The Men And The Machines - Supercross - Dirt Rider Magazine

As riders and racers, we're intrigued with the inner workings of the world's finest racing machines and the teams behind them. So when the DR team descended upon the hollowed tarmac of the Anaheim 1 pits, we had a couple of questions for the most talented riders and mechanics in the history of supercross: "How badass is your bike, and how great is your team?"Mike "Goose" Gosselaar:
"It's kind of a drag watching Ricky go...working with this guy, you want to keep on winning forever. We were friends before I worked with him, and that definitely hasn't gone away. There's the business end of it, too, but really, it's just an honor to be working with him either way."Ricky Carmichael:
"My bike is awesome. The reason I like it is because it's tailored to me. It's exactly what I want. I love it because it's exactly what I developed. The bike is fantastic. We worked very hard to get to where we are, and now, we just have to stay there."Ivan Tedesco:
"The atmosphere at Suzuki is really good. During testing we get the job done, but we joke around and have a good time, too. With Ricky and Roger here, you've got two good racers who will always answer questions, and it's just a great atmosphere to be around."Tony Berluti:
"We have a great business relationship at the racetrack. We don't have to talk to each other a lot during the week, and it's not like a marriage, where I have to call him every day and check in with him. We just have a great understanding of each other, and that really comes together at the track on race day and during testing."James Stewart:
"You see it!? (Laughs) I'm super pumped to switch it up this year with the black rims, Monster coming on board and sponsoring everything, and with the whole team stepping up the program. I'm excited about it, and I hope it looks just as good in the stadium as it does here."Jeremy Albrecht:
"It's cool to go out there and know you have the fastest guy all the time and he's going to give it everything he's got. Hurt, not hurt, whatever. He's going to give it everything."Tim Ferry:
"For me, right now, the atmosphere and the bike are a perfect fit. I wish I could have gotten here sooner, but better late than never. It's good in the whoops and it's good in the starts, and that's where you win supercrosses."Mike Williamson:
"We're happy with the way our new bikes came out; they look really good. Building it this year was cool because we never really knew what it was going to look like until it was finally done."Josh Grant:
"I think this season is going to be good with all our new sponsors at SoBe/Samsung/No Fear/Honda. I feel very fortunate to be here, and we're going to do the best we can do to take down the Pro Circuit team and hopefully get a championship."Kevin Windham:
"The bikes are good like always. Riding Hondas is a good program to be on, and I'm definitely stoked with my machine. It's ready for a rider. Hopefully, I can go out and help it do what it's capable of doing."Travis Preston:
"The new team is really good. I mean, it's almost too good to be true. The one thing I don't have is a factory bike, and that's OK because right now I really think the only difference between my bike and a factory bike is weight. And that basically comes down to how much money you want to spend."Ryan Villopoto:
"My bike is pretty badass. I pretty much have the trickest stuff out there. And the reason why the bike's so good is because the team is so good. They go hand in hand."Jon Mitcheff:
"Working with Ryan is easy. He listens, and he knows what he wants. Some riders are mental cases, but he's just easy."Christophe Pourcel:
"The Pro Circuit bike is good! The race bike is really good. I like the suspension and the engine, and they look great."Davi Millsaps:
"My bike is the sickest, fastest bike ever, because Honda is behind me and my mechanic does an awesome job putting it together. It's not just one thing on my bike that is the best, it's the whole package."Michael Byrne:
"I felt comfortable on the bike from the first day I rode it. It wasn't a huge adjustment for me at all. The bike is great and it's ready to race, but nobody's ready for that to be it. Everyone on the team is trying really hard to constantly make things better."Grant Langston:
"It's definitely the most powerful bike I've had by far. It handles really well, it has plenty of power, and my favorite color since I was a little kid has always been blue so it all ties in."Broc Hepler:
"Things are moving along better than expected. I feel really good on the bike already. I just have to be safe now for the next month and a half."Josh Hill:
"I'm loving the fans and having fun with it. I'm just glad there are kids out here who want my autograph!"Mike Alessi:
"I'm stoked. I'm looking forward to the '07 supercross season, and I think I have a good chance at winning a championship. The bike's awesome. We still have time for testing, with me riding the East Coast, and that just helps us get the bike perfect."Josh Hansen:
"My bike is rad because it doesn't have unnecessary equipment on it. This bike is the best bike I've had so far for sure. The motor is badass on this thing...Mitch has nothing on us!"