Thomas and Matthes discuss the recent trip to Finland together
Thomas and Matthes discuss the recent trip to Finland together
Hammerhead Designs was launched with the intent to provide new and better parts and innovative accessories for motocross bikes. One of our goals has been to design entirely new and unique products with improved ergonomics and the shift lever was the first part that we felt could be dramatically improved by providing a feature that would allow for the shifter to be repositioned to perfectly suit the riders size, shape, and preference.
Matthes: Well JT, the comeback race to supercross has come and gone with some good rides and some bad luck this past weekend in Tampere, Finland. I thought you rode well when you put yourself in position to do well (IE: you got good starts) but as you stated to me at some point, you were working really hard and trying to juggle a real job. I think you thought you would do better. What’s your take from your comeback?
JT: Overall, I thought I rode pretty poorly. I never did get very comfortable. It was my first race on a new bike and new suspension and I struggled more than I expected with that. I love my KTM but I haven’t done any testing at all to speak of. That was the great part of being on the Suzuki before, I had a tried and true setup that I knew backwards and forwards. If I didn’t like a certain setting, I knew exactly where to go and how to improve it. On the new bike, I was just guessing. That was just a by-product of being unprepared.
The overwhelmingly biggest hurdle that I couldn’t overcome was arm pump. I maybe rode 3 laps total where I felt like my old self. Most of the time I was just trying to stay on the track and get it across the finish line. Frustrating to be sure.
Matthes: Now you know what normal people feel like. Besides the arm pump, what did two years of not racing do to you? What was the hardest part of racing again? Were you nervous at all?
JT: The time away didn’t really affect me too much, other than just missing the riding time and progression.The hardest part was the mental side. I had to manage expectations and not freak out when I wasn’t the fastest guy. I have raced somewhere around 85 times in Europe and for most of those, I was in the mix for the win. It’s hard to not just fall into that mindset again. I really had to remind myself at every turn that times were different now and this isn’t my time anymore.
Matthes: Ah ok, I get it. You had to use hatred all those years to do well! Enough about you, what about my technical, mental and emotional support to you while you were coming back? How key was that?
JT: I have to give you some credit, you did step in and work on the bike a few times. More than that, it was cool to have a friend there. These countries are a long, long way from home and are even further when you don’t know anyone. The snoring was pretty intense but other than that, you put in a strong weekend.
Matthes: Thanks buddy, yeah it was fun and after discovering that Waynes coffee place that rivaled Starbucks, I enjoyed hanging out also. I have a few questions that need some answering though:
On a scale of 1-100, how douchy was that move that Roos pulled on you after you passed him? I added some extra points in there for him throwing his hands up at you like it was your fault and
How cool, funny and nice were all the Finnish people we met/hung out with? From Jani to Jakko to those brothers with the race team all the dudes we met and talked to were pretty cool people. I enjoyed Finland and it now jumps to the top of my “underrated countries” list
JT: Well, I do think it was a silly move but I always attribute stuff like that to inexperience. These guys haven’t ridden much Supercross and certainly not anywhere near as much as I have. To expect them to react a certain way or the appropriate way in a dicey spot is foolish. It’s easy to be mad and say that they should have done this or that but that’s just how it is at times. I should have gotten a better start and avoided it.
As for the Finns, they are truly awesome people. That was a huge reason why I decided to race this particular event. I knew how great they all are and the atmosphere I would get. They love motocross and America at large from what I have gathered. It’s just a great place to go visit.
