This is very true, it was a motorcycling event in Scotland in early may. He was exactly as you described.Apparently he doesn't really like speaking to the public much, according to his book. He even goes events now where people wont expect him. And does cycling races in places people wont go (in the highlands etc) so that he doesn't get hounded. He doesn't do the TT since he got a bit famous because people seem to expect him to sign autographs and he isn't there for that, so he says.