Statement from Rich Taylor (LACR Lawsuit)

6/11/2025 7:07am
I’m just baffled by the tone deaf media and industry individuals of this sport that still accept advertising dollars from EKS googles.  Shame on you Vital...

I’m just baffled by the tone deaf media and industry individuals of this sport that still accept advertising dollars from EKS googles.  Shame on you Vital, pulp, swap and anyone else that takes his money. Moto is a family and we don’t sue each other because we made a mistake and crashed. Such a disappointment all of this is. 

lostboy819 wrote:
Vital and MXA or  any other media outlet that takes Rich Taylors advertising dollars is no better than Rich Taylor himself and have zero integrity. But...

Vital and MXA or  any other media outlet that takes Rich Taylors advertising dollars is no better than Rich Taylor himself and have zero integrity. But I'm sure they will have a excuse for doing it. 

mattyhamz2 wrote:
While I get where you guys are coming from, don’t forget they are letting Darkside go because of budget and that’s with Eks paying to advertise...

While I get where you guys are coming from, don’t forget they are letting Darkside go because of budget and that’s with Eks paying to advertise here. Vital decides to tell Eks to go kick rocks, there’s zero guarantee anyone else steps in to advertise in place of Eks. That’s less money for budget and who knows what else or who else we lose from here because of it. Gotta think bigger picture.

The bigger picture? If there are fewer tracks because they get closed down because of lawsuits is the bigger picture then we are all screwed. 

4
MOTO13
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6/11/2025 7:09am

Vital is a business first...happy moto playground second. This place doesn't operate for free and you're damn lucky to have a place to come to that is so relevant to the sport...even if it is only to bitch and moan. People make their living here that operate this site. Is it perfect that they take EKS money???...probably not. But, sometimes you have to separate business and personal feelings for the greater good of the business. You think it's easy to run a business like this place?? Well, go do it. 

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cmotodad
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Yorba Linda, CA US
6/11/2025 7:45am

I make business choices each day. Do I choose to pay more for some of my necessary materials? Yes, if I have a problem with a company or a person working for the company, my choice is to go elsewhere and forfeit a % of my bottom line profit. We all have personal choice, even in business.

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1
shortty761
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Newport News, VA US
6/11/2025 7:52am

It’s absolutely insane that anyone chooses to support RT/EKS brand goggles. When I see someone wearing them I think that either 1. They are new to the sport and don’t know any better or 2. They are being paid to wear them.


Freddie Noren seems like a really good dude. Why the hell does he wear them?

Shit even Kyle Chisolm wears them. Why? Doesn’t he understand what he is standing for when he wears them? 

If I was a pro making, shit idk, $50k plus a year, I would just buy my own goggles instead of wearing something that shuts famous tracks down.

When I see media people supporting or wearing that brand, I instantly lose respect and they personally lose a lot of value in what they have to say.

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7

The Shop

6/11/2025 7:59am
lostboy819 wrote:
Vital and MXA or  any other media outlet that takes Rich Taylors advertising dollars is no better than Rich Taylor himself and have zero integrity. But...

Vital and MXA or  any other media outlet that takes Rich Taylors advertising dollars is no better than Rich Taylor himself and have zero integrity. But I'm sure they will have a excuse for doing it. 

mattyhamz2 wrote:
While I get where you guys are coming from, don’t forget they are letting Darkside go because of budget and that’s with Eks paying to advertise...

While I get where you guys are coming from, don’t forget they are letting Darkside go because of budget and that’s with Eks paying to advertise here. Vital decides to tell Eks to go kick rocks, there’s zero guarantee anyone else steps in to advertise in place of Eks. That’s less money for budget and who knows what else or who else we lose from here because of it. Gotta think bigger picture.

lostboy819 wrote:

The bigger picture? If there are fewer tracks because they get closed down because of lawsuits is the bigger picture then we are all screwed. 

Should have clarified that I meant bigger picture for Vital as a business decision to continue taking Eks sponsor money for the site.

As far as everything going on with the track, this is the first one I can remember closing because of a lawsuit in our area. We've lost plenty of others for stupid reasons, but not lawsuits. Reading their post, it seems to be the track can open back up, just under new ownership. There's at least hope there for the track and us locals.

2
6/11/2025 8:02am

Just saw a third lawsuit against LACR that I didn't know about. 

Nina Palomba vs Los Angeles County Raceway Motocross. Anyone know what that one is about? 

1
MOTO13
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6/11/2025 8:03am

So...all your moto sh*t made in China via basically slave labor should make you sick...right? But, you still buy it. Save you holier than thou bullshit about how other people should or shouldn't take advert dollars. It's great that you are aware of the company and what they do. The best thing you can do is don't buy them. 

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GrapeApe
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6/11/2025 8:06am
sandman768 wrote:

How this guy is not completely blackballed out of this sport is shocking to me….this sport is propped up with big time ball gurgler”s…flame away… 

 

The strange thing is the best I can tell EKS is mainly a socal thing. I don't see them anywhere else. I recently noticed Josh Mosiman wearing them with his MXA helmet. If the locals that lost a track don't care . . .

7
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freeh
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West Jordan, UT US
6/11/2025 8:19am
MOTO13 wrote:
So...all your moto sh*t made in China via basically slave labor should make you sick...right? But, you still buy it. Save you holier than thou bullshit...

So...all your moto sh*t made in China via basically slave labor should make you sick...right? But, you still buy it. Save you holier than thou bullshit about how other people should or shouldn't take advert dollars. It's great that you are aware of the company and what they do. The best thing you can do is don't buy them. 

Shitty take, bro.  

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1
6/11/2025 8:20am
sandman768 wrote:

How this guy is not completely blackballed out of this sport is shocking to me….this sport is propped up with big time ball gurgler”s…flame away… 

 

GrapeApe wrote:
The strange thing is the best I can tell EKS is mainly a socal thing. I don't see them anywhere else. I recently noticed Josh Mosiman...

The strange thing is the best I can tell EKS is mainly a socal thing. I don't see them anywhere else. I recently noticed Josh Mosiman wearing them with his MXA helmet. If the locals that lost a track don't care . . .

I never see them. Northeast is all 100%

9
urbanlift707
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Humboldt, CA US
6/11/2025 8:22am
MOTO13 wrote:
Vital is a business first...happy moto playground second. This place doesn't operate for free and you're damn lucky to have a place to come to that...

Vital is a business first...happy moto playground second. This place doesn't operate for free and you're damn lucky to have a place to come to that is so relevant to the sport...even if it is only to bitch and moan. People make their living here that operate this site. Is it perfect that they take EKS money???...probably not. But, sometimes you have to separate business and personal feelings for the greater good of the business. You think it's easy to run a business like this place?? Well, go do it. 

You can run a business and still have morals and a backbone. I own a sign and billboard company and I do that everyday. Whether it’s paying more to support my fellow local businesses or the specific case I have up here with a convicted pedophile that want’s me to sell his billboard, I could make another $1500/month by selling his billboard but I refuse to do business with someone like that. 

If I owned Vital I can promise you I wouldn’t accept money from someone that stabbed my industry in the back. Furthermore if the vast majority of my clients didn’t want me to support a company or business I’d listen to my clients and try to serve them. 

But equally important Vital isn’t the bad guy here, this isn’t something worth not visiting their site, they do incredible work and I’m happy to give them clicks to show my support for that. This is more of a  “I’m not mad vital, I’m disappointed in you.” 


EKS, fuck them they will never get a dime from me and I’m happy to speak with my wallet to them. I run a private track and being sued is one of my biggest fears. I still let almost anyone ride it to share the love of moto though. When I moved to my county 20 years ago there was no where to ride and I’m happy to have fixed that. 

29
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SEEMEFIRST
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6/11/2025 8:23am

Can they not incorporate under a completely different name and shop for insurance that way?

2
1
6/11/2025 8:25am
SEEMEFIRST wrote:

Can they not incorporate under a completely different name and shop for insurance that way?

From their post, sounds like they cannot be a part of it.

disbanded
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Evergreen, CO US
6/11/2025 8:25am

Fuck EKS brand and fuck Rich Taylor

26
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SrfNdirt
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don't call it cali, CA US
6/11/2025 8:25am

It's tough to know where all your dollars go these days. Look at nbc/ Peacock and all the drivel they push yet we all continue to watch every Saturday. 

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MOTO13
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6/11/2025 8:29am

Like I said...don't buy EKS and the brand will hopefully just go away. The risk of being sued was the reason I never opened up a track in Iowa a couple years ago. Even with waivers knee deep, there's still a good chance you could be sued. It's simply not worth the risk. 

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JazzyJJ
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6/11/2025 8:35am
SrfNdirt wrote:
It's tough to know where all your dollars go these days. Look at nbc/ Peacock and all the drivel they push yet we all continue to...

It's tough to know where all your dollars go these days. Look at nbc/ Peacock and all the drivel they push yet we all continue to watch every Saturday. 

While that is true, we don't really have a choice. There's a ton of goggle choices, why buy EKS?

15
SoCalMX70
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6/11/2025 8:57am
sandman768 wrote:

How this guy is not completely blackballed out of this sport is shocking to me….this sport is propped up with big time ball gurgler”s…flame away… 

 

GrapeApe wrote:
The strange thing is the best I can tell EKS is mainly a socal thing. I don't see them anywhere else. I recently noticed Josh Mosiman...

The strange thing is the best I can tell EKS is mainly a socal thing. I don't see them anywhere else. I recently noticed Josh Mosiman wearing them with his MXA helmet. If the locals that lost a track don't care . . .

Not that my circle is far reaching or anything,  but I literally only know one person who still buys Eks.

ohh_454
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Fantasy
6/11/2025 8:59am

Hey Chizz, why do you wear EKS brand goggles when Rich Taylor sued LACR and got it closed down?

5
3
6/11/2025 9:13am

Steve Mattress still promotes Eks and wears them. 

2
3
6/11/2025 9:16am

Steve Mattress still promotes Eks and wears them. 

No surprise, Matthes is all about the $$$$

8
3
burn1986
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bossier city, LA US
6/11/2025 9:50am

This was Rich’s FU to everyone.

1
MXRalph
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6/11/2025 9:58am
SEEMEFIRST wrote:

Can they not incorporate under a completely different name and shop for insurance that way?

mattyhamz2 wrote:

From their post, sounds like they cannot be a part of it.

Almost sounds like the insurance companies specifically have a problem with the Barbacovi family.   

6/11/2025 11:03am
mattyhamz2 wrote:

Just saw a third lawsuit against LACR that I didn't know about. 

Nina Palomba vs Los Angeles County Raceway Motocross. Anyone know what that one is about? 

Yes this is the begginer chick "she" that broke her ankle and decided to sue the track...what a total LAME!!! 

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1
6/11/2025 11:07am
mattyhamz2 wrote:

Just saw a third lawsuit against LACR that I didn't know about. 

Nina Palomba vs Los Angeles County Raceway Motocross. Anyone know what that one is about? 

Yes this is the begginer chick "she" that broke her ankle and decided to sue the track...what a total LAME!!! 

Hey man at least we’re “growing the sport”!

2
6/11/2025 11:17am
mattyhamz2 wrote:

Just saw a third lawsuit against LACR that I didn't know about. 

Nina Palomba vs Los Angeles County Raceway Motocross. Anyone know what that one is about? 

Yes this is the begginer chick "she" that broke her ankle and decided to sue the track...what a total LAME!!! 

Rickyisms wrote:

Hey man at least we’re “growing the sport”!

You the thumbs down voter? Not sure how to read into your sarcasm 

8
motosaki
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Tecate, CA US
6/11/2025 11:22am
MOTO13 wrote:
So...all your moto sh*t made in China via basically slave labor should make you sick...right? But, you still buy it. Save you holier than thou bullshit...

So...all your moto sh*t made in China via basically slave labor should make you sick...right? But, you still buy it. Save you holier than thou bullshit about how other people should or shouldn't take advert dollars. It's great that you are aware of the company and what they do. The best thing you can do is don't buy them. 

Have you been to these slave labor China factories? Or are you just making assumptions? I'm willing to bet a new pair of non-EKS brand goggles that you've never seen or been anywhere near a factory that produces motocross gear. Also check out your tags, most of them are not even made in China anymore. 

3
burn1986
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bossier city, LA US
6/11/2025 11:25am Edited Date/Time 6/11/2025 11:26am

Make your voice known:

info@eksbrand.com

Boycott

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3
6/11/2025 11:27am
mattyhamz2 wrote:

Just saw a third lawsuit against LACR that I didn't know about. 

Nina Palomba vs Los Angeles County Raceway Motocross. Anyone know what that one is about? 

Yes this is the begginer chick "she" that broke her ankle and decided to sue the track...what a total LAME!!! 

😧 Hadn't heard about that one. Curious to hear everything behind it and how she thought that would be legit...

6/11/2025 11:30am
SEEMEFIRST wrote:

Can they not incorporate under a completely different name and shop for insurance that way?

mattyhamz2 wrote:

From their post, sounds like they cannot be a part of it.

MXRalph wrote:

Almost sounds like the insurance companies specifically have a problem with the Barbacovi family.   

Maybe that's the case. Maybe it's how they handled the lawsuits? Maybe it's the amount? Maybe it's because of Rich's and the "negligence" as well as the kid that got landed on "negligence" and the aren't willing to take that risk with them again? 

These are just guesses as I do find it interesting that they said the insurance companies won't work with them. Kinda wish I could have heard those convos with the Insurance companies.

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