s great for the championship. But what makes the pilots talk, what surprises everyone, is the fact that he can go to the circuit to perform private tests for four whole days, less than two weeks before the races! It’s quite odd because it will give it a hell of an advantage, especially since they don’t have to worry about the limited number of engines. This is something quite…

MNC: … annoying, maybe ?
T. S .:… I think he has a lot of potential and I can see him fighting for the win very well. I would be very surprised otherwise !

MNC: It’s good for the championship, for the ratings…
T. S .: Yes, it’s very good for the championship, to be able to display your name on the program again. And we’ll see well Sunday night. But I really expect great performances.

MNC: Another Italian who is talked about a lot is Marco Melandri, who would be ready to race next year without being paid by his team … What do you think ?
T. S .: It’s weird yes. Once again, it would be good to find a driver of Marco’s caliber in the championship. I have a lot of respect for him, and he’s a big name in motorcycle speed. Obviously, it seems very strange to me to ride without touching money, especially at this level. But I can’t really comment or judge a decision that’s up to him.

MNC: We also just learned that Nicky Hayden will join the World Superbike in 2016…
T. S .: Yes, that’s great ! Nicky is a guy that I have followed for many years. The fact that he is joining us is fantastic, for us as well as for the discipline because he is an American driver and we missed it. It’s a hell of a lot of added value. I just hope he finds a good set-up on the Honda and can compete with the others.

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *