Ask Ping!
Friday, January 21, 2011 | 9:10 AM
ODI dates back to the 1980’s as the leader in grip manufacturing. Focusing primarily on the bmx and mountain bike industries through the 90’s and early 2000’s, ODI re-entered the motocross scene when they developed the patented lock-on grip system that eliminates wire and glue. Continuing to advance the way riders hold on to their bikes, ODI has worked closely with the teams they support such as Troy Lee Designs to create the product that is now being used by some of the top teams in the industry.
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Hey there Mr. Ping,
I am quite sure that Ryan Clark is a real nice guy and a very competent rider, but I cannot ever remember a single rider causing so much chaos (with Windham, Dungey, Tedesco and almost Villopoto) as Ryan did at Phoenix. I hate it when a lapped rider becomes a determining factor in the outcome of a race. Maybe the AMA should have a special seminar before each race on how to be a better (and therefore safer) lapper. Any thoughts? Also, do you think the KTM 350 is adversely affecting Andrew Short's results? What is KTM's thinking on this? If less is more, why not just race a 250 or a 200 or a 125 or an 80, etc.?
Bob
Colorado
PS. Do you ever gett sicke of all the mispelled wurds in the quesstions you git? I atcually fine then entertaning
Ryan Clark's gear for next weekend.
Dear Bob,
I understand lappers getting in the way (inadvertently) if they are racing for position. Sometimes the leaders lap well into the field and a guy racing hard for sixth or seventh can be getting lapped and not even realize it. Would you think it was the leader behind you if your pit board said you were in seventh? Probably not. Ryan is indeed a nice guy and a great rider but it really seemed like he forgot to flip the “on” switch in his brain before the gate dropped last Saturday. He couldn’t have done more damage in that main event if he were standing in the middle of the track swinging a battleaxe at riders as they went by. My guess is that he was trying to be amazing in front of his hometown crowd and things backfired on him. Big time.
I think KTM will get the 350 sorted out. Short said they are working on moving the power around and getting it to a more useable place. His results have been getting better and better each time out. What was KTM thinking? Have you ever ridden a 450 on a tight supercross track? It’s like doing a gymnastics floor routine in your bathtub. The 350 is more nimble and easier to control. I think it’s pretty early in the process to determine whether or not this project was a mistake for professional racing. It sure seems to be working for Cairoli in Europe.
PING
Dear Ping,
Just when my group of “anything that has to do with a ball” sport fanatic friends start to recognize that Supercross may be tougher than water ballet, freaking Speed Channel throws on a Monster Truck/Supercross comparison, during the Phoenix Supercross. It took us back 100 years and I began to receive the normal remarks such as, “Motocross requires no skill,” “It’s as physically demanding as Bowling,” “We are all considered rednecks”…etc. Who was the Rocket Scientist who came up with that segment? You think they could have compared it to a Marine boot camp, Boxing, or Soccer but no. Instead, we have been linked to a circus sideshow featuring a bunch of 50 year old Truck driving, Busch drinking, pork rind eating Hillbillies. What’s next an ATV/Supercross comparison?
Thanks,
Garrett Holt
Googled Monster Jam fans and got this. I swear.
Dear Garrett,
That was sickening. And the suit-and-tie crowd at Feld probably thought it was a nugget of marketing genius. And it probably was. From what I understand the Monster Jam events make them waaaaay more money than supercross. I defy you to find me one of those truck driving, Busch-drinking, pork rind-eating hillbillies that don’t have a Grave Digger tee shirt in the closet of their filthy singlewide mobile home. And, sadly, there are multitudes of those folks just lining up to buy their kid an El Toro Loco beer cozie and cigarette lighter. It’s all about the merchandising, Garrett.
PING
Hey Ping,
I've noticed you've stopped running your Leatt? What's up with that? Care you enlighten as to why you stopped wearing it? And not only you, but:
McGrath - Who broke his back, started wearing one, then tossed it.
Reed - Tossed it....Tweeted or Twatted something along the likes of "Not sold on the idea anymore?"
Sleeter - The first person to qualify for a SX with one, and now he's stopped..
Grant - I guess the General isn’t down with neck protection?
Townley - If anyone needs one it's him.
Cunningham - His sister works for Leatt for Pete sakes
Seeley -
PJ Larsen -
I'm sure there are a crap load more who have stopped. Care to enlighten us as to why you stopped wearing it? And speculate why others have thrown them to the wayside?
Thanks,
Ringer
P.S - Big Bore Barry Carsten always ran an 188cc RM 125..... It’s common knowledge here in Jersey. Him and his ratty ass bikes, his lovely wife and her sick mullet, and his stock pipe and silencer pulling top five starts at the Nationals and SX... Yeah, it could happen
See what I mean? Stupid kids.
Dear Ringer,
I’ll never forget getting pulled by “Big Bore” down a deep, deep Red Bud straightaway and tripping out on it after the moto. Then I checked out his bike and saw he had a stock pipe on as he rolled it to the line for moto 2. Classic. Anyway, on to your question… I haven’t given up on neck protection. I’ve been going back and forth between the Leatt and the Alpinestars brace for the past couple years and there are things I like about both. Occasionally I don’t wear one at all, usually when I am shooting photos or video, but the majority of the time I do wear one of them. I can’t say for sure why different riders have abandoned the devices except to say that it is more comfortable not wearing one. Period. That doesn’t mean it is a good idea. There has also been some speculation about the effectiveness of the various devices, but there are also people that will argue that smoking isn’t bad for you. Something that comes with being young is a sense of invincibility and it isn’t just mythical, it’s a physiologic fact. There is actually a segment of your brain that isn’t fully developed as a teenager and it is the part that makes you stop and go, “Hey, if I do this it could end up killing me. Maybe I should stop and rethink this for a second.”
So, lets just blame all this on underdeveloped brains and keep wearing our protective equipment, shall we?
PING
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I have to agree with Garrett. When I saw that monster truck segment, I groaned out loud... yes, as if I were taking a dump, except it wasn't a groan of relief, it was a groan of agony. I understand, it was a marketing-driven tactic, but that doesn't make it right. Comparing Dungey to that fat old monster truck driver ... what a joke! It was like comparing hopscotch to MMA fighting. And it shouldn't have been done.
I too cringe when they associate MX/SX or any two wheeled sport to monster trucks. How, AND I MEAN HOW, can MTs make more money than MX? A rational person would think that the average MX fan would be more educated (ie. more money to spend) than billybob monster truck. IMO
Yep, the monster truck comparison was sad, but Ping's right, they want to market the sport to that audience.
"Have you ever ridden a 450 on a tight supercross track? Itâ
Listen up, motorcycle marketing folks. The golden idea bell is ringing right now. Jacked up dirtbikes with 36 " super swamper wooly boogers !!! You're welcome.
Yeah, that's a great argument. Do we really want to 'expand' our sport to the Nascar/Stick-n-Ball masses for the sake of popularity. I say no. Sure, it would be more exposure and money for some riders, but look at the baggage we would need to carry! And speaking of the Ryan C incident, did I miss something? Us TV viewers only saw a brief shot of Dungey getting tied up with the downed riders but I don't think anything was said about Clark being the culprit??
The Leatt debate will continue.
I heard after the moto Ryan Clark was seeing cutting in line @ the Beer Stand and later pocketed all the remaining relish packages at the Hotdog Stand... what a prick!
Well, for all the jokes about big bore Barry Carsten, he is still one of the fastest guys around and hes doing it on a 450, just like everyone else. If adding a few cc's to a privateer motor back in the day gave him an advantage, so be it. I'm sure the big budget privateers and factory guys, had more $ in their left fork leg than Barry had in his whole bike. He is a truly nice guy and I have seen him pull over in a mixed gate class to let a B guy get one more lap in a race. He's a gentleman and a great ambassador for the sport. He lives moto. At his age, he still qualifies for some nationals and wipes the floor with most of his peers. Go get 'em BIG BORE.
Big Bore Carsten? I never heard that one. I had been a part of Raceway Park's staff for over 5 years as the photographer and journalist for their newspaper. I interviewed and hung out with/talked with almost all of the local pro/expert riders and I never once heard that rumor, be it true or not. I don't see how it could be such common knowledge. I know Barry pretty well, seems like a decent guy. I must have missed something somewhere, but why the knock on him all of a sudden? Also, anyone else think that supercross has jumped the shark yet? I'm kind of tired of all the hype around it, the fireworks, big-show atmosphere. Its pretty corney if you ask me. My season starts with the outdoors. to me Supercross is just something to pass the time until we take it outside...
You had to be paying attention to the broadcast to catch Clark's "antics." The camera work/directing/editing was pretty bad. Did we see ANY passes/falls in real time in the main? It took about 10-15 minutes before we saw footage of K-Dub coming down on Clark. When they got around to showing how Dunge got stuck behind Clark (shortly after passing Reed and Brayton), if you looked quickly you could barely see Kevin picking his bike up on the inside of the corner. Let's hope that's the worst we see of lapper interference ... and the broadcast director gets his shit together as the season progresses.
There is a flag that tells the rider that he is about to get lapped. Even if you are running in the top ten, if you are not passing anyone, it's YOU who are about to get lapped! The powers that be need to do something to improve lappers who don't even try to get out of the way. Maybe they need to start using the black flag more often!
Not knocking on Big Bore. he's a great guy and has been fast for a lot of years. Just funny when he would pull holeshots on ratty bikes that appeared stock.
There will always be debate about new products. Eventually, it will be required and the norm. I bet many people complained about knee braces being uncomfortable, and now many people wear them. Also, look at the traction control. Everyone is questioning what it will do for the sport. I bet that in five years, most, if not all, teams will be using it. Just look at the four strokes. No one thought that those would take off, now that's all there is at the races. And if you ask Wil Hahn about neckbraces, I would bet he starts wearing one when he comes back.
The Monster truck thing is just unfortunate for us MX fans. The reality is that a motorcycle racer in North America is still not a positive aspect on a resume... go figure. The critical mass of people that watch sports are supporting stick and ball and Nascar. Part of the issue I feel our sport has is the dilution of the sport before it was more popular MX , SX, Freestyle (read X Games), Freeriding, Enduro, Endurocross, Dirt Track, Speedway, then onto road stuff.... the uneducated masses see's motorcycle Racing listed for the TV and probably gets confused.
HEY!! ...I LIKE pork rinds... Not cool.
Agree totally wigh Mxkidnj506 about sx / mx however it's all about buts in the seat ($), ROI and exposure nd SX is geared for the masses. Now my real point and I am reluctant to criticize our sports greatest rider. let me say this as respectfully as possible. RC's enthusiasm , love of the sport and insight jump through the screen, unfortunately so does his grammar. Ouch Ricky. JimM CarlsbadCA
John H. Orr---could it be because the average MT attendee has a lot more discretionary income (ie, because he is getting "supported" with our TAX DOLLARS??) He probly doesn't even ask too many questions when Junior IV comes into the world looking a whole lot like his common-law wife's nephew. That new addition is worth an extra $400mo from Uncle Sam! WooHoo. That'll just make the first payment on a new 99" 3D flatscreen! Just kidding...mostly. ============= And yes EMoney, B. Carsten rocks. I have been asking for a good article on that guy since 2003. These youngsters need to meet a REAL mx hero, in my book. And how better else to justify my habit to my wife, than hold up a bonifide pic of a dude older than me??
Ugh! Monster Trucks. Motorcycle racing does not get the exposure or treatment that other sports do. Feld DOES advertise SX, FMX and Nitro Jam at its Monster Jam events- and vice versa- thats fine- more $, ROI, whatever. But comparing SX to Monster Jam is pushing it a little too far. There comes a time when the promoters need to think about the future of thier sports and not just how they can capitalize now. In Felds defense, maybe they are just trying to milk SX for all it is worth before it is gone-still not happy about how they handled the sport there is all. Clark? Wrecking Ball in Phoenix!
Barry Carsten is a hero. I never heard about the cheating before. Whatever. Pork Rinds Rule Baby Yeah !!
lol mike 123, again awesome answers ping, somedays I swear you could be from Wyoming with your super educated, highly calculated choice of words (just quit eating so many rinds yourself) ...keep it up.
I forgot all about that stupid segment with the monster trucks until I read this today, I think my brain automatically deleted that five minutes of the broadcast. That was flat out disgracefull to MXers everywhere.
Having being a "lapper" at one time, you've got to put yourselves in their shoes, and then you may have a different opinion. Here are a few facts about "lappers" for you to use while you are forming your newfound opinion: 1) The sport needs participation from these riders who have dedicated their lives to their dreams of someday maybe winning, maybe podium,or even top 10 at a supercross, not everybody is a Jeremy, a Bubba, or a Ricky.(how far have you got?) 2) They made it to the main event in a friggin supercross! (how far have you got?) 3) If you think you get fired up and do crazy stupid things to keep your position out at Chickinlicks Raceway on sunday, then try keeping those fast mofos at a supercross behind you, because you're crazy if Im letting anybody by! and if you do, you cant tell who's lapping you anyways, and then you start giving up positions you faught hard for, then you start looking back, messing up your drive and everything! Just keep racing! its way safer for everybody! 4) The leaders get paid big dollars to do what they do and lappers are just "moving obsticles" for them to navigate around, and guess what? everybody has to deal with the same obsticles. nuff said
Oh yea! I forgot to tell you about when Magoo used to lap you, he would just simply pat you on your shoulder and you would just about poop your pants!!! no blue flag needed!!!!
Lappers Rule! lol... so do pork rinds! (Monster Trucks not so much).
Monster Truck comments - let sleeping dogs lie and consider the source!
Hey MrWhirlWind ~ forgot a few "dirts": AMA Grand Nationals, Trials, Hill Climb and the one and only Desert Hare and Hound! Bring back Marstow to Vegas, baby!
Hansens line at A1 was clean as can be. And he will win the championship with a lead large enough for that to be insignificant. Pingree.
Hey "mxkidnj506 " You've never heard about the big bore because you werent around. Let's just say, Barry's 125's always ran "strong"....Pulling top 5 starts in SX, flying past Pro Circuit KX 125's down a straigtaway at Buds.....While running a stock pipe and silencer? Sure, a stock RM 125 with a over 200lb rider can do that. You ever just listen to his 125's from back in the day? Thought so.
Back in Pings day, wasn't Barry giving those kids all 10 yrs? Maybe extra cc's just evened the playing field back then...
Come on Ping, we all know or should know protective equipment like condoms are only effective when worn before, during, and after activities in which they were intended.
The KTM is not hurting SHORT , He was never a contender and never will be!!!! EVER!!!
Hey Ping, Do you think that whole "traction control" issue with James' Yamaha could have been avoided if James had been told a little bit more about the device relative to the AMA rules? It just seemed that he like was a "deer in headlights" when Erin Bates asked him that question on the podium last week. Is there a disconnect between what the riders know (or want to know) about thier bikes and the engineering "geeks" that come up with this stuf? I am not saying that riders should have Phd's in engineering, but if there is somthing visibly different on the bike, they should know about it and be able to talk about it intelligently! I think that it was this disconnect that caused that whole confusion and it tends to cast an unfair opinion about James and his team What do you think? Moto87
Interesting, Pingree recognizes the distinction between the Monster truck "hillbilly" fans and us "elite" SX fans. but then he always spouts homophobic remarks which brings us right back down to the "hillbilly" level.