Todd Nesler R.I.P.

MPM64
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MPM64
Edited Date/Time 6/14/2017 6:27pm
Was both sorry and shocked to hear about the passing of old school Michigan pro rider Todd Nesler as reported on Racer X today by his brother Greg in the Racerhead report. Todd was a great guy, always willing to help out with anything. Truly a unique person who will surely be missed. Godspeed Todd.

Don't know if you check in here Greg but please accept my condolences and please pass them along to the rest of your family.

Mark McLaren
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croom mx
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croom mx 9/5/2009 12:44pm
9/5/2009 12:44pm Edited Date/Time 9/5/2009 12:50pm
I dont know if this is the same one but I rode with a rider with the name Nesler at Chicken Farm Mx around 1981-82 he rode a YZ250? I think its the same person? Its been 27 years but I think his name was Todd Nesler. RIP Mx brother!
marna
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marna 9/5/2009 5:48pm
9/5/2009 5:48pm
MPM64 wrote:
Was both sorry and shocked to hear about the passing of old school Michigan pro rider Todd Nesler as reported on Racer X today by his...
Was both sorry and shocked to hear about the passing of old school Michigan pro rider Todd Nesler as reported on Racer X today by his brother Greg in the Racerhead report. Todd was a great guy, always willing to help out with anything. Truly a unique person who will surely be missed. Godspeed Todd.

Don't know if you check in here Greg but please accept my condolences and please pass them along to the rest of your family.

Mark McLaren
Mark,

Thank you so much. I'm Greg's wife, and will make sure that he knows about these posts. Todd was a really great guy, and he was a phenomenal father.
MPM64
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MPM64 9/5/2009 6:48pm
9/5/2009 6:48pm
marna wrote:
Mark, Thank you so much. I'm Greg's wife, and will make sure that he knows about these posts. Todd was a really great guy, and he...
Mark,

Thank you so much. I'm Greg's wife, and will make sure that he knows about these posts. Todd was a really great guy, and he was a phenomenal father.
Marna,

Sorry for your family's loss. I grew up racing more with Greg than Todd but he was always there to give some kind words and good advice to me when I was coming up. I once helped him at a supercross in Buffalo, NY I think when he was travelling the circuit on his own. Good times.

Please feel free to have Greg try to get in touch with me. I would like to catch up with him and hear more about what he and Todd had been doing for the last 10 years. Not sure if he could get my email off my profile. If so please have him do so.

Mark McLaren
croom mx
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croom mx 9/5/2009 6:54pm
9/5/2009 6:54pm Edited Date/Time 9/5/2009 6:59pm
About Todd Nesler , I raced with him at Chicken Farm MX and I can tell you he was a very smooth and relaxed rider and fast! I remember him from the racing. He was on a Yamaha YZ250 and he had a very smooth style and was not in a hurry even though he was in 1st place! He was a natural rider if anyone knows what thats means! RIP Todd!

The Shop

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Tim Bean
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Tim Bean 9/7/2009 3:51pm
9/7/2009 3:51pm
Does anyone have any funeral info for Todd?
croom mx
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croom mx 9/7/2009 3:53pm
9/7/2009 3:53pm
Tim Bean wrote:
Does anyone have any funeral info for Todd?
Let me know, or send me a message! thanks
GerardDijkers 9/8/2009 4:20am
9/8/2009 4:20am
I remember when I met Todd and Greg and their parents at Iron Mustangs in Brighton, Michigan many years ago. Always willing to help me out. Great family, good memories.

Vermeulen Funeral Home
46401 W. Ann Arbor Road
Plymouth, MI 48170

Visitation Tuesday from 5:00 to 8:00
Service Wednesday @ 1:00
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ndesign144 9/8/2009 7:04am
9/8/2009 7:04am
Hey Guys it's Greg, Todds brother. Thank you for all the kind words about my brother. Please spread the word about the service and more importantly about gathering the little details from riders on the pro circuit or district 14 who raced with him.

Attn: Croom MX. You Rock! Find the other guys who raced with you if you can have them post info or send it to me directly at gjndesign@mac.com could be a little paragraph about a particular race, a pass he made on you ( I Hope... LOL.) or things about him at the races.

Its been a hard healing process the last week for sure and enough tears shead to make a massive mud race, but I want to mention a really positive note. We've set up an education fund for Todds daughter Katelyn Nesler. Any donations can be sent to Vermeulen Funeral Home in care of Katelyn Nesler. Thank you so much guys!
croom mx
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croom mx 9/9/2009 4:29pm
9/9/2009 4:29pm Edited Date/Time 9/9/2009 4:31pm
ndesign144 wrote:
Hey Guys it's Greg, Todds brother. Thank you for all the kind words about my brother. Please spread the word about the service and more importantly...
Hey Guys it's Greg, Todds brother. Thank you for all the kind words about my brother. Please spread the word about the service and more importantly about gathering the little details from riders on the pro circuit or district 14 who raced with him.

Attn: Croom MX. You Rock! Find the other guys who raced with you if you can have them post info or send it to me directly at gjndesign@mac.com could be a little paragraph about a particular race, a pass he made on you ( I Hope... LOL.) or things about him at the races.

Its been a hard healing process the last week for sure and enough tears shead to make a massive mud race, but I want to mention a really positive note. We've set up an education fund for Todds daughter Katelyn Nesler. Any donations can be sent to Vermeulen Funeral Home in care of Katelyn Nesler. Thank you so much guys!
Dear Greg Sorry about you loss, But you must remember that your brother has gone to a better place. When I first read this post the name Nesler rank a bell in my head! He was at Chicken Farm MX track in Homasassa Springs Florida during the Winter AMA series he was riding a YZ250 I am pretty sure he won both motos, I got third or fourth. Its been many years ago and somethings I am starting to forget. He was a good rider! Godspeed Todd RIP. Kevin Gilschrist may remember him also.
JUSTG
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JUSTG 4/7/2011 9:39am
4/7/2011 9:39am
I remember Greg and Todd. Good family and cool guys. I recall Seeing a "sample" of those cool Vents goggle about a million years ago they invented. I think it was a night race at Delta and sitting on the line your goggle lenses would fog up from your breath. i put a set to my face and it was like turning on defrost....cool idea. I also recall some cool cartoons and drawing that Greg did. Some even showed up in some magazines.
6/7/2017 7:54pm
Don't mean to hijack this thread but this is the only info I've found on vents goggles and I've found a pair new in box I've found no pictures on the net about them curious if anyone knows what they are worth any info would be appreciated





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kzizok 6/7/2017 8:59pm
6/7/2017 8:59pm
^^^Please delete. Classless.
ndesign144
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ndesign144 6/7/2017 10:03pm
6/7/2017 10:03pm
Kzizok, thank you for noting that. I'm going to chime in here and Re-Hijack this thread with a little note which in the memory of Todd Nesler and for others in the VitalMX forums may like to read.

The Goggles...They're really not worth anything other than a bit of history with a nod to classic 80s moto or to some personal collection of unique moto oddities. Some historical notes are that they were used by Joel Smets for a 500cc GP World Championship. Gary Denton of ATV fame also won countless national championships. Vents went on to have success in the paintball market in addition to supplying the Kuwait government with a military spec goggle.

Todd Nesler was an amazingly talented and creative person who started the company on a paper napkin sketch. True story right there. Unfortunately Todd battled depression for a large portion of his life. This was due in part to having been struck by lightning as a teen which according to medical professionals, caused brain trauma in addition to depression. This ultimately led to Todd taking his own life. It's a sad but true story. And, also an important reminder that life is very precious. If you know someone who is in need of support, please ask them if they simply need to talk.

How do I know all this? Todd was my brother. My suggestion for the reader whom has the product would be to offer to send them to Davey Coombs of RacerX. He has a prolific collection of moto history and these could be an interesting addition.

A quick thank you for allowing me to share these tid bits about Todd. There is not a day that goes by that I don't miss him.

GN

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Tim Bean 6/8/2017 8:09am
6/8/2017 8:09am
I don't think the post was classless at all. Any time you remember Todd its a good thing. I would love to add those to my collection for sure. I used to work for Todd when he ran his company out of his basement. I was the young punk kid who showed up one day and told him he needed to hire me for my high school co-op class. It was kinda funny. He took me in to work for him (I lived in his neighborhood) and he taught me a lot. Trips to trade shows for moto, paintball and a lot of other fun. He was a great guy and I still use a lot of what he taught me today in regards to business, loyalty and passion.

He is still missed here.

Greg, hope all is well.

Tim Bean
752dad
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752dad 6/9/2017 9:53am
6/9/2017 9:53am
Greg, very sorry for your loss.
I met and raced with you guys at Mustang Acres waaaay back in the day.
Small world, my wife Karen knew you guys also and Tim Bean is my sons snowboard coach.
KC
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Tim Bean 6/9/2017 10:14am
6/9/2017 10:14am
752dad wrote:
Greg, very sorry for your loss. I met and raced with you guys at Mustang Acres waaaay back in the day. Small world, my wife Karen...
Greg, very sorry for your loss.
I met and raced with you guys at Mustang Acres waaaay back in the day.
Small world, my wife Karen knew you guys also and Tim Bean is my sons snowboard coach.
KC
Serendipity

noun
1.
an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
2.
good fortune; luck:

This was one of the first things Todd taught me early on. It was something that I adopted for myself and has proven to be pretty accurate for me throughout my life.

That translated to everything I did especially in coaching.
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CDswinehart 6/12/2017 1:08pm
6/12/2017 1:08pm
Greg and family,
So sorry to hear of the loss of Todd. We thought the goggles were quite innovative, and I still have the pair he gave us at Pontiac to test early on. Always enjoyed having him stop by the trucks at the pro events, full of new ideas. (and you too Mark...) A lot of interesting characters seem to come from Michigan around that time, must be something in the water there.

Again, condolences to all your kin.

Scott and the crew from Competition Direct, Inc.
Rochester, NY
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Frankie 6/14/2017 6:26pm
6/14/2017 6:26pm Edited Date/Time 6/14/2017 6:30pm
Thanks Greg for sharing your thought's.. Tough for you, that I know. Not only did Todd have a brilliant mind, he also was a very giving and caring person. I spent a bit of time with him when Todd was staying with Bill (Biff), and spending time at Bill's shop. I'd tell Todd about working with you at C&C, his face would light up and he would tell a goofy story or brag you up in regards to your design talents. I too miss him.. I have a pair of Vents googles in my bag that are brand new in the box that he gave me that I have yet to wear as it reminds me of a great friend.

The last I talked with him he was working on a way to clean the windshield inside your car with this gizmo without reaching over the steering wheel. He told me all about it, so I said "Well Todd does it work?" He told me to smear the pizza we were eating on the inside of the windshield on my truck, which I did. I said " Well Todd, clean it". He just walked away laughing and said "It's not quit ready to be tested yet, maybe in a couple weeks".

It's been awhile Greg, hope your doing well.. Peace..
Frankie Schaffier

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