Bostrom: In his own words

Belfez: Ben, During last season you had a terrific run of form with back to back wins. But then at the next race you seemed to only do a little practice, (according to the commentators) and you were seen lounging around the pit lane as if you couldn’t be bothered trying, or perhaps you had proved a point and/or had orders from above. So do tell, why did things go pear-shaped?

BenBostrom: After Brands? Actually the honest truth is we went to a Michelin track. Oschersleben, the Michelins were one, two, three, and I was fourth. And that’s the story really. It kind of ended our winning streak but all things come to an end.

Steve: How do you feel about your brother Eric doing more rounds this year? And do you think that he may have a full time factory ride in 2003?

BenBostrom: Yeah, I’d like to think so. It’d be good to have him over there. Just to have some experience in WSB, to play with the boys and have some fun, and hopefully that would convince him to come over here. And it’s a good life, you ride motorcycles and train and that’s it, it’s fun. Plus I miss him, ya know. I don’t mind if he beats me, he’s about the only person I don’t mind beating me

Atom: Do you get home sick during the season?

BenBostrom: Yeah, I did real bad 2000. Now, I don’t some much miss home…I make it most enjoyable going around Europe. I miss my brothers, things like that, but I don’t get so homesick. But I do love going home…I mean home is home.

R1basher: Ben, the rumor is that the 2002 bike puts out a fair bit more power than last years bike. Can you confirm this, and what are the other changes?

BenBostrom: Erm, there’s just minor changes, but the bike certainly makes more horses than last years bike. And more horses are always good, if you can get it through the back wheel better. There have been lots of improvements, but mainly the power.

Flanker: I see from testing yesterday you were 5th fastest, and slower than Bayliss and Xaus. Why was that, have they got better equipment?

BenBostrom: No. The boys are riding good for once, they’re riding really well. I don’t know why, but Phillip Islands fairly biased for one tyre manufacturer so we’ve got a bit of work to do. If we can dial in our bike a bit better and try to catch up basically.

Nitroboy77: Colin (Edwards) pulled a neat move on you at Kyalami last year…he says he’s gonna do it again!

BenBostrom: Oh yeah? It’s funny, we’ve just been skateboarding actually. Colin, Karl Muggeridge and myself have got a little skatepark going, so we were trying to kill ourselves after dinner!

Zx6man: Do you ride a road bike?

BenBostrom: Yeah, now and then. It’s not too often I’m home, so it’s not too often I get a chance to ride, but I really enjoy it. I don’t have a road licence, or insurance or anything, but I try to go for a ride now and then… I’ve been pulled over before. Thank god the guy recognised me, or I would have been in trouble!!!

Atom: What other sports do you enjoy?

BenBostrom: Mostly rock-climbing really. I like to snowboard and I’m taking the skateboarding up again. I’ve bought a board, and hanging out with Karl, I’ve been skateboarding all over the place, it’s cool.

DanT: Why do you think it is that in WSB, V-Twins are so successful, and this is the case in BSB…yet the AMA series seems to be won by fours?

BenBostrom: I’d say if you put a good rider on a twin over there, and more or less he’d be up front. Mat Mladin just has the Suzuki really good, and he’s got a good team. Honda had a bit of trouble, they’ve got two good riders with Miguel and Nicky but they started off badly. And now Ducati have signed a good rider with Pascal Picotte, and he’s a good rider, so the Ducati’s should be abck up front this year.

Atom: Make a prediction for the 2002 Gp and WSB top 3 finishers.

BenBostrom: I predict…If I didn’t predict myself winning, I shouldn’t even be out there riding. GP’s I really can’t predict. I don’t know that series well, and I don’t watch it. Right now it seems Rossi has a strangelhold, but I haven’t paid much attention really.

Sarah: Hi Ben, If given the opportunity would you go straight into GP1, or remain in World Superbikes until you become the champion?

BenBostrom: Er…depends on how fast I felt. Obviously GP1 would be my goal, but I’d like to win the WSB championship first. Obviously if I’ve done that, then I’ve fulfilled my goal and I can move on to the next challenge.

Robadsy: Hey Ben, I’m in Victoria, drop in for a coffee?

BenBostrom: *laughs* Actually we’re going there for a lads night out soon!

Atom: Favorite track?

BenBostrom: Well it used to be Road America, but I haven’t been on the track for a couple of years, so I kind of forget. But there are so many good tracks out there it’s hard to pick one. If you could take all the best bits from all the tracks and put it together, you’d get an amazing track!

DPC: Ever done something that should feature on MTV’s Jackass TV?

BenBostrom: Plenty! There’s too many , too many times… Recently…er… I ‘d get myself in trouble what I said recently, but in the past…in Australia…sticking myself on that cliff overnight was pretty stupid, or waking up really hungover, and riding our in the desert till noon with no food and water. When you’re a kid, you’re dumb but there’s just so many times.

Nitroboy77: Ben, could you tell Colin Mik sends her love?

BenBostrom: I’ll tell him for you tomorrow, he went back to his room.

tom harvey: Hi Ben, you seem to be faster through the corkscrew than anyone! Is this because you’ve found the perfect line or do you just have “bigger balls” than the others!!?

BenBostrom: I think just bigger balls!

Atom: Most prized possesion – 1 related to racing and 1 not.

BenBostrom: Erm… related to racing…,man I don’t know. I haven’t got anything I really really flip over backwards for. Lots of little nicknacks here and there but nothing to really flip over backwards. The biggest thing in life really is having brothers close to you, that’s the best thing you can have. If the apartment catches fire, I’ll be throwing things out the window…but not one thing in particular.

R1basher: Do you think your level of ability can be learned, or is it natural?

BenBostrom: No, it can always be learned, as with anything, practice makes perfect. You see some guys carry an unbelievable load of talent and then don’t have to work as hard, but a lot of the time it’s the guy with less talent that succeeds cos he has to try harder.

Andrea: What are your opinions of 1000s being allowed into British Superbikes, and can you see this happening in world superbikes?

BenBostrom: Yeah I do. Because right now it seems the bikes (750s) have the straightaway speed, but they definitely spin a bit more on the corner and it hurts the tyre. So at least give them another 100cc, so they have the same speed and more torque. I mean I just want to see good racing, to see the Suzukis and Kawasakis up there. I don’t mind what bike wins as long as it’s the one I’m on!

Gems: Who is your biggest threat this year, your own team mate? If so where do team orders lie on your list of priorities?

BenBostrom: Yeah… There won’t be any team orders. The only time they come into play is when one guy has a shot at the championship and the other doesn’t. Sure my team mates are my biggest threat, they’re on the same bikes and have loads of talent, but Honda are focussing on Colin, and Haga’s coming back on the Aprilia. There’s loads of good guys, so all you can do is put your head down and just do your best and go for it

DPC: Where do you rank Hodgson and Walker among that lot?

BenBostrom: God I wanna see Walker up front, cos he’s a super guy, and Hodgson will be up front for sure. Walker will have to learn all the tracks, and reacquaint himself with the Kawasaki, and it’s a 750 4 so he’s immediately at a disadvantage, even though I’d love to see the guy up front.

deb155: Hi Ben. What’s your thoughts on Corser riding in the new Foggy team?

BenBostrom: Big move, because the new team, you don’t really know what to expect. But at the same time no-one expects anything out of you, so it’s an easy position to be in, but Corser is a world class racer and should be racing for the championship. But he’s sitting out half the season. But I think it’s really good to have new teams and they are really lucky to get a rider like Troy.

Kebabmann: Ben: have you seen or heard anything about the Ducati GP bike, and when do you think you will get to ride it?

BenBostrom: I don’t know. No-one’s said anything, so I just go about my business and concentrate on the WSB bike, and lets hope for good things to come.

Badbhoy: Have u ever fancyed doing the IOM TT

BenBostrom: No, I haven’t. I’ve thought about going to watch it! That’s something I’d like to see. It’d be fun to watch and scary to ride!

tom harvey: Can you remember the first time you slid the rear on tarmac (on purpose) and how it felt?

BenBostrom: Er, god…first road bike, in 95, on the Harley, and during testing out at Willow Springs, huge long corners and it carried huge corner speed on it, and the back end would start drifting out, and I wasn’t doing it purposefully. But then I started dialing in the throttle and sliding it more. That really is a great circuit to learn how to slide on; great, long corners.

ChrisCook: Can you ever see yourself in the latter stages of your career ever coming to race in BSB, or are the tracks too dangerous?

BenBostrom: I don’t know the tracks. (shouts to Karl " What’s that circuit? " ), Karl says Cadwell Park is good, it looks like fun. I’d like to try that one.

Khaylock: Foggy was 4 times WSB champion plus a load of other pots with a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp. Do you think that film-star good looks are somehow a performance disadvantage for a motorcycle racer?

BenBostrom: No, I don’t think of it at all. But it’s always an advantage as long as you’re not a complete asshole. But there are a lot of good looking guys out there riding and it brings more women into the sport, and that can only be a good thing.

DPC: Did you know you won our Hunk of the Year vote (among the ladies on the site)

BenBostrom: Yeah, but I only heard about it after it was done. It’s not that important to me, but a big, big thanks to all the ladies.

DPC: Ben’s got a busy skateboarding session to crack on with so we’ll let him get on his way and thank him for his time

BenBostrom: A big hey to England, and I’ll do this again sometime, so thanks for all the questions and stuff, Seeya!