Exclusive: Ricky Carmichael Interview

As the AMA’s winningest rider of all time, Ricky Carmichael needs little introduction. What you might not know, however, is that RC is heading to Australia in early December to host three RCU (Ricky Carmichael University) riding schools. Yep, teamed up with two other AMA greats, Jeff Emig and Jeff Stanton, Ricky will be here – in person! All three RCU regulars will not only be here to showcase RCU’s unique brand of rider tuition at Appin on December 2-3 and Coolum on December 5, but they’ll also be gearing up and joining students on the track.

Transmoto’s Andy Wigan spoke with Ricky ahead of his maiden trip to Oz to get an insight into RCU’s program and what people can expect from the schools he’s running in Australia.

TM: It’s about time you came to Australia, Ricky.
RC: It is, Andy. It’s well overdue, man. I’m not sure why I never managed to get down there. But I’ll tell you what, I’m really excited that it’s now become a reality.

Give us some background to the RCU rider tuition program.
For a while now in the States, some of the famous stick-and-ball-sports athletes have run fantasy camps, where kids come along to learn the finer points of the sport and get to hang out with their idols. So my partner, JH Leale, and I thought it would be really cool to do something like that for motocross, but for both kids and mature riders. So that was where the concept came from and then, with the help of Davey Coombs and Tim Cotter, we ran the first RCU school at Daytona in 2011. That proved a great success, and it’s just grown from there.

It sounds like RCU has been more about giving back to the sport than making a buck.
It’s totally about giving back to the sport that’s been so good to me, and I get a lot of gratification out of it. It’s so cool to see the progression that riders can make in just one day. In fact, I’ll often get more gratification out of working with average riders than I do working with Pro guys (laughs). Sure, we want to make sure our advice makes riders smarter, faster and more skilled, but we don’t want to just take people’s money and send them on their way. We also work hard to make sure the whole day is a good experience, and not just for the riders. We might also run a seminar that parents, guardians and mechanics find helpful. Right from the get-go, giving everybody an enjoyable, memorable experience has been a key part of the RCU program.

I’m attending one of your RCU schools at Appin. So, can you teach an old dog new tricks, RC? I am forty-something, mate.
Sure (laughs). Obviously, we get a lot of young kids coming to our schools, but we also get a surprisingly large number of older riders – guys who picked up the sport late or who want to get themselves out of bad habits. I think a lot of the older guys come along because they grew up when Jeff Emig, Jeff Stanton and I were racing, and so they appreciate the ability to hang out and talk with us during the schools. For us, it’s all about providing a positive experience, no matter what age or ability students are. We cater for them all.

How did the opportunity to run some RCU schools in Australia arise?
Well, we’ve always got a lot of feedback about our schools through social media, and a lot of that was from Australia. We’ve always wanted to grow RCU and Australia was always on our radar, but we also knew that Australia meant a long and costly trip. Now that RCU has grown so much, though, we managed to put a deal together with some partners that at least covered our costs for the trip, and we’ve finally been able to realise something we’ve always wanted to do. Fox and Monster both play a huge role in supporting RCU. And then people like yourself in the media, along with Monza Imports, Gavin from Serco, Suzuki Australia and MotoDevelopment, have all helped facilitate this trip to Australia.

Jeff Emig has come out to Australia a few times, and his business here always seems to look very much like pleasure. I know you two guys are good mates, so did he give you a nudge about bringing RCU to Oz?
I can imagine. I mean, does Emig ever stop talking (laughs)? In all honesty, Jeff speaks very highly of the people and his experiences in Australia. He did some venue scouting while he was in Australia the past couple of times, and he certainly helped crystalise the support from sponsors.

Jeff Emig and Jeff Stanton are full-time RCU guys, right? And between you three instructors, there’s a combined 25 AMA MX and SX Championships!
Yeah, the two Jeffs have both been on our roster since the first RCU school, so it’s great they could both make it to Australia. Those two guys are great with the students. With Emig, I think people know what they’re going to get. Because of Stanton’s reputation during his racing career, though, everyone seems to expect him to be some hard-ass and not fan-friendly. But he’s completely the opposite, and we often hear back later that Stanton was the most fun guy to work with. So, we’re the core three guys. And then, depending on the location, we try to have a guest instructor as well.

Tell us a bit about the RCU ‘system’.
Basically, our instructors will spread out and focus on the techniques and approach riders take at specific sections of a track – from the start to corners to jumps to sand rollers to hardpack to whatever. That way, we’re covering all the key facets, and riders can take away a little bit of advice from each of us. Corner speed was always something I worked on as a young rider, and it ended up being my strong suit, so I tend to focus on that aspect. Emig will be working on starts and then Stanton will focus on another section of the track. I think that well-rounded tuition is one of the keys to our success. Students also like the fact that we get out there and ride with them for the warm-up, and then give them the opportunity to have a freeride session after we’re done teaching. We also have awards and certificates and photo opps and product giveaways, so there’s a lot going on.

Do you ever find people get stage fright or try to over-impress you? You are, after all, the GOAT!
It’s hard for me to tell because they do a great job or disguising it, if it is the case. But, hey, I always tell them that we’ve got the whole day to ride and to not worry about trying to impress me. I tell students to be themselves and to just do what they do, so I can try to help make them a better rider. That’s for me to worry about, not them. I think people soon realise that I’m just a normal guy who was able to ride a dirt bike fast.

With your first school at Appin just a few days after the AUS-X Open in Sydney, are you guys coming out a few days early to watch Chad Reed and James Stewart go at it?
I think we fly in on December 1, so as much as I’d like to be there to witness that, it looks like we’re going to arrive a day or two late. Our schedule’s pretty busy while we’re there, so we’ll probably only get a couple of half-days to do some sightseeing.

Okay, Ricky, place your bet. Have you got your money on Chad or James for the AUS-X Open?
It’s going to be exciting for Aussie fans to see those two great rivals going at it on Chad’s home soil. I want Chad to win. I mean, I have a ton of respect for both of those guys, but I’ve become better friends with Chad in recent years. Plus it would be a really cool story for Chad to win in his home country. But either way, it’s going to be great for the fans. 

Thanks for your time, Ricky. We look forward to catching up in December.
Not at all. You’re welcome. I’m really excited about this trip and, yep, we’ll see you at Appin.

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For more information about RCU’s fast-filling schools in Australia, check out www.rickycarmichaeluniversity.com