Thirty Minutes With James Toseland

by Mrs James Toseland Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:10 pm

Thirty Minutes With James Toseland

Author: K3 Chris Onwiler

Chatting with a two-time world champion

British MotoGP pilot James Toseland is entering his second season in the world’s top class of motorcycle racing. Riding for the Tech 3 Yamaha squad and teammate to American veteran Colin Edwards, “JT” comes from World Superbike, where he has twice been crowned champion. Toseland wears BKS leathers, a brand which is new to the American market. In the process of arranging to test this English company’s gear, TrackdayMag.com was offered the chance to interview James. Needless to say, we jumped at the opportunity!

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Thirty Minutes With James Toseland Toseland%201(2)

TDM: So you just suffered a wicked crash during Winter Testing. How did your BKS suit survive?

JT: It was amazing, really. That was the biggest crash of my career. I was tossed off at 200 KPH, or 130mph. I was flung 30 feet in the air. Then the bike hit me as we tumbled. I need to send Brian K. Sansom (BKS Leathers founder) a box of chocolates. To have seen the suit when I got up, you’d have thought I was quite injured. As it was, I just had bruises. BKS had me help during the suit’s development. The leather is all quite thick and the armor is premium. The work paid off and I live to race another day.

TDM: Ouch! Any lingering injury?

JT: My elbow still hurts some. There’s a possibility I may have cracked it a bit but that doesn’t show on an MRI. The important thing is that I haven’t lost any strength. You can ride through pain but it’s hard to compensate for a loss of fitness. I’ll be heading to Qatar on March third for more on track testing, so we’ll see how it goes there.

TDM: Tell us about your new book, “A Year in MotoGP.”

JT: It was a good project, really. The book represents a behind the scenes diary of the series. At the end of each day, I’d sit down and talk with my co-writer Ted McCauley. The book came from those notes. MotoGP is very secretive, since all the technology is cutting edge. Riders don’t even really care to hang out together, as there’s always the fear a word will slip and an edge will be lost. With “A Year in MotoGP, we’ve gone as far as possible to give fans an inside view to my life within the team.

TDM: You came from a very successful career in World Superbike. Most TrackdayMag.com readers can relate to the performance of a mildly track-prepped literbike. How much difference is there between what we ride and a true World Superbike?

JT: That’s the thing, really. Most of the MotoGP tech isn’t allowed in WSB. Your standard literbike makes 160-170 HP right off the floor. Fit one with the best suspension and racing tires and you could probably qualify it for a World Superbike grid. You’d be down 30-40hp but otherwise would have nearly enough machine to be competitive.

TDM: How much of a jump is it from there to MotoGP?

JT: The capabilities are much higher. Everything is made from the best materials so the bike weighs much less. Add more horsepower and Carbon Fiber brakes and you wind up with a very different machine. I was seven years in World Superbike and pretty much knew how to ride the bike. Each year there’d be a few small improvements to get used to but it was always very nearly the same. In MotoGP, The speeds are higher and the braking distances are shorter. At 200mph, a MotoGP machine brakes 20 meters later than a World Superbike. That takes some getting used to! In WSB I was practicing to hone my edge and get the bike perfect. In MotoGP each session was initially about improving and finding the limit.

TDM: What else is different about the riding?

JT: MotoGP takes more discipline. The corner speeds are quite high, really. I think riders from the 125 and 250 GP classes are better prepared to make the jump than WSB riders, since they’re already used to the higher corner speeds. It’s production versus prototype. The smaller GP bikes outperform WSB bikes on the brakes and in the corners. Learning how to use the extra power is actually the easy part.

TDM: Any other differences?

JT: The 125 and 250 guys travel in the same circus as MotoGP. It’s the same people and the same tracks. To them, it’s already home. Coming from World Superbike, I’ve had to learn many new tracks and get a feel for how the MotoGP paddock works.

TDM: What’s your favorite track?

JT: Well, you ask a rider that and he’s always going to mention a track where he’s had good success. I guess mine would be Laguna Seca. To me, the place is just exciting. I guess it’s the closeness of the barriers. European tracks are a lot more wide open. I think that part intimidates some riders.

TDM: Speaking of walls, ever had the urge to race at the Isle of Mann?

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Thirty Minutes With James Toseland Toseland%202

JT: Can’t. I promised my Mom. She said I could race circuits but no road courses. These days I don’t think I have the discipline for that place. I’ve talked to the likes of John McGuiness about what it’s like to ride there. Even as he wins a race, John says he’s only riding about 90%. If you don’t leave some room for error, you won’t last long on a road circuit. In MotoGP you ride 100% every lap whether you’re in practice or a race. If I tried to ride the TT now, I don’t think I could hold myself back for that many miles.

TDM: How did you get started with bikes?

JT: My Mom’s boyfriend had a Yamaha. I saw that and wanted one straight off. It was all I could talk about and so I got one for Christmas.

TDM: Is there any significance to your number 52?

JT: It was hard when I started. I was young and racing wasn’t producing any income. That was when I was racing in Super Teens. I got sponsorship from a local shop. My choices for a number were 6, 12 and 52. I’d already had the others so I chose 52. In the next 6 months I went from there to a 2 year contract with CasterOil in World Supersport. That was a do or die opportunity, since you only get one shot to make it with a team that big. The number worked for me so I kept it.

TDM: You’re a world class piano player as well. How did you choose which path to follow?

JT: It was no choice, really. I got my first bike and straight away went from being a nerdy piano player to a cool biker in one jump. (Laughs) No doubt which the girls prefer!

TDM: Do you have future plans for your music?

JT: Oh, of course. One can’t race motorcycles forever and music will always be a part of my life. The racing has actually given me some unique opportunities since I ride for Yamaha and they also make pianos. I’ve had the chance to play with some really good musicians. Recently, I got to play with the original members of Queen. That was one to remember.

TDM: Who’s your favorite MotoGP rider to hang out with after the races?

JT: That doesn’t really happen. It did in WSB but there wasn’t so much secrecy there. MotoGP is different socially. There’s not much socializing.

TDM: What advice can you give to a beginning racetrack rider?

JT: It’s difficult to try and describe my technique. OK, I’ve got a front brake, a rear brake, a throttle…. You need natural talent initially. After that, it’s all about practice and pushing yourself to go faster. There’s only so much one can do with a bike and it’s all fairly simple. To get fast, it’s all about exploration and finding the limit. If I told someone how I enter a given corner on the MotoGP circuit, where to brake, when I roll on the throttle and such, it wouldn’t really enable them to do it as I do. Every rider needs to figure that part out for themselves.

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Thirty Minutes With James Toseland Toseland%203

TDM: What is your outlook for this year’s MotoGP season?

JT: This is my second year, so there are no excuses. The bike is capable, I’ve learned the tracks and with the Bridgestone spec tires, everyone will be on the same footing. It’s time to prove myself. (He pauses) I’m aiming for the podium.