Ask Ping!
Friday, March 8, 2013 | 5:00 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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PrintHey Ping,
I have heard such an outlandish rumor, a story so raucous, that it is on par with that urban legend that Jamie Lee Curtis used to be a man. There are always stories of ex-racers that get non-moto related jobs after their career is over like construction, auctioneers, mushroom farmers, or encyclopedia salesmen. But what I heard about you is about as unbelievable as a home-schooled C rider winning Teen Jeopardy. I just have to ask…..are you trying to live out a childhood dream to live with a bunch of men and cook them dinner by becoming an Orange County fireman? One of my many sources passed on to me that you recently took the OC fire test. Why would you go and do a thing like that? Don’t you know that fireman have to be in shape? They have to be able to scurry up ladders, carry lifeless bodies over their shoulders, and play with powerful hoses. I just cannot see you doing any of those. The only thing I see you using fire for is to burn your marshmallows for your s’mores. Isn’t the real reason you want to join is that you are so desperate for a championship you are willing to become a fireman so you can race in the Fire & Police MX series? The only way I can see you getting into the fire department is if you spray-paint black spots all over your body and start barking.
Best regards,
Kris Vancers
Chandler AZ
Yeah, pretty masculine, I suppose.
I’ve been holding on to this letter for about three years now, waiting until I was hired on somewhere so that I could write back and tell you to “suck it.” For four years I’ve been testing and interviewing everywhere; I even went through the whole process right in your hometown of Chandler. It’s been a long road. But now that I’ve FINALLY gotten a full-time firefighter/paramedic spot with a great department I don’t really feel like coming at you. I actually used this letter as motivation at times. Instead, I’m bummed for the riders who have closed the racing chapter in their lives and don’t have the motivation, support or courage to find another dream and go after it. Motocross racers are trained to be persistent, hard-working and goal oriented. Those qualities along with a good plan and good people around you will take you just about wherever you want to go.
What about the Fire and Police World Championships? That isn’t going to be as easy as it might seem with Damon Huffman now on the force with LAPD, Mike Kiedrowski working as a reserve with a Fire department, Joe Oehloff going through paramedic school and a pretty fast group of current cops and firemen. But, you know, I’ll probably take a crack at it anyway. I’m not sure if Jamie Lee Curtis really was a man but the rumor you heard about me was true. And I got the job without spraying spots all over myself.
PING
Hi Ping,
I’ve been riding motocross, then off road, for 40+ years and due to meniscus removal and cartilage wearing out in my knee (knee surgery in the early 70s wasn’t as good as now) am facing the need for a total knee replacement within the next couple of years. Total knee implants have improved some in the last few years, but still not to the point where they could take the impact from riding dirt bikes.
Trying to look out for you guys too here, but if the dirt bike manufacturers put some effort into designing a knee replacement implant, they could keep quite a few of us on bikes longer and sell more bikes. Closed chamber or open chamber or even air shock technology for the knee would be kewl.
It would also save my sanity and that of my family! I do not look forward to riding a “goon buggy” (UTV).
Ron Rennke
Grand Junction, CO
Fork lifts, bulldozers, ocean vessels and articulate medical devices by Kawasaki.
So, what you are suggesting is that the major motorcycle manufacturers of the world, none of whom have any experience or expertise in the medical field, attempt to design and produce an artificial knee joint in an effort to increase rider longevity and therefore extend the number of years they could sell to a small number of consumers with knee injuries? Have I nailed all the pertinent points as you have presented them? If so, I have to tell you that is the most absurd suggestion I’ve actually read through in its entirety in a long, long time. If the best medical corporations in the world can’t figure out how to make an artificial knee better than it currently is, how in the world is a company that specialized in heavy equipment, bikes, watercraft and pianos going to bring something new to the table? I appreciate your enthusiasm and out-of-the-box thinking but I’m afraid growing up in the sixties might have negatively impacted your cognitive function to an extent. Have fun on that UTV, pal.
PING
Ping,
First off the ego stroke… yes, you are funny, clever, mischievous and apparently a bada$$ on a bike. (hope that was enough to get me printed). Now on to my question. After reading the article by Jason Weigandt about changing things up to model what they do in NASCAR it got me thinking, maybe the time is ripe to throw out an idea of my own. What if the main events were 40 laps? Yes I know lappers would really get in the way, but maybe they get flagged off the track at 20 laps and 1-15 continue on. This would make guys pace themselves and no more "I didn't get a perfect start and could not make a pass" excuse's.
Also more entertaining to the fans (longer moto's) and I think it would really force teams to work on strategy, which would make things very interesting. Now tear it apart as only you can do!
You’re the best!
Sincerely Double D
Supermoto tried pit stops. The races got so long and boring that SM was pulled from the X Games.
If you just ran a straight 40 lap final two things would happen: Intensity levels would come way down [boring racing] and the riders would spread out and you would have very little dicing for the lead until you were down to the last few laps. By that point it is unlikely that riders would be close enough to one-another to attempt a pass and most fans would be in a Budweiser coma or asleep on their couch. Another thing you aren’t considering is rider safety. Forty minute finals on a supercross track are a bad idea. Fatigue is a common factor in big crashes and leaving guys out there for that long would kill off so much of the field that a spode could win a title just by staying healthy. Personally, I think they should continue to play with different formats at events like the Monster Energy Cup but leave the racing as it is when points and championships are on the line. This sport is amazing in its present form. We don’t need gimmicks to make it more interesting.
PING
Have a question for Ping? Shoot him an email at [email protected]
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HOLESHOT!!!!!!!!!
We also have flaggers to keep it even more interesting.
Ping takes the high road on the first letter!!
SX needs to have a format like MX with 2 motos ...Problem solved.
It's good to hear that you don't think resetting the points is a good idea Ping. Please go slap Jason up side the head would ya, that would be great.
I dont think that is why supermoto was pulled from the x-games.Nascar has 200 laps or more. Maybe change the amount of laps at different venues.20 laps at one,25 at another 30 laps at another. Keep it consistent year to year.This will give us something to look foreword to because every track looks the same week to week.At least give us a track with sand sections longer than 50 feet
I think Ping was a little hard on the "Knee" guy. Maybe the motorcycle guys can't make a Knee, but damn Ping. Blow the guys dreams completely out of the water!
haha geez...
I love Ping but I don't think he thought the knee replacement theory through very well. I wouldn't be suprised if Honda were able to take their engineers and study knee replacements made by Pharmaceutical company's and improve on them!! After all, the medical community is only concerned with the average, while motocross seems to push the limits.
Why do I say this?
Compare the technology in a motocross bike to anything else, ABUSE WISE, nothing can stand up to it. Not a trophy truck, not a monster truck, nor a snowmobile.
My point? Maybe thinking outside the box is a great idea and some engineer would develop an air shock knee, or durable hinge made from space age material. Who knows, but it's wishful thinking!!
The guy in my home town developed the bucket buddy, he was a motocross racer/carpenter. He took a 5 gallon pail and made it hold tools, now he is worth 20 million? You just never know.
I do know this, if they hired Roger Decoster to manage the manufacturing, it would get done.
The simple fix for Supercross is 20min + 2 lap main events, that way when the track is 44 seconds long the conditioned riders will shine and the fans will walk away feeling like they got their moneys worth.
Hats off to you Ping and congratulations. You just went up another notch in my books after reading the first letter and your response. You continue to set positive examples for our riders even in life after the racing. #respect.
D.P. Congrats on the Full Time Firefighter gig!! You are an role model to all the other racers who do not come from a strong formal educational background. You found your second inspiration, focused, worked hard and over came your short comings to succeed!! A well deserved Tip of the Helmet to you!!
Also, glad to see your keeping your part time job as well ...Keep up the good work!!!
The simple fix for Supercross is 20min + 2 lap main events, that way when the track is 44 seconds long the conditioned riders will shine and the fans will walk away feeling like they got their moneys worth.
Can this be the last time we have to hear about your new career Ping? Are the incoming questions this stupid all the time that you constantly have to use this space so we can hear about your new job? Maybe it's time to end "Ask Ping" if this is all you have to respond to.
A track with 44second lap times for sure should run 25 laps.The first few tracks dirt sucked so bad that I don't think more laps would of made better racing.
"Changing things up, to model what they do in NASCAR racing"??? WTF? That's why non-moto background goons like Weigandt should just stay away from the sport. I know he's been around a long time, but he doesn't know very much. Supercross is NOT broken. Stop trying to fix it. Hey, here's an idea. Let's run 3 heat races and the top 3 finishers from each will have to start in a 2nd row! Should work, huh? Geez, leave the sport alone. NASCAR...Oh my God.
The only change that needs to be made to the format in my opinion is to go to timed races rather then lap counting.
There are too many short races due to falling lap times. The simple solution is 15 mins + 1 lap for 250's and 20+1 for 450's.
Supercross fixes!
Problem- To much down time when watching live:
Fix-Keep the KTM Jr race plus take the top 10 non qualifying riders from both classes and run them in a combined 7 lap Consolation heat. Benefits:Gives these riders more supercross track experience, them and their sponsors more exposure, fans more appreciation for what the top riders are able to do...
Problem- Not enough passing
Fix- Give passing points. For every 10 riders passed, you receive 1 supercross championship point. Benefits- Promotes passing rather than waiting for a mistake. A bad start is not as devastating. Could keep points chase closer longer..
Problem- Mains to short
Fix- As suggested many times, run 2 main events, combine scores for overall points. Benefits- More racing for the fans. A bad start in a main not as devastating. Riders who put in all the work to get in top shape, will be rewarded.
So the evening at the supercross would look like this: 250sx ht 1, 250sx ht 2- 450sx ht 1, 450sx ht 2- track maintenance- KTM Jr's- 450sx lcq - 250sx lcq- nq consi- 450 main 1 - 250 main - 450 main 2
In Highschool we had a special Ed student who used to make race car sounds when walking in the halls and squealing sonds arond corners. He was nicknamed "Mark The Car". Everytime some posts "HOLESHOT!!!!" I think of Mark The Car.
I feel when columnist talk about themselves it enhances the message.Hope David expounds on his personal life.I am hoping for a full autobiography from J. Weisel.
mgwest I agree Supercross is not broken, but the last few season have brought to light certain concerns...For the sport to remain healthy, grow and become even better, a few changes might help...We all want the same things great racing and more of it!!
the points system is dated, winning a heat should give you 5 points 4 for 2nd 3points for 3rd. fastest qualifier gets 5 points should he win give him an extra point for having a good nite. keep it simple enough to follow. and if a rider slams a flagger he gets 1 point...just kidding about the flaggers..but really, its the only part of SX that has'nt had a make over...bring on daytona...AMEN
Congrats on your successful firefighter gig. Many may not realize the dedication and effort it takes to get and keep a job in the firehouse, but you persevered and achieved your goal. Reacting in a crisis is not something everyone has a knack for, so keep up the great effort....and by the way, you're a pretty decent SX/MXer too!
I know the concept has been talked about (and tried) in the past but I like the idea of varied formats during the series. If we are going to have 3 Anaheim rounds why not differentiate with a different format in each.
Having rounds with 2-10 lap sprint motos (w/series pts being awarded by overall results) could change things up. I can envision Alessi getting the holeshot then blocking, cross-jumping, brake-checking to end up on the podium.
Horse racing is done at different distances because it features different horses strengths. There are few triple crown winners because it is almost impossible to be the best sprinter and distance runner and stay at peak form over a few months.
Seems that they could devise 3 different formats that favor different skills required by supercross riders. Have a "triple crown" bonus for a rider that can win each of the premier events for each format (or has most points in the three events)
My choice for "triple crown" events:
Anaheim 1 - Standard SX format (The hype would be even greater at A1)
Daytona - Endurance format (Longer lap-times, rougher track)
Vegas - 2 - moto sprint format (can you imagine series and Triple crown bonus coming down to a race with two starts and two sprints?)
I know these aren't new ideas, Just a different way to put them together into a season. I think it maintains the integrity of the sport while changing things up.
@langston_fan Alessi gets the holeshot alot.......look where he's at.......lol
@please dont hate us -
back in my high school days we had Richard. he would hold his books like a steering wheel and rip down the halls between classes making engine noises, shifting gears and all. everyone learned to just get out of the way or get cleaned out. Richard was a lot of fun and a good guy who would sing almost any top 40 song word for word for a quarter. thanks for spurring a good memory of simpler times....
Ping, i catch your column every week.
They tried that ( winners of heats thing already ) The fast guys just stopped on the last lap and let somebody else win. It was a joke. I was in LA when they tried that , I remember Jonny O and David stopping !
Supercross IS NOT BROKEN ! Leave it alone.
To the people that want a different format,go watch something else !
@motobk. The only thing to differentiate the 17 rounds (with the exception of Daytona) is the name on the stadium. (I guess Anaheim has the same name on the stadium and successively less fans for each). Can you name a more redundant sport? The only thing that changes things up is injury. Unfortunately, everyone is watching something else.
Congrats on your new F.T./F.F./P. position, Mr. Pingree. Hard work pays off again.
When our sport can't compete in ratings with fishing, golf or dog shows, something needs to change. Maybe MX/SX shouldn't try to be like Nascar at this point. Let's try to be like the Westminster Dog Show. We need realistic goals.
@xray - That's awsome. It must be a thing. Simple times for sure.
We had a unwritten rule that no one mess with Mark the Car. He would pretend to do a burn out in front of the gear heads. He could get real upset though if someone got in his way or tried to stop him.
I liked to see the semis come back, but that's just a minor tweak that people already watching might appreciate, not anything that's going to bring in anyone new. Much as most of us roll our eyes at them, it seems like doing the personal stories on the riders may bring new viewers to TV. I wonder if having that show about RV helped the ratings for the next events at all.
Ping congrats on the FD gig. You'll do just fine. 99 percent of the time is spent deciding what's for lunch and dinner and cooking it. Hopefully you've been honing your BBQ grill skills. You also need to be able to wash the equipment and workout on duty. Realize this is coming from a jealous former police officer who quickly realized he chose the wrong public safety career.
You being 30 something and getting in the FD is pretty impressive. Way to stick with it. Congratulations and try not to burn your smores.
Hi Ron
I ride with a knee replacement for quite some years now ... you need to get your riding adjusted ... a little enduro riding won't hurt
Ping, yer an idiot...... I take the knee thing a step further in my mind,...like a Ferarri knee, or Cosworth knee. Its simply brilliant!! Good day sir. I always look foreward to this nonsense btw thanks, and gratz on a job.
I always new there was something odd and evil about Damon Huffman....If Honda wanted to build a new knee or neck or whatever it would get built in 2 years ...one to r&d and won to perfect it....done.
First Congrats to you Ping, Awesome of you to finally make it. Both my Mom and Dad were Vol. firemen. Both were buried with full Firemen Honor guards, very proud of them. Mom was a former Mash nurse and helped establish the early stages of Paramedics as we see today. 1969 there were no paramedics yet, just ambulance crews that transported you so an ER doc could hopefully save you. My mom had a ex fire truck (F -250) that they equipped all the cabinets with medical gear and thus saved alot of lives along the way.
Ron R. from G.C. Colorado - My knee replacement has been the BEST thing I've ever done. Dr. Peter Lammens down in Golden (Panorama) put in a "rebuildable" Zimmer knee into me 3 years ago. Pete rides too! They don't let me jog but all he said was "be easy on the triples". I ride bicycles and do stairs for low impact work. My knee looks just like the one in the picture here. That lower white pad is teflon based plastic and is replaceable. No more ACL and just keep your CTI's on and your good to go. Do hesitate anymore, JUST DO IT !
I agree someone could come up with a better knee. Mike Shults did this with no engineering degree for himself. He designed and built a prostetic and now sells them to the public because his design is by far the best.
Was he the Sno crosser with that Fox Shox ankle he built?
"The only change that needs to be made to the format in my opinion is to go to timed races rather then lap counting.
There are too many short races due to falling lap times. The simple solution is 15 mins + 1 lap for 250's and 20+1 for 450's."
Could not agree more with that.
How about progressive banking on some of the turns.
Work on soil conditions. You either change the soil or you change the soil.
I know some will disagree and that is ok, but I happen to like it that the tracks this year are more designed with safety in mind.
Now to work on track layouts and track soils to improve the competitiveness of the events.
I've had both hips replaced and I still ride. Just be careful and realize its about having fun riding and not about winning anymore. A die-hard rider/fan must still get on a bike for cryin out loud!!!
2 main events too complicated? so what about one 450 main event for the FIM world SX series and one 450 main event for the AMA SX Series in the same night? so they don't need the "overall" thing no more, two races for two different championships with all the best 450 riders, two 20 laps or one 15 laps for the World SX1 and 20 laps for the AMA SX 450!!!!
The only thing wrong with Supercross is that the people running the show don't seem to understand that forgiving dirt is the key to good racing.
Year after year after year.
Congrats on the new career Ping. Good column as usual. Frankly, I think you're going a little easy on some of these guys, but hey - it's your column. Keep up the nice work. And Ferk that one guy from Chandler. lol
I agree ping that a 40 lap moto would be a bit long but there have been at least one race this year where the lap times of the leaders were in the 45 second range making the main event only last a little over 15 minutes. Maybe we could have a 25 lap main sometime in the future.
prime... I agree. I kinda thought this was really suppose to be a segment where we could send some good questions and get an answer we couldn't otherwise come up with... Instead, the questions picked are ones that really have no real relevance, or easy ones answered because Ping didn't feel like doing the research to come up with a real answer. Come on Ping! I will not miss a podcast, or a pulp show you are on, because I really think you are the most interesting media member, and literally love to hear what you have to say. Ask Ping has been weak though, and as big Ping fan, would like to see you really make it happen, and really find the real answers to all of our good questions. I Look forward to all your pulp shows, and mx-sx reviews that you partake in...
If we really want to something interesting with supercross they should bring out a bunch of production bikes, and only let the riders adjust the stock controls. I mean don't even let the mechanics change any thing. Then send those guys out to race. Just like once a year or something, that would be interesting.
Google image search knee implant x-rays and you'll see that knee implants are, from an engineering standpoint, have all the structural integrity of a swingarm mounted on a universal joint. We need motocross companies to get involved with the following industries:
Pistol
Rifle
Shotgun
The above three are in desperate need of renovation by suspension companies, because semiautomatic weapons recoil and bottom out, metal to metal, so hard, and it's hard on the equipment and on the shooter. Imagine your suspension just clacking like hell, bottoming out metal to metal, on every bump. That's guns. They should be perfectly adjustable, or have some kind of bottoming cone so they never really go metal to metal.
Knee implants - look at x-rays of knee implants. Piss-poor engineering. Imagine a swingarm built like that. Ha ha ha ha ha...
Hip implants - weak.
Femur surgery - you should see all the loose shards of bone they just leave in there, spearing the meat in your thigh until it "heals." It's like leaving a bunch of large shards of glass in your muscle tissue and thinking that's good enough. It sucks.
Plating of clavicles - this practice should be totally revolutionized by aircraft A&P mechanics who actually know how to fix a frame. I mean seriously: imagine breaking your motorcycle frame, then fixing it by putting a plate on one side and putting four self-tapping screws through one side of it. Imagine mounting your engine, subframe etc. with a self-tapping screw into some brittle and basically hollow wood. It's ridiculous, and I've stood there in O.R. just amazed that surgeons are doing such horrifyingly "jury-rigged" ;-) work.
Remember, guys...if you want to pick an orthopedic surgeon, ask to look at his woodworking skills. You never will, though. Just let some shadetree surgeon orangutang-rig your skeletal system with horribly engineered garbage.
Oops, typo...here's the first sentence corrected.
Google image search knee implant x-rays and you'll see that knee implants, from an engineering standpoint, have all the structural integrity of a swingarm mounted on a universal joint.
Trying to follow Nutscars lead on how to improve Supercross is like going to a drunk Doctor for brain surgery. The Nascar stands are losing fans by the droves after they took away the racing and went to follow the leader. The biggest challenge for Nascar is how the camera men can get at the right angle to not show the empty stands. I no longer watch Nascar.
I used to travel directly to at least 4 Supercross races a year. Flight , motel , tickets , rental car, parking ,etc. After it went to 16 minute mains and in some cases 15 minutes(premature ejaculation), smoothing the track constantly( you have a 100 foot triple and you are worried about a few braking bumps and berms forming???).
I will take a bet with most anyone for the full series . I will bet one of the the first three riders at the first corner will win the race. You can have all riders from 4-16 to win the race. $100 per race for the whole series.
Passing is does not exist on the one line 12 foot wide tracks.
Either longer racers or a multiple race with combined scores . Something needs to be done. Having the AMA fix it is like having the government fix the national debt!
I will be flying to two endurocross this year. After one last year I am hooked and hope they include more races for next year. I will not be attending any supercross races this year. I will attend four outdoor Nationals.
A
Daytona will be a longer race . Hope they don't stop it halfway to smooth out the braking bumps and ruts.