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SBK, Corser: "Superbike needs champions like... me"

The Australian won the title with Ducati and Suzuki: "in my day there were many winning riders and bike. The ECU would level the playing field"

SBK: Corser: "Superbike needs champions like... me"

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Two Australian riders have won at least one Superbike title and they both have the same name: Troy. Before Bayliss, it was Corser who flew the Aussie flag, doing so in 1996, when the young rider from Wollongon beat them all with his Ducati 916.

Corser, after nine seasons on different bikes, won the championship again, in 2005 with the Suzuki GSX-R of team Alstare Corona, becoming the first to win with two different manufacturers, something that James Toseland later did too, winning with the Ducati 999 and the Honda Fireblade.

Troy still enjoys himself now, riding any bike he's asked to and visiting the SBK paddock as he used to as a rider, having fun and noting every detail: “the races are still fun and we'll see some good ones today - confirms ‘the crocodile’ before race one- you'll see. There are many riders who are strong and the two Yamaha riders could even win”.

Corser wasn't far off: Van Der Mark crashed out while leading the race, Lowes finishing second. The race wasn't short on surprises and Troy still has the eye he had in the old days: “the races are great when many riders on different bikes are fighting for the win- continued the Australian - when I was racing, the battle was incredible. In every race, different manufacturers would win, today it was Honda, tomorrow the Ducati, often the Kawasaki  and the Yamaha. Without forgetting the Suzuki and the Aprilia. Every Sunday the public knew that they were in for some surprises and new things”.

To have more equal bikes, Dorna wants to modify the regulation…

“The single ECU? It would be a great solution for the riders but, above all, for the technicians, who would have less work. It would also be more economic for everyone, as less research would be needed".

Would you like to have these electronics on your bike?

No, I would prefer, I do prefer to manage everything with my right wrist. I don't like modern riding styles, with the body handing right off the bike. It's an uncomfortable style, I preferred to ride with by pushing with my legs on the footpegs with my body close to the half handlebars, that way I could feel the bike's reactions, Doohan and Gobert did the same, Australians too. Modern bikes could be ridden in the old style actually, it's not fashionable apparently but it works”.

What would you do to make Superbike more of a show?

“We need strong riders, like those of my day, all champions like Fogarty, Chili, Slight, Kocinsky, Haga and… me!”

Translated by Heather Watson
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