Posts
1894
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
North Bend, WA
US
Edited Date/Time
1/27/2012 5:55pm
Factory for a day
So I get a phone call right before Christmas from my old riding buddy Pete Treadwell with WPS. He asks if I am going to A1 and I reply “actually yeah..my wife booked the whole fam dam” He asks if I wanted to go riding while I am down there and I am like yeah but and I am flying and my bike isn’t. He says he’s got it covered, by the way what size helmet pants and jersey do you wear? I’m thinking OK what’s going on here. X-mas eve I get a package in the mail. Actually a big box, brand new Fly Formula helmet, full gear and gloves. He E-mails me be ready at 7:30 Sunday the 10th. OK, sweet.
Pete is pretty good buddies with Doug Dubach and Co. and set up some riding at Milestone in Riverside. Sure enough at 7:30 AM Terry Beal (formerly with Yamaha PR and now DRD main man) and Pete pull up to my Hotel in Anaheim and we are off to the track. We get there and they have the pits already set up with super trick DRD bikes prepped and ready. I was super pumped and kinda nervous, had not motoed a real track on a big bike in a long time.
We gear up and grab bikes and head out on the perfectly groomed and moistened track. I started off on Dougs ’09 YZ 450 and immediately fall in love. The thing was absolutely flawless. Top of the line suspension, perfect powerband and incredible brakes. Night and day from my ‘06. This thing actually corners. After a couple laps I started getting in the groove and pounded laps until I couldn’t hold on any longer. Forearms are granite. Chill out for a bit and drool over the 2010 450.
We head out for another sesh only this time I am on Dougs 2010 450. Completely different from the 09, actually kind of weird at first. Couple laps I get used to it and am having way to much fun to try and analyze the bike. What I do remember is that this bike barks and pulls hard, never a bog, burble, nuthin’ just perfect lineal predictable instantaneous response. Corning is effortless, point and shoot, any line, the tightest inside rut to full on railing the outside. I even started using the foot ruts waayyyy inside. Light in the air and fantastic suspenders. Loved it.
The Doctor himself rolls in after his daughter’s basketball game, hangs out and shoots the shit with every one for a few and goes over the bikes with us. He gears up and grabs Joe Meltons YZ 125 and goes out and absolutely dissects the track for about 45 minutes. It really was an impressive sight; Doug is perfect on that thing. Talk about a regular guy that is simply poetry on a bike. He started tossing around the idea of building smoker pipes. Cool dude for sure.
Couple more motos and called it a day before I hurt my 42 year old ass. At this point you couldn’t smack the grin off my face. Fish tacos and beer at Wahoos top off the most perfect moto play day of my life. Joe Melton takes Pete to the airport and Terry gives me ride back to Anaheim and we chat the whole way. Terry is absolutely the nicest, coolest most core moto dude ever. Talk about stories from back in the day when he was handling MC, Henry, The Chad and especially DV.
Big thanks and mad props to FLY and DRD, Pete, Terry, Doug, Mark Tilly, Joe and everyone else I met that day for making my A1 trip the best ever. EPIC!
Oh yeah,(obligatory plug) the Fly Formula helmet is awesome, very light and comfy. All carbon composite construction, exceeding all testing standards. Suede check pads keep it in place nicely and feels oh so soft to the face. Comes with an extra matching visor, a real helmet bag and vent plugs. Trick set-up. The F-16 gear fit and worked well and looks good, not to zany with roomy knees and good waist adjustability. I have been using their gear for years and even my oldest stuff is still in perfect condition. Very well built. They have high standards and great quality control and will warranty any defects no questions asked. Good stuff.
Still smiling.
So I get a phone call right before Christmas from my old riding buddy Pete Treadwell with WPS. He asks if I am going to A1 and I reply “actually yeah..my wife booked the whole fam dam” He asks if I wanted to go riding while I am down there and I am like yeah but and I am flying and my bike isn’t. He says he’s got it covered, by the way what size helmet pants and jersey do you wear? I’m thinking OK what’s going on here. X-mas eve I get a package in the mail. Actually a big box, brand new Fly Formula helmet, full gear and gloves. He E-mails me be ready at 7:30 Sunday the 10th. OK, sweet.
Pete is pretty good buddies with Doug Dubach and Co. and set up some riding at Milestone in Riverside. Sure enough at 7:30 AM Terry Beal (formerly with Yamaha PR and now DRD main man) and Pete pull up to my Hotel in Anaheim and we are off to the track. We get there and they have the pits already set up with super trick DRD bikes prepped and ready. I was super pumped and kinda nervous, had not motoed a real track on a big bike in a long time.
We gear up and grab bikes and head out on the perfectly groomed and moistened track. I started off on Dougs ’09 YZ 450 and immediately fall in love. The thing was absolutely flawless. Top of the line suspension, perfect powerband and incredible brakes. Night and day from my ‘06. This thing actually corners. After a couple laps I started getting in the groove and pounded laps until I couldn’t hold on any longer. Forearms are granite. Chill out for a bit and drool over the 2010 450.
We head out for another sesh only this time I am on Dougs 2010 450. Completely different from the 09, actually kind of weird at first. Couple laps I get used to it and am having way to much fun to try and analyze the bike. What I do remember is that this bike barks and pulls hard, never a bog, burble, nuthin’ just perfect lineal predictable instantaneous response. Corning is effortless, point and shoot, any line, the tightest inside rut to full on railing the outside. I even started using the foot ruts waayyyy inside. Light in the air and fantastic suspenders. Loved it.
The Doctor himself rolls in after his daughter’s basketball game, hangs out and shoots the shit with every one for a few and goes over the bikes with us. He gears up and grabs Joe Meltons YZ 125 and goes out and absolutely dissects the track for about 45 minutes. It really was an impressive sight; Doug is perfect on that thing. Talk about a regular guy that is simply poetry on a bike. He started tossing around the idea of building smoker pipes. Cool dude for sure.
Couple more motos and called it a day before I hurt my 42 year old ass. At this point you couldn’t smack the grin off my face. Fish tacos and beer at Wahoos top off the most perfect moto play day of my life. Joe Melton takes Pete to the airport and Terry gives me ride back to Anaheim and we chat the whole way. Terry is absolutely the nicest, coolest most core moto dude ever. Talk about stories from back in the day when he was handling MC, Henry, The Chad and especially DV.
Big thanks and mad props to FLY and DRD, Pete, Terry, Doug, Mark Tilly, Joe and everyone else I met that day for making my A1 trip the best ever. EPIC!
Oh yeah,(obligatory plug) the Fly Formula helmet is awesome, very light and comfy. All carbon composite construction, exceeding all testing standards. Suede check pads keep it in place nicely and feels oh so soft to the face. Comes with an extra matching visor, a real helmet bag and vent plugs. Trick set-up. The F-16 gear fit and worked well and looks good, not to zany with roomy knees and good waist adjustability. I have been using their gear for years and even my oldest stuff is still in perfect condition. Very well built. They have high standards and great quality control and will warranty any defects no questions asked. Good stuff.
Still smiling.
Post a reply to: After A1 FLY DRD ride day