By Escaping the mid-morning rain, Road Racing News was fortunate to catch up with former TT Privateers Championship runner-up, experienced Mountain Course craftsman Sam West.
Once again competing under his own teams’ banner (Moto-Hub), he’s happy to be back at international road racing’s utopia.
“Really good to back on the Island, been riding all year, put a huge amount of time into my testing and it’s really paid off, so it’s a bit disappointing to come here and then not be able to ride yet.”
Leaving the Briggs Equipment Northwest 200 with more positives than negatives, the Wilmslow rider 16th, 11th, 12th from the Superbike contests, said:
“I rode well, felt good within myself but then I didn’t really string it together into a race result, I was a little bit too cautious come the races, but you know when you’ve ridden well and at times, I felt like I was riding the best I have ever ridden around that circuit.
I didn’t want to take any risks before coming here, rode as fast as I could safely and there was a lot of crashes and I don’t want to crash, I can’t afford to replace my bikes and there’s not enough time to heal.”
Machines stable wise for TT 2025, he has the jet-black R7 Yamaha (Super Twins), UK Decs backed Kawasaki (Supersport) and stock spec M1000RR BMW (Superbike/Superstock/Senior).
Realistic about the potential of his R7 Yamaha which produces 96 BHP, he stated “It’s another class, more track time, racing.”
Pretty happy with his 1000cc races apparatus, West whose steed features an eye- catching turquoise blue, red, white livery, he describes as a very simple design, not cluttered, not scruffy, stated:
“It’s a good solid stocker, pushing his luck on the engine, pushing my luck on the mileage, fantastic piece of kit, good solid bike, easily capable of 130-mph laps.
The M1000RR is a step forward and a step up, I would say it’s on a par lap time wise with the Superbike S1000RR, I used to have before covid.
It makes the same power as the Superbike and that was the bike I did 129.7 from a standing start, overall, it’s very similar.”
Optimising the term ‘True Privateer’, the 130-mph lap goal burns vehemently for a rider who feels he is riding better than he has ever before.
“That is my goal, ideal lap-times can do 130-mph, know I can do it, riding well in myself. I didn’t get to show it at Daytona, but I have been riding at a good standard, and I hope this is the event where I get the results that my riding is capable of.”
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
