RV wouldn't do it again

walleyeguy
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2/7/2018 6:35am Edited Date/Time 2/9/2018 9:41am
I was watching so videos on youtube and one was on RV's career. In it he said if he had it to do all over again he would not race motorcycles...he'd do something different. He said something about "if it wasn't for the money and what not". What was is that RV disliked so much about the whole thing. He never really did seem extremely happy but his effort, determination, and preparation told a different story.
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2/7/2018 6:47am Edited Date/Time 2/7/2018 7:29am
Caused a lot of strain between him and the family. Father and him didn't get along for a while. Sister tagged along to all the races and couldn't enjoy doing her own things.
Wilson116
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2/7/2018 6:57am
I think he was burned out pretty hard core by the end and family things didn't go as well as they could have. I would be curious if he still felt the same way now that he has stepped away for a bit and had a break.
2/7/2018 7:01am
Stress, hard work, pain. Being a professional MX racer is not nearly as glamorous as most seem to think. They work harder than any of us.
DoctorJD
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2/7/2018 7:06am
You have to wonder what percentage of these kids are just vehicles for their fathers to live vicariously through.

Back in the early 90's, one of my close friends was friends with a lot of the football players at a large, D-1 college. One of his friends was an offensive lineman who wasn't a starter, but played a good bit as a rotational player. Good college player, but not great. I'll never forget something my friend told me he said.

After the last game of the year of his senior season, there was a party that night. My friend started talking to this player (who knew he didn't have any pro aspirations) and kind of offered his "condolences" considering he'd just played the last game of his college career. The player told him that, "this was the best day of his life". Why? Because when you're 6'5", big as hell, and athletic in high school in south Georgia, you don't get asked, "do you want to play football?". It's just naturally assumed. He said, "I was good at it, but I hated every minute of it. Nobody ever stopped to ask me if this was something I wanted to do. I just did it." Now, I'm paraphrasing a bit, but you get the jist.

What does this have to do with motocross? Some dads get so wrapped up in getting their kids into the sport, they don't ever stop to ask, "is this something you enjoy doing, or are you doing this because you think it makes me happy?" So you have a kid who just wants to ride, but he's damn good at it. Well, daddy decides he's the next big thing, and sometimes, he is, But you have to wonder if some of these kids actually enjoy the process.

I always said that I would never make my son race. I always told him that if he wanted to, I would support him 100%, but only if he enjoyed doing it. He was a fast little bugger (still is) but he just loves to ride and doesn't give a shit about racing. I couldn't have been happier.

The Shop

disbanded
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2/7/2018 7:29am
He could have just ridden slower
51xc
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2/7/2018 8:16am
I don't think it has to do with injuries, training etc. more with media and all the obligations around it. he just seems to be a guy that wants to be left alone and do his stuff. just guessing here...
walleyeguy
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2/7/2018 8:33am
That's kind of what I got out of it 51xc. He didn't go into details but I gather a lot must of been going on that he didn't like. I just wasn't sure if it was with sponsors, kawi, (you have to wonder now), family, did he just not really like racing?
captmoto
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2/7/2018 8:50am
No social life. You lay adult expectation on kids at 5-6 years years old and they miss out on goofy things like team sports and all that socialization that goes on with it, high school prom, your first beater car, parties, camping trips, travel that doesn't involve bikes. Sure he's traveled the world but do you think he ever spent any real time in any of those cities he has been to? My son has been to Europe, Aus/NZ as a musician and most of what he has seen was from a bus. It goes from fun to pressure, pressure, pressure. I think going out on his ass has a lot to do with it too.
2/7/2018 8:51am
RV's dad seems like a cool dude now, but when rv was getting beat by Alessi and occasionally josh hill his dad would lose it. Never saw Ryan smile one time at the local track. The way he acts now that he is retired is like a completely different person then how he was growing up/racing. Seems like he can relax finally
kb228
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2/7/2018 8:51am
Britney spears would do it again
davistld01
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2/7/2018 9:32am Edited Date/Time 2/7/2018 9:32am
kb228 wrote:
Britney spears would do it again
Actually...Ooops, she did it again. (Probably a whole lot more times than once...)
twotwosix
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2/7/2018 9:38am
It's easy for a multi-millionare to say that. No perspective.
JustMX
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2/7/2018 10:18am
twotwosix wrote:
It's easy for a multi-millionare to say that. No perspective.
X2
bball35
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2/7/2018 10:26am
He seems a lot happier now and is able to enjoy life which has been good to see and hear.
Camp332
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2/7/2018 10:29am
Well, I'm sure as hell glad he did do it, because watching him was pretty freaking cool. Never forget September 23rd, 2007 at Budds Creek Bros!
Flip109
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2/7/2018 10:30am
twotwosix wrote:
It's easy for a multi-millionare to say that. No perspective.
This is no shit lol
Bultaco
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2/7/2018 10:53am
Hindsight changes perspective in most people.
Brett_Clark
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2/7/2018 12:13pm
When you have family and friends at home and you are on the road and away from them more than you are there it changes the way you appreciate home life. I drive truck and I'm away from my wife and daughter 20 to 25 days a month. I make good money but I'm not happy doing it. If I made the money Ryan did I still wouldn't be happy. Nothing can replace the feeling of missing your family.
2/7/2018 12:17pm
51xc wrote:
I don't think it has to do with injuries, training etc. more with media and all the obligations around it. he just seems to be a...
I don't think it has to do with injuries, training etc. more with media and all the obligations around it. he just seems to be a guy that wants to be left alone and do his stuff. just guessing here...
That's a great point. There's nothing wrong with that either. I'd be the same way.
BobbyM
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2/7/2018 12:25pm
twotwosix wrote:
It's easy for a multi-millionare to say that. No perspective.
Yer a dick, no amount of money will change that.
2/7/2018 12:41pm
twotwosix wrote:
It's easy for a multi-millionare to say that. No perspective.
JustMX wrote:
X2
Tell RV I will swap him, I will have all his shit. He can have my job doing 12.5hr days in a coal mine for what would seem like a pittance to him.

NIL in perspective X3.
haydos25
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2/7/2018 12:43pm
When you have family and friends at home and you are on the road and away from them more than you are there it changes the...
When you have family and friends at home and you are on the road and away from them more than you are there it changes the way you appreciate home life. I drive truck and I'm away from my wife and daughter 20 to 25 days a month. I make good money but I'm not happy doing it. If I made the money Ryan did I still wouldn't be happy. Nothing can replace the feeling of missing your family.
True. Difference is he's now in his early 30's reasonably healthy and enough cash to spend every day with his family and kids and live a comfortable life without ever lifting a finger if he doesn't want to.

Its easy for him to say i wouldn't do it again now that he's done it. But if his alternative was 20-25 days a month in a truck away from his family for the next 20 years of his life would he take that instead? My guess is no.
GIwasB4
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2/7/2018 12:48pm
Camp332 wrote:
Well, I'm sure as hell glad he did do it, because watching him was pretty freaking cool. Never forget September 23rd, 2007 at Budds Creek Bros!
What he said^


mitch199
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2/7/2018 12:57pm
Tell RV I will swap him, I will have all his shit. He can have my job doing 12.5hr days in a coal mine for what...
Tell RV I will swap him, I will have all his shit. He can have my job doing 12.5hr days in a coal mine for what would seem like a pittance to him.

NIL in perspective X3.
I hear ya, used to have the same life, in NSW though... but when you're jetskiing in the week off with your mates, getting maggot every second day and going surfing, someone like RV would be out cycling, training, with a frown on his face. I love anything two wheeled, but when I ride 4 weekends in a row, I aint gonna lie, the 5th weekend I am looking forward to not riding for a change and going surfing... not an option for RV!
BobbyM
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2/7/2018 1:13pm
When you have family and friends at home and you are on the road and away from them more than you are there it changes the...
When you have family and friends at home and you are on the road and away from them more than you are there it changes the way you appreciate home life. I drive truck and I'm away from my wife and daughter 20 to 25 days a month. I make good money but I'm not happy doing it. If I made the money Ryan did I still wouldn't be happy. Nothing can replace the feeling of missing your family.
haydos25 wrote:
True. Difference is he's now in his early 30's reasonably healthy and enough cash to spend every day with his family and kids and live a...
True. Difference is he's now in his early 30's reasonably healthy and enough cash to spend every day with his family and kids and live a comfortable life without ever lifting a finger if he doesn't want to.

Its easy for him to say i wouldn't do it again now that he's done it. But if his alternative was 20-25 days a month in a truck away from his family for the next 20 years of his life would he take that instead? My guess is no.
Difference is you chose that life quit yer bitchin
2/7/2018 2:15pm
i think we all can see now how bad kawasaki stresses out their rider. RV now Tomac
Micahdogg
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2/7/2018 2:22pm
A couple things come to mind. Doing something you love, because its your choice can be quite different from doing something you love, because its your job. Once it becomes your job, there have been more than a few people who grew to resent what they once chose to do - because now they are forced to do it. Its simply a change in perspective. I see the same thing occur when people count the days to their retirement - seemingly unable to wait to quit their job. But once they become eligible, suddenly its not so bad and the choose to stick around a little longer because they can walk away whenever they want.

The other thing that I also see in sports is the pursuit of the goal. People strive to be a champ, and to do what it takes to become a champ. But once you achieve that goal, there is only one way to go - down. And again, your perspective changes because now you are simply trying to hold onto what you have been chasing. That part can be a huge mental burden for some people.
haydos25
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2/7/2018 2:28pm
BobbyM wrote:
Difference is you chose that life quit yer bitchin
No bitching on my part. More pointing out that RV is claiming that he wouldn't do it all again without having any real understanding of what the alternative is like. I'm living the life he said he would've chosen and i'm here to tell him its not as amazing and stress free as he imagines.

By the same token i don't have an understanding of what he has gone through either. I guess the lesson really is that the grass isn't always greener
deanwhite51
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2/7/2018 2:51pm
RV and his dad ended up getting pretty nasty at one point if you watch his documentary.
He mentions how he wished the family was closer and he had that fame to share with his family at certain points.

there was a few years where they didnt even talk. especiialy growing up as a amuture he also talks about his father pushing them up and beyond..

if any of you get a chance.. watch the moto series called "SPECTRUM". Its all about the ugly truth behind motocross and supercross.
Mini Elsinore
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2/7/2018 2:58pm
Glad to see RV in a happier place now.
He always looked absolutely miserable at the amateur nationals----while his little bro roamed the pits having an actual childhood.

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