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TheFox · 08-07-2002, 04:15 PM

No, no, I'm talking about "Extreme X". It's a documentary about 45 minutes long, shown only at IMAX theatres.

--Foxy

DucButt · 08-07-2002, 06:21 PM

When Eddie Irvine was with the Ferrari F1 team, his contract forbade him to ride motorcycles during the season. Shame, because I know at one point he had an MV Agusta F4.

torkmonster · 08-07-2002, 06:38 PM

If I was 17 and making the money he is then I would probably do whatever they wanted me to.

TheFox · 08-07-2002, 07:32 PM

If I were him, I would have walked myself over to BMW and saw what they had to offer. Of course, if I was some wicked fast F1 driver, bikes would seem all that intense anymore...

--The Fox

ValkBandit · 08-08-2002, 05:39 AM

as a former motocross racer in the 70s, it's sad for me to see what i consider the continued deterioration of a sport i once loved.

once upon a time, motocross was a cross-country race over natural terrain and obstacles. there were jumps and berms and whoops, but they were pretty much part of country that was already there. hills. drop-aways. good tracks might have creek crossings. man, riding those tracks were a blast. load the truck with premix and gatoraid and head for the hills. your buddies would all be there.

then supercross came along and tracks are purpose-built with the goal of launching riders through space. the higher, the further, the better. worse, jumps are designed such that if you are forced to choose between clearing an intermediary jump, or slowing down. they call it a "triple" or even a "quad." this has led to lots of serious injuries, i'm sure.

now even that isn't enough. the "gravity games," a new form of competition tests riders' ability to risk life and limb with aerobatic stunts that have no bearing or relation to motocross' roots. i won't even watch this competition, because i'm convinced we're on the cusp of a stunt one-upmanship that will soon get someone killed. flipping over backwards? why not twice? why not without hands? and the crowd just eats it up. they want to see big air and big crashes. sort of like the roman gladiator days. morbid fascination run amock. lost in the carnage is any apparent sense of sportsmanship or contest of speed.

younger riders reading this will no doubt think me a relic. that's cool. i've been called a lot worse. but i remember the old days, see, when there were tracks everywhere, where speed and sportsmanship were the games, and where you didn't have to kill yourself to prove your skill.

bottom line: i think the gravity games suck, and when riders start getting paralyzed and killed, they will be shut down. i say: "good rittance." as a society we should have moved beyond the roman gladiator days.

cheyenne · 08-08-2002, 06:30 AM

You don't think that people thought the same about you when you raced?

--Cheyenne

Pacer · 08-08-2002, 08:36 AM

Have you guys ever been to Southern California. Well, there are lots of tracks and lots of bike on those tracks. I agree that There is exposer through Freesyle, but a lot of that market doesn't even ride. I would guess race fans are a better target market than kids on skateboards.

jmeyn · 08-08-2002, 09:11 AM

Were you pro or amateur?

To make money and pay professionals you need to package a sport for the media. That's possible for moto-cross, because permanent venues, outdoor and indoor, with provision for media resources, rider safety control and spectators are relatively inexpensive. Since they're races, comparison of times across months and years of competition is possible.

Gravity games are demonstrations of skill, like diving and figure skating, but much more dangerous. A death or two on live television wil probably kill the sport, so they need to control themselves.

ValkBandit · 08-09-2002, 09:25 AM

me? strictly amateur.

i guess gravity games are similar to figure skating in that they're judged on style. you haven't changed my mind, though, about the legitimacy of this "sport."

kzhart · 08-12-2002, 11:23 AM

It is a sport, but not mainstream to the extent that it will sell motorcycles.

Can you imagine how impaired Travis will be at age 40? Medical technology will not be able to repair/restore the damage.

He should focus, get some solid wins, then retire to market the bikes & sport that he has excelled at. His savy presentation skills will be a draw for any mx-based product or brand...

08-07-2002, 04:15 PM	#11
TheFox Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 730	Re: Travis Pastrana: Suzuki's Marketing Dream Boat No, no, I'm talking about "Extreme X". It's a documentary about 45 minutes long, shown only at IMAX theatres. --Foxy __________________ --The Fox The best bike to take a trip on is the one you have.

08-07-2002, 06:21 PM	#12
DucButt Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 173	Re: Travis Pastrana Out for Remainder of the Season When Eddie Irvine was with the Ferrari F1 team, his contract forbade him to ride motorcycles during the season. Shame, because I know at one point he had an MV Agusta F4.

08-07-2002, 06:38 PM	#13
torkmonster Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 23	Re: Travis Pastrana Out for Remainder of the Season If I was 17 and making the money he is then I would probably do whatever they wanted me to.

08-07-2002, 07:32 PM	#14
TheFox Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 730	Bikes vs. F1 If I were him, I would have walked myself over to BMW and saw what they had to offer. Of course, if I was some wicked fast F1 driver, bikes would seem all that intense anymore... --The Fox __________________ --The Fox The best bike to take a trip on is the one you have.

08-08-2002, 05:39 AM	#15
ValkBandit Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 473	Enter the Roman Gladiators ... as a former motocross racer in the 70s, it's sad for me to see what i consider the continued deterioration of a sport i once loved. once upon a time, motocross was a cross-country race over natural terrain and obstacles. there were jumps and berms and whoops, but they were pretty much part of country that was already there. hills. drop-aways. good tracks might have creek crossings. man, riding those tracks were a blast. load the truck with premix and gatoraid and head for the hills. your buddies would all be there. then supercross came along and tracks are purpose-built with the goal of launching riders through space. the higher, the further, the better. worse, jumps are designed such that if you are forced to choose between clearing an intermediary jump, or slowing down. they call it a "triple" or even a "quad." this has led to lots of serious injuries, i'm sure. now even that isn't enough. the "gravity games," a new form of competition tests riders' ability to risk life and limb with aerobatic stunts that have no bearing or relation to motocross' roots. i won't even watch this competition, because i'm convinced we're on the cusp of a stunt one-upmanship that will soon get someone killed. flipping over backwards? why not twice? why not without hands? and the crowd just eats it up. they want to see big air and big crashes. sort of like the roman gladiator days. morbid fascination run amock. lost in the carnage is any apparent sense of sportsmanship or contest of speed. younger riders reading this will no doubt think me a relic. that's cool. i've been called a lot worse. but i remember the old days, see, when there were tracks everywhere, where speed and sportsmanship were the games, and where you didn't have to kill yourself to prove your skill. bottom line: i think the gravity games suck, and when riders start getting paralyzed and killed, they will be shut down. i say: "good rittance." as a society we should have moved beyond the roman gladiator days.

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08-08-2002, 06:30 AM	#16
cheyenne Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 1	Re: Travis Pastrana Out for Remainder of the Season You don't think that people thought the same about you when you raced? --Cheyenne

08-08-2002, 08:36 AM	#17
Pacer Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 217	Re: Travis Pastrana: Suzuki's Marketing Dream Boat Have you guys ever been to Southern California. Well, there are lots of tracks and lots of bike on those tracks. I agree that There is exposer through Freesyle, but a lot of that market doesn't even ride. I would guess race fans are a better target market than kids on skateboards.

08-08-2002, 09:11 AM	#18
jmeyn Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 780	Money Money Money Were you pro or amateur? To make money and pay professionals you need to package a sport for the media. That's possible for moto-cross, because permanent venues, outdoor and indoor, with provision for media resources, rider safety control and spectators are relatively inexpensive. Since they're races, comparison of times across months and years of competition is possible. Gravity games are demonstrations of skill, like diving and figure skating, but much more dangerous. A death or two on live television wil probably kill the sport, so they need to control themselves.

08-09-2002, 09:25 AM	#19
ValkBandit Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 473	Re: Money Money Money me? strictly amateur. i guess gravity games are similar to figure skating in that they're judged on style. you haven't changed my mind, though, about the legitimacy of this "sport."

08-12-2002, 11:23 AM	#20
kzhart Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1	Re: Money Money Money It is a sport, but not mainstream to the extent that it will sell motorcycles. Can you imagine how impaired Travis will be at age 40? Medical technology will not be able to repair/restore the damage. He should focus, get some solid wins, then retire to market the bikes & sport that he has excelled at. His savy presentation skills will be a draw for any mx-based product or brand...