14 ❘ MOTOR CYCLE NEWS JULY 30, 2008
NEWS
Holy ramraid! Goy has a smashing time on the Batpod
Dark Knight rider reveals Batpod secrets Jean-Pierre Goy, the stunt rider in the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight, tells MCN what it’s like to ride the incredible ‘Batpod’ by Ben Purvis
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OU might not know the name JeanPierre Goy, but you’ve almost certainly watched him ride. As one of Hollywood’s top stunt riders, he’s stunned worldwide audiences bigger than anything Evel Knievel could have dreamed of. The 47-year-old Frenchman slips on the caped crusader’s famous Batsuit in The Dark Knight, doubling for star Christian Bale in the scenes featuring the mindboggling Batpod. In an exclusive interview, Goy revealed what it’s like to ride the Batpod in The Dark
Knight, which had its UK premiere last week. “There is no comparison to riding a normal motorcycle,” he said. “In my career I have ridden all sorts of bikes, big or small, but this one was really difficult.” During filming, he refrained from riding any other bikes, as the Batpod – which is steered from the shoulders with the rider’s arms in trough-like slings on either side of the bike – is so alien to control. “It was really difficult even to drive in a straight line, because on the left and the right I had these big main parts of the handlebars,” added Goy. “The turning
circle was very wide, and the big tyres bounced the bike more and more as it went faster, up to around 85mph). The braking also had to be very delicate because of the huge weight of the bike.” Although everything looks smooth in the finished film, Goy admits he crashed more than once: “I had numerous small crashes during practice and during filming, but nothing serious.” He was lucky as, exposed on the bike, he had to wear the skin-tight Batman outfit, which left no provision for body armour. Even the film’s star, Christian Bale, takes his hat off to Goy’s work. He told the
New York Post: “I have to admit there’s not a single moment in the movie I am in control of that thing. There was only one man, JeanPierre Goy, world class biker, who was able to control that and not fall off. “I ride motorbikes, but there were world class bikers who were getting on this thing and coming straight off of it. I had to recognize at that point I wasn’t going to manage it, either. JeanPierre is the only person in the world who was able to master it. So whenever you see me on it, it’s still an adrenaline rush, but I am getting dragged behind another vehicle.”
64 ❘ MOTOR CYCLE NEWS JULY 30, 2008
SPORT BROLLY BABES SUZUKA’S brolly girls are a major attraction for the riders and spectators alike, with teams making the most of their talents to promote their brands. MCN searched hard to bring you a selection of Suzuka’s hottest babes:
Despite ‘dangerous’ dehydration levels, Cal fought hard to repay Moriwaki’s faith in him
Loyal Crutchlow takes sixth at Suzuka 8-Hour
BSB star turns down last-minute HRC offer to give Moriwaki top six finish By Tracy Hagan and Michael Guy
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AL Crutchlow took the honour of top Brit in the Suzuka 8-Hour race with a strong debut performance that saw him take sixth on a Moriwaki Honda. His impressive finish was despite the fact that HRC tried to poach the BSB frontrunner to ride for its entry. But the 22-year-old stayed loyal to the Moriwaki team who drafted him in to ride when the offical Honda team stated it didn’t want him.
“To start with Honda had asked Jonny Rea and Leon Haslam to ride their HRC bike. At the time I was ahead of Leon in the BSB championship so I was miffed why they didn’t ask me, really. “That’s when I contacted Moriwaki and said I would like to do the 8-Hour, purely for the experience. I put on a half-decent show at the 300K race after never even seeing the circuit. Moriwaki bent over backwards to get me here for the tests and for the race. “When I was here for the final test with Moriwaki, it went really well and Honda asked me to partner Johnny, but I had already committed to Moriwaki. That’s what I wanted to do for the 8-Hour and I stuck by it.” His decision to continue with Moriwaki paid off, with Crutchlow securing a highly respectable finish, six laps behind winners Carlos Checa and Ryuichi Kiyonari. Crutchlow added: “It was an eventful race. We weren’t
‘After the first hour-long stint I thought I was going to die’ CAL CRUTCHLOW the fastest people out there, but we plucked away. It’s about staying consistent and being there at the end. You can be as fast as you like on the day but if you end up crashing it’s a waste of time. I travelled all the way to Japan and I was looking forward to finishing the race, and that’s the most important thing.” While fellow Brit Jonathan
Rea got to race on British specification Dunlops (see page 66) Crutchlow’s Moriwaki Honda team used Japanese-spec Dunlops which weren’t as competitive. “We had a good enough weekend. I’m just a little bit disappointed that we had to make an eight-stop strategy in the end because of fuel consumption. We also made another two stops because of the rear tyre delaminating, so that was a bit disappointing. I worked out that we had three unnecessary pit stops. If not for that we might have been closer to the top five. “The Dunlops weren’t so good here this weekend. It’s not the fault of the Japanese; it was the English not giving me and Moriwaki any help. That’s disappointing to me, too. Moriwaki built a fantastic bike; it was just the tyres that let us down. There’s a lot of people not finishing out there. But to come away with a sixth position, I’d rather that than to not finish at all.”
In personal terms, Crutchlow’s first 8-Hour proved to be even more physically demanding than he’d expected. The HM Plant Honda rider takes his fitness very seriously, but like the rest of the Brits didn’t think he would be able to continue after completing his first hour-long stint. “After the first stint I thought I was going to die, it was that hot. I had the shakes and was dehydrating badly. I ate an energy gel, and it just
made me feel sick. I’d just taken it after I got off the bike, because they wanted to get some energy into me because I’d dropped a few kilos. They said that to lose that much weight was dangerous so they gave me this gel, and it made me feel completely sick. I threw up the gel and then I was fine. “After that I made a good comeback and rode really well. I’m already really looking forward to next year’s 8-Hour.”
Crutchlow cites poor Jap-spec Dunlops for not finishing higher
JULY 30, 2008 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS ❘ 65
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Haslam: ‘Team-mate crash cost 10 minutes – and a podium’ LEON HASLAM rode a gutsy race to claim ninth place in his first-ever Suzuka 8-Hour. The BSB contender showed good pace but saw any chance of springing a surprise and getting on the podium end when team-mate Chojun Kameya crashed and was forced to limp back to the pits losing them nearly ten minutes. Haslam said: “I think we had a really good chance at a podium finish. When I got on the bike for my first session I was 13 seconds behind the HARC-PRO team, the factory Yamaha and the Moriwaki Honda, but by the end I was in fifth having past all three. I’m over the moon I caught and passed HARCPRO and they eventually finished third. We could have been on the podium on my first time here. “The problem was that when Kameya slipped off we lost four or five laps in the pits. I don’t know where he crashed, he just lost the
SUZUKA 8-HOUR IN PICTURES
Haslam made up four places in his final stint on the Sakurai Honda
Three-times GP champion Freddie Spencer paraded on his title-winning 1985 NSR500 front. It’s one of those things that’s easily done, to be fair.” In his final session, in the dark, Haslam showed his determination to salvage a good result by pushing the bike to its limits, despite having completed four hours on the bike. When he jumped on his Sakurai Honda for the
final time the team were in 13th place, but by the end of the hour-long sting Haslam had jumped up to ninth. He said: “The night session was fun and I think with another lap I could have got eighth. I also unlapped myself when I passed Checa so I was happy about that.”
Haslam finished strongly
Plater claims 11th with stock engine STEVE PLATER claimed an incredible 11th place finish at Suzuka, with a completely standard engine onboard his Yamaha Austria R1! Teamed with experienced endurance riders, and former WSB men, Steve Martin and Igor Jerman, Plater started the race for the team. He said: “The other two riders weren’t that keen on starting so I did it. I got a cracking start, I really did, and I was getting into the top 15 when a bike broke down in front of me in the right-hander after Dunlop Curve. “I was right on his back wheel, then I hit him and run off on to the grass. I was lucky to stay on, to be hon-
Yamaha Austria’s stock R1 lacked 10mph-plus on the straights est, very lucky, but I lost a lot of places.” Desperate to get back into contention Plater tried to regain the positions that he had lost, but ended up suffering a second slow-speed
crash when he lost the front end of his Yamaha at the chicane, dropping a further 20 seconds to his rivals. After the crash the team’s race was less traumatic, apart from having to deal with the
massive speed deficit of running a standard engine against many other full factory bikes. He said: “We were doing nearly 160mph on the front straight, and the good teams are running at 170mph so we were a long, long way down. For me I’m happy to have come here and finished 11th. “It’s been awesome to race here, it really has. It’s very physical, but in a different way than a 24-hour race. The 24-hour races are far more tiring, mentally for sure. But you are physically more tired here at Suzuka because of the heat and the nature of the circuit.”
Most tracks give riders a free lunch and a bottle of water, at Suzuka you get a girl in a pool
Humidity reaches 100 per cent so riders and teams get an outside air-conditioning tent
Rea’s crash gifts Smart top tyres SCOTT SMART also achieved an impressive debut Suzkua 8-Hour finish, and thanked Jonathan Rea for crashing out, leaving him with the better performing British-spec Dunlops in the final stages of the race. Riding for the established Phase One Endurance team, Smart rode four hour-long stints and admitted to MCN that he was exhausted at the end of the race. The three-time World Endurance Championshipwinning team were competing at the Suzuka
event for the 16th time, ending this year’s race in a respectable 13th place. Smart said: “I’m new to the team, I’m new to endurance racing, and I’m new to Suzuka. I’m not entirely sure it agrees with me yet! “We ended up with some pretty good tyres, and I have to say thank you to Dunlop for that. That was great, and it made a big difference for us. I also have to thank Jonny (Rea) for falling off, because that freed up a few more tyres for us! I got them at the end of the race but I was
Checa sets off on Superpole equivalent
Smart really benefitted from UK-spec Dunlops late in the race really tired by that point and just struggled to keep going.” “At the end of eight hours I was still fighting for position and you don’t expect to do that. Unfortunately, Daniel Ribalta has got more experience here and in endurance
racing, so I managed to hang on until those last couple of laps when it was getting darker and I started making some mistakes so he pulled away. I’m bitter about that, especially as we were sharing the same garage!”
Tonight Takahashi is Kung Fu Panda
Jonathan Rea on his Dream Honda FireBlade, alone and on it during the hard night stint
2 ❘ MOTOR CYCLE NEWS BRANDS HATCH WSB
IAN JUBB
WSB BRANDS PREVIEW
Walker’s back! British star to make shock World Superbike return at Brands Hatch for the Paul Bird Motorsport squad
michael.guy @motorcyclenews.com
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HRIS Walker will make a dramatic return to WSB at Brands Hatch this weekend thanks to an eleventh-hour deal to ride for the UK-based Paul Bird Motorsport squad. Walker, a WSB veteran, will return to the Superbike class where he made his name and has promised fans that he’ll be giving 110% in what will be one of the biggest challenges of his career. Stepping on to a new bike, in a new team and championship is always going to be tough, but when it’s the 2008 WSB championship that regularly sees the top 16 qualify within a second – the gutsy Brit has a mountain to climb. Walker got his first ever ride on the VentAxia VK Honda CBR1000RR at a track day at Oulton Park last week where he took his first
steps towards dialling himself into life on a Superbike after spending the last eight months in the World Supersport class. Speaking exclusively to MCN, Walker said: “I’ve been looking forward to the race for ages, but now I’m on Birdy’s Superbike, I’m peaking. Realistically, I’m not going to just come back to WSB and go bosh and be up the front, but I am going to be giving it everything I’ve got. “I think once I get my head around the power I’ll enjoy it and I’ll be smiling more underneath my helmet than anyone else out there – that’s guaranteed.” With the obvious elation of being back on a WSB bike at Brands Hatch comes the huge expectation and pressure to get a result. “To get the ride is mega, but it’s also big pressure time. At the end of the day that’s what makes racing special. That feeling in the pit
of your stomach when you’re on the start line with it all to do and can hear people cheering your name. “I don’t know how I’ll do, but I’ll be giving it everything I’ve got and anyone wanting to come down to
‘I’m not going to come back, go bosh and be up the front’ CHRIS WALKER
give me some support will be more than welcome.” Since leaving WSB 18 months ago, Walker is also going to have to find a way to deal with the huge depth of field in the class that sees quality riders having to fight for the minor points week in, week out. “There is no question that the depth of field is just mega
even compared to when I was last there. I always watch the WSB race but I was watching it like a hawk on Sunday in Brno.” At his first shakedown test, Walker was an infectious mix of nervous energy and excitement at the prospect of being back on Superbike and back racing in the biggest race on the WSB calendar. In previous years he has earned respect for his allaction, never-say-die riding style, but is under no illusion about the size of the task in front of him. “I’m desperate to get into Superpole (top 16 in regular qualifying), especially having never missed it in my whole Superbike career. But I looked at the list and there were 16 names of riders and I knew every one of them. They were all quality guys on good bikes – proper doers and that wasn’t the case a year ago.” Since the VentAxia VK Honda squad made their
Even though he only had half an hour of clear track time, Walker was right at home on the bike debut in WSB, their rider Gregorio Lavilla has only made it in to Superpole three times in the opening nine rounds, putting the level of the championship into perspective. “In qualifying, Lavilla hasn’t been finding it easy, but in the race he’s only a second a lap slower than the
guys that are doing the winning. That means he’s on the fringe of the points and this is a guy that has won a British Championship. “I know how fast he is because he won a lot of races in front of me last season, so I’m definitely going to have my work cut out.” While he knows it’s going
to be hard, Walker has a wealth of experience at the Kent track having raced there every single year of his career with the only exception being 2001 when he raced in 500GPs. “Fingers crossed that we can all have a good weekend. I know the track and I know where to brake and what
BRANDS HATCH WSB MOTOR CYCLE NEWS ❘ 3
Paul Bird’s team has built this ’08 Blade especially for the Brands WSB round
The familar Stalker all-action riding style will back on a Superbike this weekend
HOW THE RIDE CAME ABOUT During the VentAxia team’s rookie WSB season they’ve so far struggled to recapture the race-winning potential they’ve shown in BSB. This prompted team owner, Paul Bird, to field another rider in the two British WSB rounds. First choice was current 250GP man Eugene Laverty who looked set to take the wildcard rides until title sponsor of his GP team, Blusens, blocked the move and refused to let the 22 year-old race the Superbike. That left the door open for Walker and he really didn’t need a second invitation. Walker said: “It’s been common knowledge the team wanted to run a second rider for Brands
and possibly Donington. I’ve obviously been speaking with Birdy this year and it’s been great having the whole team in the paddock today. I know Phil, Blandy, Jonnie, Dan and the boys and I worked with Dan back in the National Tyres Suzuki days. I know how hard they try what a good job they do and it’s been good seeing them competing in WSB. So when Birdy said to me, ‘Do you fancy a go?‘I was like, ‘f***ing hell – do I!’ “Birdy’s team are well known for turning out immaculately-prepared bikes and they are never short of the right components on them. Electronics, suspension, KR swingarm you name it, it’s got it.”
STALKER WAVES GOODBYE TO KAWASAKI
Fans at Brands will be delighted to see the old Stalker Arai lines to take on a Superbike. It’s not necessarily one of my best tracks where I think, ‘Right I can get on the podium,’ but I do love the place. “It is the World Superbike race of the entire championship. Every year it’s big, but compared to some of the others rounds that’s ten-fold and the fans love to get behind the wildcard riders which, in a way, I’ll be classed as. Hopefully they’ll be a few Stalker fans there and I’ll be taking my Craig Jones and Johnny Rea flags to cheer those boys on in the Supersport race.”
FIRST TEST
The Oulton shakedown test meant Walker could get basics like footpeg positioning correct
Walker rode the VentAxia VK Honda for the first time at an Oulton track day. The former WSB and BSB race winner had to share track time with the fast group of a track day, but did get 30 minutes at lunch on his own to get down to some serious laps. He said: “The team have
never been here with this bike, and it’s all new for me. The track is undulating and a bit like Brands so if we can get the foot rests and handlebars and things in the right position then that’s a couple of things we won’t have to worry about on Friday morning. “It’s invaluable having a test even if it’s not going to make me instantly quick on a Superbike. It’s all about feeling comfortable and confident on the big bike again. I want to get there on Friday and enjoy it and then hopefully that will help me go fast by the time Sunday comes around.” Walker also admitted to becoming something of an insomniac since being given the nod that he’d got the ride due to being over-excited. “I’ve hardly slept since Brno because I’ve been so excited. So if the only thing this test has done is help me settle my nerves then that has to be a good thing.”
been very good to me and they’ve worked really hard but unfortunately they haven’t got the right package out there.” Walker is also mindful that time is running out for him in the World Supersport class after a
‘I’m 36 yearsold and I’m in the latter part of my career...’ CHRIS WALKER proposed new technical regulations could force him out of the championship next year anyway. “I’m 36 years-old, in the latter part of my career and I can’t afford to be dolloping around. Plus there are plans to change the rules in Supersport so that if you’re over 32 you can’t race in the class. Had I known about the new regulations, that would have affected my decision to go to Supersport.”
World Supersport hasn’t been going at all well for Walker
GOLD AND GOOSE
Walker studies datalogging with crew chief Phil Borley
Stalker’s move to the VentAxia VK Honda WSB means that he’s having to part company with the Gil Motorsport Kawasaki squad in World Supersport. Since his arrival in the Belgian squad, he has consistently finished in front of his more experienced Supersport team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara, but hasn’t been able to secure anywhere close to the results he was expecting. “I’ve obviously got a job with Kawasaki and it’s not an ideal scenario to leave any team during the season, but I’ve never known a year like it for riders swapping around. In WSS and WSB we’ve seen riders go either way and even in MotoGP there are things going on with West and Melandri. “It’s a decision I’ve certainly not taken lightly and I’m desperately disappointed for the boys in the team because they have worked really hard, but unfortunately green isn’t the new black! I feel for them, because they’ve