Posted by I met David Allingham at the Donnington round of British Superbikes 2020.
David, aka D-Bomb, has been riding a 2019 Suzuki GSXRR1000, which is a Michael Dunlop bike, in the 2020 Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship. David really enjoys riding for Michael’s team, he finds it has a relaxed atmosphere about it to work and there is lots of banter and David sees himself riding for Michael Dunlop in 2021 although as yet, there is nothing set in stone yet.
David very kindly took the time to answer some questions for me.
What is the best feeling about being on a motorbike?
If you have a good result when racing then you can’t beat that feeling. When you are riding, you’re on your own, you’ve got speed and adrenaline and when you almost highside the bike but you save it, you get such a buzz, it is probably the best feeling you can have.
What is the one thing people would never know about you just by looking at you?
That I am bad tempered! I can get angry really fast – it’s the red hair, makes me fiery!
What was your most embarrassing moment on a motorbike?
OMG I remember! I was at Donington and I had finished 4th in a race, I was coming through the pit lane behind Tarran Mckenzie and I turned to the side to high five my brother who was on the pit wall. As I turned back round, I realised that Steve Rodgers from McAms Yamaha had come out of his garage into the pit lane in his wheelchair and I needed to take evasive action in order to avoid him. I swerved into the back of Tarran, we both ended up going down but not before I went over my handlebars. I ended up on the pit lane floor with a couple of broken ribs! Not my finest moment.
What is the worst thing your mum caught you doing as a kid?
I have never been into cigarettes but when I was younger, I had just got off the school bus and I was holding a cigarette for my friend when my mum saw me and she clouted me round the ear!
Do you have a lucky thing/ritual before the start of a race?
I lost my little sister when I was young and before a race I always say a little prayer to her.
What was the first motorbike you owned?
I got myself a Mini Moto and took it home but before I got to ride it, my brother took it out for a ride, crashed and wrote the bike off!
What is your favourite stretch of road to ride on (not including a race track)?
I don’t ride on the road, I wouldn’t trust myself if another biker overtook me on the road to not go after the biker and start to race.
My favourite race track though is Oulton Park as it is a circuit that has uphills, downhills and different elevations. A great fun circuit to ride.
If you hadn’t been a racer, what would you have been?
Tennis. I love tennis. Unfortunately no one will play tennis with me any more as I am too competitive.
Would you ride pillion? If so, who with?
I would never ride pillion. If I did though, it would only be with my girlfriend, Megan, no one else.
If you got arrested, what would your friends and family assume you had done?
That I had fallen out with someone and started fighting – probably whilst playing tennis!
BK