Ask Ping!
Friday, August 3, 2012 | 9:40 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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PrintHi Ping,
I enjoy reading your articles and watching your video's on Racer X. It looks like you still have it on a dirt bike!
How do you think your results would be at a National? (either 250's or 450's). Also, are you planning to do a sequel to Motocross 101 at any stage?
Keep up the great work.
Brett
This stuff is for kids
Thanks for watching! I still enjoy riding as much as I ever have. But there is a huge difference between riding and racing. I think I could probably turn one lap fast enough to put me into a National without too much problem. But the intensity and utter lack of proper judgment required to get through the opening laps of a National where there are riders on either side of you, in front of and behind you and sometimes above you, is something I just don’t have anymore. I’m never more content to be a spectator on the sidelines than on the first few laps of a race. How would my results be? Terrible. I would roll off the throttle about halfway down the start straight and round the first turn in last. As the pack spread out I would slowly pick it up and start moving forward. I would pass a few guys and beat those who chalk up a DNF. I’m guessing I could break the top thirty with a little luck. Definitely not worth signing up, if you ask me.
I don’t have plans to produce a second DVD; unfortunately I don’t have the time right now. But don’t let that stop you from going to www.motocross101.com and buying a couple copies for you and your friends.
PING
Hey Ping,
First, your Ask Ping section is awesome. I love reading it every week and you're one of my favorite riders! Now, I was wondering how far along are you with the paramedic/firefighter deal and how you like it so far because I'm in the process and I just passed the EMT test. I know still have a bit to go. Lol. Also I was wondering what you think of the husqvarna line up, mainly the 3 MX bikes/portion of it. I've been thinking about possibly getting one. Thanks in advance!
-El Cucuy
Sandy Eggo (San Diego)
Maybe you can find a DKNY model?
I have my paramedic license, my firefighter 1 certificate and about a dozen other certs from firefighter training classes. Right now I am working as a Paid Call firefighter with San Bernardino County Fire and as a reserve firefighter with Rincon Fire. I am in the hiring process with about six different departments at the moment and should have news in the next several months about which direction I’ll go. It seems like departments are finally starting to hire again after almost two years of nothing. Keep up the hard work… it will be worth it.
I haven’t had a chance to ride any of the new Husqvarna bikes but I have heard good things about their 250 off-road model. I think their focus has been more on the off-road market and not so much on motocross lately, but that could change. I know they have hired some great personnel in their Corona office and things are bound to improve all the way around with good people at the helm. Plus, Travis Preston won a supercross on one, so, there’s that. Good luck with everything.
PING
DP,
There's plenty of bad grammar in MX, by the racers and the press alike, which I accepted long ago. However, what's up with RacerX's recent usage of an apostrophe after the colloquialism "gonna?" This grammatical sin of commission is strange.
DW
Is that an apostrophy?
I’d love to blast you for playing the role of Internet Grammar Police. I can literally picture you sitting at a peculiarly small Ikea office desk in your underwear with a thesaurus, a can of number 2 pencils and a cup of coffee scouring the web for mistakes. However, I’ve been known to club to death the occasional illiterate with a Merriam-Webster’s of my own so I should probably just tip my cap to you and say good day. But I think you are being a little uptight here. I know apostrophes are supposed to show possession and contractions but there are some confusing, gray areas in the language as well. Not to mention there are those who argue that the apostrophe is a relic and should be removed from the English language altogether.
I have a different pet peeve. When I hear someone say, “I seen him” instead of “I saw him,” I could honestly kill myself. For some reason that is like nails down a chalkboard and it’s as if every rider in our sport has conspired to use that phrase instead of what is appropriate just to piss me off. If that raised comma known as an apostrophe is your “seen” then I will officially back off and wish you luck on your quest to correct people worldwide.
P.S. You didn’t put a space between Racer and X when addressing our company name. If I had a red pen I would mark that as incorrect and send it back to you with a note to your mom.
PING
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It is kinda funny. After you get a bit older and you watch those first turns, you've got to ask "what the hell was I thinking??" It certainly looks like suicide!! Oh, to be young again!!
It isn't a grammar issue but racers who start every answer with the word "Yeah." This is made even worse when followed by improper tense.
Example: "Yeah, I seen him coming up behind.."
The only people I could see arguing "that the apostrophe is a relic and should be removed from the English language altogether" are those who don't know how to use it. (Sadly, there are many.) BillC? (Sorry, bro, I couldn't resist.)
Emig and RC misuse ‘seen’ all the time during their race commentary. “I seen him go over the jump…..” It drives me nuts… Even the NASCAR gear heads do a better job with their grammar during a roundy round race. I think appropriate grammar while calling a race gives the sport more credibility.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" come on sef154"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
sometimes "I've seen" sounds like "I seen" when conversation is relaxed
"I seen guys goin around the outside'a turn two... "
which is more just laziness than actual improper grammar
More often than not, SpottedMarley, it's bad grammar.
Hey, BillC, those are quotation marks, not apostrophes! Gotta love it!
^^^^^^LOL @self154
The thing that bugs me about the TV announcers and not pointing out anyone but his initials are J E. anyhow he almost always says something like he had came from the back of the pack. It should be he came from or he had come from. I am surprised no one has ever corrected him. I am not trying to be the grammar police but being on TV it would seem more credible to first time viewers if things were said better.
While my (long dead) father was a very good man and allowed me to get my first bike, I could never get him to read a motocross magazine. He took a look at a copy of MXA and saw several typos and improper use of grammar and made his decision then and there that motocross was for uneducated slobs. I guess he kind of saw it the way a lot of people see demolition derby or monster truck rallies. Entertainment for the poor and uneducated. Now, before the dogpile on my dad starts, I think the sport of motocross is awesome. It has provided me with one of the brightest spots in my life for the last 38 years. With that said, I too wince when I hear JE say "he had came up from the back of the pack". I think anyone who represents the sport to the masses should make an effort to elevate the sport in the minds of the uninitiated. Motocross has enough detractors. The sport is actually dying. There are 90% less motocross bikes sold now than in the late 1970's when the sport was at it's peak. I'm not trying to be the grammar police, but I think it is a mistake to do anything other than put motocross in the best possible light. Just my opinion, of course.
People, we have the opportunity to listen to one one our sports' great champions. Jeff Emig knows a thing or two about MX. That said, he may not be in posession of the world's greatest diction and has made some grammatical errors.
The last MX champion that held a masters in english was, well...........there never has been one.
We can take it for what it is or saddle up the nasal, british guy the networks seem all too ready to stick in the booth.
Also of some consideration is the economy. The networks hire what they can afford. As always, you get what you pay for. I do not mean to disrespect Emig and Weege, I like them both and the alternative could be FAR worse.
Punctuation is my soft area but, I try.
I'd like to add that just having seen the latest Kelly Pickler "are you smarter than a fith grader" video clip, our situation is going to get worse, far worse, before it gets any better.
I like the term he used "proper judgement" because without that you arent shit you could be the fastest man on the planet ;) but if you dont make proper judgement you will eventuall end up on your head or someones bike on your head in trey canards case
Emig has streamlined the english language. He uses the word seen in place of see, saw, etc. One word for every occasion! Hillbilly or genius?
@jeramey, while I agree that some riders don't use proper judgement, I think it's not really fair to use TC41 as an example. He had a tough block cover caught on his footpeg and was unable to make the jump. Bad luch, but not poor judgement.
*luck, not luch. Lol.
OK all Im late now I gotta read "Ping" to see what is going on in the world? Then I will give ya my 2 bits! Hey Ping ya always make our day. Ok the excitment beginns!!
Trey Canard should have never rode up the landing of a triple on the first lap when the triple was right out of the first turn....poor judgement. Unfortunaly his poor judgement hurt someone else, and I hope TC41 is giving his victim some compensation for his actions.
Ping, every time I read your stuff, I think you must be my long lost brother. The misuse of the word "seen" makes my skin crawl. And it's even worse when its typed wrong on twitter or Facebook. To me it ranks right up there with the misuse of "Ping and me hate the use of the word seen"....Ping and I...
The first aticle I can relate to. Only I retired from racing cause by body gave out and my mind thought it was faster thanme anymore?? Then those doubles just started to looking farther apart than they really were. After casing them and just coming up short I asked my throttle hand what was wrong? It just looked at me like I was a dodo. So never mind the way I felt the next day the rest of my body said, NO MAS" Gee I miss racing still dream about it. Keep thinking about firing up the old 92 YZ and going and pull a holeshot again and then work my way back to the back of the pack. That is easier than from the back to the front like Ping wants to do!
Comment Nbr2. Ping I am proud of you for what you have decided to do! I have mentioned before that my friend who retired as a Battalion Chief said an ex motocrosser would make the best Firefighter and know how to figure out what to do with when the training has not told you what to do!
The last Husky I rode was in 73 it was really trick , had titanium axles with steel nuts cause the guy lost the original nuts. I think the Axles were worth more than the bike when he sold it????
Comment Nbr 3. I think that was a good answer but as we all know I think people are trying to copy my typing with my arthritic figers and a bottle of MD 20/20 to sooth the pain. So I think yall need to quit trying to type like me!!! Oh yes I know that we should put a space beweent the r and x but then what would we do to piss off Ping other than the seen and what getme going is the "me and Dungy were going at it" When it should be "Dungy and I were really going after it"
Anyhooooooo, Now Ima gonna read the comments, What do you think Billy Bob????
RX trainer beat me to the "Ping and I" Well I think the USA needs to work on the education and see if the parents can do what they are suposed to do. Then it must be tough on the kids when the parents or parent does not even know proper grammar much less math past 3rd grade?
I watched some old reruns of Gunsmoke last night and Chester talked better than most peiople! It must be that racer'sw limp that he has?
Consider how much a stand-out like Adam C. will be once he enters the pro ranks....very fast and very well-spoken. I will never understand why racers will analyze racing technique but never their own professional image (which includes speaking). Why not be the entire package? Why not try to improve your speaking abilities as well as your lap times, especially if you wish to represent sponsors?
"I rode good" remains the worst and most common grammatical offense - I instantly cheer for any rider no matter what they place if they can say "rode well".
Main Event Maker
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" - Jesus of Nazareth. It sounds like most of the comments come from the MENSA grammar subcomittee!
Good article, but I miss the ranting and raving of yesteryear. I have always considered Ping to be the Dennis Miller of Motocross. Sigh...
While we are speaking what irks us during race interviews and annnouncing, what gripes me more than anything is when a racer falls down or just gets a bad start or whatever, but he rides his but off for 30 minutes and passes the guy in first or second on the last lap and "weedge the wedge head" pronounces to the world that he "Stole the position".
Maybe Team Green, Factory Connection, Suzuki Amatuer, etc, should be discussing mandatory PR classes as part of their programs.....OR.......make the MIC pay for it so no one team is paying for anothers benefit.
Finding the proper motivation is an important step in the path to getting what is desired.
OH ge wilikers theck with graner Billy bob syus me got the 17thplace holyshot today but iended upcaywampus crer cross the barnyad..
Carlsbad, Kellie Pickler is my cousin and her job is to entertain us, so lighten up.
My pet peeve is "must of", "could of", "should of" instead of must have, could have, should have.
And in the words of Tracy Jordan, "Superman does good, I'm doing well."
The original Crusty Demons made bad grammar cool. I think I remember Seth saying, "Did you seen that?"
Us guys here at Hodaka racing, be working on P.R,, we saw'd what uneducated peeps sound like on the box.
ping, The worst one i have ever heard was ricky c. saying " I seen him done better." I dont even know what that means, do you?