Exclusive interview with British Superbike rider Kyle Ryde

Crash.net: Hi Kyle! Firstly, with today’s news of the season opener being pushed back a month until June 25 to accommodate more fans ahead of the 25 Anniversary BSB campaign, how great will it be to have fans once again?

Kyle Ryde: Yeah, I totally understand it. Every rider obviously wants to get racing but to be honest for us it hasn’t really changed anything because we still have testing in April anyway. So it's a bit of shame to be starting later but if that means having fans there then that’s great for everyone, the teams, the riders, and the people that run BSB.

Kyle Ryde: So I’m sure it will work out and we are pretty used to that format anyway as we started last year quite late, so it’s nothing new to us. Also the weather was pretty good for the whole season as well, so hopefully it will be another cracker.

Crash.net: How has your training been so far, and how much are you looking forward to testing in April?

Kyle Ryde: Well I had a little bit of a teaser on a BMW last time at Portimao but that was not the new bike. Feels like it’s going to be a new bike completely, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve been in Spain for a good two months and have done more training than ever before, so just got to get some small niggles out of the way like my ankle. 

Kyle Ryde: It’s nothing too bad, just some swelling from a motocross accident and will be healed by next week. Two months ago I had a fracture in my shoulder which took ages to get better, but that feels 100% now, so I feel like come the opening test in a month I’ll be ready to go.

Crash.net: Joining the Rich Energy OMG racing team and BMW on the new M 1000 RR, what are your thoughts?

Kyle Ryde: Yeah we will be on the new M 1000 RR for sure, so I’m really looking forward to it. I spoke to some friends I know who have been riding it in the World Endurance Championship and they said it was much better than the previous bike which is the one that was in BSB.

Kyle Ryde: It didn’t get any amazing results, but it was still there or there about at the time and with Bradley Ray on it, he finished in the top five with it on a few occasions, so it had potential and the new bike will only get better. So yeah I’m really happy to have signed with the OMG team, and with it being a two year deal, so having two years on the BMW and with the team hopefully we can do some good things.  

Crash.net: Goals for the 2021 season after taking your maiden win in BSB last season?

Kyle Ryde: Well I might have kicked myself in the shins a bit there by getting a double win as obviously as expectations will be extremely high. But yeah wins are the target. I got two wins last year in my maiden season being new to the championship and new to the Suzuki bike, so there’s no reason I can’t replicate that this season. 

Crash.net: You are joined by Bradley Ray this season, another rider new to the team. How will that play out? 

Kyle Ryde: Well I came to Spain with Brad and we have always been good friends. We’ve raced together for a long time and met each other when we were seven I think. So yeah, we’ve done everything together really. This is the first time really in professional racing where we have been team-mate and racing against each other. 

Kyle Ryde: But I’m looking forward to it and if I need help he will help me and if he needs help I would do the same. He’s obviously had a year on the BMW, so that will be valuable and hopefully we can push on and do good things for us and the team.

Crash.net: What about your future. As one of the young talents in BSB, are you very much hoping to get a chance on the world scene and what championship really appeals to you?

Kyle Ryde: Yeah of course, so that’s the reason I signed with BMW because there is a platform to World Superbike. There were other options that I thought were better, but choosing BMW is looking at the bigger picture too. 

Kyle Ryde: Going to World Superbikes or MotoGP would be great and the path Jake Dixon took is probably one he didn’t expect to take, but that’s something I would consider if I can do good things in BSB, and going to Moto2 would be great. You can see what it has done for Jake Dixon. But firstly I have a two year deal here in BSB and want to do well here.