Hey, you asked so I answered. Thanks to all those that wrote in and sorry for the ones I didn’t get to, this thing’s already 5,000 words!
Hey, you asked so I answered. Thanks to all those that wrote in and sorry for the ones I didn’t get to, this thing’s already 5,000 words!
Why doesn’t RV want to talk to you? Seriously?-Outsider
No he does, he’s just angry with me for some reason. He’s been real hilarious with me in the last little while and it makes me laugh. Like he knows that he can say whatever he wants to me and I’ll come back with something as equally as witty (or at least I hope so). Check the archives here on Pulp and you’ll see that he just did an interview with me a little while ago.
Hey Steve, I haven’t really been keeping tabs on all the new contracts and what kinds of salaries these riders are getting. But in this gongshow of an economy wouldn’t it be in the sport and the teams best interest to do contracts that are result based? A low base-salary but good bonus money for top 5, podium, and obviously wins. It would be better on teams and would make for some amazing racing…not that we haven’t been getting that lately but it would add a more competitive spice on things.
Thanks
Great columns by the way! Keep on keepin on!-Eric
Eric, are you sure you’re not a team manager? Is your last name Kehoe? Anyways, yes it would be great to do that and I see both sides. Some people in the industry say that the lack of contracts that you speak about it the reason why we’re in trouble now. Then you talk to the riders and they say that they try as hard as ever regardless of how much money they stand to earn.
Just wondering if there’s a dark side to Steve Matthes, a little temper or something. Have you ever made someone more pissed then R.C? Do you love it, or does it bother you that he wanted to beat you up? 🙂 How many times have you told that story? Thanks Steve, love your work, I think you found the perfect fit in the industry. Are your hands more comfortable on a keyboard then a wrench? Ok I’m done-Soren
Soren, I’ve made a few people mad from time to time and it doesn’t feel good but I almost feel that if I get the facts right and report the truth then whatever the reaction of someone doesn’t really matter. They are too wrapped up into it to see the objective reasoning behind me writing something. I’ve also held stuff back because it served no purpose other than to get someone mad at me. Like it wasn’t really news and wasn’t worth the hassle of an email “fight.”
1. Have you ever peed in the starters shack?
You must have me confused with a nervous rider before a race. I’m usually sedated and calm by the time I’m at the starting line.
2. Has there ever been a Monster girl that was a virgin?
I doubt it but I’m going to hold off on the jokes and such because on Vitalmx last year or maybe a couple years ago, there was a dad that posted on there when all the other dudes were calling his daughter a trashy hooker and talking about how they would “hit that.”
3. Have you ever been sponsored by a Maple Syrup manufacturer?
No but that would be sweet. On another note, I was buying syrup the other week and noticed that the glass jars of maple syrup were, like, almost double to the plastic ones. The plastic bottle stuff tastes great so I’m wondering if it’s really worth it to try one of these premium bottles. Like, how much better would it taste? I’m curious but still cheap. Can anyone let me know?
4. When was the last time you changed a tire on a dirtbike?
I changed one maybe six months ago for a friend that was struggling and looked like he was going to keel over from a heart attack. Didn’t pinch it or anything, I still have the magic.
5. What rider/s refuse to talk to you?
Jason Lawrence and Josh Hansen. One of them I’m ok with it and one of them I wish would actually talk to me so I could laugh.
6. What rider/s that you refuse to talk to?
No one.
7. Do you believe in ghosts?
This is a weird one for me because I really don’t. After all, don’t ghosts fall into the same category of Bigfoot and Loch Ness monster in that if you haven’t seen any real, tangible proof after all these years then they must not exist? Like it would just take one alien head or Bigfoot carcass and we’d all become believers but that never happens. NO ONE ever produces proof on this stuff so you have to think it doesn’t exist. Same with ghosts, I have yet to see any photograph or anything that’s indisputable but here’s the weird thing with me. When I watch Ghost Hunters on A&E or see anything on ghosts, I get massive goosebumps and am scared to death. So which is it? I don’t know.
8. Who was the last person you flipped off?
No one that I can remember.
9. Who was the last person that flipped you off?
I think Hansen did at Glen Helen a couple of years ago but I can’t be sure.
10. What team cheats the most?
They all bend the rules a bit.
I have more……Neil
Steve, I have a 2003 KX 125, and seeing as you were a factory wrench, I need your help. What can I do to the motor other than porting to make it faster? GO TIM FERRY!!!!!!!!! thanks, Ryan
I do appreciate the last sentence Ryan and yes, go Tim Ferry. I whole heartily agree. As far as the KX125 thing, I think you should become friendly with Mitch Payton and hopefully he can just give you an entire motor from one of his race bikes from that year.
But seriously you can’t go wrong with a pipe, silencer and a reed cage for a 125….that’s gold right there I tell you.
Dude i listen your podcast every time when i see them on Racerx..I really like them, thanks. I also like the fact you speak the truth. Just had to say that.
Ok back to my point. In every podcast you talk about Reed in way I pick up on that you really don’t care for him. Which is totally fine with me I don’t like the dude. Personally I really don’t know him but he comes across as a total douche. All he does in my opinion is wine. So why do have that douche as your home page pic at the top. You need a good picture of Crazy balls. Love that term. Stewie is crazy balls. I may have not liked him at first as well but man that guy is so amazing on a bike. I know it’s kinda a BS reason to email you. But damn I hate that Aussie. CRAZY BALLS!-Chris
Chris, your email made me laugh out loud. I even showed it to my wife and she laughed, then I sent it onto Larry Brooks to send to Stewie to give him an idea of his fans and how the word s“Crazy Balls” that Ferry came up with has stuck. Thanks for listening the shows, I have a ton of fun doing them and it’s amazing the support that they’ve gotten from fans and the industry.
As far as the Reed thing, I’m sorry to let you down but I like Chad. He’s a good dude just like James is a good guy. They don’t like each other and in our sport, two rivals like that never really have gotten along, it’s natural. The top picture on Pulpmx.com has five images and if you refresh you can see the other ones which include your guy Stewie, RV and, of course, two of the Big-One-Five.
I have some questions to ask you. I just want to say GO CANADA GO, Dean Wilson all the way and you are one of my non-racer hero’s.
So here are my questions.
1. Where are you from in Canada?
2. Where did you go to become a mechanic?
3. What do you want to do when you are no longer in the motocross/Supercross scene?
4. Any tips for aspiring mechanics? Maya
Maya, go Dean Wilson…I’m with you on that one pal. Anyways:
1-I’m from Winnipeg, Manitoba which is right above North Dakota for you Americans. It’s cold, flat and has massive mosquitoes in the summer that can carry you off.
2- I didn’t “go” anywhere to be a mechanic. Not that many pro mechanics really did either. You start of working on your own bikes and go from there. A curiosity into how things work always seems to help. My dad is a licensed car mechanic so the tools and the instruction on how to work on things was always around growing up.
3- Sometimes I think about that Maya but then I think about how I’m absolutely not qualified to do anything else in life except for talk and think about moto all day. I’m fortunate in that once I didn’t want to be a mechanic anymore, I could somewhat function as a writer and that’s what has carried me the last few years. If I’m out of the industry, look for me at your nearest drive-thru asking you if you want to super-size your combo.
4- Tips? I have a few. Be prepared to work really, really, really hard at being a mechanic. Do things that normal people wouldn’t do. Be ready to be away from home and your blankie for long stretches. You’re not going to make really any money at first so make sure you’re somewhat solvent. I hate to make it sound crappy but the job of a pro mechanic involves sacrifices and a work ethic that few would want to do. That’s the truth.
Hey Steve just recently discovered your website and podcasts and have to say I am a huge fan, been a moto fan my whole life but only really followed it on T.V & DVDs. Only really been following online on racer x for the past year. I really enjoy reading your stuff & listening to your podcasts you have a dry witty sense of humor that i can relate too. Here I have a few points I would like your opinions/answers on. (Sorry it’s quite long but hope it makes an interesting read)
All questions mainly relate to the up and coming supercross season
1 – Can Chad beat James
Think this is a question that everyone will jump and say no to but i just keep thinking has Chad got it in him to step up to the plate and compete? there was many racers early on last year that i felt Chad had the speed but just seemed to get shitty starts, I was always an RC fan and disliked the fact that Reed would ride for Podiums and never really hang it out but always be in the hunt for the championship (and whine like a girl when things didn’t goes his way).
But last year i was amazed at how much Chad had picked his pace up, in 08 he was battling with K-Dub then in 09 he was nearly lapping him. I think for someone to gain that much speed that late on in his career was pretty impressive. I thought going into the start of 09 that JS would just run away with it but Chad came out fighting and i felt had the measure of him in terms of confidence and speed the 1st 5 rounds. (I know James was on a new bike but so was Chad)
For someone to spend the most part of their career being consistent and conservative to come out and try and take it to the fastest moto x guy on the planet is pretty impressive i just hope that maybe he can get a couple of wins under his belt early on pick up the big "MO" and take it to crazy Balls aka JS. (can’t see it happening but we can only hope otherwise i think it will be the JS Show the whole season)
One last note on this question – Has Mike (the man with hard to spell surname) Gosselaar gone with Chad to Kawasaki? If not, how do you think as an ex mechanic this will effect Chad? I heard a few rumors that Mike was one of the big things behind Chad’s success last year?
I’ll take each question as they come here Jordan, yes I do think that Chad can beat James but it’s going to be tough. James is James, he has to beat himself before you can think about beating him. He’s an unbelievable talent and Chad, as good as he is, can’t match Stewie for raw speed. Last season really showed what confidence can do as James struggled with an ill-handling bike and opened the window for Chad to get in there and stick a wheel in. Even with all this, he wasn’t able to beat him before James figured out his bike and it was on from there. That small opening gave Reedy the confidence that he needed to realize that he could run with James. The hallmark of Reed’s career has been consistency and don’t look for that to change. I’m sure that Chad’s game plan is to be right there with Stewie and pounce on any mistakes. Straight up, he can’t beat Stewart so he has to be smarter and this will be his plan methinks.
Last I heard Goose is not going to Kawasaki as there are rules about working there as you’re an employee over at the green team and a contractor at Suzuki. Goose isn’t excited about driving from Victorville all the way to Irvine every single day because that’s what Kawi requires of its employees.
2 – Pourcel – No 450 ride? / Honda under-archeiving
First of all what did you think about Pourcel last year? I think for a kid that was coming back from a horrendous injury living in a different country he did pretty darn good. He won the supercross beating Dungey (note being European to win supercross is pretty difficult as there is barley any supercross Championships/tracks in Europe) also if it wasn’t for his bike problems there is a big possibility he would have won the outdoors which surely would of meant he is the best lites rider in the world AKA the next biggest thing? Which brings me on to my point why did he not manage to get a 450 ride?
Few options I thought could of/should of happened.
Mike fisher thinks he did an excellent job last year coming back from injury to nearly winning both tittles and offers him a good pay cheque an promotes him to the 450. They have RV and Pourcel which in my opinion would be an awesome team outdoors and indoors. (Heck whilst he is on the "handing out the big pay check program" he could offer the man with the plan Mitch Payton big money to run the 450 team. It’s not like we are in a recession or anything)
The other option I wanted your opinion on was Honda? Seems like the big red team has been struggling for success ever since the Goat left so why not take a risk and hire what some people might say is best Lites rider in the world?
I know that they already have two riders contracted but surely it’s a rare thing to have riders like Pourcel struggling to find a 450 ride? I think they maybe should have taken a risk and hired him on a cheap 2 year deal. (You never know he could have done real well in the 1st season got good experience. Then the economy turns round, and year 2 they have a cheap 450 rider that could go take on crazy balls and the rest of the yahoos trying to catch him? Crazier things have happened).
Also why we are on the Honda subject what’s your theory on the under achievements of that team the past two seasons in the 450 class?
Riders? Bikes? Injuries?
I think Pourcel not finding a 450 ride was entirely up to him not accepting the money that was being thrown at him. Any team would have gladly taken him (except for Yamaha which went bye-bye and Honda, which couldn’t afford to add a rider-look at Tedesco) but as we all know, the cutbacks in the motorcycle racing world made it hard to offer anything of substance to a Frenchman that was unproven in the 450’s and a little weird to boot. Pourcel is a fantastic rider and one that will be around for a long time and let’s face it, he would’ve adapted fine to a 450. Ryan Dungey was the most sought after 450 rider this past off-season and reports are that his contract is in the 500-600K range. That’s a huge pay drop from what he would’ve gotten a few years ago. I imagine CP was getting offers in the 300K range and with his expected dominance in the 250’s, I bet he could make more than that after salary and bonuses were paid out. Besides, what’s the rush with CP jumping up? Let him beat up on the Lites guys for the next few years and hopefully this economy improves and he gets his big bucks.
I think Honda has done fine the last few seasons. Andrew Short is everything you want in a racer without the championships, Tedesco tries hard and won a race the last few years. The problem is the 80’s powerhouse teams and then hiring RC made them all-powerful in perception but in reality, it’s hard to win races.
3 – Dungey????
What’s he going to do next year? Crash his brains out? Choke and not deliver? Be mediocre and have up and down results just like RV did? Or is there some crazy chance he will carry the big "Mo" from his Des Nations success and do really well? RD & the Goat must have seen something special to be investing this much time and money into the kid?
I personally would like to see him do well, maybe even pull a Hanny? Would be good to have another consistent rider running up front battling it out with Reedy & JS. I wonder how many times he gets "super Pumped this season" Only time will tell….
P.S I hope one day that the phrase "pull a Hanny" makes it to wiki one day Maybe you and Stewie could patent it
I think Dungey will be a top five guy and thrown into the mix with Josh Grant, RV and Andrew Short. I don’t think he’s going to win any races but will learn and be right there to win if either of the big two do something dumb like run into each other. That would never happen right? Errrrrr….anyways he’s a good dude and does things right and maybe a future outdoor champion. I think that he can match RV and Alessi outside don’t you?
I do like the phrase “Pulling a Hanny” that Stewie coined on our podcast. I think that you could also say that for when someone does something dumb like try to take a dude out on the track and then wanting to fist fight him in the pits. You would be like “Oh man, Josh Grant is going to go pull a Hanny right now, let’s go watch!”
4 – Austin Stroupe?
Just a quick one here – what has happened to him? At the start of last year’s supercross it seemed like he was on fire he was definitely faster than Pourcel but seemed to get inconstant after the East/west break then i never heard much from him? Do you think he has a shot at winning supercross Lites this year? Does he even have a ride?
Stoupe is a mystery for sure and I think him and Nico Izzi have gotten caught into the web of “Socal motocross stars that have a lot of money and free time.” By all accounts the PC guys on the team weren’t really pumped on him and his attitude last year, he definitely didn’t like Pourcel and when you’re on Mitch’s team it’s about the team and not you. So if MP hires a purple elephant in a skirt and he’s winning, you better damm well be prepared to pick up that elephant’s poop and be supportive. He’s got some skills and I hear that he’s moved back to North Carolina which would be great. Izzi seems to have realized it as well and making steps to become a better motocrosser and not a better “Pick up chicks on Myspacer.” Hey, Josh Grant was headed kind of down that road before straightening himself out and growing up. It’s not too late for Stroupe.
5 – Lites
Who’s going to win what coast and what do you think to that kid Mat Moss? Will he do anything? Seemed like he was pretty fast in the super x series although the competition is not exactly On fire compared to the US.
Pourcel will win whatever coast he’s on and the other one will be won by either Weimer or Barcia. Matt Moss is going to ride a Suzuki 450 for Decoster and we’ll see how that goes. At one time some people thought Rocky V was a good idea as well.
6 – One last crazy thought "Stomach Problems"?
What is the deal with this? It seems these days it the latest fashion to have a "stomach issue" The chicks have Tiny dogs and the Guys have bad tummys Sounds like something from kindergarten.
Apart From crazy balls who probably ate some frogs legs what is your opinion of it all? (The stomach issue Fashion) I have 1 whacked out theory.
1 – The introduction of Energy drinks, i am a person that has drunk a fair few cans in my time and i don’t know about you but after couple of 16 0z Rockstars i need to go to the shitter fairly soon after, it even says on the back of a can that it speeds up your metabolism. So whenever you see the riders these days they are always on the stuff (i know that some are just water in bottles with logos) but i am sure that some are drinking it.
So maybe the combination of being on the start line getting ready to go down the hole shot with 40 other riders at 80mph, nerves and you stomach churning cause you need a shit is the answer to this "stomach issue"
Just a thought…..
Valid points for sure, I don’t think the dudes drink them as much as the companies would like you to think though. I do think there are enough weirdo doctors in our sport to fill a carnival though. That’s another topic for another day…
The final quote of the day
If the crazy chance happens that Matthes puts this on his Site and the even crazier chance that Larry Brooks reads it I have one thing to say to you!
"Let Crazy Balls Have his Black Rims that kid deserves to roll in style"
Jordan – 22 years old – United Kingdom.
Do you think we’ll ever see Colton Facciotti take a stab at racing in the U.S.? All I’ve ever heard is that was the goal he was working towards, but it’s only ever resulted in one-off end of season rides where championships have already been decided and guys are just going through the motions saving themselves for the upcoming supercross season. Even then the results have been lackluster. Although flashes of speed have been shown, bad luck always seems to intervene.
Is the money that good for a champ in Canada that it’s better to stay here and cherry pick rather than head somewhere else and take on the challenge?
I mean if a guy like Beaton can get rides in the US Open and such you’d think he’d be be on people’s radar for off-season events in Europe. Other than the Future West British SX series that’s promoted by the same guys he’s raced arenacross with for ages, it seems he’s either never asked to or unwilling to take on any challenges outside of the little pond where he’s considered a big fish.
Cheers,
Curtis
Curtis, thanks for writing in and all those Americans that don’t care about Canadian motocross, just skip to the next question while I drone on and on to Curtis. Here’s the dilemma for Canadian guys…do you want to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? Also, do you want to make a comfortable living racing motorcycles (probably 200K for Colton Facciotti and 80-100K for Dusty Klatt) or do you want to be living in a camper and eating ravioli out of hubcaps chasing your motocross dream? Before you condemn the Canadian dudes, put yourself in their shoes. That’s the deal, the Canadian series trudges along, never really growing but not really shrinking either and these guys have theor little niches and are to an extent made into rockstars (I’m as guilty of that as anyone as I’m the editor of directmotocross.com, the best moto site up there) and riding up front and not really having to go through the whole privateer thing down south.
When dudes like Ross Pederson and JSR travelled south back in the day it was almost out of necessity because the Canadian series either in complete shambles (when JSR raced down south) or didn’t really pay all that well (when Ross ventured south.) Now it’s at a point where the guys can make a living and really, do they really work at it that much? It’s nine races, one supercross and some local races. There you have it. Also the premier team in Canada, Blackfoot Yamaha (where Facciotti, Klatt, Beaton and now Tyler Medaglia ride) do not really like their guys going south when they’re paid to win a championship up north. Whenever Facciotti has gone, it’s been after the Canadian series wrapped up. I really thought Beaton had a chance to do something and made some calls for him in order to get his AMA pro license. He came down and rode 5 supercrosses in the ’07 season, qualifying for the main in four of them and then got him into the US Open where he did ok. He was on his own program and scrounging for money and support but could do what he wanted. Now he’s on Blackfoot and can’t do really anything like used to and I can’t blame The ‘Foot and can’t really blame Kyle either. There are dreams and then there is reality.
A couple of years ago, Facciotti rode the entire west coast series on a Kawasaki 250F and looked like a really fast giraffe out there. He did well really and he would have a future down south in my opinion but after Klatt didn’t tear it up, who really wants to take a chance on a Canadian guy when dudes like Tedesco and Byrne are looking for rides.
Hey Steve,
I live in Auburn, AL, about 30 miles (48km if you are Canadian) from one of the best motocross tracks in the south, Monster Mountain (www.monstermx.com). I’m not sure if you have heard of it, but I know the track itself is just as good if not better than all the other tracks on the national circuit. My question is, what is keeping MX sports from putting a national in the south!?! If not Monster Mountain, they could do it at Bremen or any number of other tracks in the South. The Atlanta SX sells about 70,000 seats a year so I know there is a market for it! I just think it is ridiculous that I have to drive 14 or more hours to the nearest mx national, which I have done; last year I rode tripped it to RedBUDDDDDDD.
Anyways, I look forward to some Observations from the South in the very near future.
Thanks for your answer,
Brandon
Brandon, I think your prayers will be answered in the next couple of years. I have no direct knowledge of anything for sure as DC doesn’t exactly consult me on any of his national plans, but I think that Steel City will be going away and the south will rise again in the form of a national. Where? I have no idea but I know that Barbor Motorsports park in Alabama has been looked at as somewhere Mx Sports can try out the FIM’s idea of building a course around the facilities. Not the other way around which doesn’t seem to work out so well all the time. I’ve even heard that RC might want to get into the promoting game and do something in GA. Again, which track I have no idea. So looks like you’ll have a significant shorter drive to a national coming soon. And yes I agree with the people that say Atlanta should have 2 supercrosses.
