Rich Preston of Pro-Carbon Racing works alongside his brother Nick in a business that deals with many of the leading British and World teams. It isn’t all about business as the two brothers often turn up at a Grand Prix in their motorhome, set up and enjoy the Grand Prix experience, while also dealing with sponsored teams.

An industry leading manufacturer of high-performance motocross protection, and their carbon fibre motocross parts cater to all off-road bikes. Pro Carbon Racing work with the best teams and riders in the World and are always working hard to make sure their products are the best in the paddock.

We caught up with Rich and asked him about the business and what it takes to be involved in the industry in our fantastic sport.

MXlarge: How did you get into motocross?

Preston: We started as kids, would have been when our mother’s uncle came over from Australia and got us into bikes.

MXlarge: I remember as a kid riding you could just jump on your bike and head into the forest or hills. Was that the same in England?

Preston: Yes, there was a lot more waste land back in those days. We also got into racing pretty quickly.

MXlarge: I wasn’t very brave and remember having one club race, holeshot my first race, crapped my pants and went straight back the pits, never to return to club racing. How did you guys do?

Preston: I can’t really remember how it was for me, but I was six years old when I started to race and I don’t think I was ever competitive, I just went for a ride really. Still knew I had to finish first, but I wasn’t over competitive.

MXlarge: What attracted you to motocross?

Preston: I don’t really know. That is a good question. It’s a feeling that it gives you that is very hard to explain.

MXlarge: I haven’t raced in years and just ride around on my scooter now and I did have minibikes for the kids and remember jumping on one of their bikes and that feeling of freedom in the forest was just brilliant. It reminded me how much fun it was.

Preston: It is always a thrill isn’t it, a bike, or a car, or an aeroplane when it is taking off, always that rush.

MXlarge: Did you go to watch races or just ride yourselves?

Preston: No, we just rode, more riders than watchers. I had been to see some big meetings, but we were more into riding.

MXlarge: So, you decide to start your business, how did that happen?

Preston: I was doing Supermoto at the time and had a road bike and I started to make parts for my own bike. Eventually my friends also wanted parts, and his mates want some and we sat down and thought I wonder if we can make pocket money for this and eventually it worked out more than pocket money.

MXlarge: And what was your job before you started the business?

Preston: I was a molder. Big engineering stuff.

MXlarge: So that transition, from working for somebody to working for yourself. I know owning MXlarge, I don’t think there is anything better than working for yourself. How did that transition go for you?

Preston: It isn’t working is it. Every day is a pleasure.

MXlarge: I imagine you line of work and how you have built your company you guys are perfectionists?

Preston: We absolutely are. We don’t make many rejects because we are very good at what we do, but many times parts do not make it out of the door because of the smallest thing. This really does matter to us. Anyone can produce poor quality, that’s easy.

MXlarge: How do you build a business like what you have. Is it advertising, word of mouth?

Preston: Advertising, attending all the local meetings, British championship meetings and GP’s, everywhere, every weekend. We would attend with a trade stand and our bikes dressed up as display bikes. We weren’t riding as much, because we were too busy making stuff.

MXlarge: So, once you got involved in going to the races, how quickly did you then start dealing with teams with your product?

Preston: In no time at all. CAS Honda were using the parts within a year of my going full time. About the time of 2003.

MXLarge: So, working with CAS a World championship team, was it important to get the parts to these teams, they find out how good they are and then the word will get around, so advertising via the teams so to speak?

Preston: Yes, that is right. I don’t know if CAS was the first team to sure the parts, also RWJ Honda, Molson Kawasaki, Pioneer Yamaha with Roy Emberson and also Yamaha UK with Dixon.

MXlarge: So, a lot of those teams were already GP teams, when did you start going to the Grand Prix’s on a regular basis?

Preston: What happened, with trading at British championship meetings and then we did the Motocross des Nations at Lierop. We had a good time and thought let’s go some Grand Prix’s. We did some of the local GPs with our trade stand. We would set up and not really see any racing. There were a lot more people, but we were not known back then. It was almost like starting again. We stopped doing that in around 2008 to concentrate more on manufacturing, but we realized that we started losing contact with the teams as new teams would come in. We didn’t have as much stuff on as many bikes. So, we started going again and meeting people. We preferred people found us, but with the European teams it is a bit more difficult unless you talk face to face with them.

MXLarge: Do you know how many teams you deal with?

Preston: Hard to put a number on, because we support a lot of teams, but we also deal with local teams and then you have also the women’s motocross. We get a lot of sponsor requests, but a lot of those are actually from our customers.

MXLarge: You have to be selective.

Preston: There are very few teams get it via sponsorship and this is normally on a discount basis, but we still try and support teams and riders. A good local rider might get a percentage off, but with these products we are aiming at the top riders anyway.

MXLarge: The enjoyment side of it, because we all want to go to motocross because it is fun and we can enjoy it, even if we are working in the industry. What has been for you the stand-out race you attended?

Preston: I think Germany is always a good one for me, the atmosphere and the track is right in front of you. Of course, Matterley Basin in 2006, that was very good. The place was rammed, we didn’t get to see much racing as it was so busy at our trade counter all weekend. Good fun though.

MXLarge: And what does the future bring Rich? Much in the pipeline?

Preston: Oh yes. We’re continuing to service our existing customer base and increase our international business, but we also have some very exciting projects that we are currently working on. Watch this space, some product launches coming soon.