if he isn't isn't gettin paid, then i'll take his bike. i can always use an xtra crunchy piece!!!!

 

i wonder

 

wow, well said...

 

Matt has some very valid points in there!

 

I think alot of people on stuntlife need to check theirselves. Everyone thought they knew what was going on and climbed on their high horse and made statements like "thats a shitty comment" and "not a true rider." But I'm sure that since we know who it is everyones tune will change.

When everyone that made a stupid comment has been in this sport for 4 years and given up everything to move the sport forward, then you can talk. Because that's what Gorka has done.

And if you think he's the only one with that attitude, your wrong. I'm not performing unless I get paid, and anyone that is looked up to in this sport feels the same way. So take your holier than thou attitudes (because your in it for fun) and do everything in your power to motivate the sport rather than name calling someone we all need to emulate a little more.

Gorka, another post which I'll reference for career advice.

Please drive through,
Thew

 

ALL KIDDING ASIDE MATT THAT WAS THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.LIKE DAN JACKSON SAID"IF SOMEONE DOIN A SHOW TOOK THE PURSE MONEY AND PAID OUT LIKE 25-30 RIDERS TO COME OUT W/ guarenteed $$$.THAT WOULD BE alot SMARTER THAN ACTUALLY HAVING A PURSE.becuase RIDERS WILL JUST GO OUT THERE AND HAVE A GOOD TIME".MOST OF US ARE COOL W/ EACH OTHER BUT WHEN CONTEST TIME COMES IT'S CONTEST TIME AND WE DO ALMOST WHATEVER IT TAKES TO WIN.
SO IF WE WHERE ALREADY GETTING PAID IT WOULD BE COOL AS HELL.SO WE CAN HAVE A GREAT TIME AND FEEL LIKE WE ARE HERE TO PUT A SHOW ON.AND THAT'S IT.OUR ENERGY GETS HARNESSED IN A DIFFRENT PLACE.AND CONCENTRATED ON THE GOOD TIMES AND NOT THE BULLSHIT.

 

it coldent of been said better

 

I just want to put some of my in on this thread.

I am fairly new to the sport of stunnin'.

I completely understand the view points of Thew and Gorka. I have met them and even hung with them, and I know that their lives would not be complete without motorcycles.

I feel that any of the groups that take the time to make a group, train, learn new things, and then go to shows and entertain all of us should be paid enough to make it worth there time and effort.

Just my !!!

 

This is a good example of using the definition "pro" in stunt riding. Theres nothing wrong with "having fun" but a lot of these guys are at a caliber that most (including myself) will never see. Matt (G.) make a good point about ins. I hurt my shoulder over a year and a half ago, I still have soreness here and there from not having the proper treatment at the proper time. A good example is XSBA, they provide ins. (up to $10, 000) per event for registered riders. I hope that any pro riders that decide to continue to not ride without being compensated properly make this their TRUE full time profession.

 

For the top 1% who are good enough to possibly make a living on this, go for it. For the other 99% of us it is all for fun. Do what you got to do. I love watching the videos and I'm planning on hitting the Comps in 2004 but just as a vacation from my normal life. It's a hobby for me. Stunting without health insurance is INSANE!!!!

 

Hey Matt G. told me he was a car salesman!! Remember Matt you kissed my buddy's girlfriend and mentioned something about driving one home???
Ride for your own reasons. Just don't-- ride to live or live to ride.....HEE HEE HEE
Don't we do shows for money? Isn't that riding for money???

 

i kinda look at like all the other sports...

football players all started cause they love football , there is a demand because people want to be able to watch football which equals money... and that equals the opportunity to make money at something you love...

which is a goal for all of us..

i think the difference is when gorka and thew and them have given up so much to make this sport happen only to relize that there isnt enough demand right now to equal money...

it will happen, i just hope that these guys dont give up before it does..... i dont really think that they will, but its something to consider ... riding to make a living doing something you love (even though you cant make a living yet) or just ride for fun and make a living some other way....

 

forgot something... sorry

i dont look at it like "riding for money"

its just trying to make a living doing something that you love

 

QUOTE - For those with A.D.D, this may be difficult.

Well, it’s been a while since we’ve had a good debate on here. I’ve always been good at instigating a fight......So here goes: I SAID IT! I told Ronnie that I’m no longer going to travel half way across the nation to do a show or contest to “break even.” I wanted to profit from it. For the last few years, I’ve put aside finishing my Engineering degree to pursue my dreams and goals in this sport. I’ve accomplished more than I thought I ever would, but at the same time wanted more from it every step of the way...Human nature. My bike is my lifelong love. I remember wanting a pw50 way back when. I’ve put my heart into every minute on my bike, and I think some would agree it shows. Stoppies? I’ve crashed so many times with that trick, I can’t count. Despite the self mutilation I’ve put myself through, I never quit. I always got back up. When I moved to Florida, learning Joe Brown’s style from Joe himself, I flipped one over at about 45mph. My legs swelled so bad, it looked like I got hit by a car. I couldn’t walk for a couple of days. Because I left my job back home, I no longer had health insurance. I had to drain my legs of the fluids myself using needles to reduce the swelling. Being off my legs for a couple days allowed me some time to think. I thought of what would happen if I paralyzed myself, or needed life support for some reason. Riding my *** off without health insurance (still do, by the way) is pretty irresponsible and rather risky. How quickly my selfish dreams could become the life-long burden of someone else. Do you think my parents would take me off life support? Hell no, they’d put themselves and the rest of my family in the poor house before that would happen. Anyway, After I recovered, I got back up and pushed myself even harder. You know the rest of the story. I’m not a quitter....I’ll never quit. It’s not in my nature.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a mortgage broker and I have some big plans for a future in real estate investing. It takes up a lot of my time and I’m not stopping until I reach my goals with it. I want to support a family and give them and myself the things I never had, both emotionally, physically and financially. Yes, along with my personal goals, money is a motivator for me. I’m at a point in my life where the things I do have risk and reward....Risk AND Reward. If the reward isn’t there, you should assume I’m not going to be there either. For my future to go as planned, I must be healthy and make wise investments. The level today’s top pro’s ride at is risky......very risky. They invest a lot of time and money into their riding to be as good as they are. They deserve to be compensated for it and many expect to. To me, that investment would only be a wise one if the reward exceeded the risk. For each person the reward is different, and may change the longer they are involved in the sport. What kept you happy the first year, may not the next. Investing in riding takes a little money, a lot of skill and even more dedication. To invest in real estate, you either need money yourself or access to someone else’s money. Someone else’s money means credit. If bills are not paid, credit goes to crap, investments are not made and family lives in poverty. (Had to paint an ugly picture for ya) I hope you all can understand that bills must be paid and money must be made. One reason we’re not there yet financially in this sport is because only a few riders contribute a business mind-set and understand concepts such as supply and demand. Believe me, it’s not out of greed or a holier-than-thou attitude. I’d just rather roll to the next contest in a nice rig with a tight bike, rather than a ****-box that barely makes it there and a bike that’s missing half it’s bolts......The whole time calling myself a “Pro.”

Please approach this letter objectively. I thought you all deserved an explanation and who knows, some of you may even wonder what I’m thinking.
QUOTE

wow, and i thought starving children had it bad.

 

A few words about Gorka's explanation...

Very well said. Even though I wish it was not true, it is. I think we all come to these realizations at some point in our riding careers. The thrill of being in front of the crowds and showing them everything you have worked so hard on for free wears off very quickly, but even worse, is when you realize that the promoters know they are making big money by having you at their events, but won't pay up to keep you coming back for more. It has been a lesson my crew has learned one too many times this year. We will not travel and ride anymore for the thrill. We deserve to be paid as entertainers, and have worked very hard to get to the point where we can honestly say that. Gorka, Thew, Kyle, Brandon, Darius and ALL the other top guys in the sport deserve to get paid, and I support their stance even if it means not seeing them at every event of the year. Look at the Starboyz for example. Paying gigs always come first over any other event, and that makes good business sense. They are the perfect business model for this sport. Build your show schedule, attend as many paying functions as possible, stay involved in as many "stunt" events as possible, and sell lots of hoodies and videos! These guys have it nailed down, and guys like Gorka deserve and want the same!

I support the cause, and hope all riders will join in and support it as well, not just for guys like Gorka, but for everyone who wants to work hard to be a part of making this sport what it should be!

PEACE
JAGMAN

 

Preach the word Gorka! I always wondered how you guys were able to make it to almost every show and still pay your monthly bills. I always had the intentions of doing this for fun and as a stress reliever from the average daily crap. Yet, I also have great respect for those that are out there trying to make this sport go mainstream. If it does go mainstream great....if not Great as well. I will still be out there riding and doing it for me and no one else.

 

I don't get if I ever get paid. I ride becuase I love it...F--- this guy if that's his attitude. Course I haven't started stunnin yet