Jake Gagne Interview [MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Speaks]

You may not guess it from Jake Gagne’s mellow demeanor, however he has been the person to be for 3 years working within the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Gagne’s dominance kicked off within the 2021 season and hasn’t relented. He just lately wrapped up his third-consecutive title battle with two rounds left on the 2023 calendar. Gagne has racked up 39 profession superbike victories in a very brief interval whereas aboard his Yamaha YZF-R1.

A well-recognized face inside the MotoAmerica paddock, Gagne’s profession is coloured with time within the World Superbike Championship, Moto2 wild card rides, and rather more, making him one of the crucial well-rounded and skilled racers on the grid.

We sat down with the Southern California native who now calls Colorado residence and talked about his racing philosophy, the Yamaha R1’s growth, and rather more.

Final Motorcycling: Issues have been going fairly effectively for you latterly. You’re carrying on successful methods and just lately claimed your third-consecutive MotoAmerica Superbike championship. However earlier than diving into that, I’d like to begin by getting a little bit background about your profession as a result of it didn’t start with roadracing, as many followers may assume. Are you able to inform me how issues obtained began for you?

Jake Gagne: I began racing motocross after I was 5 – 6. My dad was into dust bikes, so I satisfied him to get me a motorbike round that point. I began driving in a buddy’s yard, and fortuitously, we had a cool observe referred to as Barona Oaks MX that was shut by, so I began racing motocross virtually each weekend there. 

Type of fast-forwarding, by the point I used to be 10, 11, and even 12 years outdated, my dream was to race Supercross. I didn’t know a factor about roadracing. After which, my dad signed me up for the Purple Bull Rookies Cup program, and that got here out of nowhere. We simply flew to Barber Motorsports Park and did the tryout. I didn’t have a clue what I used to be doing. I used to be undoubtedly one of many slowest youngsters on the market, I believe. However I had no expertise, so fortunately, I obtained picked, and I simply realized loads that 12 months. I began means again within the pack at the start of the 12 months after which fought for wins on the finish.

It was a fast transition, actually. Like I stated, I had no concept about roadracing. And, yeah, I made the transition and had nice alternatives by the Purple Bull Rookies Cup to go to Europe proper after that. I used to be thrown within the deep finish, which helped me get jumpstart, I believe.

UM: So, your vibe is rather more relaxed than your fellow racers, which is fairly refreshing within the machismo-laden world of motorcycling. How does that play into your complete racing philosophy if that’s a acutely aware effort?

JG: At this level in my profession, after all, I’ve been doing this for a very long time, and like anyone, we race bikes as a result of it’s enjoyable. That’s why all of us began—as a result of we get pleasure from it. We get pleasure from being right here. We would like the problem.

Daily I’m right here, I attempt to be grateful that I’ve obtained a gig racing bikes, and even on dangerous days, I remind myself that I’m lucky to have a gig racing. I simply attempt to get pleasure from each minute, be grateful, and do my finest. Clearly, that’s simpler stated than performed generally, however doing the most effective I can is sort of my factor in life. And if issues don’t go my means, so long as I give it my all, that’s all that issues to me. And like I say, we now have good and dangerous days, however simply give it my all, and be grateful, and luxuriate in it whereas I’m right here. 

UM: That’s a stable perspective about all this. Your profession is fascinating in that you simply’ve taken a whole lot of alternatives and dangers, as effectively. You’ve performed the Purple Bull Rookies Cup, Moto2 wildcard races, took the Ten Kate Racing alternative in World Superbike (WSBK), and that’s earlier than tallying up your home racing historical past—you’ve performed fairly a bit. You’re now on the high stage in MotoAmerica, however do you continue to see competing within the World Championship as the tip recreation for an American rider? Do you assume that’s nonetheless on the forefront of your and your fellow racer’s minds?

JG: Yeah, being an American, it’s not as straightforward to make it over there in Europe as it’s for a European, for certain. 2008 was my first 12 months of roadracing right here within the Purple Bull AMA US Rookies Cup. I solely did one 12 months, then I went straight to Europe for 2 seasons within the Purple Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. I believe that was such an vital a part of my profession to get thrown within the deep finish there.

My second 12 months of roadracing was with many actually superb European youngsters who had most likely been doing it for a little bit longer than I had. I believe that helped me develop and push my abilities. At this level in my profession, it’s onerous to say whether or not there’ll be many alternatives for me in Europe, versus possibly a youthful child who’s motivated to go to Europe for Moto3, Moto2, or no matter that path could also be.

The experiences I’ve had in Europe with the Purple Bull Rookie’s Cup, a couple of dabbles in Moto2, and even my 2018 WSBK season with Ten Kate Racing (Honda CBR1000RR) have been all actually cool experiences. Even at that time in my profession (2018), I used to be getting thrown into the deep finish once more, with a number of the finest Superbike riders on this planet, with some improbable and skilled groups—not solely riders or groups, however the applications and the bikes. I used to be in a position to study loads by that.

There have been robust days, large crashes, and days after I wasn’t too stoked to be touring round and being on the highway consistently. That half was actually robust for me all through my profession. You need to get pleasure from touring, nevertheless it’s not the identical whenever you’re racing bikes. You’re going to the lodge, observe, and airport; you’re not getting a whole lot of time to go sightseeing or benefit from the completely different elements of the world. It’s work, however I actually loved my experiences and seeing all of the completely different sides of racing world wide, whether or not in Europe or America.

Clearly, I’ve had most or all my success in America, apart from a little bit bit within the Rookies Cup after I was younger. And probably the most gratifying a part of my profession racing has been in America, in MotoAmerica. I’m biased being an American; I get to be residence extra and be round folks I can converse with who converse the identical language, and I believe I can relate with loads higher.

I’ve constructed a whole lot of nice relationships within the American paddock with many nice folks. So, all of it performs a component. Coming again to racing bikes, ensuring that I can get pleasure from it every single day and be stoked and motivated to go on the market whereas we put our butts on the road, to present it every little thing we obtained, and on the similar time, get pleasure from it, is vital. So, it’s been a stability that I’ve obtained to expertise all sides of it all through my profession.

UM: That does offer you a novel perspective because you’ve labored with personal MotoAmerica groups like Schiebe Racing (BMW S 1000 RR) and World Superbike groups like Ten Kate Honda, and now you’re on the manufacturing facility Yamaha bike in MotoAmerica (Contemporary N Lean Progressive Assault Efficiency Yamaha Racing). You’ve seen all sides, as you stated. You additionally did a WSBK wildcard race with the Assault Yamaha workforce just lately. So, what sort of parallels between your abroad experiences apply to what groups and riders are doing right here?

JG: It’s an entire completely different world. If we’re evaluating AMA MotoAmerica Superbikes to World Superbikes, the principles are pretty related. The tires are an enormous change, which is what we confronted when organising our bike for that occasion. And for me, as a rider, simply getting used to these issues is loads.

I believe the entire paddock mentality in Europe is a bit completely different. It’s onerous to pin down if it’s extra severe or intense, or possibly there’s extra money to be earned or misplaced. So, I believe all these issues play a component in simply the mentality of the riders, the groups, and the crews. I’ve at all times felt, right here in America, that there’s a little bit bit extra of a grassroots feeling, and even a little bit extra gratifying at occasions.

MotoAmerica virtually seems like an enormous membership race with extra money on the road. Individuals are there as a result of they love the game, they love bikes, they love racing—no matter aspect of the workforce that they’re on, whether or not they’re a rider, mechanic, crew, or a fan—it’s at all times felt a little bit homier. And clearly, being an American, I believe that’s a part of the sensation.

For instance, after I did that 12 months in World Superbike, I’d say it was at all times much more intense. Whether or not it’s due to the sponsors, the stress from the groups, or simply the mentality of a special tradition—it’s onerous to pinpoint precisely what it’s. Possibly that’s simply why I really feel extra consolation or enjoyment right here, I suppose. That’s at all times been an vital a part of no matter I’m doing as a result of there have been occasions, even in that 12 months in World Superbike, and even in occasions after I was a teen in Rookie’s Cup, the place I used to be like, “Man, I sort of simply need to go residence. I don’t need to sit round right here,” (laughs) In fact, I need to come and race, however after that, I need to go residence.

There have been occasions within the World Superbike sequence after we have been touring loads, the place I may say that I hated touring, and I simply needed to get the heck residence, get away from all of the stress, get away from the drama, and the stress, and all that. It’s pure.

All people goes to deal with that a little bit in another way. I believe it’s essential for younger American youngsters who need to race on the world stage at some point to do it; I believe it’s fairly essential to get on the market. Particularly now with how large the expertise pool is coming from Europe and the alternatives that these youngsters have, I believe you must make it a precedence to recover from there at a younger age and expertise it and see it and be part of that world and see if that’s for you and if it fires you up or not.

UM: Completely, and that’s one thing I’ve skilled on the media aspect. MotoGP, WSBK, and MotoAmerica all have completely different paddock vibes. MotoAmerica can usually really feel informal, as if dudes hand around in the pits between races. Circling again to the bike momentarily, You realize what the Yamaha YZF-R1 can do abroad and together with your home domination. Richard Stanboli (proprietor of Assault Efficiency and workforce supervisor of Contemporary N Lean Progressive Assault Efficiency Yamaha) is main growth stateside and is thought to be a little bit of a wizard in his personal proper. So, how’d we get right here, and the place is it going?

JG: So, after I joined the workforce, that was the primary 12 months that Assault Efficiency got here on to run the Yamaha U.S. racing program. Earlier than that, Cameron Beaubier and Josh Hayes have been on the bike, and people have been some very profitable years for Yamaha, particularly when the brand new era got here out in 2015. I used to be on an R1 Superstock bike again then, which was simply a tremendous machine and an enormous step up from the older era R1. With Assault taking the reins and bringing the Yamaha program in-house, Richard Stanboli may have the liberty to play with a whole lot of the stuff he needed to do.

The man, such as you stated, he’s a wizard. He’s tremendous good and might manufacture a whole lot of nice stuff. Even as of late, we’ve obtained an Assault Efficiency swingarm, Assault chassis elements, Assault triple clamps—all that stuff might help actually dial in and allow us to play with the bike’s geometry. The motor and digital stuff are large items and are at all times transferring ahead.

It’s been cool having Assault, Richard, and his experience within the chassis so we will attempt to tune in on stuff. Even with swingarms, I do know we’ve had evolutions of these elements over time I’ve been with the workforce. All these little elements, like triple clamps or no matter else, actually play a task in altering geometry, the bike’s flex, and its character.

And that’s stuff that I believe Richard, even on paper or on the pc when he’s designing all these elements, has a novel understanding of what they will do even earlier than they hit the observe. By the point he will get them manufactured and we go testing with it, we’re already in a fairly good zone and see enchancment from the place we have been.

It’s been actually cool as a rider to have the ability to play a component in that over these final couple of years with Yamaha and provides the enter I can in areas that I really feel will assist us change into higher, particularly as we’ve seen the final couple of seasons with the competitors, stepping up their machines and riders as effectively.

All people’s enjoying that growth position of attempting to grasp what the priorities are with the bike. We have to give attention to and notice the sturdy factors of the bike after which additionally attempt to perceive what the opposite bikes or the opposite guys are doing a little bit bit higher to shut these gaps in these areas. So, it’s been enjoyable to be part of that growth.

So far as after we raced in Portugal final, it’s onerous for me to say even what precisely is completely different about these guys’ bikes. I’m the rider; I don’t get too technical with all these things [laughs]. At a sure level, it’s fairly good for me to grasp a fundamental stage of what’s occurring, however not likely get too tweaked into all of the little millimeters right here and supplies there.

Even then, with Yamaha Europe and Richard at Assault—there’s nonetheless loads of info they will bounce forwards and backwards and share. The Europeans did assist us loads with normal guideline stuff going into that spherical at Portimão, which was actually cool, and it was a whole lot of enjoyable to play with that. We obtained thrown within the deep finish, although we’ve had nice success at residence; it’s a special world and elegance of tracks over there.

I believe the large factor was completely completely different tires; whatever the precise bike setup stuff, it was the tires. Particularly for me, being so used to driving the Dunlop tires being a method, then going over there into Free Observe 1 on Friday and having to journey the bike completely in another way. We construct habits over time, and generally it’s onerous to go straight right into a race weekend with all the large canine and be capable of change a whole lot of stuff. However it was good for me as a rider to expertise that and perceive what these Euro guys do actually, very well.

Yeah, it’s been enjoyable to be part of the evolution of the Yamaha over these couple of years. And it’s not stopping any time quickly. Even going into subsequent 12 months, we obtained a few rounds left. It was good to get the championship performed and dusted, which is a weight off our shoulders. However, there’s nonetheless a whole lot of work going into subsequent 12 months that we need to dial in and enhance. It’ll be a enjoyable course of.

UM: Since we’re discussing evolution, I needed to ask about your driving model. Coming into your three-time title-winning streak, it appeared like your model started altering in 2021. The bike used to maneuver round beneath you numerous, and because you’re a taller, lanky man with a motocross background, possibly that labored for you. I’m not sure if it’s a acutely aware effort or evolving with the R1 concurrently, however issues appear to be much more settled. May you inform me about that?

JG: I believe it’s been a mixture of many alternative issues. After I jumped on the Yamaha in 2020, I used to be nonetheless Cam’s (Beaubier) teammate. Coming from bikes that I’d ridden over the previous couple of years earlier than that, I believe I’d say I used to be giving the bike much more enter than it wanted at occasions. I used to be attempting to pressure it into doing issues that it didn’t at all times need to do.

It was actually cool being Beaubier’s teammate that 12 months. He had a lot expertise and success on the R1 then. I may analyze, not solely with knowledge, however how he rode the bike—even his model, how easy the man was, and the way exact he was with the Yamaha. He understood that there are occasions whenever you may overwork the bike, give it an excessive amount of enter, and take away a number of the energy that the factor has—not simply mechanical energy however of the chassis and what the bike needs to do.

Watching him that 12 months and attending to see him briefly on observe earlier than he sailed away from me, I may inform how he may finesse the factor and the way environment friendly he was on the bike. Even in case you have been to look at the printed on TV or watch a replay, in case you have been to match us, generally it appeared like I may be going sooner, however I undoubtedly wasn’t. He was simply permit the bike to do the onerous work for it.

When Beaubier left in 2021, I used to be nonetheless transitioning into turning into a smoother rider and, in a means, simply being extra related to the bike and letting it do a number of the jobs it needed to do with out getting in the way in which.

That’s been a studying course of, and I believe it simply represents expertise within the sport. As guys become older and do it longer, issues occur a little bit simpler, smoother, with rather less depth, particularly with the Yamaha. The R1 is a motorbike that likes somebody with extra finesse. It needs to movement and never get out of line an excessive amount of, however simply sufficient, in order that’s been a course of over these final couple of years. A part of that course of is with the ability to journey with the identical workforce and the identical fundamental bike for years and years and years now. You get extra expertise, and it involves you.

I bear in mind after I was a teen or in my early 20s, I’d say I put much more out on the road each time I used to be racing. I do know I’ve a greater feeling after I’m near that restrict, and generally, you possibly can’t battle round sure issues. I believe it’s simply much more finesse, mixed with much more consolation and understanding of what it takes to get round a observe quick, even when it doesn’t look as wild and loopy. That’s sort of how the lap occasions come down.

UM: As a racing fan, I believe the boldness reveals, too. Talking of Beaubier, you guys spent tons of time racing collectively apart from being teammates. You’re again to racing him on the high stage in MA whereas he’s driving the Tytlers Cycle BMW M 1000 RR. Associated to that’s one other aggressive man like Josh Herrin, who’s aboard the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R. The bar is rising in MotoAmerica competitors, so the place do you see your strengths and weaknesses inside the Superbike class?

JG: Yeah. As you stated, seeing so many alternative producers on the entrance of the Superbike class has been improbable. In fact, every little thing rides a little bit in another way, and with the Yamaha, we’ve at all times had a little bit extra success with the actually twisty areas whenever you’re on the sting of the tire for a very long time. The way it handles and manages bumps or elevation is at all times performed actually, very well.

For certain, the motors play a component—these issues have gotten some severe energy. Relying on the observe, there are locations like Highway America the place you’re flying down straightaways for a very long time, nevertheless it’s nonetheless all about mechanical grip and getting energy to the bottom.

These issues (BMW and Ducati) have insane quantities of energy, but when it’s not hooking up, then what are you going to do? I believe placing energy to the bottom is one thing we’ve been in a position to determine, particularly this 12 months. That’s one of many strengths of the Yamaha. We at all times appear to be getting off the turns actually, actually sturdy and use our energy in a great way—how the Yamaha handles the bumps is crucial. The tracks in America don’t have the latest, freshest, nicest asphalt, and it handles the bumps, cracks, and completely different asphalts effectively.

When there’s a observe with a whole lot of elevation, no large, lengthy straightaways, and a whole lot of side-to-side or fast course modifications—we will benefit from our strengths. We’re at all times working to enhance every little thing; we’re at all times looking for extra mechanical grip and fine-tune electronics—something that can allow us to get into the turns deeper and more durable whereas on the brakes and use the entrance tire higher. We’ve made a whole lot of headway this 12 months, for certain. We’ve at all times had a fairly good setup, however I believe we made a whole lot of headway whereas braking and attending to the apex this 12 months.

All people is robust on the brakes, which we centered on this season. I obtained rather more comfy with the bike setup and understood how onerous I may push the entrance finish. It’s a unending battle as a result of as quickly as you assume you’ve obtained one factor found out, one thing else will leap out and want tweaking. This 12 months, driving and racing with all of the completely different guys on the entrance has been unimaginable. It’s going to maintain on rolling, proceed ahead, and we simply obtained to maintain doing our work.

UM: These are nice insights we’ll search for in broadcasts. We’ve gone over our time with you, and I do know you’re a busy man, so we’ll cap it off right here. Thanks once more in your time and considerate solutions, and, lastly, good luck this weekend!

JG: Yeah, after all. It’s been good! It’s been nice chatting, and let me know anytime you guys need to catch up and speak bikes. I’m at all times recreation. So, it’s been enjoyable.

Images by Bryan J. Nelson