Matt Gorka

You know, every now and then reading the crap and drama on here is quite entertaining. Then, it takes it's toll. It takes the heart and soul out of me. The heart and soul of back in the day, when I was truly inspired to ride.

There are 2 monumental moments, and because of them, I am the rider (whatever that means ) I am today:

1) Daytona, 1999: Dayton Bike Week, shiny new yellow/white 900rr. First time in Florida, sun, fun, first gear power wheelies. Can't get any better. My boys are taking longer than chicks to get ready to go to Razzles, so I decide to get on my bike and hit the strip instead of wait in the room. Sitting at Wendy's with all the sportbikes, these 4 dudes fly by doing the craziest things I'd ever seen. "Yo, those are those boys from Akron" one dude says. I barely caught any of it, but the last 2 wheelies. They take off and don't return for 5 or 10 minutes. Then, Scott comes by and does the highest stoppie right next to me 2 feet from the curb and Kevin does a donut right in the middle of the intersection, with total disrespect to traffic. Truest form of FTP I'd ever seen. I replay it in my head to this day. It is still larger than life. Until that day, I'd never truly been inspired in my life. I can't describe how it drove me. That night, everyone went to the bar but me. I went back and forth on those side roads off A1A trying to learn the stoppie, hour after hour. The beginning of my stunting carreer. They are my true Idols, and will forever hold that title.

2) Wink 1100: I remember getting this beat-up bootleg copy of "Ruff Ryders" from one of my best friends. With a pre-conceived notion, I popped it into my VCR. After the intro thinking I'd never be able to make it through the whole thing, I see my first 12:00 wheelie. I from that point on rode day after day, sometimes all night until the sun came up, on a mission to learn the 12:00.
I laugh, remembering how I sat 2 feet from the front of the T.V. like a child
rewinding (lost the remote years ago) that clip of him on the red 900 in manhattan, like someone with obsessive compulsive disorder
Wink, I owe you the most respect. YOU owe me a VCR.


I'd like to hear about other people's inspirational moments.

foxracingRR

Gorka it's funny you say that I was there that year also and remember the starboyz tearing it up, getting arrested, and didn't give a f@ck it was crazy. I remember the wink vs. starboyz like it was yesterday. I wish I started riding then. See you in Daytona

GreggV

a few guys down south inspire me every now and then....................





The person that inspired me the most was J Holt........ Back in the day terrorizing the streets of St Augustine together with our first bikes........
I sold mine and took a long break.........J bought a zx7 and let me take it for a ride ........well thats all it took I was hooked again I soon after bought my first GSXR and have been riding every since..........


The Starboyz at the rice paddy in 01 along with videos from some other groups have played a big role for me also.........



10

Veggie Dave

Ooh, there's loads...

1983 - Watching Arto Nyquist on a Z1300 scraping that Kwak at Donnington Park. It was like watching a god ride a bike.

1995 (or there abouts) - Seeing AC Farias for the first time at the Scottish Stunt Show. His stoppies and scrapes were absolutely, utterly amazing, but then he did the first 360 wheelie I'd ever seen. From that point on Farias has always been the very best rider in the world as far as I'm concerned. There are people doing more outrageous stuff these days, but absolutely no one is as smooth or controlled.

Whenever FTP 1 came out - While working at Streetfighters (the only UK mag that was remotely interested in stunting (until the last few years), which launched the careers of Gary Rothwell, Craig Jones, Dave Coates and Sonnie Ferguson among others) a video turned up one day. When we watched it every one of us was simply blown away. The riding wasn't as technical as the Euro stuff, but they had that **** you attitude that we loved. I've no idea how much the mag helped the boyz get known in the UK, but we pushed their video as much as we could. Indeed, if it wasn't for that tape, I probably wouldn't be doing the job I am now - so it was possibly the biggest influence on my life.

2003 - Watching Sonnie Ferguson, in the middle of our winter (Feb time) do the first rail scrape highchair I'd ever seen. I never thought I'd see anyone do that.

The Last Few Months - Watching all you guys riding the nose cone of your fairings while scraping. That just rocks!

I could go on for ever, but they're probably the main ones...

Matt Gorka

Definitely! I remember seeing A.C. doing a no handed wheelie thinking there could only, and would only, be one man doing that in the world. That trick was the first UNBELIEVABLE trick I'd ever seen.

I envy anyone seeing it now for the first time, I can only imagine being able to.....

Lb3

I got in on everything pretty late. Didnt start till late 02. I'd never seen anything to do with stunting, didnt know anyone with a bike. I'd just picked up a minty fresh used 01 gsxr 600. I met up with some local cats down town and that was where I was first introduced to pure oldschool highway terrorism. I followed the (who I thought were completly insane) people with beat up bikes to the local spot and after watching power wheelies and shitty burnouts for 5 minutes I was out there slamming down first gear power wheelies trying like hell to get farther than 200 feet.

I got on the net sometime after that and found the video that started the downward spiral that led stunting to completely take over just about every aspect of my life... lol. The "typical monday night" video. I watched that damn video over and over so many times. I got so sick of the song from watching it so much that I'd just turn the sound off and watch it.

Sillyneck

that's cool. wish I would have been around to see the originators when it all kicked off.

I think it was late 2002 when I had my '97 street legal 2 stroke ktm. I was the king of town blowing premix down the road. then I found this site.....asked all kinds of dumbass questions "how can you possibly do a wheelie w/ no hands??????" Everyone was cool as f-ck about it too. so feb 03 rolls around and I see this wrecked *** 02 gix 750 for cheap. I get the bent frame beast.....I suck! so I buy videos....I see this darius guy in the 1st vid....oh **** he's baddd I see him on this site and SBF....never expected to meet the guy or anything. a few months later I'm riding w/ D, and alex. they are probably my biggest inspiration. that and my sick need to show off. if there's hot girls around I'll make sure I ride better

Natedogg

I was over @ a buddies house for a bachelor party and three guys roll up on sportbikes two R1's and one 929rr. The first rider (on a dirt road even, you know how we do it up here Gorka) rides a standup looking @ all of us. The other two just roll up shaking there heads @ the other one because it was wheelieing on dirt. Other one comes back and was the first time I met Chris Stroldhal, the other two Mikey Mcintyre and "The" Chad Bowen. Seeing Mikey's bike inspired me to get a bike and seeing Chris do his wheelies over a 100 miles an hour with half of his body on one side that was the moment I wanted to stunt anything I could get my hands on. Also seeing Mikey this year turn his show bike into a stunt bike inspired me. Man Gorka, so much has change since you left, you'd be proud !!
1096 :YEAH

paragus

i was still in high school.. didnt even have my bike yet.. dmx - ruff ryders anthem video.. never saw any stunting till then... i remember being blown away by stoppies.. lol soon after that i bought Urban Assault i remember watchin Jason Britton doin those highway wheelies in CA.. ever since then i was hooked.. :YEAH

Tony D

I smell lots of in this thread. -------=============------Some guys watched bootleg videos, others grew up putting up with the ****.

BTBent

Well over here on west coast...id have to say Alex and Darius inspired...helped me. I still have the original emails i sent back in the day...check it.

Sent this to Darius on September 10th 2002 here is my question ..his response.

my question to him..
Hey Darius. Just needed some advice. Been trying to ride slow wheelies on my R6 and eventually scrape. Watching your 12's helped me out i right now do them exactly like you...rolling about 5mph pop the clutch pull up go a bit beyond balance point hit that brake but i cant hold it. I noticed the more air you let out of back tire the easier it is...how much pressure should i use? Also how much easier would it be with shorter gearing with my sprockets...im gonna go one tooth down in front im only 2 teeth up in back currently. But should i be able to do it just the same with only 2 teeth up in rear? It almost seems that since i have no low end on my R6 that when im going so slow and i gas it and brake...it always falls cus i have no power down there to really ride the brake and gas at same time. I dunno ive been practicing alot probably put in 4 days of literally going in circles trying them for about 1 hour a day. Im making slow progress and im gonna keep trying just wondering if you had a little advice. Thanks.

Darius Answer
you need more gearing, one down with like a 50 tooth in the rear is a good start, Ive seen as much as a 65 tooth if you want to go real slow, I would run about 15 to 25 psi in you rear tire, it helps the bike go straight, you have to ride the brake and the gas to slow them down, I am still learning too, It's not easy and will take lots of practice, I practice on a honda xr 50, it helps me get the feel for using the back brake, when you got the bike up there you dont wanna try to bring it back further with the gas because it gets to jerky, you wanna have the gas on and then let the rear brake off a bit to get it to come back, it will come back much straighter when you use the brake, keep practicing!!!!!

I went out the next night...with some new confidence and i scraped my first sit down 12 with no bar and landed it! Here is a post the next day on a forum after someone who seen me scraped posted about it and this is my response.

Ya...thats some crazy **** when your on it.... i mean i dont know how it looked but...do i have to do it some more??? haha well im gonna try sitting in normal position next time not sitting all the way back ...preston said to and i looked and ya everyone is sitting in normal position not all the way back in the seat...it seemed easier that way but who knows. Me and preston or gonna stunt sometime tonight. I need to get 12's on lockdown even though im not looking forward to it...

oh ya i think scraping 12 feet was beginners luck...i prob wont have them that long now hehe...

also gonna look to start fabricating a scrape bar...preston has some ideas

So over here on west coast I flipped out both first time i seen Alex ride...and Darius...and they been pushen me ever since.

Darkmind

I would half too say that my first true insperation was seeing aaron and jacob b from gearedup doning 130 mile standups on I95, i think that was around early 2002. I had bought my bike like 2 or 3 mounths before that and started rideing to Jax beach when i had time off. It just so happened that i would run into them almost every time i went down. After that i would go down to jax look around for them then fallow them around and just watch the show. Then one time i met the truest insperation of all, Gregg V, by the time i met him he had allready stoped rideing on the streets. He spent a LOT of his time explaining things to me and helping me to better understand whats going on. He also spent a lot of time putting up with me at his house at 1am trying to put my bike back togeather so i can get back to base. I remember one time i got the urge to hook up a kill switch to my tail light so i could flick it off if i had any cops behind me. He asked me if i knew what i was doing and i said i think so, well sure as **** i ****ed it up. By the time gregg looked at it and saw that i just ripped the **** out of all the wires it was going on 1 am. It took him an hour to un**** what i did and fix it LOL. For putting up with me like that all the time and for opening my eyes too this other world that i have never laid my eyes on I truely thank Gregg V. I also thank aaron, jacob, and peewee for their helpful knowledge, for always makeing sure i had everything i needed, and ALWAYS makeing sure i made it home i one peace. I must also thank greggs wife juile ( sorry if i spelled it wrong ) for all thouse nights I keep gregg in the grarage working on the bikes tell 2 or 3 am, and not once did she ever say anything about it. Once again thanks Gup team!

DieTrying

CR500 introduced me to the sport a few years ago, i had an old yamaha radian, he gave me a copy of stunnin SF (which i've only recently returned to him, haha). Seeing SBF do it was all i needed, I knew thats what i wanted to do. Eventually bought a gixxer from Nasty, i definately give him credit for teaching me a lot of stuff. Then started learning 12s on the 900rr, Darius was there givin me pointers on how to slow the wheelies down and control them. and since then Alex, Darius, and Nasty have helped me a LOT. Hell, just watchin D and Alex ride i picked up so much. There's a lot of guys out here that inspire me, and in some cases **** me off cause they make it look so easy sometimes, haha. But i will definately give full credit to SBF for inspiring me. Now we've re-joined the SBF crew, i'm inspired again to go big and make stuff happen.

-Rodger-

first wheelie I saw was some guy from my neighborhood on a old yzf or fzr. i was in the fifth grade, which makes the year 1993. i used to sit on the corner and watch him fly by a few times, then the neighbors would call the cops.

saw first vid in 2001 while employed at a bike shop, it was C&I.

jdridin

It was the summer of 03 I was up in Cali visiting my best friend and he had a GSXR 750. Anyways every sunday they always went ridin at there spot. Mike Nicely and the Caliboyz were there bustin some chit and I was like damn. Then later on that night my boys friend brought over a video of the Streetfighters CandI 3 video. The first song started off slow and then it just fu(kin slammed and had Dennis doing a badass tankwheelie and it was all over from there. Bought my R6 back from my brother, rode it a little, then traded it to get a 929. Doin **** I thought I would never do and I love it. Dont care about the money or the people it impresses. I love to ride and stunt and will never quit until I die. Gorka , reading your thread gave me chills and brought back some good *** memories back in Cali.

ryanaka99cents

My first encounter with stunting was watching LVX at New Hampshire International Speedway. It was just plain awesome back then. From there I picked up a couple of the StarBoyz movies and they were off the hook. It was like those guys are freaks and have no concern for personal safety. It was just envigorating. This inspired me to do wheelies and attempt a stoppie and that was about it. I thought there's no way in hell I'll ever do the **** they do.

Later on I watched more video's and thought well you know if they can I can to, but I don't want to wreck my **** cause I'm still paying for it. So I decided to take my time and learn the **** over a matter of years rather than weeks.

Then last year I went to a show in Central Maine thinking it was just going to be a Harley Freak Show and got introduced to the Vertical Outlaws, Johnny from DTE, and Team Felony. After the show was over these guys come over and were talking to the group I was there with and we all hit it off pretty good. They answered the questions I had and still do to this day. I like the way these guys ride and also they way they handle themselves with the fans. If things go right this summer I'm sure I'll learn a lot more from what these guys can teach me.

A lot of stunters in this sport have inspired me, but I must say the friendship the Vertical Outlaws have showed to me has inspired me the most.

pchoiniere

At a stop light in Laconia saw hairy bikes going by doing wiles and stopies so we started following them, They were going around stopped traffic on the grass and in the ditch for no real reason.They were really cool to us and we road with them the rest of the day. Yeah it was the Starboyz and ever since we were hooked.

Two years later we had a vidio release party of our own and when the Starboyz themselves came to it it meant a lot more to us than they know.
Plus we had a big party on A1A in datona that year that just about averyone I can think of with a stunt bike was there.

Can anyone remember what year the Starboys were in Laconia?

Casa

lol dope did you ever stunt the radian?

bler

all I remember was watching a few starboyz, wheelie boys and loosecannon videos when I first got my bike

thanks for making me the stunna I am today guys

iwannagixxer

i wanted a bike for about a year now ever since my good friend got a gix6, a few other kids at school have them.

didnt like stunting much until i saw UA2.