Ruebn Xaus and crew pose on the grid at the last WSBK race in Portugal. image by dean adams

After spending most of the past decade campaigning Ducati racing motorcycles in World Superbike, Supersport and MotoGP, Ruben Xaus is moving to BMW for 2009. Xaus, who finished 10th in the 2008 WSBK championship, returned from an unsuccessful stint in MotoGP by going into his own pocket to buy bikes and spares, joining the Sterilgarda Ducati team in 2007. It was an investment in himself, and it paid off: Xaus led and won races, quite an impressive feat for a self- funded privateer. In Portugal, at his last race weekend on a Ducati superbike, Soup physically cornered Xaus outside his garage on Friday and forced (OK, asked politely) Ruben to dish on BMW, his thoughts about Dorna and the MotoGP championship as a Spanish rider, his teammate Max Biaggi, Troy Bayliss, and how it felt to pay for his own crashed bikes for a change! Enjoy.

Q Could you just tell us a little bit about going to BMW next year? How are you feeling about that?

A Still 48 hours. Then I go. I explain you in 48 hours, I explain you about it.

So big hug to all the American fans, okay? -- Xaus

Q So you've got to be quiet about it for a couple of days.

A It's because I'm professional. I've been always professional. I'm really wide open to talk about it, but also want to respect being three years here. I feel part of this team, because this team grow up with my money also. So, without my money, this team couldn't exist. So I'm really proud of being here for three years, and now I have the opportunity because I have the good results and show up with a private bike, also I was there many days, and only maybe the material just is lower than us for fewer races, but what I said. In 48 hours I jump into official bike again, and for sure I need to a lot to work and a lot to do. But let's talk when I'm there.

Q What is the emotion going to be like leaving Sterilgarda? Is it going to be a hard thing, maybe?

A The emotion is hard, because I've been here for three years, as I said. Good people. But at the end, if you want to win a championship, you need to have the best, the best everything. They gave me the best they can give me. But it wasn't enough to be in overall scoring. For a single races is okay, but for overall scoring is difficult. But I need to thank them and thank everything and every partner that was with us. And now I think it is good to jump into official team, because I'm 30. I just turned 30 this year. I think I'm having a good moment. I have still five or six years to go. I'm very compared to the big guys here. And just being a father. Now is going to born my second baby, so what else can I ask? Life is like this. When I stop racing, I will - everything will have no sense, only my family. Now is my family and the bikes, so I will just take this opportunity as something incredible.

Q It must be good to be in a factory team. To go out and do it on your own must have been very hard, and then to know that you're going back in, it'll be less stressful, I guess, right?

A Well, yeah, but I mean, I don't need to - I don't need to be covered. I show up and I put on my pants. When I just got no more and no bike, in 2006, and say, "Well, what should I do?" My wife said, "Let's go and buy the bikes." It's like an investment. When you play into Wall Street, you play investment, you invest in yourself. You believe yourself, let's go. I put down like nearly $300,000 US dollars. So it's a lot of money. Because one thing is for buying a house, as an investment. But not your bikes. It's a piece of steel. So in one year down, the time is like this. But results came up, and now I figure out, and now I'm much more proud about myself, my wife and the people who was next to me in the bad moments.

Q I have to ask you, when you were riding your own bike that you had bought with your own money, and you were paying for all the equipment and stuff yourself, when you went out, were you a little bit cautious?

A No, no, no, f***, no way. Ruben Xaus has always been like it is. Right now, we're more quiet, more relaxed, and is clear that I push a little bit more this year, because I felt I could go really, really fast with the bike, but every day there are more bikes, official bikes. This year are 14 bikes, official bikes. And I'm proud that I have been always in there. In some way or another way. Of course I did also mistakes, but when you're risking, at the end, you're risking, and you can see my teammate also was risking this year much more. Much more to be in front. And not even always leading. So that's telling you that with a private bike is difficult to be always -

Q You mentioned Max. What's it like to be teamed with him?

A It's okay. It's a good guy. It's a really - he's a special guy, but it's how it is. I'm told he's just shorter. He's more serious. I'm more open. It's how it is. We are different people. But we should be like this. If all the riders are the same, it's boring. We should have different stars, you know?

Q But you never collaborated on settings, anything like that?

A We are so different. So it's difficult. But of course, in - I remember in tracks like that, in really speed corner, he is really, really good at that. So maybe I need to check out sometimes at places. As he checked my places when tracks like Misano or Brands Hatch, tracks that are stop and go, that I'm more able to go.

Q So you would look at each other's data.

A Yeah, everybody can look at each other's data. Even Troy Bayliss can look at my data. Even Fabrizio can look at my data. That's how it is. In Ducati all the computers are connected. So it's open.

Q So could you look at Troy Bayliss's data, if you wanted to?

A Ah, not really, but some things, some things, yes, of course. Sprockets and things like this. But I don't know exactly the RPM that we have each other, or the engines we have each other. I can check the sprocket and if I put it on my bike and it's not working, we should think about something's going on.

Q I heard a little rumor I wanted to know if it was true, that at Phillip Island, when you guys went there, the bikes had a little bit less revs than they had had at the beginning of the season?

A Only there? Only there? [Laughing] But anyway, I need to thank Ducati anyway, because the bike would been really competitive, even with a standard bike was really competitive. Compared to 999. So we were able to be always there. Maybe not during the pace distance, but always there. In the Superpole, often, and being in the top, first, second row, often, and so I need to thank Ducati, my team, and everybody. That's a play, that's a game, you know? They have more revs. Why? Because they're official team. That's it. Nothing to say about this.

Q You are Spanish. You went to MotoGP, but it didn't really work out.

A Well, I really work out. No manager. I went myself. I went with a private Ducati. I was top 10. Doing a podium, and always in front of one of the official bikes, and behind the first official bike. So what else can I say? My teammate was ages away from, not because he was not a good rider. He's a really good rider, Neil Hodgson. But the problem is, was a nightmare riding for that team. No money. Different colors every day the bike. The people couldn't even eat. And then the year after, I got a Honda already, we're down there, and they stop the contract nearly when I was closing up. Not interesting. I think they're not real interesting that Superbike people just do good result there.

Just like Nicky. I don't think they're helping Nicky, you know. He's a really good guy. Is putting the motion of the Superbikes with the riding style and everything. And look at that. He's pushing hard. He's going really fast. But then, somebody else come, on the straight, just go.

Q But you're Spanish in a series run by the Spanish.

A Yeah, I'm Spanish, but my career is, was formed in Superbikes. And I gave so much in Superbikes, and I put the name of Superbikes really here in Spain. So that's -

Q So Carmelo never came to you and said, "Let us help you stay in the series," or anything like that?

A No, no, no. No, no. No, no. Opposite. But it's okay. They're really doing a really good job, MotoGP. And Carmelo, in Spain, because he's able to control many sponsors from Spain into the Championship. But I don't think it's a bad thing. It's good that we have really two big championships. And the people that's looking at the motorbikes right now. Because right now in Spain, the most followed sport is motorbikes. So I'm really proud. And Carmelo should be proud about this. Because if you are not competitive, like Formula 1, it's boring. So if some championship like Superbikes is going up, you need to be happy, and push yourself to make better the championship. Not try to attack the championship. I think it's wrong. Because we are part of motorcycles. The motorcycle fan wants to see MotoGP good because it's technology, full technology, the money, the excitement of Valentino Rossi, and those big stars. But they want to see also the Superbike, because is two legs, standard bikes, single tire manufacturer, and another mentality of racing. Both the sports are able to watch for fun.

Q They're complementary to each other.

A Yeah. I don't think they are attacking each other. And I think Carmelo is thinking that we are attacking him.

Q Well, next year - or even this year - the racing was much more exciting in Superbike than it was in MotoGP.

A It already three years been like this. But because I think Carmelo, in case Carmelo - or MotoGP people - or Dorna - in case of thinking, "Let's go to do something different, and put something different, or try to do better championship." No. They try to attack Superbikes, to... break down the level. And at the end, if you're good, you're good. Nobody can stop you. Stoner. Ah, you cries, you cries, "They give you good bike, with tires, winning." When you're able to win, you're able to win. Nobody can stop you.

Q One last thing. We're doing a retrospective on Troy Bayliss, and we'd like to have your thoughts about his retirement, and -

A It's bad. It's really bad.

It's really bad for the championship, for me, for people. But he's - it's time to. It's time to. I respect, because family. It's family. I have family, and of course my wife don't let me ride til 38. Of course. I can tell you right now. So he been really - he's still able to win next year again. But he's done everything. It's bad in one sense for us, because really incredible guy to fight with. But I think he took a good decision. You need to know when and how, and if you retire when you're here [indicating on top], as yourself, you're much more relaxed than when you retire when you're here. Because then you want to come back. Because you're not so happy at home. He can go home and say, "Wow," - with a beer in the hand - "I left the championship winning. When you retire, 'I left the championship doing last,' that's not good. But I'm really pleased with Troy. He's a really incredible guy. And I'm sure next year he will do at least one or two races as a wild card. I'm sure. [Laughing] I'm sure.

So big hug to all the American fans, okay? Hopefully in the next year in Miller Park I can do better results, because with a better bike, more powerful, because the long straight there. With a private bike, was really difficult. But anyway, thanks.