The second part of Road Racing News International roads themed chat with RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki Team Owner Lee Hardy, which took place at Motorcycle Live, focuses around his sheer enthusiasm for road racing.
In the quotes detailed below, you can sense how much competing at the North West 200 and TT means to Hardy, who’s team enjoyed Ulster GP and Macau GP success in 2015 with Mountain Course lap record holder Peter Hickman.
“Talking with Paul Phillips on Friday, I do want to go back, I do want to be on the roads, I obviously set myself a bit of a bucket list when I put this team together and winning a BSB Championship was always a dream we came very close last year with Jake Dixon, finished second in the Championship.
Plus obviously I’ve set myself the goal to win a North West and also to win a TT. We’ve come close at the North West with Alastair, we had a podium at the North West, once you get on that box (the podium) it gives you the drive to want to go back, it makes you ever more hungry for it.
I think even if we win a North West, we win a TT, that’s not going to be me saying I’ve done what I want to do and step away from it. I think that’s me looking at then and probably going do you know what I want to go back to win another one, win another six.”
Hardy who makes no secret about his ambition to join the TT winners circle in the near future, added:
“So ultimately you look at things like what Hutchy did, winning five TT’s in a week, there all things that as a team manager, when I was building my team, going forward to the roads, you look at those sort of things and think there milestones that someones achieved, that’s never going to be taken away.
You obviously don’t do this sport to make money, it’s not about making money, it’s about the love of it and I have a massive passion for the sport.
So to be able to replicate something like that, would be absolutely incredible, to have that, no one can take that away from you, take that with you for the rest of your life.”
Words by Stevie Rial