Indoor King: David Knight Interview

David Knight has been highly successful during the recent boom of indoor enduro competition. Photo: Jonty Edmunds

Congratulations on winning four championships in 12 months, how does it feel to have had such a successful season?
Knight: "It's been a great year and winning four championships, four very different championships, feels great. Obviously the GNCC title was the one I really wanted to win, that was always my main goal for the year. Winning the Australian Four Day Enduro title was an event that I did during my summer break. It was great to travel to Australia and compete against some new riders and in a new event. I had to work hard to win the two indoor championships. They were both very different, I rode different bikes, but I got the same result, which was great."

You won the AMA Endurocross title before competing in and winning the Indoor Enduro World Cup, did you feel you had to prove anything at the races in Europe?
Knight: "Yes and no. I wanted to win both championships in the same season because I know I probably won't be able to do that again in a while. And it will be hard for another rider to match that. There are always people with short memories; people who think that just because you're not racing in Europe you're not as fast as you used to be. It happened with Juha (Salimien) - people were saying he wouldn't be as fast as he was before he went to the US when in fact he's probably faster now than ever. After Vegas a few people started talking shit about me so it was nice to dominate the first two rounds of the IEWC."

You won in Spain and Munich quite easily, and then finished second in Genoa, were you expecting things to be tougher than it was?
Knight: "It was pretty much how I expected it really. The only event that was really difficult for me was Genoa, and that was because I made it difficult for myself by crashing in my qualifying race. I was really ready for Spain, because it was the first indoor event after Vegas. In Munich I was already thinking about the championship but things went well there as well. In Genoa I didn't need to win to secure the championship but I felt I rode pretty well in the final. Not having to win a race to win a championship isn't a situation I like being in because I always like to give 100 per cent. But in Genoa, like in Vegas, the championship was the biggest prize on offer to me."

David Knight and his Red Bull KTM's have kept fans on their feet across the globe. Photo: Jonty Edmunds

How do the Endurocross and Indoor Enduro World Cup series compare?
Knight: "They are similar in many ways yet also very different. I rode a four-stroke in the States and a two-stroke in Europe, which makes things different as well. I think I preferred the European events because the tracks are a bit bigger and you have to use enduro tyres. The US events are good, I'm not saying they're not, it's just that I think it's a bit too easy using trials tyres. It takes away the need for good throttle control. Some of the tracks are less technical and like I said the courses are smaller. Both series have been good and come on a long way in the past 12 months. Of the races I did in the States I enjoyed the Endurocross series the most."

Did you enjoy one series more than the other?
Knight: "I enjoyed the IEWC more, but I also enjoyed the Endurocross championship. Although they're both indoor enduro series you'd be surprised how different they can be. And I've enjoyed those differences. Because the tracks are more compact in the States the racing is different, it can be a little bit more do or die. Having only one final at each event means riders take more chances."

Now that you've ridden a four-stroke in one championship and a two-stroke in the other can you say which is best?
Knight: "I don't think you can say one is better than the other, there's certainly not a lot in it. The tighter tracks are better suited to two strokes and the more open, flowing parts of the indoor tracks are better suited to four strokes. Of the three IEWC rounds I think a four-stroke would have been better in Spain, a two-stroke better in Munich, and a four-stroke best in Genoa. It all depends on the track. Two strokes are easier to move around and change line but four strokes often drive better out of a corner, which helps when there's an obstacle right after a turn. You also have to consider a riders size. I'm big enough to get the best from a four-stroke, the smaller guys are probably better off on a two-stroke. I think the way a bike is set-up is the most important thing. It seems that a lot of riders in the States have their bikes set-up way too much like a motocross bike. They need to have smooth power and supple suspension."