Motocrossers that started BIG non-moto companies...Felt, Oakley, Arnette...Who else?

Snoqualmie
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Snoqualmie

Several MXers have started companies outside the world of moto that became quite big in terms of sales $$$... Interesting group of entrepreneurs -- who have I missed? Note I did not include Troy Lee, Mitch Payton as their firms are moto-centric (though one could debate TLD is quite broad in its businesses).

Jim Jannard started Oakley and Red Digital Camera. 

Jim Felt (Broc Glover's factory Yamaha mechanic) started Felt Bicycles.

Greg Annette (Kent Howerton's Suzuki mechanic) started Arnette Sunglasses

NorCall racer Paul Turner started RockShox

Bob Fox, Geoff Fox started Fox Show which has morphed into RideFox. 

 

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brandonjacobsen 1/23/2023 10:54am
1/23/2023 10:54am

Just a side note love my Felt Bikes never realized that's who started the company.

Makes me feel better about buying bikes from them.

 

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kylemenz1
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kylemenz1 1/23/2023 11:08am
1/23/2023 11:08am

Doug Bradbury was an avid MX’er & trials rider from the South Bay Los Angeles area. He moved to Colorado and started building MTB. Had the idea to build suspension for his bike like his MX bikes. Manitou bikes and suspension was created. 

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The Shop

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NSP139
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NSP139 1/23/2023 11:21am
1/23/2023 11:21am
TeamGreen wrote:

Rockshox

He was one of the original guys at Factory Connection before Ziggy bought him out!

TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 1/23/2023 11:22am
1/23/2023 11:22am

Horst Leitner has had plenty of companies and some very profitable patents…like those powered steps on your Ford F-150-450. 

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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 1/23/2023 11:24am
1/23/2023 11:24am

Troy Lee…his really BIG $$$ seem to come form MTB…so, that’s Non-Moto…right?

Falcon
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Falcon 1/23/2023 11:24am
1/23/2023 11:24am
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:

Who started No Fear? 
 

didnt McGRATH own a part of No Fear at one time?

Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if he's still involved.

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DonM
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DonM 1/23/2023 11:38am
1/23/2023 11:38am
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:

Who started No Fear? 
 

didnt McGRATH own a part of No Fear at one time?

Falcon wrote:
Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if...

Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if he's still involved.

No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into the gear company side of No Fear. They started Lifes a Beach and went bankrupt with it because of an investor who tried to take it away from them. They started No Fear as a clothing company after the Lifes a Beach debacle.

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johnk408
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johnk408 1/23/2023 11:48am
1/23/2023 11:48am
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:

Isn’t Felt owned by the Pierer Mobility group now?

I think they did buy them about a year ago, so it kind of came full circle back to the moto world.

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GrapeApe 1/23/2023 12:10pm
1/23/2023 12:10pm Edited Date/Time 1/23/2023 12:18pm

Forslyk

4Arm Strong

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FWYT
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FWYT 1/23/2023 12:12pm
1/23/2023 12:12pm Edited Date/Time 1/23/2023 12:14pm
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:

Who started No Fear? 
 

didnt McGRATH own a part of No Fear at one time?

Falcon wrote:
Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if...

Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if he's still involved.

DonM wrote:
No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into...

No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into the gear company side of No Fear. They started Lifes a Beach and went bankrupt with it because of an investor who tried to take it away from them. They started No Fear as a clothing company after the Lifes a Beach debacle.

Correct though to add- Jeff Theodosakis was part of the trio with Mark and Brian. After Life's a Beach, Jeff went on to start Prahna. All three raced at the local level and were/are huge gear heads. 

Pit Row

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Snoqualmie
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Snoqualmie 1/23/2023 12:17pm
1/23/2023 12:17pm
TeamGreen wrote:

Troy Lee…his really BIG $$$ seem to come form MTB…so, that’s Non-Moto…right?

Yes, mentioned I was on the fence for that...for sure a big firm.

johnk408
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johnk408 1/23/2023 12:21pm
1/23/2023 12:21pm Edited Date/Time 1/23/2023 12:49pm
Falcon wrote:
Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if...

Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if he's still involved.

DonM wrote:
No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into...

No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into the gear company side of No Fear. They started Lifes a Beach and went bankrupt with it because of an investor who tried to take it away from them. They started No Fear as a clothing company after the Lifes a Beach debacle.

FWYT wrote:
Correct though to add- Jeff Theodosakis was part of the trio with Mark and Brian. After Life's a Beach, Jeff went on to start Prahna. All...

Correct though to add- Jeff Theodosakis was part of the trio with Mark and Brian. After Life's a Beach, Jeff went on to start Prahna. All three raced at the local level and were/are huge gear heads. 

There's a really good long form read on the history of No Fear on Racer X. It's a couple years old, but I assume archived.

 

https://racerxonline.com/2019/05/10/the-rise-fall-of-no-fear

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DonM
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DonM 1/23/2023 12:25pm
1/23/2023 12:25pm
Falcon wrote:
Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if...

Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if he's still involved.

DonM wrote:
No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into...

No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into the gear company side of No Fear. They started Lifes a Beach and went bankrupt with it because of an investor who tried to take it away from them. They started No Fear as a clothing company after the Lifes a Beach debacle.

FWYT wrote:
Correct though to add- Jeff Theodosakis was part of the trio with Mark and Brian. After Life's a Beach, Jeff went on to start Prahna. All...

Correct though to add- Jeff Theodosakis was part of the trio with Mark and Brian. After Life's a Beach, Jeff went on to start Prahna. All three raced at the local level and were/are huge gear heads. 

Yes I remember, I got to be good friends with them back in the day in FL....We all met by staying at the same campground for two months during the winter series.

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mikedez
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mikedez 1/23/2023 12:41pm
1/23/2023 12:41pm
TeamGreen wrote:

Horst Leitner has had plenty of companies and some very profitable patents…like those powered steps on your Ford F-150-450. 

Lol the ones that fail right after warranty? See so many platinum and king ranch editions with one side hanging down while driving. No one wants to pay the couple grand to fix it or buy a new one. 

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Snoqualmie
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Snoqualmie 1/23/2023 12:47pm
1/23/2023 12:47pm
Spooner wrote:

Mechanix Wear

Good one...this was the late Jim Hale's creation I think.

In the same area Bryar Holcomb owns Factory Effex.

Then there is Eddie Cole who's has done several companies.

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UpTiTe 1/23/2023 1:04pm
1/23/2023 1:04pm

Around 82-84 the swatch watch guard was invented by a guy named Blake who was a decent SoCal  intermediate. Came up with the idea when he put two O rings over his watch to protect it, Some people saw it and copied him and it was born from there. 
 

 I have no idea how much money he made, he moved to Texas to avoid California taxes, so he must of did ok. He rented a Corvette that a big time factory rider rolled by e braking it into a curb in a Simi Valley suburb.  

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Falcon
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Falcon 1/23/2023 2:20pm
1/23/2023 2:20pm
Falcon wrote:
Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if...

Jeff Surwall, I think. He started Life's a Beach, which became NoFear. Alias is that same group of people now, too, although I don't know if he's still involved.

DonM wrote:
No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into...

No it was Mark and Brian Simonitus( They later dropped the "Nitus" from their name)from Illinois they were friends with Surwall who they later brought into the gear company side of No Fear. They started Lifes a Beach and went bankrupt with it because of an investor who tried to take it away from them. They started No Fear as a clothing company after the Lifes a Beach debacle.

FWYT wrote:
Correct though to add- Jeff Theodosakis was part of the trio with Mark and Brian. After Life's a Beach, Jeff went on to start Prahna. All...

Correct though to add- Jeff Theodosakis was part of the trio with Mark and Brian. After Life's a Beach, Jeff went on to start Prahna. All three raced at the local level and were/are huge gear heads. 

Ah, yes, that's right. I could have sworn Surwall was part of Life's a Beach too, though. Back when RJ wore their shorts over his moto pants on his last ride on a Yamaha. 

LungButter
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LungButter 1/23/2023 3:06pm
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alphado wrote:

Goat Goggles - Goat Breker

Serious question.

Was that a BIG company and did they ever get outside of moto?

I wore the goggles a few years and actually liked them, I just always thought they were pretty niched to our sport?

 

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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 1/23/2023 3:09pm
1/23/2023 3:09pm
TeamGreen wrote:

Rockshox

Snoqualmie wrote:

Yes, listed that - Paul Turner. 

Missed it…on a phone…on a flt…all thumbs…

My bad 

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-MAVERICK-
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-MAVERICK- 1/23/2023 3:51pm
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TeamGreen wrote:

Troy Lee…his really BIG $$$ seem to come form MTB…so, that’s Non-Moto…right?

If that counts, then add Milt Reimer of FXR to the list. 

Dominates the snowmobiling market.

Now into outdoor gear and MTB. 

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