Joined Mar 2005
7K Posts | 20+
Woody Creek
There are a couple of interviews with the Bostrom brothers online and wondered if anyone had read them? Here are the links:
SuperbikePlanet Interview the Brothers Boz
Road Racer X Interview the Brothers Boz Part I
Road Racer X Interviews the Brothers Boz Part II
Road Racer X Interview the Brothers Boz Part III
Not really very insightful, probably should have warned you. The thing that really stuck out at me in both was the apparent lack of passion from Ben. I am a big Ben Bostrom fan, 2001 was the year I really got hooked on road racing and a lot had to do with his form that season. So to be saying this stuff is surprising to me. But him talking about how losing will eat at him for a day and the next he'll be happy as a clam because he's got his shop to attend to or a good climb to enjoy or waves to catch, I don't know. Definitely seems as if his heart isn't in racing anymore. One of his biggest criticisms when he was on the world stage in 2000 and 2001 was that he was too involved with the night life. He appears to be past that part of his life but he's found other distractions.
Also, when he and Eric talk about data and Ben simply sits there for five minutes and is done with it and goes out to practice completely by feel. No wonder he's been struggling to go fast since 2001, he doesn't know how/chooses not to read telemetry data. Hats off for being able to go as fast as he does without taking a good look at his data, but you simply can't be competitive anymore without making a considerable effort to understand the data and use it to your advantage. That is what separates Superbikes with every other production class this day in age and the ability to understand it is what separates the fastest from the rest.
In all reality it's a sad story, in my opinion anyways. The guy shows flashes of sheer brilliance but ultimately is a rear end factory Superbike finisher. Maybe it's just rose tinted glasses but I can't overlook his talent, Laguna 1999 was a huge accomplishment, then his five consecutive wins in 2001 and his many wins in Supermoto, stateside and abroad. If he would focus a bit more on his riding and what it encompasses, he could have been a truly great rider. Perhaps even in GPs today. It really is a shame, his career has gone the way of Anthony Gobert. Only rather than drugs and alcohol, Bostrom just seems to have a wicked case of happy go lucky ADD.
SuperbikePlanet Interview the Brothers Boz
Road Racer X Interview the Brothers Boz Part I
Road Racer X Interviews the Brothers Boz Part II
Road Racer X Interview the Brothers Boz Part III
Not really very insightful, probably should have warned you. The thing that really stuck out at me in both was the apparent lack of passion from Ben. I am a big Ben Bostrom fan, 2001 was the year I really got hooked on road racing and a lot had to do with his form that season. So to be saying this stuff is surprising to me. But him talking about how losing will eat at him for a day and the next he'll be happy as a clam because he's got his shop to attend to or a good climb to enjoy or waves to catch, I don't know. Definitely seems as if his heart isn't in racing anymore. One of his biggest criticisms when he was on the world stage in 2000 and 2001 was that he was too involved with the night life. He appears to be past that part of his life but he's found other distractions.
Also, when he and Eric talk about data and Ben simply sits there for five minutes and is done with it and goes out to practice completely by feel. No wonder he's been struggling to go fast since 2001, he doesn't know how/chooses not to read telemetry data. Hats off for being able to go as fast as he does without taking a good look at his data, but you simply can't be competitive anymore without making a considerable effort to understand the data and use it to your advantage. That is what separates Superbikes with every other production class this day in age and the ability to understand it is what separates the fastest from the rest.
In all reality it's a sad story, in my opinion anyways. The guy shows flashes of sheer brilliance but ultimately is a rear end factory Superbike finisher. Maybe it's just rose tinted glasses but I can't overlook his talent, Laguna 1999 was a huge accomplishment, then his five consecutive wins in 2001 and his many wins in Supermoto, stateside and abroad. If he would focus a bit more on his riding and what it encompasses, he could have been a truly great rider. Perhaps even in GPs today. It really is a shame, his career has gone the way of Anthony Gobert. Only rather than drugs and alcohol, Bostrom just seems to have a wicked case of happy go lucky ADD.
