The Empire Kawasaki line-up for the 2021 assault on the Australian ProMX series has been finalised with the confirmation of the MX2 Rider, 2019, 2020 All Japan National Motocross Champion,Haruki Yokoyama.
Haruki Yokoyama will compete in the MX2 class onboard the factory-prepared KX250. Yokoyama will travel to Australia and quarantine to be ready for launching his Australian title campaign in round 2 (or round 3 if travel and quarantine causes any delays).
Haruki Yokoyama is not traveling alone. His KX250 will be superbly prepared by his technician (and wife) Haruka Yokoyama. The Empire Kawasaki team is shaking up the ProMX pit area with an international rider, a female technician, a strong Western Australian rider (Jayden Rykers) and one of the youngest owner /managers in the business, Tyson Cherry.
Let’s get to know Haruki Yokoyama, before he hits the start line in Canberra, with some quick questions:
How old are you?
I am 22 years old.
When did you start riding and racing?
I started riding when I was 3 years old and started racing at 5 years old.
This is lot of years of experience. What is your greatest achievement in your racing career?
The 2019 and 2020 MX2 championships in All Japan National Motocross.
You have had the opportunity to ride in many places. Do you have a favourite place to ride?
My favourite place to ride is Freestone, Texas in the USA. The track has good dirt and when riding it makes really nice ruts.
The KX250 is a strong motorcycle. What do you love about your bike?
The KX250 has good top-end power and it fits my riding style well. I also like the slim chassis that makes it easy to hold on to the bike.
The Australian ProMX racing season travel to a lot of different tracks and areas. What are you most looking forward to when competing in the ProMX?
I am excited to be racing with the fast guys in Australia and I am looking forward to riding the MX tracks. I have heard there are a lot of good tracks in Australia.
The track and the competition in Australia are both very challenging. What are you aiming to achieve in the ProMX series?
My goal for this year is to get used to the Australian racing style and stay healthy. At the same time, I want to win some races. I will need to take it step-by-step, but I am always aiming for the podium.