Cam Donald recently spoke with our mates at Ride Rage Radio, and with their permission we have transcribed the conversation here. We must also congratulate Cam and Kaz on the arrival of the first child, Lola May Donald.
RRR – The second biggest classic meeting in the country, the Barry Sheene Festival of Speed out at Sydney Motorsport Park and what a great spectacle it was.  One of the stars of the weekend, taking out the premier class for Period Five Unlimited, and also fresh on the back of the recent announcement that he will be riding for Norton at the TT, is of course Cameron Donald. Congratulations on the weekend Cam,  it’s been a pretty big week for you in the last week or so.
Cameron Donald – “Yeah g’day guys, it has been a  pretty hectic, a bit of a whirl wind that’s for sure but, but all involved in exciting things and racing bikes which is what we want.”
RRR – Can I just say Cam after visiting your pit on Saturday afternoon, the bike that you were riding on the weekend is just one of the sexiest things I’ve seen, sitting up there on the stand undressed I was quite besotted.
Cameron Donald – “Yeah it is, it’s amazing, regardless of it being a classic superbike as such, you don’t see many bikes new or old as clean and well prepared as that, it’s immaculate, that is the only word you could describe it.”
RRR – There’s some photos of it on mcnews.com.au I was looking at it today,  the photos of it just going 100 miles an hour standing still looks fantastic Cam.
Cameron Donald – “Yeah they are beautiful those Yoshimura titanium headers, they’re actually off an older Katana, they fit that Suzuki well and just really set it off, without the belly pan on the faring it looks brilliant to actually see a bit of motor and exhaust for a change.”
RRR – Â Now Cam, is this the same bike you actually rode over in New Zealand when Ken McIntosh asked you over last year to do a little bit of testing? I think we saw some articles in some magazines that you had been doing some work for, where you wrote a bit of a story about it, or is it a brand new bike that he has built for this one?
Cameron Donald – “Nah, that was the first, it is a replica of the Bathurst winning bike. It was built a couple of years ago, only sort of got it on the track last year. I went over and had a test on it and I’ve ridden in a couple of events on it in New Zealand, it was brilliant for the boys and Ken and the owners of the bike to come over to Australia, they were really excited about bringing it across the ditch and seeing how it went against some of our faster local bikes and it was it was real special to get a result for them.”
RRR – And it wasn’t a result that you were handed either, Dibbsy was all pumped up, spoke to him on Saturday afternoon and he was all ready for a big weekend and to come out on top, is not only a testament to your riding ability but also to the motorcycles ability as well.
Cameron Donald – “Yeah it was a thrill, I mean dibsy was riding great he served it up to me in the first few heats, I think he thought the way I came back in the end that I might have been holding back, but I assure you I wasn’t I was giving it 100 per cent as always , we made a few changes with the bike gearing and a couple of little suspensions tweaks and come Sunday the last for the last couple of heats and the main event I was able to drop a second a lap which was brilliant, enough space to give us a new lap record and a race win so it was a bit of a dream weekend.”
RRR – A pretty impressive time too, that lap record I think 36.0 you said, that’s not bad for a bike that was essentially designed in the 80’s.
Cameron Donald – “Yeah it is, and I do a bit of classic superbike racing as you know, on a much more highly modified bike, but yeah Ken McIntosh was telling me that engine is built to the same spec that the Arai 500 bike was built in 1982 using the same parts, not big horsepower, not big wide tyres, or any late model no big brakes, but everything right um well set-up it shows how well it can work.”
RRR –  And so the big news during the week to Cam your riding for Norton at the TT ,Norton a classic name the TT the most classic races in the world that’s pretty good combination to have there on your side and the faith they have shown in you that they have put you in charge of their project as well.
Cameron Donald – “Yeah look, very out of left field this one, I was going to sit this year’s TT out, originally. I’ve spoke to a lot of the manufacturers and nothing really floated my boat to be honest, but this is something so different, with Norton and their prototype Superbike. Steve Plater has been testing the bike quite extensively, he’s a good mate, ex TT winner and a teammate of mine in World Endurance, he told me you know it’s really worth having a look at this thing as it’s quite exciting. The way it’s been developed and coming along, being so different and just going back to the TT to focus on just that one machine, I think it will be something very unique for me, really excited to be a part of it.”
RRR – I actually saw it over in the pits in 2012 when I was over there ……. But unfortunately didn’t see it run because the Senior was postponed for 100 years  now because it was a prototype back then cam have they made it sort of discrepancy to let it in or is it being more back to a stock bike now
Cameron Donald – “No, I think it still falls under a prototype, and sort of gets a dispensation to be allowed in the Superbike race because it’s a small volume build, I’m not sure on the exact ins and outs of it, I think it would have a lot to do with it being a British brand as well (laughs), it’s come on quite a way since then, the chassis and the engine, I’m looking forward to throwing my leg over it in the coming weeks.”
RRR – It’s almost a MotoGP bike isn’t it really, is it still running the Aprilia motor?
Cameron Donald – “Yes it is its running an RSV4 motor to a much higher spec’, but yeah everything is adjustable, swingarm pivots to fork offsets, quite exciting with some good brains involved in the thing, it should be something very different that’s for sure.”
RRR – Is it still chrome, or have they painted it?
Cameron Donald – “Yeah it’s a silver chrome finish, I’m not sure what the final livery will be for this year, I think something hinting back to the tradition of Norton, start number will be number 19 which is what Steve Hislop ran in 1992 on the rotary.”
RRR – Now Cam, considering the adjustment available in that chassis is any pre TT testing on the cards for you in the Norton Team.
Cameron Donald – “Yeah absolutely, Steve going to continue testing in the bike at the moment, they have got quite a few more days planned I know there at cab well park recently, they have got more days planned and I’ll head over in may we have got quite a few days testing scheduled and then go straight to the TT we won’t bother with the Northwest and other races prior, we will just spend it at the track and then head straight over to the IOM To get ready for the superbike and the senior.”
RRR – So after just a big week like you have just had the announcement with Norton and also the Barry Sheene Festival, what have you got planned for the next couple of months it will be pretty hard to occupy your time anything like the last week.
Cameron Donald – “Well I’ve got my first child due this week, so I’m tipping things will get busy again I had to get all that racing over with first because myself and Karen my fiancée have our first baby due this week so the last month has been hectic is a understatement.”
RRR – If you think the last few weeks have been hectic mate look out!
Cameron Donald – “Well it’s my first child, well our first child so it’s yeah everyone keeps telling us this but I might as well learn it myself.”
RRR – Well all the best to both you and Kaz Cam and great performance on the weekend it was great to see you out there performing so well and great to see you back at the TT in 2014,can’t wait to catch up with all the results there and hopefully we might get a chance to speak with you before you leave for the biggest event on the motorcycle calendar each year.
Cameron Donald – “Well thanks guys and all the listeners for your support and I look forward to reporting back about how things have progressed with the new Norton.”
 
