Exclusive: Matt Moss Interview

As Australians were celebrating summer and enjoying the beer, food and good times Christmas, New Year’s and Australia Day brings; Matt Moss was training, racing and knuckling down. The current Aussie motocross and supercross champ dipped into his own pocket to take a working holiday to the US, to race the opening rounds of the 2014 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series. While it hasn’t been cheap, Moss believes the experience against the world’s best will be invaluable for defending his titles this year. The Dillaway Brothers spoke to Moss at Oakland, and he revealed he’d like to return to the US next year to race more Monster Energy AMA Supercross rounds.

What made you want to come race in the US?

I just felt like I was in a good spot, you know. I had done pretty good back home. I just wanted to come over and see where I’m at, and then I’ve got another whole year of building and really working on the things I need to work on to be over here, and maybe come and do the same thing again, but be more in contention. This is just a learning thing, to work out what I really need to do. Obviously, I didn’t want to stay at home and do the party thing; you know, Christmas and New Year’s with all your mates. I just wanted to stay fit and keep my mind on the goal. As soon as we get home, I should be healthy and ready to go for the first round.

^ Left to right: Ken Roczen, Dean Ferris and Matt Moss. Image: The Dillaway Brothers.

If someone was to take a glance at your bike, it looks like a factory Suzuki. And if they walked past the semi here at Oakland and saw you set-up next to it, they’d assume you’re on a factory bike getting factory support. But that’s far from the case, isn’t it? You’ve done this all off your own back and have had very little support. 

Yeah, definitely. Obviously, Suzuki gave me a bike and gave me all of my parts, but I haven’t got a factory motor or anything like that. It’s my suspension – I just went and purchased some suspension, but still haven’t been able to do any testing, so what they’ve given me is what I’ve got. So far, it’s ended up costing me about 15,000 – probably a bit more. But it’s something I wanted to do. Everyone thinks I’m on a factory bike but it’s very far from that. I haven’t done a day’s testing since I’ve been here. What I’ve got is what I have to deal with. It would be nice to do some testing and develop the bike and get better, but I know they’re main focus is James (Stewart), and I’m just here riding. I’ve just gotta take the good with the bad and keeping pushing forward.

You must be pretty happy with how you’ve gone so far; holeshotting the Main in Phoenix and winning a semi at Anaheim 2.

I’m happy, but I know I can do better. At both Anaheim races I’ve hurt my wrists really bad – about the sixth lap. And I just can’t hang on. People back home know I have a bad wrist and when I injure it I just can’t hang on. This week I hurt my shoulder, so the injuries have taken their toll. All-in-all, I know I have better speed. It’s just believing in yourself over here. It’s hard riding around with the best guys in the world and getting out there and trying to beat them.

^ Matt Moss during practice at Oakland. Image: The Dillaway Brothers.

Must be satisfying when you beat those factory guys?

Yeah, it is. People don’t realise how easy it is when you’re on a factory team. You’ve got something wrong with your bike or want to change your settings, and there’s someone to do it for you. Here it’s just ‘oh well, we’ll take a click or here,’ and that’s it. It’s fulfilling beating them, but for my own goal I reckon a top eight finish would be good; that’s what I really want to do.

You said you were building for next year. So what’s the plan? Are hoping to come back across?

Yeah, I would love to race for a full factory team over here. But my main goal right now is Australia. You can’t be over here half-hearted – your mind has to be 100 percent into it. I’m not exactly sure what I want to do yet, but if someone offered me a factory ride with some good money, I’d definitely take it and come over and give it one more go. Just seeing Chad Reed being older and winning, I know that my youth and my age is no issue. It’s just getting on the right team and getting the right people behind you and going for it.

I’ve heard a few teams have expressed interest in you. Have you talked to anyone yet?

Yeah, nah. My main goal is back home, and I’ll just let the cards play out. I’m not sitting here asking people for rides and stuff like that. We’ll just see what happens at the end of this year.

^ Matt Moss racing at Oakland. Image: The Dillaway Brothers.

You must feel like you’ll have an advantage coming home, after racing against the world’s best for six weeks?

I’m definitely confident. I feel like I’m just going to have one person to worry about; my twin brother. I think he’s really loving the bike he’s on at the moment and loving the team. He’s separated from a couple of people that were helping him, and I think that’s going to play a big part for him this year. He’s going to start riding and training with me now, and our Dad. He’ll have a bit more fun riding and enjoying it.

It sounds like the good old days.

Yeah, definitely. We both don’t have a trainer at the moment for this year – we’re both going to be doing our own thing, which is going to be good. We’re pretty self-motivated at the moment. I know Jake really wants to win the championship and I really want to defend both of my championships, so it’s between brothers. It’s going to be great racing either way. I’m looking forward to it and I’m sure he is, too. I know there will be some other people in the mix, but I’m feeling very confident heading back this year.

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NOTE: Moss struggled during the night at Oakland with a shoulder injury. He says he should be all sweet for Anaheim 3 this weekend.