Performance Bikes — March 2018

88 PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK|MARCH2018

2016 BMW S1000RRALEC TAGUE

PhotographyJason Critchell

Each of Rutter’s bikes has its

own bench, Alec doesn’t

have to take a slash round

the back any more. Win, win

No more pile of receipts

rammed on a spike; Alec has

his own office area now, too

–likeagrown-up

STORY SO FAR

Rutter creams the

Superstock field, the

team expands into

Supersport 300s and

gets a new base.

AS A TEAM,we work really well

together. Michael, myself and Matt and

TimatBathamsareallonthesame

wavelength, and we want the same

thing. It’s just easy... apart from the

logistics. As it stood,theworkshopandbikeswerein

the north west, I live in Derbyshire, while Michael and

Bathams are based in the Black Country. The workshop

itself wasn’t ideal – it was supposed to be a temporary

measure for running one bike. That was 2009: now

we’re up to three bikes, with plans for more, and a little

workshop with basic facilities was becoming restrictive

for a rider of Michael’s standard, and a team achieving

what we are.

That’s all changing now: Matt and Tim have

rearranged some of thespaceattheirbrewery,and

we’ve taken the plunge in creating a proper workshop

and team base that could accommodate eight bikes if

we wanted to. So the Superstock, Superbike and the

Macau special are all on benches with plenty of work

space. We’re getting Teng Tools to provide new

equipment so we have enough to support each bike

independently without the need to pass tools back and

forth. We can have all the boys on their own jobs, and

it’ll be that bit slicker. There’s even office space to get

the admin stuff done (it’s not all bolting on trick shocks

and factory Arrow exhausts), a canteen... and a toilet.

No more pissing behind the unit for me!

So my working life has become much more

comfortable and easier,soIcangivemoreofmy

expertise over to Michael and build better bikes. But

from the team (and Michael’s) point of view, it gives

Set

changes

Rutter and BathamsRacingkickitupanotch

with a newHQ,anewbike...andanewrider

themaproperbaseandstructure:we’reinaposition

wherewecanrunmoreridersonmorebikes–the

stickingpointisalwaysmoney,butifthere’sastrong

riderwithabitofbackinginneedofbikes,we’reina

position to expand and get them on a grid. Michael

won’tberacingforever,althoughhe’sstillstrongand

motivatedsohe’snotabouttoretirejustyet,but

everyoneiscommittedtotheteamcarryingoninthe

long-term.Nowwehavetheinfrastructuretorunmore

bikeswhenthetimeandridercomesalong.

Even silly things, like negotiating with sponsors, is

goingtobemadeeasier–everybodycancometogether

inoneplaceeasily,seethebikes,seetheset-upand

know we’re professionals, not chancing cowboys when

we’reaskingforfinancialorpartshelp.Sponsorship

andmoneyisaslightlydirtysubject,butthefactis