Between the Motos: Michael Sleeter
Wednesday, August 8, 2012 | 3:30 PM
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You might not find a busier industry guy than KTM's Michael Sleeter. He's not only the lead test rider for the brand's consumer bikes, he also runs the Orange Brigade Amateur Program, and, at Loretta's, he raced and ended up winning the National Championship in the Two-Stroke Class! That's a lot going on. He talked to us about it for this week's Between the Motos.
Racer X: Explain your week here. Obviously you won the Two-Stroke title, but I know you have a lot more going on down here than that.
Michael Sleeter: Yeah, three years ago, as my racing R&D time began to wind down, I had the opportunity to move on and take over the KTM amateur program. I took a lot onto my plate, but I want to really accomplish a lot, and really get some winning riders. I feel like we're accomplishing that, but this year KTM also thought it would be good if I raced down here myself. So I've had to move away a bit from the customer support, trackside technical service stuff, and turn into more of a mentor, brand manager, sponsorship guy.
But you still work with your riders?
As much as I can, you know? Try to be more of a mentor, kind of like what Roger DeCoster gave to Dungey--but at a much smaller level! By no means am I saying I can fill Roger's shoes, but I'd like to be able to give our younger kids support and guidance. It's fun and it's challenging, but most of all, the crew that handles all the technical support stuff, they understand what my role is now and we all work very well together.
Sleeter is a jack of all trades for KTM. He tests, runs the amateur program and even races!
Simon Cudby photo
Sleeter finished fourth in the 25+ Class, but took home the Two-Stroke Championship at Loretta Lynn's.
Simon Cudby photo
Racer X: Explain your week here. Obviously you won the Two-Stroke title, but I know you have a lot more going on down here than that.
Michael Sleeter: Yeah, three years ago, as my racing R&D time began to wind down, I had the opportunity to move on and take over the KTM amateur program. I took a lot onto my plate, but I want to really accomplish a lot, and really get some winning riders. I feel like we're accomplishing that, but this year KTM also thought it would be good if I raced down here myself. So I've had to move away a bit from the customer support, trackside technical service stuff, and turn into more of a mentor, brand manager, sponsorship guy.
But you still work with your riders?
As much as I can, you know? Try to be more of a mentor, kind of like what Roger DeCoster gave to Dungey--but at a much smaller level! By no means am I saying I can fill Roger's shoes, but I'd like to be able to give our younger kids support and guidance. It's fun and it's challenging, but most of all, the crew that handles all the technical support stuff, they understand what my role is now and we all work very well together.
Sleeter is a jack of all trades for KTM. He tests, runs the amateur program and even races!
Simon Cudby photo
You've been at KTM for awhile now and it seems like things are changing quickly.
Yeah, this will be my ninth year. I started testing with some of the first PDS bikes, and now we have linkages, 250s, 350s and 450s, fuel injection, and I'm really proud now to be part of our SXS line of mini cycles, these are bikes with special things on them and they really perform well. My number one job at KTM still is to test bikes for the consumer, the big bikes, and develop those. So then I take some of the things I learn from the big bikes and transfer that down to our line of 50, 65 and 85s. I want to be one step ahead, and I feel we are with our new 85SXS. And then you see what is happening in our pro racing, with Roger and Dungey and the success they are having, and I just want to stay within their dust!
How the heck do you develop and test 85s? Are their kids that really know how to do it?
I have two kids, Mitchell and Kiernen, an 11-year-old and a 13-year-old, and we give them stuff, but it's really hard. When they see a box van, and some guys in company shirts, they think you're waving the magic wand over the bike and it will be better every time. But testing is hard, sometimes the changes make things worse, and we need them to be honest with us and tell us if it's going in the wrong direction. We try to take the emotion out of it, for example we'll run old plastic on the new bike. We have to teach them how to do it. The biggest thing is, if you don't like it or you don't notice the change, you're not going to hurt our feelings. We just need them to be honest.
So you're literally testing the bikes people buy?
Yes, that's my whole focus, developing those bikes. I can say that, until Dungey came along and started testing, I probably had more time on that Factory Edition 450 than anyone else in North America. I got my hands on it the day after des Nations last year and did everything I could to get it ready for Ryan.
And you used to test for the race team?
I used to do race testing before Roger came on board. He has a different way of doing things, and I think he has a pretty good idea of how to do it based on his results!
Sleeter finished fourth in the 25+ Class, but took home the Two-Stroke Championship at Loretta Lynn's.
Simon Cudby photo
So, talk about racing here.
Well, the racing hat is gone. I have to focus on my main job, and that's keeping it on two wheels and representing the brand. Yesterday I was in the final moto of the day, 25 Plus, and I got a pretty good start. But I was flat, I was just tired. My fitness is better than it's ever been, but I was working all day doing my job, so I didn't have the right preparation going into that moto. For the two strokes, I had a chance at the title, and everyone was really good to me and let me relax all day, stay cool and hydrated instead of just walking laps around the Ranch for hours and hours. It was cool and I was able to pull out a title for them.
How well did you do in your first go around here?
I was a late bloomer. I started riding here in 1998 as a B rider, I got sixth, then in '99 I got a third, and in 2000 I got a third in the A class. So I was always kind of in the shadows. It played in my favor because it made me want to work harder and harder, but, from A, I went to supercross too soon. I should have stayed amateur for one more year--and that's the type of advice I can bring to the table for our kids. I got hurt two years in a row trying to race supercross on privateer bikes when I wasn't ready.
What's it mean to get a title here?
It means a lot. The track is tough, three long motos in the heat. And I had to race a kid who used to ride for me! Ty (Siminoe) is a great kid, but he had to make a decision to help his career and move onto a different deal. But in the two-stroke class, he was on a white and green KTM, and I just couldn't let a white and green KTM win! It was fun to battle him, and I wish him the best of luck in the future. I hope now that I've gone through all this, qualified and ran three solid motos and was able to win, that there will be more advice from that that I can pass down to our kids.
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Keep in mind that LL is just fun and games. When we all realize that there is truly no glory in racing other than the respect your other riders give you, then it really doesn't matter where you finish (in the long run), what you finish on, or who you race - just the personal drama within that matters. While it feels good to ride, it is just what we do when we are not at work. Winning just means that you sucked the least out there. Losing means that someone else sucked less than you.
Friends are the only real trophies, and memories with your friends are the only real accomplishments you will ever treasure. Chill out, pull out a beer, and oogle the shiny bikes with your buddies - that is the sort of racing I can get into. Maybe fire up an old racing story (maybe changing up the finishing order a bit in your favor) with your friends - priceless.
@ 323mx
Say what?
What a cherry picker!! Because his competition Ricky Carmichael, Robbie Reynard and Casey Clark never raced a pro race in there life.
Get a clue!!
Who won the +25?
Your moaning about Sleeter and RC rode in the junior 25+ class!
Hey 323MX, your parents should have used protection!
Sleeter is an awesome guy and rider..... don't be hating on him for racing. He lives, breathes and eats dirt bikes. It was cool to see him show some of his amateur team riders that he can still get it done.
A lot of varying opinions on the vet classes, should there be a ex pro class...
A friend of mine, who has tried but never qualified for a national, raced the +25 class. He knew going in he would be going up against RC, Reynard, Sleeter and several other retired pros. Did he expect to win, I don't think so, did he enjoy lining up and racing those guys, you bet! He, now and forever will be able to tell of how he lined up and raced the GOAT.
It is easy to get caught up in the "its all about winning attitude" since we are brought up with it in just about every sport. The "old pro's" have lived with that pressure since day one, so now it is nice to see them come back and ride just for fun. This is what RC has been saying ever since he stated he was racing LL.
At first, I thought it unfair to the others, then I remembered there is more to motocross than winning, it is suppose to be fun, that is why I race locally in the vet class. Ricky, Robbie and the others deserve to have the same privilege of racing with a smile on their face, just for the FUN of it!!!
Sleeter is not a top ten pro by any means but if he has a talent for helping young riders with building a foundation for a racing career he might have found his niche. I never cared for him after some of his comments about other riders but where he is at now he could certainly help some of the younger riders.
I have mixed feelings about someone like RC in the 25+ class. Imagine if you were the best true amateur in that class, never made it as a pro, and this may be your last shot at something on the national level. For me, just qualifying for a LL class would be overachieving, so I'd gladly be in the same race as the GOAT, but if I was someone who had a chance to win, not so much so.
The 25+A class at local races I go to is pretty nuts, not all guys just out there for fun. Even 30+A and 40+A have some hardcore dudes in them.
First we must agree on what a pro is...When I think of a pro, it is some one who is actively racing on the national level, whether it be supercross motocross or areanacross, and is good enough to make a living at it. There are many local fast riders who race in the expert or pro class that could not ride at that level.
Sleeter does not make his living racing, is not following a racing circuit, as stated, he is a KTM employee, who happens to be very fast still. When he shows up to race his speed and experience dictates he race in the expert or pro class, if he signed up in any other class he would really hear some complaining..
At an event such as Loretta's, he has no choice but to ride an age division. I say, if it keeps the old guys racing, the spectators lining the fence, more power to them!!
323, all he did was race Hangtown National the last 2 years. Both times on a 2 stroke. Only this year did he even qualify. Stop hating, he is a retired pro that does 1 pro race a year for fun. Then races LL's legally just like a few other retired pros. Whats the real reason for busting his balls? Did he bully u or something? Beat it dude!
You can't really critcise RC,and the rest because they are racing within the rules.Blame the system,it needs updated.Have a post pro class so we can all see those guys ride and they can have fun.more ex-pros would probably come out.The fact is though that those guys are taking alot of spots which makes it almost like an amatuer of the same age trying to qualify for a national in their time. (if that makes any sense) I for one would love to have the LL experience but feel I can't make it past the regional when half the line is ex-pros.Without them I have at least a glimmer of hope.And yes it would be cool to line up with these guys,I have lined up next to Billy Liles at Muddy Creek.He had a 450 and I had a nitruos powered 250f (seriously,I only used it on the start) Me and him went into the first turn side by side in the lead and then I never saw him again,he was gone.So come on MX sports add the class,end the controversy and give a few more guys a fighting chance to qualify.I know I'll try again. And again don't blame the riders for playing within the current rules.
Just make the class for riders who have held an AMA or FIM pro license,Maybe even say they had to score pro points.No problem with the local A riders in the age classes.
You could not even make them qualify.That might get the gate full.
it sucks that one ding a ling like 323 can totally ruin the reply board with their nonsense! last time i checked the pros werent racing in socal all year! that is the expert class bozo! and just because you are fast enough to hang with the pros and try to qualify shouldn't penalize you to go to LL!
Sleeter is a good dude. I met him a couple of years ago at KTM USA and he gave me a lot of good advice to pass on to KTM Europe. Great to see him winning, especially on a 2 stroke!
I agree with the "ex pro" class. Not making them qualify, might be a good idea too. If they are racing LL's for a "fun" experience, I think it would be a lot of fun for them to race against the guys that you used to race against when it was their job.
For the guy above mentioning racing against Billy Liles - Back when I was riding the 40 plus class, probably just a couple of years into the
40 plus class, I lined up with Mark Barnett at Paradise in Macon. This was years after he retired. He was GONE! Once you're at a level like him or Ricky, you just don't forget it. Almost like it's part of their dna. I never have understood why pros can be in the olympics either.
I vote for the ex-pro class.
I also vote for a full 50+ gate.
I'll stop now.
Sleeter is sort of the used car salesman type of guy. You are not sure exactly where he is coming from. Is he trying to give you help, or is he trying to help himself. Never quite sure of his angle! He really does have speed, hauls the mail.
What 323 is talking about is local Pro classes. No different than racing the Open Pro sport class at LL's.
Anyone who has held a national number is not an amateur! Let alone the GOAT