Going for the W: Chad Reed
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 | 5:15 PM
Bell Sports has been the preeminent designer and marketer of branded sports helmets and accessories for more than 50 years. More world champions have worn Bell Helmets than all other helmet brands combined. Bell helmets have played a vital role in protecting sportsmen and women for generations.
Tweet
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Share
Comment
Email
Print
Chad Reed wasn’t as prepared as he could have been coming into the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship opener, but that didn’t seem to matter. Armed with a works Honda, Reed went 2-1 for the overall and , logged a great second moto performance where he outlasted last year’s champ, Ryan Dungey for the win.
After the press conference, Reed ambled out of the tent by himself and I grabbed him for a quick interview on his day.
Racer X: Chad, great ride and very impressive- what are your thoughts on it?
Chad Reed: I felt good today, I felt like the first moto I made a good push with it. And then we had some problems out there….
Your airboot?
Yeah, that was it and the bike lost a little bit of power out there and we fixed it. It was a bit confusing because it made weird noises and I wasn’t sure if it was the silencer or the motor or what so I backed it down a bit. I came into today feeling good, the riding and the testing was going well. We made good choices on the tracks that I tested on and the Honda guys worked hard on getting the bike dialed in. The last two supercrosses and now this have been a nice transition. I always feel like coming into the outdoors from supercross, I struggle with the change in tracks, the way the track shapes up. And I feel like on this bike, I’m pretty confident and I feel good. I always think back to ’09 and how I felt back then comfort-wise, and I feel that same way right now. We’ll see, it’s a long season. I respect these two guys (Ryan Dungey and Ryan Villopoto) so much, they are great outdoor riders and they’ll be fighting all season long. Villopoto, he’s been sick or something I heard and looked like he was fighting some bike issues or something like that as well so he’s got some work to do like we all do.
With little testing beforehand Reed still managed to grab the overall at Hangtown.
Photo: Simon Cudby
How much better is the full factory bike for you?
I think I would put it like, it’s a factory bike and with that you have a lot of options to refine the bike for you. The weight and the ability to customize it for the rider is what I would say. I never rode my PC bike outdoors so I’m just comparing the supercross to the motocross bike. My supercross bike was great, I won races and made the podium but it’s just little things that I didn’t have at my disposal. We can customize the bike to what I want. The hydraulic clutch was great, I was a little nervous about it because I hadn’t used it outdoors and it’s not that I didn’t think it would work, it’s just an unknown for me. But I loved it, it’s great and every time you pulled it in it’s the same feel and worked great.
I feel like it took a bit for you to get going early in the motos but then you caught fire and found some lines or something. Would you agree?
I felt like early in the first moto I could go and if those guys weren’t there, I felt like I could drop the hammer and go. It was a bit wet also and I think that’s somewhere in the past where I struggled when they put water on the track and today I felt better. That was a positive sign for me as that was my biggest weakness before. Today, I felt like I had the pace and had even more if I had to use it. It was a pretty sketchy racetrack and I was getting after it but it had to be purposeful you know? That’s something that I didn’t have last year against Dunge and to do it was cool and good for me going forward.
Can Reed make it two in a row at Freestone?
Photo: Simon Cudby
You did something today in the second moto that no one could do last year when it seemed you outlasted Dungey, which had to feel good.
Yeah, I think for me- I’m a little surprised because I know those guys are pretty anal about their training program, I’ve seen them in California doing thirty’s. This was the first thirty that I’ve done, we haven’t been focused on this at all. So to come out and do two 35-minute motos and be strong, I’m excited that my fitness was pretty good.
We can work on it a little bit but we’ll go back and do it. It’s always hard to juggle Vegas SX because there are mornings when I went to bed at seven and was hung over. It was the end of the year for me on a successful season. I think to look back at what we’ve done, we can only get better from here. I don’t think that last year was a good indication of what I can do…
But you won here last year!
Yeah but that wasn’t the same, I think Andrew (MacFarlane) was looking over me that day, it was one of those things. It was a tough year and other than that year, besides James (Stewart) and Ricky (Carmichael), no one has really beaten me outdoors. Red Dog here and there and Kevin (Windham) as well, but I feel like I’ve been right there.
Did you like this article?
Check out ON TOUR
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
The Monster Energy Supercross tour is staffed by an intensely dedicated group of sponsors and support staffers. Here’s what life is like on the SX road. Page 136.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
Holeshot
I believe Chad can win it all this year. it's going to be a fun summer
hey i think chad and dungey can go at it this summer. i`m looking forward to seeing more battles between them, im a fan of them both, and lets not forget about RV. god bless america!
Reed is a stud, and flat out rips on a bike! Good to see his is happy, like RC said give the guy any confidence as well as being happy and he is a huge threat. Racing is almost all about mental toughness and if Reed has it look out!
Reed rode well.... And Dungey seemed way better than in SX... But... There is a but... RV will win it.
He will be in good shape this coming race... And will set things straight!
RV was coming off the high of winning SX, tons of commitments to sponsor, freinds an family and just flat out celebrating a bit, which he earned. I agree, he is a major threat for the title. I just hope everyone stays healthy and we will have an epic outdoors season! Like RC said, if Reed is happy and give him a race win for confidence, watch out, this title race is going to get heated up!
Can we please stop with all this reed loving? Dont get me wrong i am starting to warm up to him. But this is like the 5th article about his ride at hangtown. He went 2-1 to beat dungey....WOW(sarcasm) He ISNT on a works honda Steve. The bike is factory besides the graphics.
Always thought Reed would gel on a Honda.....But, I think Reed is forgetting about a few guys when he says " besides James (Stewart) and Ricky (Carmichael), no one has really beaten me outdoors", unless he is just talking titles?? But Alessi (most recently last year on the 350), Short, Grant and Tedescoe... just to name a few beat him the year he won his 09 MX title, plus RV made everyone look slow at Glen Helen 09... I applaud Reed for his team an attitude but lets not over due it here with the Chad is a miracle. Reed is a great rider, we know that and he has more experience than any of these guys (except K-dub)..RD is the defending MX champ, RV is a recently crowned SX champ and they are headed into their biggest outdoor season of there career, while Reed is just "out there having fun" no pressure , no consequences...Heck KDUB is the old man and he still leading races and almost winning......
Didierlotsyeng....is that name some kind of middle eastern disease?.. just asking... bottom line... your gay... nothing against that mind you...we all beat to a different drum bro...but...RV will set things straight? you kidding me? set what straight? dude just won Supercross and he's not in shape? RC won motos with ice cream scoops of flesh out of his leg and ankles looking like rotten cantlelops...give me a break...dude needs to man up
AAhah!! Going to bed at 7am and waking up hungover!!
don't forget Dungey started a little slow the first race outdoors last year and look what happened....although I still want to see Reed win it
It was a very technical tough track which is why KW14 did very well, MA800 crashed, CP377 dropped like a stone and a veteran like CR22 won. We will see in about 4-5 races.
Comedian.. Ha,ha... Nice post.
From chinese descent... And thank goodness not a disease.
I believe RV will just show in the coming rounds he will be the rider I know of, when he's riding outdoors... Smoking the entire field!
And, you are right.. I never bother comparing any rider to RC... Especially in outdoors.. There, no one can ever compare to RC.
JS7 will win the outdoors this year ...
Isn't it great to not be talking about Tony Alessi and his kids? I hope trailer park professionalism is a thing of the past. Granted, they have skills, but...
@J; it's possible for him to win it all but the odds are stacked against him. he not only has to win or place very high he also needs several good riders to have some bad races. it's definitely possible though. if he doesn't come back this week though, i would rule out him even being top three in the points.
you f---ng d-bags are driving me nuts w your childish '' holeshot'' garbage
Didierlotsyeng...c'mon dude you absolutely HAVE to give me some sort of english pronunciation of your name....is it .. "Did-i-erlots-yeng" ...or is it..."Didi-er-lotsy-eng"...or is it..."Di-dier-lot-syeng"? sheeesh...why don't you just use Kung-Foo? ...Time will tell if your correct about RV....and if you are...I'm going to call you "Fortune Cookie"....peace
puking...dude...lay off the sauce....relax man...just a bunch of kids having a little fun here...do you really take life that seriously? You keep that attitude bro, and your therapist....is going to need a therapist
Comedian... Ha,ha.. I know... Not the easiest of name.. You came pretty close... "Didier" is my first name... Last name is Lo Tsyeng.. Maybe a derivative from "Luo Tseng"?... My bilogical's father's name.
Never really asked him where his origins are (Besides the obvious it's chinese.. My parents separated when I was a kid).. The guy was always too busy running his bakkeries stores.
Deal.. RV wins (Which he most probably will.. Ha,ha!).. Fortune cookie it is!
Forgetting the SX to MX transition, Reed has gotten stronger every week since throwing a leg over that Honda in 2011.... and we are only in May.
We will see Reed gain more speed as he and Honda get fully dialed.
We are all in for a treat this season.
That was his chance for the whole season, Reed won't win anymore races this season, he won't even finish the 12 rounds, once he gets beaten he will start making excuses and drop out. He is an arrogant dude and will be whooped by RV and RD. RV2 2011 champ, word!!