CycleOnline.com.au catches up with Yamaha Racing with Yamalube FX-600 star Cru Halliday and quizzes him with five questions ‘why’ in this new feature segment.

Cru Halliday in action aboard the YZF-R6 at Winton Motor Raceway. Image: Brian Dyer.

Why did you make the move from the YZF-R1 to the YZF-R6?

I’ve been on the R1 for three years now and my riding style was just kind of stuck to the 1000cc bike, I wanted to switch my style up a bit and add something new into the mix. I went back to a 600 just so I can get that aggression and the corner speed back, and I hope to be able to work on that and carry it back when I go into Superbikes again.

Why do you prefer to ride the 1000?

At the start of the year it was pretty cool being on the 600 but I am pretty tall, about six-foot, which is pretty tall for the bike. I love it but prefer the power of the 1000, I find if I get myself in corners I can get myself unstuck a little easier on the 1000.

Why is it good to be sharing the same stable with riders the likes of Kev Curtain and Broc Parkes?

When we’re together I’m always asking them about the bike, their experience compared to mine, their knowledge, is amazing. I just take as much in as I can, it helps so much. Broc’s only just come out of the top level of Supersport so anything I can learn from him is a benefit. It’s good that they can share things so openly and want to help me learn as well.

Why did you turn to road racing after a background in dirt bikes and Supermoto?

I was mucking around with Alex Gobert on mini bikes, little 50 motards, then I went to Supermoto. I always had that knee-down style, I don’t know where I got it from, I guess I just copied Alex and that just progressed into road bikes. Alex kept nagging my dad to get me a road bike, I got on one in 2009 and just loved it. I’ve stuck with it ever since.

Why do you think Australia continues to produce such top road race talent as compared to the rest of the world?

Dirt bikes have helped me a lot, things like technique and throttle control can be learned and built upon at a young age. You see a lot of little dirt trackers coming up and they can just hang it out in wet and dry conditions. There’s lots of opportunities to go racing and develop those skills at a young age which can be transferred to road bikes. You can jump straight onto a road bike but when you have those kind of fundamentals then you find yourself with a more natural control. I think that plays a big part.