Dirt Action Take II

I'm not a real photographer- but blow me down I got a cheque, then did a check- and check this: I had a photograph published in the montage section of the July/August edition of Dirt Action.

Buy it and find it!!

Out there- Action!

Out now- Dirt Action mag for July 06- featuring my article on Mr Carey Hart:



Here's the video!:

Adam "Krusty" Fergusson and I go training

Across Australia during the summer, professional sports people of many flavours hit the gyms, roads and the ovals training hard for the coming season. All seek to taper their training and preparations in time for the start of the season— and then maintain a high level of readiness and fitness for the whole season.

Motorcycle racers are no different. While NRL and AFL footballers look to add a few extras kilos of muscle every year via the gym, motorcycle racers have more in common with jockeys where every kilo, every gram needs to be watched. This is especially important in smaller classes (pretty much everything other than the MotoGP or Superbike classes) where power to weight ratios really matter. On a Superbike, there's more than enough power to go round and in fact a little extra weight can help keep the front end on the deck when powering out of a turn. In 2005, Adam "Krusty" Fergusson shed some kilos to get his everyday weight in the low 80 kilos down to a racing weight in the mid 70 kilos- just to make his Supersport 600cc bike a little quicker out of the corners and down the straight.


Weight issues aside, racing is also physically demanding. This varies according to classes as well. Last year at Phillip Island, Chris Vermuelen found his guest ride on a Honda MotoGP bike less tiring than his heavier Superbike- despite having more laps to complete in a single race. Of course WSB complete two races in an afternoon, so there's a pretty good argument that says that WSB (even Oz Superbike) requires more fitness than a MotoGP bike. In Australia, Krusty races in both Superbike and Supersport and, by days end, may have completed as many as 60 racing laps of a demanding track like Phillip Island. At the 2005 WSB event at The Island, I caught up with ex-AMCN staffer Sam Maclachlan after he'd finished his second race on a Kawasaki Australian Superbike- he was spent. It wasn't the bike or lack of talent on his part, just that he was journo fit- not racer fit! I jokingly told him I knew what would help him for the next race "What's that?" he asked "Mountain biking four weeks ago". His reply sounded like something Fred Gassit would scream out when cut off in heavy traffic.

There is quite a gulf between a casual 15-minute track day session and a 15 lap race. It doesn't matter what category you race in, the mental and physical strain of racing requires high fitness levels (classic racing aside...). The pressure to perform close to your peak on every lap, coupled with the physicality of riding means that talent alone would not keep you at the front.

With all this in mind, I thought it would be "fun" to see what Krusty was up to in the off-season. Like many of us, he'd had a pretty good Christmas (maybe a coupla kilos on) and was working flat out in the new year to get to his supermodel-like racing weight coupled with the fitness to back up for all those extra races he does while chasing an elusive second double (Superbike and Supersport titles like in 2004). He'd spent some time being tested and probed at the AIS and they had mapped out a program to get him primed and ready for the season. The World Superbike support races would form part of this pre-season.

In my conversations with Krusty before we met up for a day of motocross, I began to entertain the fantasy that he would be fat and unfit- just starting out on his pre season routine. I had visions of giving the 2004 Superbike and Supersport champion a belting on the track and then Honda team boss Paul Free would hear about it (from me!) and next thing you know, I'd be there in the Joe Rocket team as the hottest rookie in Oz Superbikes. For an unfit 34 yr old fat guy, this would be a hell of a call.

Summer's still in full effect on the day Krusty picks me up in his van. A glance in the back reveals two frisky thoroughbred Honda CRF250X motocrossers. I was to ride a 2005 model, where he had the 2006. I'd grown up in the two-stroke era and had not so much as thrown a leg over a four stroke crosser in my life. I had visions of an XR 250 on steroids.

Squeezing myself into my MX gear, I begin to "get the fear". My early bravado evaporates like the water from the sprinklers on the Frankston MX track on this hot day. Krusty warms his bike and is raring to go. I need two trips to the toilet, a drink, a rest, a note from my mum and threats of violence before I was going to head out.

Now I've never ridden with Krusty on any race track but I assume I've caught him on a "nice guy" day. He rides the track about 15 metres in front of me, allowing me to see his lines around the circuit. I was not immediately pleased with my riding abilities, but very comfortable with the bike. I had thought that perhaps 250cc's would not be enough for my 95+ kilos, but after two neck snapping corners, I thank my lucky stars I'm not on a 450 or similar. I'd have been buried trackside with little or no fanfare.

I'm well knackered after 15 minutes... Ok 10... Fine! Two laps in, I'm a jelly rag doll with blurred vision. I stop for a relaxing bucket of water while Krusty continues at an increased pace, unencumbered by my wheezy presence. I've enough time to get the camera and snap off about half a memory card of pics while he circulates the track in the 30 degree heat. When he finally does come in, he's about as red in face as I was before I started out. He begins barking orders at me to get back on the bike and out there again. I want to cry. Or vomit. Or cry and vomit.


Another session, this time with Krusty chasing me. He puts up with my slow pace for about three laps and bids me farewell by showering me in dirt, stones and derision- before disappearing into the clouds of dust. I was at my absolute physical limit and when the bike started dancing around under me beyond my control, I did my fastest lap- back to the car park. My technique was coming back, while my fitness had left hours ago.

Once again, Krusty kept on going. "I'm just having a bit of fun" he says, rubbing my face in my misery. I video him blasting about and generally looking more like Craig Anderson than he ought to. Some of the local boys on their 450's are really pushing to keep up. If he so desired, Krusty could probably have a successful dirt racing career if he wasn't so committed to the Joe Rocket Honda squad. It's not just his physical prowess either; like many champion athletes he has that air, that driven attitude that inevitably brings about success and scares off lesser mortals. Lesser mortals like me.

My final session almost kills me. Krusty decides that he will video me and sends me on endless loops of the sausage shaped warm up track. Every time I want to stop he "encourages" (read: orders/cajoles/threatens) me to go on another lap. I do five laps too many. I can safely say I come so close so losing my lunch and life that I never wish to feel like that again. Brick red face, blurry vision and full of admiration for MXer's and road riders who included this torture in their pre season regimes. An eye opener? I just want to close mine and sleep for a week.

In the safety and comfort of the van on the way home, while drinking my 10th Gatorade, I ask Krusty how motocross helps his road racing. "Hand eye co ordination, reflexes, fitness and focus". It's all about creating situations where you are at your physical and mental limit- and staying there. Replicating the racing experience repeatedly means that the race environment will feel as natural as possible. Being physically and mentally prepared gives you the headroom to think about things like passing moves, race tactics and the little things that can give you the edge. In races where every hundredth of a second is important, this extra fitness really matters.

My day of torture complete, I realised that there was a gap between self and reality. A veritable Grand Canyon as it happens. My admiration and respect for these blokes went skywards. I was so sore all over for days and days that there was no way I could do it on a weekly, let alone every-other-day basis. While walking through the paddock at the WSB support race, it occurred to me that all these racers were about the same- supremely fit, tuned athletes who all shared that common desire to go out and kick as much arse as possible.

If only I could feel mine.

Adam "Krusty" Fergusson [left, not dying]
Height: 183cms
Off season weight: 83kgs
Race weight: 75 Kgs


Tom "Fatboy" Reynolds [right, dying]
Height: 191cms
Pre "Krusty" Program weight: 98kgs
Post training program weight (7 weeks): 91 kgs

Bike fit:

Motorcycle racing requires a combination of static and dynamic muscle use. Static use is personified on bike in the way you grip the bike with your knees, the weight on your wrists, holding your head up in the breeze. The dynamic part is your movement around on the bike. Both activities are cardio vascular (i.e. get you puffing!) The high levels of concentration and stress can also contribute to elevated heart rates and respiration rates.
Training for motorcycling therefore should involve the following: cardio workouts via cycling and MX. Then you need muscle conditioning in the gym plus other exercises such as swimming and running. This sort of program builds endurance and strength without building bulk.

The video:

Download the high res version- It's in Google Video format get the player here.

Dirt Action- Carey Hart article

I spent a few days during the F1s in the company of freestyle MotoX legend Carey Hart. He's widely better known as Mr Pink. Not the Tarantino Pink, but rather popstar Pink's husband. He was out here for the celeb race component of the Formula One week.

For all the tatts and wild man rep, he's bloody nice bloke. He made friends with lots of the Australian B-list and "took out half the Wiggles" and partied till dawn.

See more in June's Dirt Action.


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