Catching Up With…Ryan Morais

bayodome

• January 21 2009
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• 6 comments

Name the riders you kept hearing about during the off-season who were expected to be top contenders.  If you said Ryan Dungey, Jason Lawrence, and Jake Weimer, then you remember the hype.  Cut to three rounds into the series and replace Lawrence with Ryan Morais and you have your steady podium finishers.  Before the main event went down on Saturday, we got a few minutes with Ryan as he was cleaning off his shoes after a muddy track walk.

How is the season going for you? You have yet to finish off of the podium.

So far the ’09 season has been great.  I’ve reached my goal far this season to keep my feet up there on that box.  That’s kind of what I’m shooting for.  I want to win a race this year and I have put that high up on my goal list.   I’m just going to take it race by race and hopefully I can achieve everything I’ve set forth for myself.

Can you talk about your adjustment to the bike?  You were on Yamahas the past few seasons, and last year did not go quite as you expected it to, but it seems like you have picked it back up aboard the Kawasaki.

The Monster Energy/ Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki team has been awesome, my bike is just amazing over here; I couldn’t ask for anything better from these guys.  They give me everything I need, and if I say I want to change something then they change it.  This team is definitely top notch and it’s great to be here.

As far as your training regime goes, has that changed at all?  You are riding with different people so I imagine that has an influence on your routine.

Yeah, my training regime has changed completely from last year.  I’m doing a whole different program and I would say so far it has been paying off.  I changed it to what was needed and where I though I was lacking, I still think I lack there, but it’s been an improvement.

What is it you feel needs improvement?

Its is not endurance at all, it just takes me a little bit to get going.  I’m the type of guy that starts off a little slower, and then my fastest laps are at the end of the race.  So I’ve been working on that; trying to get my speed up right away.  It’s been a hard habit to break but we’re getting there

What is your practice routine like?

Everyday it’s a little different.  If I go out to the Kawasaki track it’s usually me, Jake, Pourcel, Stroupe, and every once in a while Tim Ferry.  But I also ride at Michael Lapaglia’s track a lot, so there I get to ride with some different people.  So it’s good that I get to ride a couple of different tracks and I’m just trying to learn so that has been a big part of helping me get ready for this year.

I just saw you speaking with a Bridgestone Tires rep.  Are you comfortable with your set up or are you making some adjustments?

I feel decent out there although I haven’t ridden since the Phoenix supercross; I’ve been sick.  I haven’t been on the bike since the main event last weekend, so considering all of that I think it’s going pretty good and, again, my bike is amazing.  I could not ask for a better bike.

Note: Despite his illness and lack of practice during the week, and  Ryan went on to finish second place after leading several laps of the main event