The 1992 Factory Aprilia of Tommi Ahvala
I rode real good at the Canadian World Trial and won that by 20 or 25 points so I had a pretty good lead with a 5 or 7 point lead going to the last race. I think Jordi had to win there and I had to come 4th or 5th, which was very doable at the last race so it gave us a lead. But of course you have to be able to ride the last race as well and actually I think I was pretty nervous there and at the half way point of the first lap in that last race I was still losing the Championship, I was 5th of 6th.
I then got my stuff together and started to ride better and better. Surprisingly most riders cheered for me, Diego and everybody else. I guess they wanted to see a new World Champion. They didn’t have anything against Jordi but they were happy if I could win. I could feel the positive energy from the other riders and I started riding to my normal standards and I knew when I ride at my normal standard I could win. Amos won, we were tied but he beat me by one point, so I was 2nd.
So you had won the World Championship. You must have been elated?
It’s one of those things, like I was telling you yesterday, you have worked so hard and it was like well that’s how it was supposed to happen and now I was just thinking about next year and the indoors and everything else so it’s like we have accomplished that …what’s next. It was a really big deal for my parents and for my father, it was a really big deal for him, way bigger than for me and for the team as well. I was happy but unfortunately I didn’t know how to celebrate or take full joy out of the situation. Looking back it was kind of a pity as it’s something you only achieve, or very few people can achieve so if you don’t know how to celebrate and have fun with it, it just goes away. It was just one of those things. When you are in the middle of it it’s just what you expect and you’re getting on with life. I just remember what a chaotic situation it was. When I got back home the phone kept ringing all of the time.
It’s one of those things, like I was telling you yesterday, you have worked so hard and it was like well that’s how it was supposed to happen and now I was just thinking about next year and the indoors and everything else so it’s like we have accomplished that …what’s next. It was a really big deal for my parents and for my father, it was a really big deal for him, way bigger than for me and for the team as well. I was happy but unfortunately I didn’t know how to celebrate or take full joy out of the situation. Looking back it was kind of a pity as it’s something you only achieve, or very few people can achieve so if you don’t know how to celebrate and have fun with it, it just goes away. It was just one of those things. When you are in the middle of it it’s just what you expect and you’re getting on with life. I just remember what a chaotic situation it was. When I got back home the phone kept ringing all of the time.
I didn’t touch my bike for 2 or 3 weeks as I was running around and doing interviews and everything else. So it changed my whole world. After 2 weeks I shut my phone off and went to our summer cottage for a couple of days. It was way too much, I couldn’t handle that and I needed to get away from it. I needed to cool down. It brought a lot of attention in Finland and everywhere else of course as well. That’s when I realised how big of a deal it is to be a World Champion. It affects actually your life. If you are no 2 you are nobody but if you win you get a lot of world recognition for that.
Tell me about the 1992 Aprilia of yours?
It was very special. They look about the same as production but there is nothing in common. The frame was half as think so was a lot lighter. The whole transmission, exhaust, suspension, was all made from titanium. The frame geometry was surprisingly from the older bike that 92. I don’t remember 89 or 90 model. I always used the same frame geometry so I actually ride the older bike than what it looked like but everything was just tricked out, it was really light with a lot of power and different ignition.
It was very special. They look about the same as production but there is nothing in common. The frame was half as think so was a lot lighter. The whole transmission, exhaust, suspension, was all made from titanium. The frame geometry was surprisingly from the older bike that 92. I don’t remember 89 or 90 model. I always used the same frame geometry so I actually ride the older bike than what it looked like but everything was just tricked out, it was really light with a lot of power and different ignition.