Features 11 May 2010

Moto Talk with Brodie Waters

Meet Brodie Waters, one of the brightest young prospects in Australian Supersport competition in 2010.

Brodie Waters leads rivals Troy Herfoss and Christan Casella at the Darwin ASBK round. Image: Keith Muir.

Brodie Waters leads rivals Troy Herfoss and Christan Casella at the Darwin ASBK round. Image: Keith Muir.

Racing families are a common feature in motorcycle racing, with the latest in Australian Superbike Championship competition being the Waters family – Josh, Brodie and Nicholas.

While much of the spotlight has been on eldest brother and current ASBK champion Josh, Hidden Valley’s second round of the 2010 series saw a new Waters rise to the top as 17-year-old Brodie captured his first Supersport race victory last month.

Brodie has been a revelation this season, finishing in third on debut with his Sunstate-backed Waters Racing Suzuki GSX-R at Phillip Island’s season opener, before backing that result up with second overall in Darwin.

“I was quite lucky this year to get support from Sunstate Racing with the Suzuki, which has helped out a lot,” Waters explained.

“I actually didn’t expect to win any races this year, I was hoping for the podium, but I didn’t think that I’d be able to get a win – especially so early in the season.”

Now that he has the monkey off his back, Waters is now looking to win his first round overall, also featuring as a top championship contender alongside Team Suzuki factory rider Troy Herfoss.

“That first win always helps with your confidence, now I know that I can battle with Troy for the lead and I know the pace that he’s got now,” he said.

Waters is a qualified mechanic by trade, receiving parts and equipment from Sunstate, having his engine and suspension work done by Suzuki guru Phil Taintion, and then building and maintaining his race bikes himself in his hometown of Midura, Victoria.

“I spoke to Rod Lamb and he offered me the bikes and parts, plus Phil Tainton has given me so much help as well – it’s awesome that you can get what his factory team has got when you ride a Suzuki,” Waters acknowledged.

Waters has five Australian Dirt Track Championships to his credit, as well as a 250GP-Mono title on the black top that he claimed with the Motologic team in 2008, however he was in the ASBK paddock from a much earlier age working as a mechanic in various teams.

“I started working with Josh on the 125GP bike, then I moved with him to the Kawasaki team,” he explained. “After that in 2007 I worked for Honda with Bryan Staring, and then rode for them in 2008.”

After learning the ropes on the spanners, Waters says he uses it to his advantage these days now that it’s him on track racing for victories.

“Being a mechanic has helped me, listening to riders over the years and learning about feedback has definitely helped me in my own racing,” he said. “I feel like it’s given me a better understanding of how to set up a bike now that I’m racing myself.”

After picking up that first win at Hidden Valley, the future is bright for the middle Waters brother, getting his first taste of success in Supersport and looking for more in the future.

“I always wanted to be a road racer when I was young, but I wasn’t old enough at the time and I never really realised why the boys got so excited when they won races,” he reflected.

“But now I finally know what it feels like to win in Supersport myself!”

And judging by his form so far this season, Brodie better get used to that feeling of crossing the line first on a regular basis.

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