Vital MX Forum QNA: Mike Alessi

Robgvx
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4/14/2016 10:15am
No questions from me. I'd instead just like to say that I've come to rather like Mike Alessi.

He's endured plenty of crap over the years, from fans and the industry. Some of this you could argue has been brought on by himself or his family. But despite this he has always worked hard and tried to be the best motocross racer he can be.

And that impresses me.





IWreckALot
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Fort Worth, TX, USA
4/14/2016 10:16am
Electro21 wrote:
Can't blame you for being nervous, this place hasn't been the most friendly to you and your family. I am glad the way it has turned...
Can't blame you for being nervous, this place hasn't been the most friendly to you and your family. I am glad the way it has turned out. I am from Kansas City and used to love going the St. Louis Supercross. Actually got to sit at a table in Planet Hollywood right next to Team Yamaha after Doug Henry won a race there and I got to see Emig beat Mcgrath in 1996. Always been a fun race to go to for me.

I must be out of the loop, but why does it start at 2 pm this year? Might be a nice change of pace the riders? How do you like it being different? Does it mess up your routine at all? I am sure you guys get into schedule, but sometimes change can be nice.
I have to say I'm not sure why it starts early? I am guessing television broadcast? I know New York was a day race last year...
I have to say I'm not sure why it starts early? I am guessing television broadcast? I know New York was a day race last year. And Foxborough is next week also. I am excited to see how a day race goes. Not too pumped on track walk being at 7am when its usually at 10:30 but being done by 5pm is a bonus. This will be my first day Supercross race so I am trying to figure out do I eat breakfast at the track and what types of food I need to change around. It is a little loop in the program but we will figure it out.
The biggest hurdle for me would be practicing with the sun at such a low angle. I'm sure you deal with that in the evening supercross races at a lot of venues though. The cross country races we do, practice starts at 7:30 and there's nothing like coming around a corner and being blinded by the sun. . . can't see the damn kickers in the ground.

What kind of diet do you try to stick to? Just lean foods in general or do you avoid certain food groups.
IWreckALot
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4/14/2016 10:21am
kkawboy14 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/04/14/131724/s1200_image.jpg[/img]


Ohhhhh I like her. Whooo hooooo. Now to get the kid to approve this. He is hard headed.
Here is a pic of my nephew on our zero turn. Highly recommend the gravely if you have a fair amount of land to mow.



BobbyM
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4/14/2016 10:44am
Robgvx wrote:
No questions from me. I'd instead just like to say that I've come to rather like Mike Alessi. He's endured plenty of crap over the years...
No questions from me. I'd instead just like to say that I've come to rather like Mike Alessi.

He's endured plenty of crap over the years, from fans and the industry. Some of this you could argue has been brought on by himself or his family. But despite this he has always worked hard and tried to be the best motocross racer he can be.

And that impresses me.





fuggen eh Rob

The Shop

richardwhite
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Cleburne, TX, USA
4/14/2016 10:47am
nice to see you here mike. thanks for all the candid responses. also hello kim
4/14/2016 11:03am
huck wrote:
It's not how fast you mow, it's how well you mow fast!

I am certain I will mow very well while going extremely fast. I just need the darn mower to prove it.
Tpog496 wrote:
Start a go fund me account.
Hahaha. I think those gofund me account are best suited to people that actually need it. I do not NEED this since I have a pair of scissors.
HenryA
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Stockholm, SE
4/14/2016 11:36am
Hey Mike! How was your time in Sweden?
Did you get to see any trick stuff at the Öhlins factory?
Seems like you can run whatever you like on your bike, so why did you stop using Öhlins suspension?
4/14/2016 11:40am
HenryA wrote:
Hey Mike! How was your time in Sweden? Did you get to see any trick stuff at the Öhlins factory? Seems like you can run whatever...
Hey Mike! How was your time in Sweden?
Did you get to see any trick stuff at the Öhlins factory?
Seems like you can run whatever you like on your bike, so why did you stop using Öhlins suspension?
Maybe a pair of Öhlins forks? Whistling

4/14/2016 1:00pm
kkawboy14 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/04/14/131724/s1200_image.jpg[/img]


Ohhhhh I like her. Whooo hooooo. Now to get the kid to approve this. He is hard headed.
IWreckALot wrote:
Here is a pic of my nephew on our zero turn. Highly recommend the gravely if you have a fair amount of land to mow. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/04/14/131757/s1200_image.jpg[/img]
Here is a pic of my nephew on our zero turn. Highly recommend the gravely if you have a fair amount of land to mow.



I would love to have both the mower and the kid.
4/14/2016 1:02pm
jasonv43 wrote:
Hey Mike I've got another one for you. I'm curious to know how 'Silly" the Silly Season ever got for you. Was there ever a deal...
Hey Mike I've got another one for you.

I'm curious to know how 'Silly" the Silly Season ever got for you. Was there ever a deal out there that came really close to happening but didn't. I seem to remember some rumors of you joining Chad at TwoTwo Motorsports one year.

Thanks,





Silly Season is always silly. I have been pretty fortunate in my career to not switch to too many different team. I would say the craziest I had was 2011 going into 2012. I had a few offers but as the silly season got into full swing offers started to get pulled and one team I was talking to decided to close their doors. Thankfully Mike Genova stayed in the fight and I ended up signing with him and have been at Smartop MotoConcepts since.
4/14/2016 1:06pm
Cheers Mike for answering my questions. Hope I'm not to late for one more. You & your brother were racing the Bercy Supercross one year & I believe you got into a scuffle during the race with a French(?) rider in the tunnel, then Jeff comes along, drops his bike & starts grabbing the other guy!!! Never seen anything like it in my life lol.

Anyway, do you remember that happening & what did you think when you see Jeff helping you out??

Whip
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4/14/2016 1:07pm
Hey Mike,

Been a fan of yours ever since I saw you at Hawkstone. Whilst I think it's a shame you didn't win an AMA championship, everyone knows you've had championship winning ability/speed on multiple occasions.

My question is related to fun. Have you enjoyed racing so far? If so, what year(s) did you enjoy the most? From the outside looking in it kind of looked like there was an obscene amount of pressure and hype surrounding you at times.

Good luck in Canada this year, that #1 plate is yours.
4/14/2016 1:07pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2016 3:22pm
BobbyM wrote:
Mike... You look great on the Honda. How much better is it and how much more do you like compared to the Suzuki? Yer looking good...
Mike... You look great on the Honda. How much better is it and how much more do you like compared to the Suzuki? Yer looking good through the whoops this year too..no longer a liability to yer speed it appears.
Bobby M. Was wondering when you were gunna show…

The Suzuki that I was on for the past 4 years was a 2012. It was pretty out dated. I liked the feel of the 2016 Honda when I tested it because it felt like the 2012 Suzuki just new. It is very light and nimble.

Thanks. Being at Club MX this year has really helped me.
4/14/2016 1:08pm
Robgvx wrote:
No questions from me. I'd instead just like to say that I've come to rather like Mike Alessi. He's endured plenty of crap over the years...
No questions from me. I'd instead just like to say that I've come to rather like Mike Alessi.

He's endured plenty of crap over the years, from fans and the industry. Some of this you could argue has been brought on by himself or his family. But despite this he has always worked hard and tried to be the best motocross racer he can be.

And that impresses me.





Thank you. I always try to the best version of myself. There are times when that doesn't show but I feel that comes with being passionate about the sport.Thanks again for your support.
4/14/2016 1:12pm
Electro21 wrote:
Can't blame you for being nervous, this place hasn't been the most friendly to you and your family. I am glad the way it has turned...
Can't blame you for being nervous, this place hasn't been the most friendly to you and your family. I am glad the way it has turned out. I am from Kansas City and used to love going the St. Louis Supercross. Actually got to sit at a table in Planet Hollywood right next to Team Yamaha after Doug Henry won a race there and I got to see Emig beat Mcgrath in 1996. Always been a fun race to go to for me.

I must be out of the loop, but why does it start at 2 pm this year? Might be a nice change of pace the riders? How do you like it being different? Does it mess up your routine at all? I am sure you guys get into schedule, but sometimes change can be nice.
I have to say I'm not sure why it starts early? I am guessing television broadcast? I know New York was a day race last year...
I have to say I'm not sure why it starts early? I am guessing television broadcast? I know New York was a day race last year. And Foxborough is next week also. I am excited to see how a day race goes. Not too pumped on track walk being at 7am when its usually at 10:30 but being done by 5pm is a bonus. This will be my first day Supercross race so I am trying to figure out do I eat breakfast at the track and what types of food I need to change around. It is a little loop in the program but we will figure it out.
IWreckALot wrote:
The biggest hurdle for me would be practicing with the sun at such a low angle. I'm sure you deal with that in the evening supercross...
The biggest hurdle for me would be practicing with the sun at such a low angle. I'm sure you deal with that in the evening supercross races at a lot of venues though. The cross country races we do, practice starts at 7:30 and there's nothing like coming around a corner and being blinded by the sun. . . can't see the damn kickers in the ground.

What kind of diet do you try to stick to? Just lean foods in general or do you avoid certain food groups.
Ya the sun gets me every time. I have very sensitive eyes and the mirror lenses help.

I use to stick to a very strict diet and it worked for me for a few years. Now I kind of eat what I want in a sense. I stay away from bad foods, well for the most part. I try to not eat a lot of bread and dairy. Mostly chicken and fish and red meat on occasion. Lots of veggies and protein seems to work the best for me.
Premixed112
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Los Angeles, CA, USA
4/14/2016 1:12pm
What's your opinion on a rider's union? There's a thread on here right now discussing it, but I'd like to hear what someone that's actually on the gate saturday nights thinks about it and do you think there's a chance of riders coming together in the future to make it happen?
4/14/2016 1:14pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2016 1:20pm
HenryA wrote:
Hey Mike! How was your time in Sweden? Did you get to see any trick stuff at the Öhlins factory? Seems like you can run whatever...
Hey Mike! How was your time in Sweden?
Did you get to see any trick stuff at the Öhlins factory?
Seems like you can run whatever you like on your bike, so why did you stop using Öhlins suspension?
Hey Henry,
I really liked Sweden. I'm sure you will see me back there again soon.
The Ohlins factory was badass. A lot of very interesting products there. I got a pretty cool Ohlins watch and I saw a lot of stuff that was pretty trick.
I stopped using Ohlins because the team decided to go in a different direction.
4/14/2016 1:19pm
Cheers Mike for answering my questions. Hope I'm not to late for one more. You & your brother were racing the Bercy Supercross one year &...
Cheers Mike for answering my questions. Hope I'm not to late for one more. You & your brother were racing the Bercy Supercross one year & I believe you got into a scuffle during the race with a French(?) rider in the tunnel, then Jeff comes along, drops his bike & starts grabbing the other guy!!! Never seen anything like it in my life lol.

Anyway, do you remember that happening & what did you think when you see Jeff helping you out??

haha oh man…. good times… The night before I had passed Pascal Laret in the last corner for 2nd. The next night Eric Sorby felt he needed to pay me back for what I did to Laret. So he waited for me in the tunnel. I was in 2nd coming into the tunnel and out of nowhere Sorby jumped me. I mean literally jumped me. Jeff was in 5th and when he came into the tunnel he saw what was going on, dropped his bike and helped me. I ended up finishing 2nd OA on the entire weekend. Sorby and I are friends now a days and we always laugh about it.
4/14/2016 1:23pm
Whip wrote:
Hey Mike, Been a fan of yours ever since I saw you at Hawkstone. Whilst I think it's a shame you didn't win an AMA championship...
Hey Mike,

Been a fan of yours ever since I saw you at Hawkstone. Whilst I think it's a shame you didn't win an AMA championship, everyone knows you've had championship winning ability/speed on multiple occasions.

My question is related to fun. Have you enjoyed racing so far? If so, what year(s) did you enjoy the most? From the outside looking in it kind of looked like there was an obscene amount of pressure and hype surrounding you at times.

Good luck in Canada this year, that #1 plate is yours.
I have enjoyed racing and I have struggled with it. As an athlete it is a constant battle. You feel great on your high days and feel like calling it quits on your worst days. There have been a lot more enjoyable days then bad ones for sure. Racing is my true passion and I won't look back when I'm older and regret any of it (even the bad days)
4/14/2016 1:27pm
What's your opinion on a rider's union? There's a thread on here right now discussing it, but I'd like to hear what someone that's actually on...
What's your opinion on a rider's union? There's a thread on here right now discussing it, but I'd like to hear what someone that's actually on the gate saturday nights thinks about it and do you think there's a chance of riders coming together in the future to make it happen?
I feel an athlete's union is something that is needed in every sport. We are the live entertainment and at times do not get treated right. I'm not saying it happens all the time but in sports like the NFL athletes have the right to have their opinions heard and to stand their ground. In our sport you want to stand your ground go ahead. You will be sitting on the couch while someone else comes and fills your spot. I don't think our sport will ever have a union because of that very reason. There aren't enough riders who will come together to start one.
4/14/2016 1:36pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2016 1:40pm
Whats up Mike,

Hey I got a Question. When you had that Huge crash at Hangtown in 2008 did you have thoughts about retiring right after you were recovering from it and do you rate that as the worst crash you have had in your Career? And you and your holeshots are crazy bro do you practice your starts more than anything?

Keep up the good work and Wish you luck in Canada
KTMShane699
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Colchester, CT, USA
4/14/2016 1:44pm
I'll just chime in with the fact that you've shown a lot of composure coming on here not knowing what the response would be like. I commend you for that. This place can be brutal at times.

That being said, my question is would you consider sticking around here and contributing with posts from time to time as your brother does? You seem to be able to articulate well whatever point you're trying to make. I think just seeing your responses here this week may have changed the sentiment towards you for more than one person here. I understand it's a small population here in the grand scheme of things, but any positive press is good press.

Good luck the rest of the year.

And you should buy mom that zero turn. One of the best lawn investments ever if you have a sizable yard.
4/14/2016 1:47pm
Mike,

No real question here. I just wanted to say it was cool to see you come do the off season races in NC the last few years.I hope you come back to the nationals soon.

Later man
cjmx
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Lakewood, CO, USA
Fantasy
4/14/2016 1:49pm
Hi Mike,

Glad to see all the positive responses from you doing this QNA. We met at Thunder Valley a while back. You were definitely very cool that day and fast!

Good luck the rest of the season and up north.





Robgvx
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GB
4/14/2016 1:52pm
Robgvx wrote:
No questions from me. I'd instead just like to say that I've come to rather like Mike Alessi. He's endured plenty of crap over the years...
No questions from me. I'd instead just like to say that I've come to rather like Mike Alessi.

He's endured plenty of crap over the years, from fans and the industry. Some of this you could argue has been brought on by himself or his family. But despite this he has always worked hard and tried to be the best motocross racer he can be.

And that impresses me.





Thank you. I always try to the best version of myself. There are times when that doesn't show but I feel that comes with being passionate...
Thank you. I always try to the best version of myself. There are times when that doesn't show but I feel that comes with being passionate about the sport.Thanks again for your support.
Definitely time to get this old chestnut out again:




4/14/2016 1:52pm
Hey Mike,

Thanks for coming on vital and doing this. One memory I will always have was hanging out with you and Jeff eating lunchables and building tracks in between motos down at competition park back in 98 or 99 if i remember correctly. Fun times but with all the traveling, riding and racing you guys have done I'm sure you don't remember. Keep up the hard work and I'm sure many others will agree, I hope to see you win a championship this summer!
MX45
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Phoenix, AZ, USA
4/14/2016 2:40pm
Mike,

You've been known to try some rather unorthodox things looking any and all advantages.
From bike setup, training, metal preparation, physical health, etc.

Could you share something you tried that you didn't think would work, which ended up surprising you in it's effectiveness?
10000hrs
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Satan's Kingdom, VT, USA
4/14/2016 3:13pm
No questions here. Just wanted to say your openess and honesty has made me a fan. I want to see you on the podium this weekend.
Piston Slap
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Stillwater, OK, USA
4/14/2016 4:10pm
IWreckALot wrote:
Here is a pic of my nephew on our zero turn. Highly recommend the gravely if you have a fair amount of land to mow. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/04/14/131757/s1200_image.jpg[/img]
Here is a pic of my nephew on our zero turn. Highly recommend the gravely if you have a fair amount of land to mow.



You have wayyyy too many toys man!!!!.

Boats, bikes, zero turns, hot wife. . ..

Geez, i need a job where you work.

Hook a brother up.

:-)
plowboy
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Norwich, KS, USA
4/14/2016 5:10pm
Damn Mike, this QNA has turned out really well. I always knew you and your crew were legit and now a lot of others do as well. I know you live and breathe moto....will line up any where, on anything, if it's a race. Stay cool bro. I think you can assume that the majority around this joint will welcome any insight or comments you have about the races, the industry, or just to talk about lawn maintenance.Woohoo

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