Catching Up With…Tyla Rattray
bayodome
- March 26 2009
- 4,082 views
- 18 comments
If you are a global motocross fan, then you should already know who Tyla Rattray is. However, if you only follow the US racing circuit, his name is probably new to you. Well, get used to seeing it. The 2008 MX2 FIM World Motocross GP Champion has moved jumped across the pond for 2009 and beyond and has set his sight on the AMA 250 class number one plate. The friendly South Africa native hopes to follow in the footsteps of Greg Albteryn and Grant Langston. We found Tyla at Glen Helen last week while testing with his new team, Monster Energy/ Pro Circuit/ Kawasaki.
We have been seeing little snippets of you here and there and many of the tracks in the Southern California area; how is preparation going for the AMA Nationals.
It’s been going good. I have been doing a lot of testing with the guys from Pro Circuit, with Bones and everyone else and we have some good setups going. Now I’m basically just riding and getting back into some motos and pretty much just getting up to speed for the outdoors. I still have two months to go until the first outdoor race so I’ve just been riding and having fun.
So you guys are in your testing stage right now and just getting the bike setup to your preferences?
Yeah, just getting the bike setup how I want it for the meantime while I’m training and doing my motos. We’re going to be doing more testing; I think its always good to testing, getting a really good feeling on the bike, seeing what’s good and what’s bad. The guys at Pro Circuit have really been working hard and I’m looking forward to starting the nationals on the 23rd of May.
This is the first time you have ridden with linkage in the last seven years or so. Did it take some getting used to, or did you adapt to the bike quickly?
For sure I noticed a difference. I think the whole bike in general is a really strong bike and I like the way it handles; we’ve got good engines also. KTMs have their good points, and the Kawasakis have their good points, but I’m really happy at Pro Circuit, like I said, it’s really strong. I’m really looking forward to racing in the nationals. It’s a new series for me, new competition, new tracks, so it going to be really good.
With practicing in California, although you have not been able to race yet, you have probably ridden with many of the guys you will be racing against this summer. Do you see a difference yet between the riders here and the riders in Europe? Is it a different pace?
I think the pace is more intense here. Everyone knows that in Europe it takes a long time for the riders to get going. Here its different, especially with the kids who are 15 or 16, they really go for it. But I really enjoy it. The intensity, I think, is going to be really high, more here in America than it is in Europe and there are going to be a lot of battles.
Looking back to 2007 in the World GP MX2 class, three of the top four riders from that year are now racing the 250 class here, between your old teammate Tommy Searle, your new teammate Christophe Pourcel, and yourself. So it looks like you are going to have some similar competition.
Yeah its going to be good! Especially with Christophe and Tommy, I think they are going to be up front in the nationals. Those are two guys I have raced against since I first went into the GPs, so I’m really looking forward to racing, especially with Christophe. I haven’t raced him now for two years now, and I think he is going to do really well. But I am just going to worry about myself, go out there and give it the best I can and just see where that puts me at the end of the day.
To upload photos or videos, 
»
March 26th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
i hope tyla tommy and christophe spank some yankee asses this year!
March 26th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
what the H is linkage?
March 26th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
if you look at the rear suspension on a ktm, you’ll notice that it’s atached directly to the swingarm. In the japanese bikes it’s atached to the linkage.
correct me if i’m wrong
March 26th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
yaay 3rd!
March 26th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Be prepared for the “Euroshow” this year!! Sorry Dungey!
March 26th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
you were close, ktm is one of the only bikes that do not have linkage. Honda, Yamaha, Kawi, Suzuki all do.
March 26th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
im a dungey hater
March 26th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
theres gonna be like 9 guys or more that would win races this summer
March 26th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
That’s too bad cuz he’s gonna bring home the title
March 27th, 2009 at 4:07 am
People are going to be surprised with Blake Wharton and Justin Barcia this year.
March 27th, 2009 at 7:45 am
I was able to see Justn Barcia at GH and oh my god look out this freaken kid is fast as hell and a little on the wild side as well hope he keeps it on two wheels.
March 27th, 2009 at 9:07 am
i saw justin barcia at southwhick this year the kid is really crazy he worked his way up from last to 4th hes seriously insane lol
March 27th, 2009 at 9:58 am
you pay attention to motocross and dont know what linkage is? i hope you dont ride. your an imbarisment
March 27th, 2009 at 10:01 am
thats why your still on a 144. you only wish you where half as fast as dungey.
March 27th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
pourcel for the title ! but i really wanna see what barcia can do
March 28th, 2009 at 1:40 am
And you need to learn how to spell.
March 29th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
tommy gun will turn a few heads
come on the brits
April 1st, 2009 at 7:08 am
Searle,pourcel and rattray will probabbly be 1st 2nd and 3rd, not in that order, if they stay fit!!!
really cant see them finishing 4th or 5th or 6th there too strong, pourcel is super consistent and will be there every round! rattray is very strong and is probably the fastest of the 3! i hope searle can get one over rattray as he’s was plagued with bad starts and bad luck in 08
think searle suits the american style of racing, he seemed to go really well at budds creek in 07 and hopefully will put it togeather for the win!
hopefully there will be some surprises!!