The Tennessee Knockout

Awesome video there! At the end you could hear Jarvis saying "If I was about 10 years younger.."
Pounding slippery rocks all day like constant whoops has got to be extremely tiring, and that is not soft prepped dirt if they fall.

I've got to go see that someday, but I don't think I'll try riding it..How was the ride?

Not too many japanese brands in that top 15...

Johnny Depp wrote:

Awesome video there! At the end you could hear Jarvis saying "If I was about 10 years younger.."
Pounding slippery rocks all day like constant whoops has got to be extremely tiring, and that is not soft prepped dirt if they fall.

I've got to go see that someday, but I don't think I'll try riding it..How was the ride?

Jarvis' riding was impressive regardless of his 42 years of age, but I'm sure it adds an extra level of difficulty competing against 20-somethings.

The ride was brutal! I had a much better time than last year, though. I ended up 15th out of the 200+ amateur riders in the first race, but a hole in my radiator prevented me from finishing the next round and advancing to Sunday. Here are some highlights from my first race:

Great ride...I'd like to do that one time......with someone else bike....It looks like it is rough on hardware....

Forty wrote:

Great ride...I'd like to do that one time......with someone else bike....It looks like it is rough on hardware....

I've ridden that area before. On a guided tour. Most of the terrain we rode was trail and not as extreme as the race course. Still was pretty gnarly though. Definitely a challenge and an incredible riding vacation.

es337 wrote:

Not too many japanese brands in that top 15...

It's one thing I struggle to understand. It feels like they have packed it in and gave up on a large portion of the dirt bike market. For many off-road riding is what the majority of their riding is. Off-road racing is booming. Europe bikes are cashing in on this goldmine. How can the Japanese manufacturers not see the potential.

awesome dude!! You rode good!! I might have to make the trip next year!! That's my kinda riding!

Johnny Depp wrote:

Awesome video there! At the end you could hear Jarvis saying "If I was about 10 years younger.."
Pounding slippery rocks all day like constant whoops has got to be extremely tiring, and that is not soft prepped dirt if they fall.

I've got to go see that someday, but I don't think I'll try riding it..How was the ride?

sdfog1 wrote:

Jarvis' riding was impressive regardless of his 42 years of age, but I'm sure it adds an extra level of difficulty competing against 20-somethings.

The ride was brutal! I had a much better time than last year, though. I ended up 15th out of the 200+ amateur riders in the first race, but a hole in my radiator prevented me from finishing the next round and advancing to Sunday. Here are some highlights from my first race:

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Real nice riding there. That video shows how tough it really is. Gnarly Dude! That Beta looked like it did a good job for you.

Trials riders 1st and 2nd place. I saw a Q&A here on Vital with David Bailey. He must have used the word "skills" 50 times.

Great video and kudos for giving it a go!

I definitely respect their skills but after racing MX, it's really hard to understand the thrill in that discipline of racing!
I guess the thrill is more in the competition rather than the ride.

Motoxdoc wrote:

I definitely respect their skills but after racing MX, it's really hard to understand the thrill in that discipline of racing!
I guess the thrill is more in the competition rather than the ride.

I certainly do not do ride anything as gnarley as that but I can say from harder enduro races the thrill is also in clearing certain sketchy obsticles, be it hill climbs, creek crossings, rock gardens, etc.

Motoxdoc wrote:

I definitely respect their skills but after racing MX, it's really hard to understand the thrill in that discipline of racing!
I guess the thrill is more in the competition rather than the ride.

WVUpetro2013 wrote:

I certainly do not do ride anything as gnarley as that but I can say from harder enduro races the thrill is also in clearing certain sketchy obsticles, be it hill climbs, creek crossings, rock gardens, etc.

I've competed in both and I love MX but the off road shit is a different kind of thrill.

The Harescrambles I've competed in are gnarly, not like this, but difficult, and they are 2 hours long.

The finishing is a win for me, and very satisfying. It is a combination of bike and body readiness/preparation and mind willingness. I swear the first time you come up on that creek crossing or the riprap wash you're all 100% charging but the 4th, 5th ,6th time it's a different story.

Arms are punked out, shoulders on fire, ass bleedin, close calls, people passing you, you're just praying for the end at that point.

Then on Wednesday, sign up again..heheh....it's a form of self abuse.

Off road racing at any level is pretty much a sufferfest. Those willing to suffer the most usually do well.

Motoxdoc wrote:

I definitely respect their skills but after racing MX, it's really hard to understand the thrill in that discipline of racing!
I guess the thrill is more in the competition rather than the ride.

Having done both myself, its honestly the same in that respect just in a different way and for different reasons.

josh8811 wrote:

awesome dude!! You rode good!! I might have to make the trip next year!! That's my kinda riding!

Thanks man! It's definitely something I'd recommend being on your bucket list if you're an off-roader.

Johnny Depp wrote:

Real nice riding there. That video shows how tough it really is. Gnarly Dude! That Beta looked like it did a good job for you.

Thanks. The Beta is more at home the gnarlier the trail gets. I bought it for the sole purpose of riding extreme enduros. I'll be switching to my KTM 250 SX-F in endurocross starting up this coming weekend in Vegas.

Johnny Depp wrote:

Awesome video there! At the end you could hear Jarvis saying "If I was about 10 years younger.."
Pounding slippery rocks all day like constant whoops has got to be extremely tiring, and that is not soft prepped dirt if they fall.

I've got to go see that someday, but I don't think I'll try riding it..How was the ride?

sdfog1 wrote:

Jarvis' riding was impressive regardless of his 42 years of age, but I'm sure it adds an extra level of difficulty competing against 20-somethings.

The ride was brutal! I had a much better time than last year, though. I ended up 15th out of the 200+ amateur riders in the first race, but a hole in my radiator prevented me from finishing the next round and advancing to Sunday. Here are some highlights from my first race:

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Very good riding man. Sheeesh....35yrs of MX for me , and I've never done any kind of offroad event. Maybe one day. And thanks for the videos!

i'm addicted. riding off-road every week. zero interest in riding the tracks anymore.

Man, that looked brutal, great riding! You going to be at the Reno race?

Thanks for posting!

JM485 wrote:

Man, that looked brutal, great riding! You going to be at the Reno race?

Yep! I'll be racing Vegas, Reno, and Denver for sure. Ready for the season to start! Just took the race bike up to my track after I got off work and spun some laps.

jeffro503 wrote:

Very good riding man. Sheeesh....35yrs of MX for me , and I've never done any kind of offroad event. Maybe one day. And thanks for the videos!

WHAT?!

How in the HELL do you expect to get picked up by the Vincent Black Shadow Factory Team
without doing an offroad race?!

"This race attracts
a very special breed."

I also raced it this year. I've raced a bunch of GNCCs but the TKO is hands down the toughest race I've ever done. I qualified to the afternoon race on Saturday but only made it about halfway through that race and lost my rear brakes. I ended up off the side of a ledge and was too tired to to keep going so I had to find a road to get back to my pit. The whole thing is a very cool event and I highly recommend checking it out.

Johnny Depp wrote:

Awesome video there! At the end you could hear Jarvis saying "If I was about 10 years younger.."
Pounding slippery rocks all day like constant whoops has got to be extremely tiring, and that is not soft prepped dirt if they fall.

I've got to go see that someday, but I don't think I'll try riding it..How was the ride?

sdfog1 wrote:

Jarvis' riding was impressive regardless of his 42 years of age, but I'm sure it adds an extra level of difficulty competing against 20-somethings.

The ride was brutal! I had a much better time than last year, though. I ended up 15th out of the 200+ amateur riders in the first race, but a hole in my radiator prevented me from finishing the next round and advancing to Sunday. Here are some highlights from my first race:

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Chuck Delullo made the Sunday main event. He's 50+. He's a multi time champion in the GNCC pro ATV class from the early 90s. I believe he finished around 17th overall. Pretty amazing that guys like him and Jarvis can do this type of race at their ages when 99% of healthy 20 something year olds couldn't do it.