Show slopper!
By TMX Archives on 6th Dec 04
Jeff goes sponsor-spotting at DRE and heads home with a huge grin across his chops ANOTHER MONTH, another year and another wrinkle etched across my ever-advancing forehead. It's only a matter of time before the seas of patchy crown and shiny forehead merge to make Baldy Ocean. On top of that my eyes now have bags that you could pack race kit in and a second chin is currently in development. It may sound that I'm concerned by the inevitable fact of growing old but believe it or not, I really quite dig it - although perhaps I should stop using terms like that. There's one thing that makes it enjoyable, life it seems comes easier with age - well, understanding it all anyway. Mornings after are a different story, be it partying or anything physical and if you're lucky enough to combine the two it gets increasingly difficult not to write off the next day all together. Along with the external pitfalls of age comes the internal, especially for anyone deluded that off-road motorcycle riding will not eventually bite you in the backside. I'm in the fast lane to a comfy chair and blanket down the main road that is Arthritis Avenue. One more birthday gone by and yet more aches in places I don't ever recall hurting. My hip was so dysfunctional the other day I was walking around in circles. I got out of bed and because I couldn't walk forwards did a U-turn straight back into it. Still, I refuse to call it a day just yet and I will be riding for one more year at least. Beyond that who knows, I may be able to get a few more laps out of this old banger before it locks up solid - just like a 500cc going bang at full chat along Weston beach. So apart from the increasing regularity of sudden aches and pains I'm really, really excited about racing in 2005. For me it's not just another season, it's a special one on the horizon. Maybe because it's the realization it could be my last at British championship level but, more importantly, it's because I'm seriously looking beyond my riding and towards my future for the first time. 2005 will be the year I become a team manager. Hopefully it will be the first of many and I can be around for as long running my own team as I have as a rider - the sport is a drug and it's a logical step to stay actively involved. So out of my head Twisted 7 has been born. It's something I've often thought about and, after the buzz of being involved with getting a team up and running this year, something I'd love to continue - only this time my way. The chance to make the break and do it came about when I went to do Kawasaki's marketing photos back at the end of the summer. Steve Guttridge asked what my plans were for 2005 and within 10 minutes we had pretty much made a plan right there and then. So after getting a huge kick riding the all-new KX 250 two-stroke I was more than made up to be given the chance to race one. Obviously, to make a half respectable team you need more than one doughnut-eating, coffee-swilling decrepit bloke in his thirties. You need the other half that does actually make it half respectable so enter Bryan MacKenzie. Bryan has been on Kawasakis for a few years now and Steve wants to keep him on board because Bryan's been growing stronger each year - especially since he moved to the Open class. If he hadn't snapped both wrists on a jump at the British GP - which incidentally was a combined idea between Jonny and myself so I'm not taking the wrap for that - Bry would've finished top 10 in the British championship for sure. I'm confident teaming up with Bryan will have a positive effect for the both of us unless he doesn't like sushi, Led Zeppelin, Swedish art films or the topical chat show Trisha - in which case we'll be getting off on the wrong foot. At this moment in time Twisted 7 Kawasaki is coming together great, we've already got some good friends and sponsors involved and now it's just a case of finalising the deals with them. So until everything is 100 per cent signed and sealed I ain't saying nothing. I'm sure by the next issue it will all be A-okayed and I can reveal what sponsors we've got behind us to make it a successful debut year. Mind you, we're always looking for support so if you fancy getting involved with a fast, fit Scotsman and a slow, fat Englishman give us a call. Alternatively, look through the gay lonely hearts column in your local rag and you might strike gold. Sponsorship doesn't come to you and I've already been at work doing my managerial duties at the Dirt Rider Expo show - and what a difference that made! Usually I only last a couple of hours before I need my mid-morning snooze at those bike shows. But there was no feeling sleepy this time around though, I was too busy actually speaking business to people instead of the normal verbal diarrhoea that I throw at them as I drift into a semi-conscious state. Stimulation was higher this time, especially when Sutty got a promo girl to lick my head. I guess Baldy Ocean has a certain appeal after all, unless this girl was having her mid-morning snooze and began dreaming of Mr Whippy. What a way to wrap up another year on this rock and roll on 2005. Happy Chrimbo and Merry New Year to you all. By Jeff Perrett