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A. I lived in papa's home, I think, three years ago. I was married, but I stayed with my mama and papa two years after I was married, because at that time I had no money. All the money that I made working went into my motorcycle. I had no money, maybe four years ago. No money for food or anything like that, everything went for motocross. My mama and papa helped out with food and I didn't have to pay for a house or anything.
Q. So your papa must like motocross?
A. The first time I started motocross he didn't like it. He is a sportsman, a one-time fifth place Finnish championship skier. But I started motocross and he didn't like it.
Q. So your papa must like motocross?
A. The first time I started motocross he didn't like it. He is a sportsman, a one-time fifth place Finnish championship skier. But I started motocross and he didn't like it.
Mikkola attributes much of his success to physical conditioning.
Q. How old were you then?
A. That was in '64.
Q. Ten years ago-so you were 19 years old?
A. I was 19, yes. But later, next year I was a Junior and was winning every race. At that time he was watching and liking motocross more. And the next year I had to go in the Army and I was broke. He bought my motor-cycle for me, and after that he was helping me quite a bit, because after that, maybe five years later, I paid for everything myself.
Q. How long were you in the Army?
A. Ten months. I was a mechanic for Panzers.
Q. Is it expensive to start motocross in Finland?
A. Motorcycles are very expensive in Finland. About as much as you make by working one year. Maybe seven or eight years ago a bike cost 5000 Finnish marks. Now it costs about 7000 or 8000 Finnish marks, but everybody is making three times as much money as they did seven or eight years ago.
Q. How long were you a Junior? How many years?
A. One year. I think that was 1964, the next year I was Senior. That year I broke my wrist, so I only raced in five or six races.
Q. You were a Senior, but not professional?
A. No, not a professional that year. My first professional year was 1971.
Q. When you were a Senior did a Husqvarna dealer in Finland give you some help, a sponsorship?
A. No, not at that time. Not seven years ago. But now they're helping a lot. Husqvarna dealers, Yamaha dealers, and CZ dealers are helping a lot now.
Q. After the army you were working as a truck mechanic and racing at the same time?
A. Yes.
Q. That's difficult, isn't it?
A. Yes, but at that time motocross was fun. Now it's too much of a business.
Q. What made you decide to go into professional motocross?
A. Why did I go? That's because in 1970 I had a good season, fourth place in World Championship and after that Husqvarna wanted to help me. And at that time I thought that it was time to go professional.
Q. So you quit your job?
A. Yes, no more job, only motocross, because that motocross season lasted nine months, 10 months, and after that maybe three months off. Better to rest a little then do a little training.
Q. When you first became a pro-fessional did you make more money in motocross than by working?
A. Yes, but the work was harder, and I had to go outside Finland. Too much traveling.
Q. You don't like travelling?
A. No, not very much. Normally if I want to travel I stay here and go by car to Germany during the week. But I like Finland now.
Q. Is the travelling better now that you can go by airplane?
A. Yes it's better. I don't like travelling by car very much. Flying is a little bit more expensive, but not too expensive.
Q. You must have been racing in Grand Prix before you became a Husqvarna factory rider.
A. Yes, I drove a lot during '68 and '69, but not every Grand Prix. Maybe two or three in Finland, Sweden and one in Poland. But in '68 I was second in Sweden. Normally I was first, but the crazy factory.....it was Torsten Hallman, you know. During the first heat I was sixth and in the second heat I was winning. And Torsten Hallman was first in heat five, and in the second heat he was maybe fourth, something like that. But two Husqvarna drivers were in front of Hallman and they stopped, those Swedish boys, and Torsten Hallman won, but normally I win. The factory likes Torsten, but that's normal because he's been world champion.
Q. Have you always raced on Husqvarna?
A. Yes, 10 years now. It's the best bike that I know of.
Q. Where did you ride your first Grand Prix, in Finland?
A. Finland, yes, I think it was '67.
Q. How did you feel about it? Did you feel that it was a very special race?
A. Yes, when I started and I was first. And after two laps I was 200 meters in front of everyone. On the third lap I was so tired, and on the fourth lap Hallman passed me and everybody. I got maybe ninth, maybe tenth place. At the second
A. No, not at that time. Not seven years ago. But now they're helping a lot. Husqvarna dealers, Yamaha dealers, and CZ dealers are helping a lot now.
Q. After the army you were working as a truck mechanic and racing at the same time?
A. Yes.
Q. That's difficult, isn't it?
A. Yes, but at that time motocross was fun. Now it's too much of a business.
Q. What made you decide to go into professional motocross?
A. Why did I go? That's because in 1970 I had a good season, fourth place in World Championship and after that Husqvarna wanted to help me. And at that time I thought that it was time to go professional.
Q. So you quit your job?
A. Yes, no more job, only motocross, because that motocross season lasted nine months, 10 months, and after that maybe three months off. Better to rest a little then do a little training.
Q. When you first became a pro-fessional did you make more money in motocross than by working?
A. Yes, but the work was harder, and I had to go outside Finland. Too much traveling.
Q. You don't like travelling?
A. No, not very much. Normally if I want to travel I stay here and go by car to Germany during the week. But I like Finland now.
Q. Is the travelling better now that you can go by airplane?
A. Yes it's better. I don't like travelling by car very much. Flying is a little bit more expensive, but not too expensive.
Q. You must have been racing in Grand Prix before you became a Husqvarna factory rider.
A. Yes, I drove a lot during '68 and '69, but not every Grand Prix. Maybe two or three in Finland, Sweden and one in Poland. But in '68 I was second in Sweden. Normally I was first, but the crazy factory.....it was Torsten Hallman, you know. During the first heat I was sixth and in the second heat I was winning. And Torsten Hallman was first in heat five, and in the second heat he was maybe fourth, something like that. But two Husqvarna drivers were in front of Hallman and they stopped, those Swedish boys, and Torsten Hallman won, but normally I win. The factory likes Torsten, but that's normal because he's been world champion.
Q. Have you always raced on Husqvarna?
A. Yes, 10 years now. It's the best bike that I know of.
Q. Where did you ride your first Grand Prix, in Finland?
A. Finland, yes, I think it was '67.
Q. How did you feel about it? Did you feel that it was a very special race?
A. Yes, when I started and I was first. And after two laps I was 200 meters in front of everyone. On the third lap I was so tired, and on the fourth lap Hallman passed me and everybody. I got maybe ninth, maybe tenth place. At the second
heat start, I was first again, but that same lap after the half lap somebody passed me, and after half the race it rained and my electrics quit.
Q. Last year you rode in the 250 class.
Do you like the 250 class or the 500? A. Oh, it's just about the same. Not too much difference. Maybe it's better for me in the 500 class, because I like power, a lot of power. In December I didn't want to ride the 500 class, but I didn't know Husqvarna could make such a good 500 bike.
Q. When you started racing in 1968, was motocross a big sport in Finland?
A. No, not very big.
Q. Did you have a very good machine?
A. Yes.
Q. A new Husqvarna?
A. No, not new, one year old.
Q. That's not too bad.
A. That's good. I raced maybe 16 races. Twelve times winning, one time second and three times I broke......when I was a Junior.
Q. Did you do all the mechanical work yourself?
A. Yes. Just before I was a fulltime factory driver I did it myself.
Q. What was the first year you were a factory rider?
A. In 1971. But in '69 and '70 the factory helped. During that period only, I paid 50 percent for a motorcycle and parts.
Q. And you were fourth in 1970? To be fourth you must have travelled to all the Grand Prix.
A. Yes, I travelled all over. I have a Mercedes with a trailer caravan. I drove all day at 50 kilometers, and every morning I had a problem with the engine. It never wanted to start. Every day I was a car mechanic.
Q. But you were fourth. That's very good. Let's see, Bengt Aberg won in '70, didn't he?
A. Yes, but I was riding the 250. It was Joël, and Geboers was second. I think Roger DeCoster was third, and normally there was one point difference between Roger and me, but one race in Austria I won these two heats. In the second heat Joël took second and DeCoster third and Joël broke. Joël helped place DeCoster third. Normally I would have been stuck with it.
Q. It's difficult when you are by yourself isn't it?
A. Yes, but that was a good year. In the four last Grand Prix I won three, with just two stock bikes, but I got a good start many times.
Q. And so the next year, in 1971, the factory gave you a lot of help and a mechanic?
A. Help yes, but no mechanic.....aw, in 1971 that was a little bit of a crazy time.
Q. Was there trouble with the machine or trouble with the factory system?
A. The system wasn't very good.
Q. Problems with the factory?
A. Yes, big problems. I don't like to speak of that time.
Q. Last year you rode in the 250 class.
Do you like the 250 class or the 500? A. Oh, it's just about the same. Not too much difference. Maybe it's better for me in the 500 class, because I like power, a lot of power. In December I didn't want to ride the 500 class, but I didn't know Husqvarna could make such a good 500 bike.
Q. When you started racing in 1968, was motocross a big sport in Finland?
A. No, not very big.
Q. Did you have a very good machine?
A. Yes.
Q. A new Husqvarna?
A. No, not new, one year old.
Q. That's not too bad.
A. That's good. I raced maybe 16 races. Twelve times winning, one time second and three times I broke......when I was a Junior.
Q. Did you do all the mechanical work yourself?
A. Yes. Just before I was a fulltime factory driver I did it myself.
Q. What was the first year you were a factory rider?
A. In 1971. But in '69 and '70 the factory helped. During that period only, I paid 50 percent for a motorcycle and parts.
Q. And you were fourth in 1970? To be fourth you must have travelled to all the Grand Prix.
A. Yes, I travelled all over. I have a Mercedes with a trailer caravan. I drove all day at 50 kilometers, and every morning I had a problem with the engine. It never wanted to start. Every day I was a car mechanic.
Q. But you were fourth. That's very good. Let's see, Bengt Aberg won in '70, didn't he?
A. Yes, but I was riding the 250. It was Joël, and Geboers was second. I think Roger DeCoster was third, and normally there was one point difference between Roger and me, but one race in Austria I won these two heats. In the second heat Joël took second and DeCoster third and Joël broke. Joël helped place DeCoster third. Normally I would have been stuck with it.
Q. It's difficult when you are by yourself isn't it?
A. Yes, but that was a good year. In the four last Grand Prix I won three, with just two stock bikes, but I got a good start many times.
Q. And so the next year, in 1971, the factory gave you a lot of help and a mechanic?
A. Help yes, but no mechanic.....aw, in 1971 that was a little bit of a crazy time.
Q. Was there trouble with the machine or trouble with the factory system?
A. The system wasn't very good.
Q. Problems with the factory?
A. Yes, big problems. I don't like to speak of that time.