Monday Conversation: Destry Abbott
Monday, October 29, 2012 | 5:00 PM
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PrintFor the last month, we've heard rumors of Kawasaki shutting down their factory off-road program for 2013, ending a long legacy of success from coast to coast. We called long-time rider Destry Abbott to get the scoop.
Racer X: We've heard quite a few rumors that the Team Green Off-Road program is shutting its doors. Is this just rumor or is it true?
Destry Abbott: No, it's true, we've all been given our walking papers. Jason Smigel, our team manager, he's not going to be there any longer. Basically the last EnduroCross is Vegas and it will be the last race for the team.
So you guys will be done but you're still on board at the moment?
Yeah and that's what makes it tough, we're still racing and of course we're all competitive and want to do well. But it is tough. I've been racing for them for 15 years so I kind of assumed I had a long term relationship there. But this is a business decision and that's the way they feel they should go right now. There's nothing we can do about that.
It seemed like you were transitioning into a different role, anyway, not racing as many full series' and kind of racing selected events. You also did some PR stuff, like the Kawi 450 intro. But there doesn't seem to be a Kawi spot for you outside of racing?
Not as of right now. I'd like to think that there is. I actually have some other offers on the table right now that I'd like to pursue, just in case that doesn't happen. I never thought I would have to go and knock on other people's doors because Kawasaki has been basically a family to me. It's a different deal, for sure.
The Kawasaki off-road program will be shutting its doors after the 2012 season.
BrownDogWilson photo
Do you know what led to this decision?
I know a little. Economics was a factor, for sure, but none of us sit in the meetings. We're not management. It's been a great company for me, and those guys are family to me. But it's a company and they are going to do what's best for them.
So you're not going to go in there and start flipping desks over?
[Laughs] No that's not my style at all. I had just gotten back from Germany at the ISDE, and the day I got back I heard the news. I was blown away. I figured they would maybe cut back, but the legacy that program has had for 30 years or however long its been, with guys like Larry Roeseler, Ty Davis, Danny Hamel and the list goes on, and to think it's basically over, I didn't see it coming. The first week I was mad about the whole deal, but then you sit back and relax and realize it's part of life.
Are you looking to continue racing or is this time to look into more of a PR role?
This year I started doing a lot of selected events, but EnduroCross was my main focus and I was really enjoying that. So I'd like to keep doing those. Right now, I'm 40, I don't need to go do a series full time except EnduroCross, but I'm enjoying it. I enjoy the people and the fans. I'm trying to figure out which direction to go, and I don't know, honestly!
Explain to fans that don't understand. The factory motocross teams have pretty much always raced the same AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross Championships. On the off-road side, things are fluid.
Yeah, we have GNCC which is the premiere series, and EnduroCross has become a premiere series, too, but we've had Hare and Hounds which have kind of died down, but the SCORE Series is going strong, you have the ISDE, it's tough because it's just so different. The west coast guys struggle at the east races and the east guys have a tough time going at west. There just isn't much out there for us--we definitely don't make the money like the supercross guys do. I'm sure the off-road community will stick together and the racing will still be great, but the times are a-changing, that's for sure.
Abbott is a long-time Kawasaki rider.
Kawasaki photo
But you're not going to pick up an application at Lowe's anytime soon?
You might see me outside Home Depot begging for work! [Laughs] No, I want to stay involved, and I still like racing and training and I'm still competitive. I just have to figure out if it's going to be on a green bike or something else.
Well that will be an adjustment!
I know! I've ridden for the factory team for over 15 years, so it will be weird to look down and see a different color front fender. But I gotta' do what's best for me now.
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Destry is such a classy dude and a legend in off-road. I really hope something turns up for him as it'd be a shame to see his career end on this note.
I just hope we dont lose another offroad great to the crappy orange bike, then again if they pay him, then good for him
Good luck Destry in what ever you pursue. One of the Fastest off Road Racers ever. It sure is a Strange Dichotomy that Kawasaki chooses to pull out at the moment they have such a great chance of not only winning the Baja 1000 but the Score Championship as well. First time in a long time. Hope they pull it off just to show how wrong this is. I guess KTM is going to Rule the world in the end. Roger Vista,Ca
I am sure that the four stroke choice is biting them in the... When bikes get more expensive, less people buy them. When a 3 year old bike is looked at as a $3k timebomb, then less people buy used, and the used bike rider just dumps more money in their current used bike or quits riding. When there are less people, there is less racing budget.
I say it is high time we get out of manufacturer support of racing at the top level, and go with a pure sponsor paradigm. Shops like Eleven10 and ProCircuit make race bikes from production bikes and sell them to teams like Monster and Geico. Big teams like Monster and Geico would have one of each color bike, and would actively market their graphics to the grass roots.
Let the manufacturers use their monies to connect to grass-roots racing and to focus on offering more compeditive, lower cost race bikes. The dude at Chicken Licks raceway can make their XYZ bike look like Team Nami if they want.
Snort! Wha? Was I just dreaming? Yawn. What a wierd dream...
I wonder if Villopoto holding out to get a better contract effected the offroad side for Kawasaki? Not trying to jump to any conclusions but if monster had to step up and so did Kawasaki to meet his price (which he does deserve) it wouldn't be to much of a jump given the cut backs for race teams that funding had to be taken from the offroad side of things. Granted i did read about this being a possibility on vurboffroad but im curious if there is any merit to this.
So with RV's big contract, factory Kawi can no longer support the grassroots of riding.
There are more guys who ride offroad than MX, but 80% of those guys ride orange.
This makes me sad. I agree with BigUgly, four strokes are extremely expensive to maintain. The bikes have become too costly for the average rider. Anybody who has been around the sport knows this. People drop a ton of money on bikes, get hurt and decide riding is just too much of an investment.
Constant tire and 2 stroke top end relacements were feasible. 3K 4 stroke motor malfunctions on top of the other costs = unsustainable unless you make $150,000 a year.
Good Luck Destry. Nothing beats a desert ride after a rainstorm. Seems like the end of an era...
Few years ago Kawi dumped its eastern team green riders for XC2 in the GNCC's riders like Andrew Matusek and Jesse Robinson so this isn't that big of a surprise!!!! Everyone is right the manufacturers have completely moved away from its roots. I rode A class in SETRA and B in the GNCC and on the Average income I cannot afford a 450. A 250F isn't enough power so I have 3 options YZ 250, KTM 250, or 300...That's why the world is orange in offroad!!!! Plus idk about other states but in GA the best dealers now are all KTM!!!!
big ugly has it most correct. i have been saying for years, the fourstrokes have and will kill the sport. mx is next, iam suprised it has not been wacked yet.no dad can enter the sport any more with his kids. with 9000$ bikes 1000$ pipes . i grew up riding cali des what great times. the families the kids all had bikes.even at my local track know in fl. i see vaery few new bikes not that many kids,mostly vets.vets dont grow the sport, families with kids do. aw f it my riding days are just about done,i just feel bad for kids comming up today.
The KX500 didn't change for years and they still kept on winning. They could only milk that for so long though. My interest in off-road riding kind of ended when I got a four-stroke. I'm a pretty short guy, and I was worried that when I stalled or tipped over, which you're bound to do in an enduro or hare scrambles, I'd never get it started again. It's no fun to ride like that.
Good luck to Destry, possibly the most successful rider to come out of Arizona.
Unfortunately off road just doesn't have anywhere near the draw or fan base of mx and Kawi doesn't make a serious off road racing bike. If you want to race off road these days and not ride an orange bike your best bet is a modified YZ250 (non-F) or maybe a Husky.
Ask the average fan or even a typical weekend trail rider to name an off road racer. If you get any answer at all you might hear Malcolm Smith. You surely won't hear Dick Burleson, Destry Abbott, Shane Watts, Kurt Caselli, David Knight, Steward Baylor, Paul Whibley, or Charlie Mullins. Everyone who hasn't been living under a rock knows RC or JS.