Mindless Banter With Brett Lee and Palms

Since I was on vacation last week so I didn’t get a chance to speak with Brett Lee about some of the current events in our sport. However, this week I’m back to work so I had a chance to track down the elusive Mr. Lee for some more Mindless Banter.

Palms: Hey bud, how’s it going? Have you been reading Social Media this week from Indy? I’ve read some stuff from people who you’d think would know what they’re talking about, however I’m on the fence as to whether they make a valid point or not. They were talking about changing the format of SX to more of a NASCAR points chase battle.

I know some of the diehard fans start to find this time of year a little boring in SX when there’s no points battle, however this year it’s only because the Roczen train went off the rails and weird things like black flags have happened. Even big changes to the SX program can’t prevent that! I think staying healthy through the entire SX series has to be the toughest thing to do in this sport.

If you’ve ever tried to call Brett Lee you know how lucky you feel when he finally does answer.

Brett: Chris, we all know what we are talking about. Armchair quarterbacks and bench racers are the most underrated, under paid experts in the sport… just ask any of us. As for the points chase, here are a couple things that I’m thinking. 1: This is a two wheeled motorsport. Watch close, at any moment this thing can go sideways in a hurry (See Ryan Villopoto – St. Louis). NO lead is safe until you are on your way back to your hotel holding the number one plate with a drunk Monster girl.

No one complains about the points when it is a seesaw battle throughout the year. Working harder than your competition, making smarter decisions, and mastering your craft rewards the very best with championships. Resetting the points… let’s just give everyone a number one plate, a warm hug and free Monster girl (I live in a dream world where supercrossers pick Monster girls like apples off a tree).

How about the wacky rumour from your trip to the south…. I have heard Mitch Oldenburg is nosing around?

Palms: I read that the other day about Mitch, the more the merrier I guess. I have to be honest, I was pretty happy to hear that Kaven Benoit will be racing the two-stroke this summer. I know some people assume that now those bikes have become a huge advantage, however what these people don’t realize is that it’s not easy to ride one. It’s definitely a lost art and I give huge props to anyone in this era that can ride them well.

There’s just so much more thinking and planning that is involved in riding a two-stroke consistently fast. I know people love the sound and the smell, and I do as well, but what I love is watching someone like Benoit or Liam O’Farrell dissect a race track on a two-stroke. I’m glad we have this rule and I think it’s helping to further the sport in Canada.

Back in the 1990s when putting water on the track was sometimes an afterthought. It was hard to make those pre-mix burning machines hook up. That video I put up from the 1996 Walton Pro National, you can see how dry and slippery those conditions were. Wasn’t the water truck broken that day?

Brett: To answer your question… no the water truck didn’t break. The ‘90s was before water trucks. I think my Dad had my brother Matt and I carry 5 gallon pails of water from the pond all night to prep the track. Sorry if we missed a spot. There was no handle on our pails so we sometimes spilled.

ANYWHO, I did also read that about Benoit. I am surprised. For most pros today, the only two-strokes they have ridden, other than their mini days, are beginner riding buddy’s bikes that were likely ridden on the road to the track, decaled with black spray paint or some bike their dad has stored in the shed. Two-strokes take a real skill to make work well. Truth is four-strokes are easier to ride mistake-free over long motos, like at a National. I never cared either way to be honest.

I also think most remember two-stroke days better than they were. I never hear guys wishing their bikes bogged on jumps, or wishing they could change more spark plugs, or missing the fun of forgetting oil for gas or having to carve out engines to make more power. I remember those two-stroke days. The point is, four-strokes are really good, and pretty dependable, race ready machines today. We will see.

For 2015, Kaven Benoit will be riding his KTM two-stroke and Palms couldn’t be happier. Brett on the other hand seems like he could really care less what Kaven rides, he just wants to see some good racing. photo by James Lissimore

Palms: I understand what you’re saying, but I think part of the issue with 250 four-strokes is that the moment you start tweaking the motor to make it pull stronger, its reliability goes backwards. It takes money to make a 250 four-stroke competitive at the top level and I think that’s another reason why Canada’s MX2 two-stroke rule is a great for the sport in general.

As for us old guys missing everything two-strokes, of course I miss mixing fuel all the time, messing around with the jetting on a daily basis and even having to turn the gas on before I start my EFI KX450F. However, I’m also part of the demographic that turns my radio up when Whitesnake or Def Leppard comes on so I might be slightly biased. Have a great weekend BL, we’re going to miss you in the Motor City. Braapp!!