R450: How did you get started with the bikes?
Paul: I actually got started with a friend. I just started helping him out, and we toured the nation. I got picked up from other riders. I worked for some other bike riders during that time.

R450: What do you have to do different to setup the quads for a nasty mud track like this?
Paul: You have to put some mud protection on the plastic to make it so that it doesn’t get as muddy. Also, try to protect the motor and radiator as much as possible. Different tires help too, but in slop like this it is almost not even worth racing.

R450: What did you think of the track at Glen Helen?
Paul: I like Glen Helen. Glen Helen is a great track, and I definitely think that we should go there every year. I like that the lap times are very long. It is a hard track and very technical.

R450: Do you have different setups for sand and dirt tracks?
Paul: Every track has a different setup. Suspension, tires, and gearing are definitely factors that need to be changed at the different tracks.

R450: How do you like working for Suzuki?
Paul: I love working for Suzuki. They are a great company. All of the guys are great to work for and with. Yoshimura/Suzuki is great without a doubt.

R450: How much of a help do you think that it is for Doug and Jeremiah to be able to relax and let you guys take care of the bikes?
Paul: It is a great help to have a team and work as a team. The riders don’t have to worry about the bikes. Having trust in your mechanics and supervisors is a huge factor without a doubt. I try to make it as easy as possible for Digger not to worry about anything.

R450: We know that the 450 is coming out this year, but you guys are going to hold off on running it until next year, do you already have plans for what you are going to do with it?
Paul: We know that it is coming out, but we haven’t got to see it yet. We don’t even know when it is coming out for sure. We haven’t gotten to do anything with it, because they are still building it.

R450: How much involvement have you guys had with the process of putting together the new 450?
Paul: We give them our input on what we think should be done. We give them all of the information that we can. They have actually taken a bike and checked it out really good. They did their homework.

R450: Do you like that they made some of the parts on the Z400 interchangeable with Honda parts?
Paul: I think that was a great idea. It was a smart idea because parts are more accessible from the start. You don’t have to wait for parts for a new bike to come out because many of them are already out there. Doing it that way is very smart, because it helps the industry more in that they don’t have to spend so much on aftermarket products.

R450: What is your impression of the Z400?
Paul: I’m not lying when I say that I think it is a great quad. I’ve worked on 250R’s and the new Honda 450 and the Yamaha’s. I have to say that the Suzuki is very easy to work on for the public and amateur riders. It is all down to earth mathematics and it is very easy to work on, better than everything else out there.

R450: Do you think that the stance of the quad is a positive thing?
Paul: Definitely a positive. I think that the way the Suzuki is setup is the way to go without a doubt. We feel that the setup that we have is the best. You can always adjust your setup with A-arms and swing arm, but the mathematics are great on the Suzuki.

Well Paul, thanks for taking the time to talk to us and we hope that you guys have fun playing in the mud out there. Good luck.