Q. Have you spoken with anyone in World Superbike since you left there? Of course, every team you rode for in WSC has since folded ...

A. I talk to friends there, but nothing else.

I had an offer to ride a 500 in 2001, but it was on one of those teams where you have no chance of running up front. I'd rather stay home than to ride on a bike that you give it all you have and you barely earn points. That's not what I train and put everything into.

Q. You rode a 500 at Phillip Island at the end of ...

A. 1998. I tested on the Monday and Tuesday after the GP there and went fast enough to qualify on the front row on the Suzuki four-cylinder. We did a race distance on a race tire, with the data from the race. Comparing (my) lap times and race times to Doohan, he was pulling away, but I (went) fast enough to finish third.

The whole test was a contract thing and Suzuki held up their end of the deal and got me a try-out on the 500. I was hoping to get something good out of it.

I was at least able to ride a four cylinder two-stroke 500 and have some fun.

They (Suzuki) kind of struggled that year, but at Phillip Island it went pretty good.

Phillip Island is probably my favorite roadrace track. It's fast and kind of flowing, and if you're an aggressive rider you can do good there.

Q. You did some time with Kenny Roberts' GP team, too. How did that go?

A. I probably learned the most from him of anyone I've ever worked with. He just said things to me that made it all make sense.

I never had somebody take me under their wing like that-never. It was always me and my dad, and we kind of figured this stuff out, and did the best we could. Kenny took me under his wing and I went out to the ranch and trained, me, Kenny Junior, Kurtis ... we'd ride 100s, then ride motocross bikes, then go to the gym.

The triple (Roberts' GP machine) is based more on a 250, so that's why I came to Brainerd that time and rode a 250 -to learn to carry more corner and entry speed. It was at the other end of the spectrum for riding styles for me, coming from dirt track, but I know it made me a better rider.

Riding for the Roberts team was awesome and awe-inspiring just from the technical standpoint of Grand Prix. They can take the front and put it on the back if they need to in GP and if they think it'll work—they'll do it at Roberts.

All in all I think that everything that has happened to me has made me a better rider, and the break has helped too. It's rejuvenated me.