Ping,
Since you have been a team manager and are still close to the industry I thought you would be the perfect person to answer this. How much product/services do I need to buy from a team's or rider's sponsors before I can decide if that rider is overpaid or shouldn't have even been hired in the first place? I mean, there is no way you can decide what a rider is worth unless you are shelling out some serious coin for his salary, right? Somebody must be buying truckloads of tires from Discount Tire to be able to say Grant isn't worth it. Or is this simply a case of a bunch of dunderheads thinking they are way more important than their lamentable existence really is? Looking forward to hearing your take because it's almost Christmas and with closeout sales I might be able to get my buddy a ride at TLD!
Sincerely,
Harry Coot
Harry,
Haven't you heard? You don't need to buy any products from anyone or even ride to be able to post your thoughts, concerns, gripes, and rants on the Internet. That's right! All you need is a username, a password, and an enormous chip on your shoulder to participate. Vent all your bitterness, anger, and frustration about how your life didn't pan out the way you hoped with no repercussions. Get started today and become part of the movement. Or—and I'm just throwing this out there—you could go about things differently. You could actually support the companies that support the sport by using their products. Need some tires for your car? Discount Tire is genuinely involved in the sport. Need a new helmet? Troy Lee Designs makes one of the best, and they support multiple aspects of motorcycle competition, including running their own race team. Looking for an irrational amount of sugary drink with a side of heart palpitations? Pick up a Monster Energy beverage. Every dollar you spend is a vote for what that company’s marketing department is doing, and your vote actually counts. There is no electoral college, so it isn't like casting a conservative vote in California. These companies look at sales, foreign and domestically, and match that up with what they are doing with marketing dollars. I don't think you are going to be able to buy your buddy a ride at TLD, unless he happens to be one of KTM's top amateur riders. We're only a few weeks away from black Friday though…shove some people around and find what you need. Good luck.
PING
Ping,
What are your thoughts on the multitude of social media these days? Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Vine… the list goes on and on and grows every day. Its like a full-time job staying up on all this stuff. Waste of time for kids and young riders or a great way to network? I'm not sure.
Matt
Stockton, CA
Matt,
There's a fine line between posting up cool pics and info for your fans/friends to keep them informed and pure, simple narcissism. You can pretty quickly scroll through somebody's Insta images and make this determination. If there are more than five selfies in a one-year span, or any number of shirtless selfies, you are in full "look at me" mode. We get it: You think you are awesome and you want everybody to like you. If all of your pics are of you, selfie or otherwise, you have also crossed into assface territory. I love seeing shots of new bikes, gear, and graphics as the season approaches. It makes you feel much more connected to what’s going on in the sport because you can be a bunch of different places at once. But if a dude posts a pic of himself in his underwear or making a duck-face, I'm unfollowing.
PING
Ping,
I was wondering if you have any good stories of dirtbikes in hotel rooms? I ran across a picture of my son with his KX65 the other day and was reminded of such a situation at the Dallas AX a few years ago. We had no money for a trailer so we had the 65 in the room. This was all cool until dad got in the shower. My son decided to "warm up" the bike. By the time I realized what was going on the manager was beating on the door and screaming in very broken English for me to open up. So I'm in a towel arguing with Mr. Patel. We were wrong to have the bike running in the room…yes. I did remind him that the room was pretty smelly and the Klotz and VP were quite an improvement. He didn't buy it and quickly withdrew our invitation to the continental (pronounced corn-tee-nental) breakfast. I figure im not the first one to deal with this so please share.
P.S.-I attached a picture of you with the culprit.
Dear ?,
I think most racers have a story or two like this. Back in the 1980s, there was a really cool race called the Kyle Flemming Memorial in Blythe, CA. The race was organized to remember Flemming and his Suzuki teammates Rick Hemme and Bruce Bunch who were killed in a tragic train crash in 1982 at Ponca City. There was (and still is) a shady Motel 6 off one of the main exits in town, and every rider staying there that didn't have a trailer dragged their bikes into the room at night. Those who rolled the dice and left bikes and gear in the back of a truck usually woke up to an empty truck bed in the morning. That neighborhood was so bad you would literally get the hubcaps stolen off your car before you came to a complete stop in the parking lot. I remember hanging out with my friends the night before the race, and we had to crawl over bikes to get in and out of their rooms. I'm speculating, but given the state of the establishment and the culture of the local residents, the motel manager was likely passed out face-down in a puddle of his own vomit or on the floor with a needle hanging out of his arm, so he wasn't giving anybody trouble over bikes in the room. Anyway, sorry you missed out on that corn-tee-nental breakfast. I'm sure it was delicious.
PING
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