Here are real live emails from real listeners/readers. We touch on Jenna Haze, Houston 2005, KTM and some other things. Use the contact form to send your thoughts in.
Here are real live emails from real listeners/readers. We touch on Jenna Haze, Houston 2005, KTM and some other things. Use the contact form to send your thoughts in.
Matthes, what the hell is the deal with you always ripping on KTM? Alessi goes out and does good on the bike, Caroli is killing on the bike and you guys are doing nothing but pointing the finger at them. Alessi has come out and said he has been sick since the GP Searle is hurt we all know that. Musquin is cleaning house on the 250 in Europe. Why do you have it out for KTM so much? KTM makes a great bike I switched to one and would never go back to a JAP piece of crap bike again. It’s absolutely not the bike it’s the rider now lay off KTM they are one company that tries to evolve the sport and the bikes a lot more than the others do so why keep beating them down? I’m just saying what did KTM ever do to you? From what I am hearing you might now be on Kenny’s level because the KTM bashing is getting old. Tom
Tom, thanks for the letter. I like KTM, I think they are a progressive company and are indeed forward thinkers. You just can’t take the Mike Alessi of 2009, then watch him this year and not think the machine has to be a factor in his suckiness. You can’t, I do think Mike deserves some of the blame for his performances this year but how much is Mike and how much is the bike? That’s the magic question. All I know is this, Mike Alessi has always, always, always gotten great starts and now this year, he can’t get off the line to save his life. Now I’m no Gary Bailey but seems to me that the lack of 100cc might just be the problem no?
I know in talking to Mike and the other guy that Mike’s fitness and health levels are exactly where they were a year ago, they have looked into that. I just don’t think the 350 works that well at the highest levels of racing. It’s that simple, don’t give me the Caroli excuse because they have full works bikes over there and god knows what they are using on that bike. The bike is probably great for vet guys and people that just ride for fun but for AMA nationals? Doesn’t look like there is a replacement for displacement.
Don’t forget, I’m the guy that worked at factory KTM for two years and wrenched that company to its first ever AMA win. Ever. I have a soft spot in my heart for them and when Larry Brooks was there, he was really making inroads to having a big-time program with great riders. Then it all went to hell. You can’t deny Tom that from Nick Wey to Travis Preston to Josh Summey to now Mike Alessi, riders get on orange and their results suffer. Except for Mike the first time around, he was pretty good but arguably got better once he got on yellow.
Steve,
I am a guy that constantly reads and listens to your stuff. Also I am the guy that sent you the strippercross flyer. I have been reading and listening about everyone getting heat exhaustion and I have a theory about it. When I was racing in the desert we didn’t have a lot of money so we pitted out of a truck with a box trailer. I was in the heat all day long and it didn’t bother me at all. The same goes for the guys back in the day of the box van. There wasn’t really any place to get out of the heat so they stayed acclimated to the weather.
Now these top guys have $100K + motorhomes, semis with living quarters and I am sure they are all air conditioned. The racers probably spend most of their down time (when not on the bike) in the air conditioning and when they come outside they are hit like a ton of bricks with the heat. Their body is used to the air conditioning and the heat is like a shock to their system and that is why they are over heating. The same goes for the cooling vests, ice pools, etc.. I understand you need to cool your core body temperature, but after it has been cooled, they need to stay in the heat and drink plenty of fluids. Take a guy that lives in Alaska year round and then throw him in the heat, and he will over heat just standing there. Again this is just my opinion.
Take Care, Dustin
Good points Dustin. I can find you dudes that tell you all about core temperatures and how you have to get them down immediately after a moto by soaking in ice, using the AC, etc , etc and then keep it that way until you go to your next moto. When I was at Yamaha, Nike was doing some stuff with Reed and they feel like you need to keep your core down as low as you can for as long as you can. They came to Washougal with this air/cooling vest that attached with a scuba tank that your mechanic was supposed to bring to the starting line. Needless to say we all had a good laugh at this.
Your theories sound great and all but so do the others, in short- I’m not really sure what the answer is because I’m far from a doctor. Although I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Matthes,
What’s up Steve. I am sure you don’t remember me, but I met you when you were wrenching for Ferry in 99 and have spoken with you at a few different races. (yeah, way back then!). I was with my friend Billy Binkley (#209) at the time. Anway, I witnessed the Summercross win as well.
Just wanted to say I enjoy the column and keep up the good work. I also enjoyed your article about the Pinellas Park police. As funny as life works, I am now an attorney in the Tampa Bay area and the whole thing made perfect sense when I read it….although it shouldn’t have. There are a bunch of J-law derelicts down here. Maybe J-law should move here and get a four wheeler?
What is Langston’s deal?
What the hell is Jason Frennette up to these days?
I am waiting for my law career to take off so I can get another bike…….still waiting. What is your take on the neck protection? It is new since I last rode. I played football through college and we were always taught that devastating spinal injuries come from the top of the head and when the neck does not have it’s curve and cannot act as a shock absorber. Otherwise wouldn’t all football players were neck protection when the point of the game is to smash somebody as hard as you can?
Have fun at Washugal. Dungey is the terminator. It all comes down to one thing….he wants it the most and it shows. Townley seem to want it badly too.
Arthur
Arthur, I don’t remember you but I do remember Billy Binkley! He was a good dude and always hung out with that other Team Green kid named Cory Bauder. Thanks for writing in and Langston is still hurt, you wrote me this before Washougal but yup, he’s still hurt. At this point Grant’s comeback is going about as well as Michael Jackson’s if he came back right now. It’s not good and I feel bad, GL is a nice guy and a great rider. He’s just not out there for the right reasons I feel and isn’t prepared and on good equipment.
Jason Frenette is working on a gas line company somewhere up north in Alberta. He’s one of those dudes that is simply a classic. I still have guys that ask me how he’s doing and what he’s up to. I would say that, in his prime, he was as fast as JSR ever was but he never did the Canadian nationals because of a bunch of politics with the current CMRC administration and his mom, who ran CMC Canada. A real shame if you ask me. I’m trying to get him to do a podcast with me but he probably has a dead cell phone and lost his charger or something.
My take on neck protection is the same as it always is, I think it’s good but I would love to see some independent data on how/if they work for you. I know there’s some guys in wheelchairs right now that aren’t really sold on them.
Steve http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2MMPh_TX0k&feature=related
While browsing youtube, I found something that sparked my interest and thought you might have a good story. Coomb’s (I think) notes you and ferry having carb issues and as a result you fell off the bike or something. Also, I have a old ferry poster, probably from a sd supercross i went to as a kid. He’s number 20 in it riding for Chaparral Yamaha, was that the time you worked for him? might bring that to pala for you to sign, along with nice no trespassing sign from behind Nick Weys private home track for the “dirt bike bandits” comment on a Transworld cribs video. Anyways, thanks for your time
and all the stuff you put up, it’s great.
Pat
Pat, I didn’t watch the clip but I don’t have to, I remember it well. All day long Ferry had been having jetting problems on his YZ250 and I chased it every practice. I changed every jet I could think of and was revving it so much behind the truck, I remember the Pro Circuit guys got mad at me (which is ironic seeing as they are all notorious for revving the shit out of their bikes at 6AM on a national morning). Anyways, after the fourth practice where I didn’t fix the bike, I got on the back to ride it back to the truck and he started yelling at me again that I’m an idiot.
He put it in neutral (or so he thought) and said “LISTEN TO IT..” and promptly twisted the throttle to show me that I was a shitty mechanic but the bike just took off (cause doorknob didn’t put it in neutral) and the bike wheelied and I went flying ass over end onto the concrete. Physically it kind of hurt and scraped me up a bit, emotionally the damage was deep. Especially seeing as how the rest of the top twenty best riders in the world were behind us and laughing.
So he took off and I walked back to the truck just frustrated and pissed at the whole deal. I gave up and put the exact same jetting in another carb and it fixed it! Weird deal, we sent the carb back to Japan to see what was up with it and it turns out it was something in the power jet that was jacked up. So there wasn’t much I could’ve done. The real funny part of the story is I had a herniated disc the year before and had surgery on it to shave some of the nerves away from the disc. The surgery worked well but I wasn’t 100% and was pretty worried that I would have to live in this pain the rest of my life. That night in bed my back and butt hurt so bad (symptoms of a herniated disc are sciatica which is a nerve that runs down your butt cheek) that I thought I was effed and have to go under the knife again. Woke up the next morning and I was perfect! The “adjustment” of flying onto the concrete was all I needed to be pain free for the first time in two years. So weird but so cool all at the same time! So of course, Ferry takes credit for this to this day, saying he knew that I needed to be thrown on to the concrete to help my back.
Yes, he was number 20 when I worked for him at Chapparral and I’d be happy to sign your poster of Ferry from that year. After that, I’d like you to go and see if you can get a life.
Thanks for the memories!
The other night we had Jenna Haze on the Pulpmx Show to talk about her interest in racing as well as her career. Which just happens to be having sex for money on camera. In other words, a porn star. The reason she was on the show was because her boyfriend knows Kenny and is into moto. He was a cool guy and we thought we’d have a little different show that night.
Well, opinions were across the board on this move and here are some emails and tweets about her appearance on the show. Rest assured people, this isn’t a direction we’re going in for the future, just something we thought we’d throw out there.
Here are some thoughts on all this:
Steve , I really hate to be negative. But the whole porn star thing on the show was bad taste. Dont get me wrong, I love girls and watch porn and all of that. With all thats going on in the MX world and I have to sit and listen to some chic on the show. I felt P Lawrence got screwed.. He has so much history. Would of liked to hear alot more from him. I was so looking forward to Mondays show, and unfortunately was very disappointed. Please get back to giving us some PULP from our sport I still support you and what you do.
Best regards TC.
Hey Steve,
What was it like having a greasy porno star in your house? I hope you put some plastic down!
Did she show you some skin???…Danny
Matthes, I thought the Jenna Haze show was sweet. One thing I know from being an Mx rider and fan is that we are all obsessed with hot women. You know what I’m saying Matthes. Also: Chad Reed… wtf!!!
Armen
Steve, I did everything you have done and Im really trying hard to give Kenny Watson a chance….but. he is ruining your show! How can he honestly think so highly of himself? Cutting you and your guests short to tell stories about himself or drop some names is making the show impossible to stomach. Sorry to be a typical complainer but your podcasts without KW are great. Keep them coming. Brad
Matthes,
Whoring for listeners? I think I remember some words you wrote a couple of weeks ago: “We’ll never have a porn star as a guest.” (Or something like that.) If Zach didn’t have a porn star girlfriend, no way he gets on. Very disappointing. Randy
And here are a few Tweets from fans on what they thought of the show:
motobarr@pulpmx. You know KW is trying to take over and make it his type of mx show. Next time you have a total Orgy going on.
motobarr@pulpmx. After last nights show the name of the show should be changed to either Slut Mx show or Smut Mx show.
kimpa951@jenxstudios the @pulpmx show was epic! So much fun! Does your boyfriend use twitter?
dpilkington@pulpmx Gotta agree, I can see it bringing exposure but sure if good or bad. I liked Will Hahn for sure.
swizcore@jenxstudios Not a porn guy but gotta respect your commitment to au naturale. Repped well on @pulpmx.
RuFfRyDaH@pulpmx Hey listened to the hard-Core motoshow on the Way to Berlin and back Today. Great One! Seems like a nice Girl@&wilbur is cool too
