Interview: Tommy Searle on the Triumph and Belfast Arenacross

Interview: Jonathan McCready Image: Nigel McKinstry

Aside from a first turn crash in the main event on Friday after going 1-2 in the heats, Tommy Searle had a great weekend in Belfast going 2-2 in the heats and third in the main event on Saturday night behind the rapid Wilson and Mewse on their 450s – with Searle doing it on the fire breathing Triumph 250f!

We caught up with the former GP winner and, don’t forget, former AMA supercross rider, to get his take on his weekend and the new Triumph that has impressed so far this AX season, especially with the starts against the 450s!

Watch or read below:

Up and down weekend, well mostly up except for the main event last night!

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Yeah, I enjoy Belfast, I enjoy coming and to be fair I’ve been the third best man all weekend. It’s hard for me to compete with Dean and Conrad. One, they’re on a different level and they’re riding great and two, on a 250, very difficult. It does hurt me in a few places, but they rode unbelievable.

So a third place for me is like a win, do you know, because I’m somewhat a little bit ahead of the rest but it’s very, very close and if anything were to happen, it’s still a big task for me to get a podium.

So like I said, that is like a win. But I’m enjoying it, I like the 250, I love racing it. The Triumph, being on it now, first couple of races, honestly so good at the start. Enjoying it, yeah, it’s unreal actually. Absolutely love it, I can’t wait to be racing against other 250s I think, because then you’ll really see how good it is. But it’s been brilliant, the team are mega, I really enjoy coming to Arenacross.

I just need to enjoy it a little bit more, I’m a bit anxious this year riding it.

Really, just because of the new bike or just in general?

No, not the bike at all, just in general. I think as I get older I feel a little bit more anxious, worry about a few more things. It’s catching up with me a little bit, not so much on the riding, but more like the worrying side of it.

Really, because you seem really relaxed, more relaxed than GP days.

Yeah, I am relaxed, somewhat. I’m relaxed when I’m talking to people, but I’m quite anxious throughout the weekend, struggle to sleep and that. But it lightens me up doing a bit of vlogging and stuff, because then I get out. Otherwise I just sit in my shell and not talk to people.

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So running around with a vlogging camera brings out a bit of personality and makes me enjoy the weekend a little bit more.

What about the fans over that finish jump last night? You were all pointing to them mid-race and that was pretty awesome.

Yeah, it was brilliant. My brother was one of them in the stands, he was pissed up in the stands shouting every lap! And then when I see him, I was doing it every lap. People were like, what are you doing every lap over there? I was like, my brothers there, on the beers!

But again, it made me enjoy it. Because the other rounds, I’ve not thrown a whip, I’ve been bolt upright in every jump. And then last night seeing that, looking at the crowd, it was so cool over that jump. Because we’re literally level with the crowd. It’s a bit naughty really, because if you got whisky throttle, I’d be sat with them in the crowd with a bike next to me! But it was so good to literally look at them and see them all cheering every lap.

Absolutely loved that. It made the race way more fun, but it’s been a mega weekend. It always is in Belfast, one of the best arenas. I was meant to be out with Dean after this, but now he’s been disqualified, he probably won’t let me go out, will he? Yeah, I was a bit mad at him. He’s probably ruined my evening now, because he won’t be on the beers! (Dean ended up getting the win back & going out!).

Just on the Triumph outdoors, you were out in Spain there. How’s the development coming along with that? Jordon Smith described the Triumph as quicker than the Star Yamaha. And you’re kind of proving that in the starts here.

We’ve had Evotech do our engine, and it’s absolutely brilliant. You’ve seen it on the starts here, and it doesn’t matter if the start’s very small or big. I don’t think it would make a difference, unless it was deep and loamy and really, really long. But I get the jump. I’m good at starts as well, so I’m not going to give the bike all the credit!

I am a good starter as well, but it’s absolutely brilliant. I’ve been out in Spain, I’ve actually been coaching mainly in Spain. But I take my bike and do a bit of riding when I’m not coaching. The bike’s honestly unbelievable. I even talk to my friends and people I know really well, and they’re like, how’s the bike then? And they’re like, you don’t have to big it up that much, mate. You can tell me the truth! And I’m like, I honestly cannot fault one part of the bike.

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There’s nothing that I’m like, it doesn’t do this well. It handles so well, the front end feels so good, rolls through the corners so nice. And it’s fast, and it’s got the torque. It’s literally an unbelievable bike. So if you’re thinking about getting a Triumph, especially the 250, the 450 I’ve rode a few times as well, but the 250, honestly, the best 250 I’ve ever rode by a country mile. I’m not even joking!

Finally, you got to ride a Ricky Carmichael out in America a couple of months ago. That must have been a pretty cool experience.

Yeah, it was. Always. Something like that was special for me, you know? And you didn’t really realise it until the end of the day, and you’re like, wow, what we’ve done is pretty unbelievable.

And you’re able to get it on video, so you can always have a look at it.

Yeah, stuff like that’s amazing.

And there’s no box anymore, so where do you go now?!

I don’t know where we’re off now. I don’t know. Dirty onion, is it? That’s where my brother’s been all weekend!