TransWorld Motocross caught up with new Team Valli Motorsports Yamaha rider Austin Stroupe today as he returned to action after a long seven-month layoff. Stroupe looked solid in what was only his second day back on the bike, and we’re excited to see him compete full-time in the 450 class.
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How does it feel to be back on a bike?
It feels better than ever. I was off of a bike for seven months, and now that I get to ride again, I love every minute of it.
How bad was your shoulder injury?
Man, I had a lot of stuff done to it. When I crashed on my dirt bike, I tore my bicep and they had to scope it to fix it. Just about when I was ready to ride again, I crashed on my mountain bike and re-tore it. That put me out of commission for another two months. I’ve had a lot of complications with it, and it has taken longer than expected to heal.
What did you do while you were recovering? Did you get a bunch of tattoos?
I got maybe one or two, but other than that, I didn’t do too much. I played a lot of Xbox, I hung out with my friends a lot, and that’s about it.
How long have you been back on a bike?
Today is my second day since April.
How is the new team, and how do you feel about the new class?
I flew out to California on Monday, and I adapted to the Yamaha quicker than I thought I would have. It’s a pretty easy bike to ride, and it’s a good bike. My new team manager, John, and my mechanic, Burnsey, have been helping me out a lot. Everything is pretty cool, and I’m the only guy on the team. My plan is to ride the outdoor tracks for about a month, and then I’ll start to get ready for supercross.
What are you first impressions of the Yamaha?
I think it’s good. I like the setup and it seems to turn pretty well. Some people have said things that they didn’t like about it, but so far I really like it. It’s pretty easy to ride, really. I used to ride Yamahas when I was back on my 80s, and the 450 is a fun bike to ride, too.
Reflecting back on the races that you did on a 450 in 2010, are you stoked to move up in class?
Yeah, I am. For a while there, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. It was kind of hard because I was injured and I couldn’t do anything. I thought about staying and racing the outdoors in the lites class, but I would have had to sit out of the supercross series. Finally, this opportunity came around and they gave me a chance to ride for them. Now I’m going to ride the 450, and I’m pretty happy to be on it. It’s something new, and I’m definitely looking forward to the upcoming season.
TAGS: Austin Stroupe, dirt bikes, motocross, pala racewat, Valli Motorsports
