Ask Ping!
Friday, June 17, 2011 | 9:30 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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Pingree,
I thought you might be able to use these photos as evidence that at one time you were a badass. I don't know if you remember me but I shot for Racer X quite a bit when you were on KTM and after. I came across these shots going through my archives. I am widely know as a "Surf" photographer but Davey and Eric Johnson will remember me quite well. So use these to shut up any wankers that don't know your history. Especially when it comes to beating James Stewart. Congrats.
Mike Balzer
Is this considered old-school already?
Good to hear from you. I remember seeing a lot of your work back then and it was always quality. It’s hard to believe this photo was taken almost a decade ago already. It was James’ rookie year, January of 2002, and he had just won his first race the weekend before in San Diego. He was pissed because he didn’t win and Ivan was pissed because he hadn’t won a race yet that year. They might be smiling for the cameras but I was the only happy guy on that podium that night. Exactly seven days later in Phoenix my KTM would divide into two like an amoeba and my title hopes went bye-bye once again. This was the last supercross race I won. Thanks for the trip back in time, Mike!
PING
Yo Ping!
I was curious to get your side to this chatter I heard in the pits at the Hangtown National. I heard this "Moto Dad" whose mouth was hitting the rev limiter about why his kid can't do well against the 250cc pros out there. He said something to the effect of "Give us Bagget's bike and we will be on the podium every weekend!” I also read somewhere where Dean Wilson's mechanic was saying that the Pro Circuit team motors were only built to last about one hour of ride time before being completely rebuilt. Here is the list of questions: Can racers still claim a fellow competitors race machine per AMA rules? Is there an unfair advantage in the 250cc class? Should there be another stepping stone "Pro" class where bikes can be more evenly matched without parents mortgaging their life on something that has to be rebuilt after an hour of riding?
Your infinite wisdom is greatly appreciated.
Ijustwannaride
Temecula, CA
You'll need this to compete in the 250 class
There is no bike-claiming rule in professional racing any longer. The only thing that you can claim is suspension in the 250 class in supercross racing. There are limits to what can be done and used in that division of racing and as such they have put a dollar value on a set of suspension. If you think that Blake Baggett’s stuff is working that much better than yours you can pull out your wallet and buy it. If a guy is planning on buying some kit stuff it actually might not be a bad idea to just roll into Anaheim, find a guy who is close to your weight and head over to the AMA trailer and buy his suspension. It would be set up well and ready to go!
I do think that there is a gap somewhere that a lot of riders fall into. I think that a 125 class would be a perfect stepping-stone class, but without manufacturer support it will never happen. Still, it would be awesome to see a group of young kids ripping on 125s that were closely matched in power. The cost would be dramatically reduced and it would give young pros a chance to adjust to the style and format of professional racing.
I doubt Dean Wilson’s mechanic actually said that, but if he did then he needs to work on his math skills. While there certainly aren’t engines designed to last through an entire season of racing, a motor built to last one hour wouldn’t get through a national. Riders put 90 to 100 minutes on an engine at any given pro national and that doesn’t include break-in time on the dyno, warm-up time, etc. #Somethingdoesntaddup.
PING
Hey Dave,
I was just curious if you were ever angry about not receiving an Oscar nomination for your role as Trip Carlyle in Supercross: The Movie. I thought you were worthy, for what that’s worth.
Mike
Water sucks, it really, really sucks!
Sometimes truly great roles and performances go seemingly unnoticed by the powers that be. Leo DiCaprio and Johnny Depp are both still waiting on their statues so I don’t feel that bad that mine hasn’t come yet. I’m sure with the staggering success of the first film that a sequel is coming and I’ll get another shot at it. And the second time around maybe they won’t have the two-stroke sound over a four-stroke bike issue that plagued them in the original. And maybe they can come up with a more believable storyline and bring the cheese factor down about four-thousand percent and include some actors whose biggest role to date wasn’t Revenge of the Nerds back in the 1980s. Maybe. Or, maybe we wait another couple decades for someone else to try again to make a respectable film with motocross as the backdrop. NASCAR has Days of Thunder. Basketball has Hoosiers. Football has The Waterboy. Where is our Waterboy? Come on, Scorsese, pull your head of your rear end and make this happen! And be sure to cast me as a stunt double so I can cash in on the awesome per diem and craft services spread. I have my SAG card. Call me.
PING
Got a question for Ping? E-mail him at [email protected].
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I say put that kid and Baggett's bike, then the kid can watch Baggett kick his ass again. A good bike is necessary to win but you also have to know how to use it. I would like to see RV take a stock bike out on the track, my guess is that he still top fives.
Some Moto Dads are the best at living in their own little world and elevating their kid's true riding ability. While Junior is battling for 11th in the local 250F beginner class, MD + a few beers = fist-pumping slurred proclamation shouted for all to hear: "My kid stayed on the same stwait-away with (enter any top 10 pro) when we practiced, hiccup, at (enter any National track) last December in the snow."
Hooole shot
Whoops,I crashed.Days of Thunder was as cheesy as it gets.Hoosiers was pretty good.
ha ha at YamaLink
Didn't Ping play the role of "Billy" in SX the movie?
a 125 class would be a super good idea. what happened? this year they were supposed to have just that at a couple rounds, one which was high point. i was at high point and there wasn't one! major bummer
I do remember reading somewhere (probably MXA) that the bikes motor was designed to run TWO hours. A 125 class would be awesome! I get to see them race a 125 class at Lorettas. Nothing like 40 125's lined up at the gate.
I think that JS and IT were pissed because they were defeated by the fat kid. lol
Ping was in SUPERCROSS?
..it will never happen, but a stricter, mx version of the IROC auto race would be cool...allowing all manufacturers, but the bike is bone stock except for grips, plastic, and susp. springs...heh heh.
Props to the Ping for calling his career like it was. You have nothing to be ashamed of. I couldn't beat the slowest guy that didn't qualify for a supercross on my fastest day, even if the other guy had surgery the week before. Life is like that sometimes.
As far as enginges last I will belive that Hond changes engines between motos. I also do not beliveve the rumors that a finly tuned 4 stoke is gonna last longer than a tricked out 2 stroke. I had a Siver tank YZ 125 that could smoke the best Honda's to the first turn heck if I did not get the jump I just motored by, these were some fast Honda's. Problem was It ran at about 14K rpm and came on the pipe at about 8K rpm the rod would only last about an hour. I had to change cranks between motos, but it was a 2 stroke and I could do it in about 45 mnts with someone handing me the tools and my Mar Charles stand. The trick was to do everything but spit the cases in the stand no fubling around. No I dont think a 4 Stroke tuned to the max can last. Furthuremore (big word) 2 strokes are bases on math and to port a 4 stroke you have to use a flow bench and trial and error to get it right. So say I ....... Anyhoooooooo.............
PS: never said I could type and what is a spell checker?????
I give major props to Ping for simply getting back on a bike and doing doubles and triples after having that bike break. As for S(u)X: The Movie, you can count the number of good motorcycle movies, fiction or documentary, motocross or other, on one hand. But the chicks were pretty hot...
I agree - it's time to bring back the 125s as a support class. Run one moto during the intermission.
Factory teams get practice and usually the first moto on one motor, then drop 2nd motor for moto 2. The ones that didn't do that in round one, are doing it now.
For SX they get the whole program on one motor, but thats barely over an hour if they are out for practice the whole time. SX is not nearly as taxing on the motor either.
homito
How many times did Bubba crash in that race? A-2?
Wouldn't it be cool if the pros had to run in a "stock " class. Rollerball had to back in my era and I couldn't beat him with my bike modded, and no one ever checked my bike because I didn't win. (but I was there)
How many times in a rece weekend do you think that pro race teams put a new top end in a 125? I am sure that it is a few times more than a 250f. The four strokes need less maintenance that their two stroke counter part. Besides how many of you fags out there would huck a 125 over Laraccos's leap. It is the usable power that the four stroke makes that gives a lot of you pussies out there the nuts to clear over 100'. It seems to me that there were not that big of jumps until the four strokes came out, now there are only large table tops. What happen to the big double or triple in moto cross?
p.s. Bring back the widow maker!!!!
Speaking of the support class- Can someone explain why the 250's run after the 450's now? Yes, it's easier for tv, but aren't the 450's the elite? They should always run on the roughest track. Wouldn't that be a time when the high dollar A-kit stuff would shine in the support class?
I would love to see a 125 class--like monkeybutt was saying: have them run bone stock except for suspension... hell, even do a 2 15-min moto format and allow the 14-16 year old's in to give it a shot. Talk about great for the sport...
Jake...I think they do it so part of the crowd at the track leaves early, thus reducing the inevitable traffic jam. But what do I know? Ping, be glad you didn't get an Oscar. Any award Whoopi Goldberg won, I'd want no part of. Whoopi Goldberg? What were they thinking?!?!?!?!
They weren't.
KNOW WHAT when Laroccos leap was a double (77-78) it wasn't easy to make, then this guy named mike Larocco came around.... fk I quit.......
125cc class Idea , an east/west series (Hangtown,Freestone,CO,Washougal,Pala,Millville) and (Hi-Point,RedBud,Bud Creek,the Wick,Steel City,Unadilla) Rookies only!!!! Stock bikes!!!! smooth the tracks and let them run the first set of moto's,,,,,,,bbrrrrrrraappppppppppp ah sweet I can here them now.....WEEGE call ur people and make it happen.
Disposable 125s? Thinking about the '73-74 Honda 125 Elsinore! Yeah baby she was a game changer and while your at it better change the rings after every race day and with really good filter maintenance maybe four whole race days to a piston!
I'm almost nearly remembering Ping played a part in Lost Boys. Unfortunately he had one line(scream) less than Billy which would equal zero
but Billy can't ride ride for his life so Ping can roost him any day.
They used to have the Kawasaki Race of Champions on identical bikes at the World Mini GP, did they quit that?
As for the two stroke sound over four stroke bikes, I think that's funny, because forever it was four stroke enduro engine sounds over two stroke race bikes, with the engine revving up as the throttle hand shut off. LOL!
Dear Pink,
ooops, wrong site, Dear Ping,
What happened to the questions? That first one is ass kiss Ping all the way. You two should get a room. Here let me get in on the action: nice podium pic.
Do you think you can beat James in a car race?
Do you think that James Stewart should move onto nascar and drive a cop car paint job?
and last but not least:
Who is a better porn star, you or James?
Best Regards,
We do have a movie "Winners take All".
What did i miss? What happened to "TFS" Steve Bruhn? I know its not related to any to the article but didnt know where to ask.
What you got us tickets? Im racing! He's racing. We've got us a supercrosser! Rick Rick Rick Melon Melon! The greatest moto movie in history. The Star Wars of moto movies! I watched it two days ago!