Main image: Greg Chidgey building bikes prior to the 2022 High Point National, photo by Mitch Kendra
Mechanics are the unseen heroes in motocross. We know this, you know this, so there’s no need to take time to talk about the long, seemingly endless hours they work, how they sacrifice a regular life to be the guy-behind-the-guy, or how little many of them get paid. We already know all that so, nope, no need to talk about how when things go perfectly, they rarely get thanked, but take the blame whenever there’s a mechanical failure. You also know they rarely get any attention, so we thought for this week’s edition of 3 on 3, we’d give a few of them some exposure. We even threw in a bonus question for good measure!
Racer X: What's the most annoying or difficult component, system, or process of wrenching on race bikes? What makes it such a challenge/hassle?
Nate Alexander | Rider: Mitchell Oldenburg
To me the most difficult process on a race bike is not building the bike, or even working on it. The most difficult part is coming up with a game plan or strategy on race day. The strategy to make your rider the most comfortable as he can be and getting the most out of your bike at the same time. A lot of riders don’t prefer new tires, so there is a break-in process for them throughout the day. Same goes with clutches. You want the clutches seated in, but you also don’t want to push them to the point where they could fade in a main event, affecting your start.
Greg Chidgey | Rider: Garrett Marchbanks
Changing the steering stem, bearings and races would be the most challenging item for me on race day, there’s a lot that goes into it with pulling the front end apart and pounding out the old ones. It’s usually done between sessions when time is limited.
Heath Harrison (Former pro rider himself) | Rider: Kyle Peters
Oh man, it's a toss-up between cutting a chain or seat cover. I’d say mainly removing a seat cover!
Would you ever let your fellow mechanics work on your own personal bike, or are you the only one who touches it?
Alexander
[Laughs] Yeah, I would let them work on it, but I would definitely look over it again afterward when they’re not around. More than likely, I would re-wash it as well.
Cam Callaghan | Rider: Jeremy Martin
[Laughs] If they can do it for the team riders then they’re most certainly good enough for my slow pace. Yes, I trust each of our crew with my bike. Even the riders are very mechanically skilled. Well, everyone except [Garrett] Marchbanks anyway!
Harrison
Yeah, I trust all of our guys! Gino [Aponte], our engine guy builds my race bike for Loretta's every year. He also wrenches for me at Loretta's.
What’s something you neglect on your own bike that you probably shouldn't?
Alexander
I try not to neglect anything. I’ve just formed habits that have become routine that I do every single time. It all becomes muscle memory after a while. I’ll always do more before I do less.
Harrison
Just about everything! [Laughs] Tire pressure never gets checked unless I have a flat.
Tyler Morgan | Rider: Enzo Lopes
Air filters for sure, but the one benefit we have here a ClubMX is Brandon [Haas] lets us ride team bikes at any time and DT1 hooks us up, so that was an issue of the past. Otherwise, my filter stays in for a long time!
Is there ever any trash talk in the mechanics’ areas during the motos?
Alexander
I think so. A lot of it is just stubbornness. No one likes losing, and if you ever get that taste of winning, it changes you. In the past I’ve butted heads with a lot of mechanics but only over competitiveness, I didn’t actually not like that person. I was jealous. I was just in this spot in my head where I felt like, “Wow, I’ve invested so much into this since 2006, giving my life to the sport and we’ve fallen short once again.” You get so invested that you think you’re the one racing the motorcycle. But you’re not. You’re essential, yes, but only by 10-15 percent realistically. It just takes so much to make everything align. But yeah, tension is usually high, and typically I, or others, can come off as a prick but it’s just focus. And for me, passion.
I guess other examples would be lazy mechanics lying on the Tuff Blox in supercross. There are over 20 mechanics stacked in an area with only a few good spots to pit board from. Most mature mechanics signal, then step back from the Tuff Block to let someone else in. Then keep switching off. Other mechanics pick a spot and lie on the Tuff Block like they’re in a midday sunbathing session, which isn’t fair.
Harrison
Not that I've experienced. There honestly is a ton of respect in them! If your guy’s not coming by, get to the back of the line. [Laughs]
Chidgey
In supercross everyone is on edge and focused because the show is going so fast! In motocross we have two minutes of nothing until they come back around. We see them for one corner, and they are done for another two minutes. We tend to bust each other up with all the time waiting, but often times we’re just talking about the track. What most don’t realize is, mechanics leave the track at the end of the day without ever even seeing 90 percent of the track. We go at the end and look at the track and think, “Okay now I understand what they were talking about on the headset.”
