1
00:02:33,353 --> 00:02:38,524
There's a freedom about it,
there's an open-air experience.
2
00:02:38,526 --> 00:02:41,393
The sun in your face, the sound
of the motor and the vibration,
3
00:02:41,395 --> 00:02:45,364
the unobscured view of everything
that's going on around you.
4
00:02:45,366 --> 00:02:48,300
It's a bombardment
of the senses.
5
00:02:50,103 --> 00:02:53,272
I just love it,
I just enjoy being on a bike.
6
00:02:55,375 --> 00:02:57,743
The cliche of
feeling the wind in your hair,
7
00:02:57,745 --> 00:03:00,179
even though I don't have much
hair anymore, is very true.
8
00:03:00,181 --> 00:03:03,415
It's just...
It's a wonderful feeling.
9
00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,755
It's a built-in passion to ride a
motorcycle, no matter what it is.
10
00:03:13,226 --> 00:03:17,362
It's unlike anything else
that you'll ever feel.
11
00:03:17,364 --> 00:03:19,698
There's nothing in my
life that's like it.
12
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It's part of who I am,
and what I want to be.
13
00:03:33,780 --> 00:03:36,381
Motorcycle riding is such a
filter for the brain for me.
14
00:03:36,383 --> 00:03:40,285
I always end up singing while I'm
riding because it's just me and my bike
15
00:03:40,287 --> 00:03:44,756
and I'm just enjoying myself and not
really thinking about anything else.
16
00:03:51,331 --> 00:03:54,466
Some people paint,
some people sew,
17
00:03:54,468 --> 00:03:56,969
some people listen to music.
I get on a motorcycle
18
00:03:56,971 --> 00:03:59,504
and that really puts
my mind at ease.
19
00:04:04,777 --> 00:04:10,482
It's a high, it's a good high, and
it's one that you can get addicted to.
20
00:04:14,988 --> 00:04:19,258
In a spiritual sense you could
almost say, Namaste, you know,
21
00:04:19,260 --> 00:04:23,228
it's that blending of the soul
of the motorcycle and you
22
00:04:23,230 --> 00:04:26,665
and it's just this
perfect moment.
23
00:04:26,667 --> 00:04:29,701
Everybody that rides a motorcycle
that's been around for a while
24
00:04:29,703 --> 00:04:32,337
has got a personal connection
to their motorcycle
25
00:04:32,339 --> 00:04:34,606
It's a person unto itself.
26
00:04:36,342 --> 00:04:38,443
We all dream
about flying.
27
00:04:38,445 --> 00:04:41,780
Well, when you ride
a motorcycle, you are flying.
28
00:04:41,782 --> 00:04:45,450
You're flying through space
at the twist of a throttle.
29
00:04:53,159 --> 00:04:56,995
When you ride motorcycles, people
always say hi to each other, you know,
30
00:04:56,997 --> 00:04:59,965
you don't see people who drive
cars waving at everybody in a car.
31
00:04:59,967 --> 00:05:05,470
They all have a bond, and it's
a bond that they share by desire.
32
00:05:05,472 --> 00:05:09,174
The common denominator
is two wheels.
33
00:05:19,719 --> 00:05:22,120
They are people that'll bend
over backwards to help ya.
34
00:05:22,122 --> 00:05:27,859
You're not going to leave a comrade on the
side of the road without offering to help 'em.
35
00:05:30,496 --> 00:05:36,335
There are some of the nicest people I've
ever met, are motorcyclists, hands down.
36
00:05:39,872 --> 00:05:43,542
Being a motorcycle guy cuts
across every job description,
37
00:05:43,544 --> 00:05:46,812
and you identify yourself
with being a motorcyclist,
38
00:05:46,814 --> 00:05:50,015
first and foremost, before you're
a doctor, before you're an actor,
39
00:05:50,017 --> 00:05:52,918
before you're a newspaper
tycoon, you're a motorcycle guy.
40
00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:57,322
And that really levels the
playing field with a lot of people.
41
00:05:57,324 --> 00:06:01,193
So you're talking to a guy
about bikes and then you find out
42
00:06:01,195 --> 00:06:03,628
that this guy's a neurosurgeon,
and you're, like,
43
00:06:03,630 --> 00:06:08,867
"Huh, I thought he was just
some guy who rode a Honda. "
44
00:06:10,837 --> 00:06:13,672
If you ever get on
that bike, president of a bank,
45
00:06:13,674 --> 00:06:16,375
a leader of a country,
you're in.
46
00:06:19,812 --> 00:06:22,714
You could get out of work
totally angry, take a little ride,
47
00:06:22,716 --> 00:06:25,684
and boy you don't get two miles
down the road, and all of a sudden,
48
00:06:25,686 --> 00:06:28,954
you've let go of all of that
stress, all that anxiety,
49
00:06:28,956 --> 00:06:31,656
and now you're...
you're free.
50
00:06:32,825 --> 00:06:37,462
In my view people
travel in bubbles, a lot.
51
00:06:37,464 --> 00:06:39,898
The motorcycle gets you
out of the bubble.
52
00:07:30,683 --> 00:07:32,984
We can't know where we're going
if we don't know where we've been.
53
00:07:32,986 --> 00:07:35,187
In the old days, you know,
there were thousands of people
54
00:07:35,189 --> 00:07:37,088
that came out to watch
the motorcycle races.
55
00:07:37,090 --> 00:07:41,126
Some of the greatest riders
of all time, Ben Campanelli,
56
00:07:41,128 --> 00:07:45,397
Jimmy Phillips, Bobby Hill and
Bill Tuman, and Ernie Beckman.
57
00:07:45,399 --> 00:07:48,366
Ed Kretz.
Ed Kretz was my hero.
58
00:07:48,368 --> 00:07:50,402
They were badass,
they were real men.
59
00:07:50,404 --> 00:07:52,737
Like rodeoing,
there was no money in it,
60
00:07:52,739 --> 00:07:55,740
there was no prestige in it, you
did it because you liked doing it.
61
00:07:55,742 --> 00:07:58,510
I would have loved to have
been around during that era.
62
00:07:58,512 --> 00:08:00,479
You know, it was just
throw it all out there.
63
00:08:00,481 --> 00:08:02,848
It was a great time
in racing for sure.
64
00:08:02,850 --> 00:08:06,618
It's about tradition, I
wanna keep those stories alive.
65
00:08:06,620 --> 00:08:08,954
I don't want these people
to be forgotten.
66
00:08:09,856 --> 00:08:11,156
I think
it's important
67
00:08:11,158 --> 00:08:12,958
to preserve the lineage.
68
00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:14,192
I mean, it's kinda funny,
69
00:08:14,194 --> 00:08:16,161
you go out and buy
a brand-new motorcycle,
70
00:08:16,163 --> 00:08:21,700
it's hard to think that that
has roots that go back to 1901.
71
00:08:21,702 --> 00:08:23,902
Motorcycles literally
were, you know, bicycles
72
00:08:23,904 --> 00:08:26,104
that somebody finally came up with
the idea of putting an engine in it.
73
00:08:26,106 --> 00:08:29,374
Kind of like the peanut butter
and jelly story, you know.
74
00:08:29,376 --> 00:08:31,610
It's like, I think maybe
these two things might work.
75
00:08:31,612 --> 00:08:33,612
Of course, if you got
an engine in a motorcycle,
76
00:08:33,614 --> 00:08:35,680
the next thing is
you gotta start racing it.
77
00:08:35,682 --> 00:08:38,950
When racing really got going in the
U.S. was through board track racing.
78
00:08:38,952 --> 00:08:42,187
Small, circular,
banked wooden track.
79
00:08:42,189 --> 00:08:45,357
Literally just
strips of wood laid end to end.
80
00:08:45,359 --> 00:08:49,060
And all these bicycle racings,
they used a pacer,
81
00:08:49,062 --> 00:08:55,166
that they followed behind, which
was a motorized, big, clumsy bicycle.
82
00:08:55,168 --> 00:08:57,569
And then the bicyclists
would actually be in the draft.
83
00:08:57,571 --> 00:09:02,974
And the pacer would get to a certain speed,
peel off, and then the racers would start.
84
00:09:02,976 --> 00:09:06,311
Someone came up along the way one
time, with, like, an intermission.
85
00:09:06,313 --> 00:09:10,215
"Why don't we put all the pacers out on
the track, let them have their own race?"
86
00:09:10,217 --> 00:09:12,717
And they did that, and I guess
it went over pretty well,
87
00:09:12,719 --> 00:09:16,454
but then it wasn't long they realized
the bikes themselves could go faster,
88
00:09:16,456 --> 00:09:18,423
so they made them a
little less big and bulky.
89
00:09:18,425 --> 00:09:22,127
That's the premise for the
Indian Company, the Hendees.
90
00:09:22,129 --> 00:09:27,299
They were bicycle racers and
created this motorized bicycle
91
00:09:27,301 --> 00:09:30,068
to help set faster
and faster speeds.
92
00:09:30,070 --> 00:09:32,203
Then, you know,
here came Harley-Davidson
93
00:09:32,205 --> 00:09:35,106
and companies that, uh, went into
production on the whole thing.
94
00:09:35,108 --> 00:09:38,243
There were more than a hundred
motorcycle manufacturers
95
00:09:38,245 --> 00:09:41,479
just in the United States.
96
00:09:41,481 --> 00:09:45,517
Some of the designs of some of
these engines were completely insane.
97
00:09:45,519 --> 00:09:47,586
They leaked.
They smelt like a beast.
98
00:09:47,588 --> 00:09:50,855
You couldn't go to the local
store and have someone work on it.
99
00:09:50,857 --> 00:09:53,658
You had to have a
basic understanding of 'em.
100
00:09:53,660 --> 00:09:56,094
Which means that anybody
who had these early bikes,
101
00:09:56,096 --> 00:10:00,865
you know, it wasn't a
convenience, it was a dedication.
102
00:10:02,301 --> 00:10:04,569
It was all about the
racing and, predominantly,
103
00:10:04,571 --> 00:10:07,138
the two major bike companies
were Harley versus Indian.
104
00:10:07,140 --> 00:10:10,642
And these guys were out there
with these bikes with no brakes,
105
00:10:10,644 --> 00:10:13,311
going around the track,
close to a 100 miles an hour.
106
00:10:13,313 --> 00:10:17,282
You've gotta be kidding me,
horrible tires, horrible chassis,
107
00:10:17,284 --> 00:10:20,452
lots of horsepower, how do you
manage that stuff, you know?
108
00:10:20,454 --> 00:10:24,589
Well, you just do it until you crash and
then you figure out where to go from there.
109
00:10:24,591 --> 00:10:28,693
It was a very dangerous sport. If
they went off the outside of the track,
110
00:10:28,695 --> 00:10:33,398
they went through the fence and flew
through the air, into who knows what.
111
00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,701
A lot of, lot of good racers
112
00:10:36,703 --> 00:10:40,538
and young men died racing.
113
00:10:40,540 --> 00:10:45,677
Until Henry Ford did his thing,
cars were basically for the wealthy.
114
00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:49,080
So a young enterprising man,
who was a working man,
115
00:10:49,082 --> 00:10:54,586
a working family, his dream would
be to buy a motorcycle and a sidecar.
116
00:10:54,588 --> 00:10:58,123
My great-grandfather, Fritzie Baer,
had a '23 Chief with a sidecar.
117
00:10:58,125 --> 00:11:02,560
Brought his pregnant wife to the
hospital in a motorcycle and a sidecar,
118
00:11:02,562 --> 00:11:06,231
and the newborn baby came
home... in the sidecar.
119
00:11:06,233 --> 00:11:09,300
Over the next five years, she
had another three more children,
120
00:11:09,302 --> 00:11:13,838
and all four of us were
brought home in that side car.
121
00:11:14,974 --> 00:11:17,642
You would had to have lived
through the Depression
122
00:11:17,644 --> 00:11:19,744
to know what
the period was like.
123
00:11:19,746 --> 00:11:22,313
People didn't have
a lot of money.
124
00:11:22,315 --> 00:11:26,184
I can remember
when a can of pork and beans
125
00:11:26,186 --> 00:11:31,089
and a roll was a wonderful
meal, I'm not kidding.
126
00:11:32,558 --> 00:11:36,728
Fun was hard to come by.
Entertainment was expensive.
127
00:11:36,730 --> 00:11:39,931
As people got into
motorcycling and the club,
128
00:11:39,933 --> 00:11:43,234
the club itself became
their entertainment.
129
00:11:43,236 --> 00:11:46,538
And this club
with Fritzie running it,
130
00:11:46,540 --> 00:11:49,140
there was all kinds
of things to do.
131
00:11:49,142 --> 00:11:51,176
They were busy, you know,
four or five nights a week.
132
00:11:51,178 --> 00:11:53,511
They went out
on these little rides.
133
00:11:53,513 --> 00:11:55,780
It just went on and on.
134
00:11:55,782 --> 00:11:57,716
And, of course,
back then you got dressed up.
135
00:11:57,718 --> 00:12:01,252
You dress and act like a
gentleman, or you got fined.
136
00:12:01,254 --> 00:12:05,990
And if you couldn't abide by
the rules...... you're out.
137
00:12:05,992 --> 00:12:08,193
And people are begging
to get in.
138
00:12:08,195 --> 00:12:11,596
Always had a
waiting list for members.
139
00:12:11,598 --> 00:12:14,332
And then once they started
with the auxiliary,
140
00:12:14,334 --> 00:12:17,902
now it became joint affairs.
141
00:12:17,904 --> 00:12:20,472
Now we had boys meeting girls.
142
00:12:20,474 --> 00:12:21,873
And you know
how that works out.
143
00:12:21,875 --> 00:12:24,576
After the Depression,
144
00:12:24,578 --> 00:12:27,679
it was hard to keep those big factory
things kinda going in those years,
145
00:12:27,681 --> 00:12:30,215
and the AMA got together
with the manufacturer and said,
146
00:12:30,217 --> 00:12:34,652
"Let's create a form of racing that
would be more production bikes. "
147
00:12:34,654 --> 00:12:36,955
So they started this thing
called Class C.
148
00:12:36,957 --> 00:12:40,225
And it was a bike that was based
on production model bikes,
149
00:12:40,227 --> 00:12:43,294
and it was basically built around
Indians and Harley-Davidsons.
150
00:12:43,296 --> 00:12:46,865
You can't know about racing,
you can't know about Daytona,
151
00:12:46,867 --> 00:12:49,234
and not know who Ed Kretz is.
152
00:12:49,236 --> 00:12:51,903
What Ed was, was really
one of the first champions
153
00:12:51,905 --> 00:12:54,372
of that Class C era.
He won all the big races.
154
00:12:54,374 --> 00:12:56,975
He was always
known as "Iron Man Kretz. "
155
00:12:56,977 --> 00:13:00,745
He was so determined, when he got on
he was either gonna break the damn thing
156
00:13:00,747 --> 00:13:02,714
or win the race, that was it.
157
00:13:02,716 --> 00:13:06,684
Kretz would not stand for
anything other than total victory,
158
00:13:06,686 --> 00:13:08,553
and anything other
than that was a failure.
159
00:13:08,555 --> 00:13:11,890
When you look at it that way,
that's when you get very successful.
160
00:13:11,892 --> 00:13:15,560
Ed tried to pass everybody,
so in case anything went wrong,
161
00:13:15,562 --> 00:13:19,330
you had time to fix it and still
win. That was his idea how to race.
162
00:13:19,332 --> 00:13:21,232
When Ed Kretz
finished a race,
163
00:13:21,234 --> 00:13:25,436
they actually had to pry his
fingers off of the handlebars,
164
00:13:25,438 --> 00:13:27,205
because he physically
couldn't do it.
165
00:13:27,207 --> 00:13:30,041
He'd been holding for so long,
for the last hundred miles,
166
00:13:30,043 --> 00:13:33,845
going as fast as he could, they
had to pry him off the cycle.
167
00:13:33,847 --> 00:13:37,649
Dad, when he would ride, he
would just do nothing but ride,
168
00:13:37,651 --> 00:13:43,087
and you could tell by looking at
him, that that's all he was thinking.
169
00:13:43,089 --> 00:13:46,157
One of the things that Ed
told me a long time ago
170
00:13:46,159 --> 00:13:48,359
that really stuck in my mind,
first of all,
171
00:13:48,361 --> 00:13:50,662
"When everybody else is letting
up to go into the corner,
172
00:13:50,664 --> 00:13:54,732
I just grabbed a handful of throttle and
that's where I would pass everybody. "
173
00:13:54,734 --> 00:13:57,135
And, boy, that just...
174
00:13:57,137 --> 00:14:01,239
It sounded so hairy and so bold,
but that was Ed Kretz, man.
175
00:14:01,241 --> 00:14:04,075
He was the Iron Man.
176
00:14:04,077 --> 00:14:07,912
Dad had a job driving
a hay truck, truck and trailer.
177
00:14:07,914 --> 00:14:10,181
That's where my dad
made his money.
178
00:14:10,183 --> 00:14:13,351
He loaded it by himself
and he unloaded by himself.
179
00:14:13,353 --> 00:14:15,653
That's what gave him all
this upper-body strength.
180
00:14:15,655 --> 00:14:20,191
Not only was he in great physical
condition, but also mentally.
181
00:14:20,193 --> 00:14:23,194
He'd do 18-hour days,
20-hour days,
182
00:14:23,196 --> 00:14:26,097
and then go right back in
and do it again.
183
00:14:26,099 --> 00:14:30,201
He would come over on his motorcycle
and he used to do a lot of stunts
184
00:14:30,203 --> 00:14:32,270
and he would stand on his head
or stand on the seat,
185
00:14:32,272 --> 00:14:37,075
and just kinda showing off in
front of her, you know, and...
186
00:14:37,077 --> 00:14:40,612
That's how he met my mother,
on a motorcycle.
187
00:14:40,614 --> 00:14:42,881
Race, race, race, every day.
188
00:14:42,883 --> 00:14:47,252
When he wasn't on the truck,
he was on the motorcycle.
189
00:14:47,254 --> 00:14:52,457
Oh, she was for it, she was
always with him, always with him.
190
00:14:52,459 --> 00:14:57,729
He'd take Mom, they'd ride to
where the race was gonna be,
191
00:14:57,731 --> 00:14:59,697
he'd take off the headlight,
192
00:14:59,699 --> 00:15:01,933
he'd take everything
off the bike,
193
00:15:01,935 --> 00:15:06,070
and have it just bare,
you know, so he could race.
194
00:15:06,072 --> 00:15:10,508
And so Mom would just stand
there and watch the stuff
195
00:15:10,510 --> 00:15:15,013
and Dad would race,
he'd put it all back together,
196
00:15:15,015 --> 00:15:18,716
they'd get on it and head home.
197
00:15:18,718 --> 00:15:21,753
My father was very business,
198
00:15:21,755 --> 00:15:26,190
but when it came time
to be home, he was home.
199
00:15:26,192 --> 00:15:29,260
He was just there any time
you needed something,
200
00:15:29,262 --> 00:15:32,697
or he would go out of his way
to help ya, you know.
201
00:15:32,699 --> 00:15:35,366
We had such a good time as kids.
202
00:15:35,368 --> 00:15:39,237
So many cheerful rides.
203
00:15:39,239 --> 00:15:42,840
I miss it terribly.
204
00:15:42,842 --> 00:15:45,910
Ed Kretz did some
pretty amazing things,
205
00:15:45,912 --> 00:15:49,280
and he did it basically on the same
motorcycle. It was a little Sport Scout.
206
00:15:49,282 --> 00:15:52,417
With that same bike, he won
the last Savannah, Georgia race,
207
00:15:52,419 --> 00:15:54,953
which, at the time,
was a massive race.
208
00:15:54,955 --> 00:15:58,289
He won the first Laconia ever
on that bike,
209
00:15:58,291 --> 00:16:02,093
which is a massive race,
and he won the first Daytona.
210
00:16:02,095 --> 00:16:06,464
Ed Kretz and those guys racing
at Daytona, on the sand?
211
00:16:06,466 --> 00:16:08,399
Seriously? Who does that?
212
00:16:08,401 --> 00:16:11,636
I mean, and how do they go
that fast? I wanna know.
213
00:16:11,638 --> 00:16:16,708
And then Daytona become the biggest
race of the year for motorcycling.
214
00:16:16,710 --> 00:16:19,944
The real tough part
about Daytona,
215
00:16:19,946 --> 00:16:21,946
which would put most of
the people out of the race,
216
00:16:21,948 --> 00:16:25,283
was either coming down the straightaway
and going into the north turn,
217
00:16:25,285 --> 00:16:27,618
you started getting into
the loose, chopped-up sand,
218
00:16:27,620 --> 00:16:30,621
and then also transitioning
from the sand onto pavement,
219
00:16:30,623 --> 00:16:33,424
you know, you got the little sandy
stretch there, where you've got pavement
220
00:16:33,426 --> 00:16:36,494
with sand all over it and there's a lot
of guys spinning out, coming through that,
221
00:16:36,496 --> 00:16:38,396
or where they'd stuck in a
little rut and everything,
222
00:16:38,398 --> 00:16:42,300
and then same thing
at the other end.
223
00:16:42,302 --> 00:16:46,404
The beach course went
from when Ed won in 1937
224
00:16:46,406 --> 00:16:48,940
and it went through 1960.
225
00:16:48,942 --> 00:16:50,708
Ed's winning Daytona,
it was a big deal.
226
00:16:50,710 --> 00:16:55,046
From that point forward, that
beach has never been the same.
227
00:16:55,048 --> 00:16:58,616
It's motorcycling history.
228
00:16:58,618 --> 00:17:03,254
You know, I feel so fortunate
that I'm a person who was there,
229
00:17:03,256 --> 00:17:08,192
when some of these fellas won,
riding on the beach.
230
00:18:03,015 --> 00:18:05,783
Daytona kinda paved the way
that you were a road racer.
231
00:18:05,785 --> 00:18:09,220
It's the ultimate test
of man and machine.
232
00:18:09,222 --> 00:18:13,157
Two hundred miles, flat out,
as hard as you can go,
233
00:18:13,159 --> 00:18:15,460
and may the best man win.
234
00:18:15,462 --> 00:18:21,232
You know, you see it on TV and you
don't realize just how big that place is.
235
00:18:37,349 --> 00:18:41,552
It's the first race of the year,
everyone's got all these expectations
236
00:18:41,554 --> 00:18:43,688
of what's gonna happen.
237
00:18:43,690 --> 00:18:47,692
That was the race, I mean, if you
could win Daytona, that was the race.
238
00:18:47,694 --> 00:18:51,963
There's a certain air that surrounds
it that to me is a bit magical.
239
00:18:51,965 --> 00:18:56,667
It's like you get to be a part of
something a lot bigger than yourself.
240
00:18:56,669 --> 00:19:02,673
The history and the vibe and
the feel around the race track.
241
00:19:02,675 --> 00:19:07,512
If you can get your name in that
history book, that's a pretty big deal.
242
00:19:12,217 --> 00:19:16,053
Tradition is everything and the
Daytona 200 is one of those ones,
243
00:19:16,055 --> 00:19:21,325
it's like you gotta chalk it up. You've
gotta win the Daytona 200, it's the ultimate.
244
00:19:29,735 --> 00:19:34,539
It's every racer's dream to
get up on the banks of Daytona.
245
00:19:44,049 --> 00:19:48,819
To sit in the grandstands and
feel those motorcycles fly by you,
246
00:19:48,821 --> 00:19:54,225
then to hear their exhaust and
everyone cheering, and... It's a blast.
247
00:19:57,529 --> 00:20:01,399
It was huge. I mean, I won the 200.
Not too many people can say they have.
248
00:20:02,901 --> 00:20:06,971
My father won the race in 1948,
but to this day we still remain
249
00:20:06,973 --> 00:20:09,540
the only father and son
to have won Daytona.
250
00:20:12,744 --> 00:20:17,014
It's definitely my proudest
moment, winning the Daytona 200.
251
00:20:33,065 --> 00:20:35,566
I was probably six years old
when I saw a minibike,
252
00:20:35,568 --> 00:20:39,203
and, I mean, I was
hooked right then.
253
00:20:39,205 --> 00:20:44,175
I saw somebody riding down the
road on a motorcycle, and I was,
254
00:20:44,177 --> 00:20:49,513
as the Brits say, gobsmacked,
I just... and that was it.
255
00:20:49,515 --> 00:20:52,016
My brother had a minibike when
he was about ten years old,
256
00:20:52,018 --> 00:20:56,487
and I was forbidden to ride it,
and so I made it my life's mission
257
00:20:56,489 --> 00:20:58,756
to be able to ride that bike.
258
00:20:58,758 --> 00:21:03,361
I'm want to say that I was about ten or 11
the first time I put a leg over a minibike.
259
00:21:03,363 --> 00:21:05,329
- I was 16.
- Fifteen or 16.
260
00:21:05,331 --> 00:21:06,797
- Thirteen years old.
- Twelve.
261
00:21:06,799 --> 00:21:08,032
Eleven years old.
262
00:21:08,034 --> 00:21:09,533
- Eleven years old.
- Ten years old.
263
00:21:09,535 --> 00:21:11,502
- Six or seven.
- Five years old.
264
00:21:11,504 --> 00:21:13,204
Five. It was just
a little minibike.
265
00:21:13,206 --> 00:21:17,375
Minibike. Minibike. Minibike.
266
00:21:17,377 --> 00:21:19,910
My dad hit it lucky in Vegas
267
00:21:19,912 --> 00:21:22,680
and bought my brother a car
and bought me a Whizzer.
268
00:21:22,682 --> 00:21:25,149
- CZ 125.
- S90 Honda.
269
00:21:25,151 --> 00:21:27,952
- Suzuki DS 80.
- YZ 80 Yamaha.
270
00:21:27,954 --> 00:21:30,221
- ATC 70.
- CZ 250.
271
00:21:30,223 --> 00:21:32,256
- PW50.
- It's called a Taco.
272
00:21:32,258 --> 00:21:35,192
- Honda 50.
- A little scooter, it was called a Corgi.
273
00:21:35,194 --> 00:21:37,795
We weren't rich or nothing,
so I built a minibike
274
00:21:37,797 --> 00:21:40,364
out of a bicycle frame
and a lawnmower motor.
275
00:21:40,366 --> 00:21:42,233
With a lawnmower engine,
Briggs and Stratton.
276
00:21:42,235 --> 00:21:44,068
Back in the day you put the rope
on it and pull it.
277
00:21:44,070 --> 00:21:45,369
I don't think it had a name,
278
00:21:45,371 --> 00:21:47,672
I think somebody built it
in their garage.
279
00:21:49,341 --> 00:21:51,475
We need to rename what we
called motorcycles back then.
280
00:21:51,477 --> 00:21:54,278
They should have been renamed, you know,
"the things that we hid from our parents. "
281
00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:57,348
When I was young, my dad didn't want me
to have anything to do with motorcycles.
282
00:21:57,350 --> 00:21:59,650
They absolutely did not approve
of me riding a motorcycle.
283
00:21:59,652 --> 00:22:02,653
- "That's for bad people. "
- OK... but I'm riding.
284
00:22:02,655 --> 00:22:04,622
My mom didn't know
when I bought my first bike,
285
00:22:04,624 --> 00:22:07,658
I kept it at my friend's house down
the street. That's such a cliche.
286
00:22:07,660 --> 00:22:11,829
I've run into so many people
that could tell that same story.
287
00:22:11,831 --> 00:22:15,299
We're in the St. Helene's parking
lot, thank God it was a church,
288
00:22:15,301 --> 00:22:17,635
and, uh, that's where
I popped my first wheelie,
289
00:22:17,637 --> 00:22:19,904
because I hadn't
learned the clutch yet.
290
00:22:19,906 --> 00:22:24,208
And I panicked, got whiskey throttle,
next thing I knew, I took off.
291
00:22:24,210 --> 00:22:26,277
Boom-bity boom-bity boom,
across the field.
292
00:22:26,279 --> 00:22:28,979
How do you stop it,
how do you stop it?
293
00:22:28,981 --> 00:22:32,783
And the first time I got on it they just told
me to take off, so I took off, hit a tree.
294
00:22:32,785 --> 00:22:35,920
Went wide open into the chainlink
fence, wrapped all up in it.
295
00:22:35,922 --> 00:22:39,623
And it was a house down there,
and we hit the corner of the house.
296
00:22:39,625 --> 00:22:43,160
It had no brakes. The only way
we could figure out how to stop it
297
00:22:43,162 --> 00:22:45,563
was to run it into my
dad's work truck.
298
00:22:45,565 --> 00:22:48,466
So we didn't have it very long.
He took that away.
299
00:22:48,468 --> 00:22:50,468
I think it's like trying to
learn how to play a violin.
300
00:22:50,470 --> 00:22:53,204
It's just hideous and then
all of a sudden it's like,
301
00:22:53,206 --> 00:22:56,474
"Oh, my God, I know how
to ride this thing now. "
302
00:22:59,244 --> 00:23:04,815
I mean, I literally rode it
for about a minute and a half,
303
00:23:04,817 --> 00:23:08,052
and I went, "OK,
I have to do that. "
304
00:23:08,054 --> 00:23:11,021
The first time
I rode that little minibike,
305
00:23:11,023 --> 00:23:15,192
I just felt like
I could do anything.
306
00:23:17,162 --> 00:23:21,132
I was so excited to know that I was
going to ride my bike the next day,
307
00:23:21,134 --> 00:23:25,369
and I still feel
that today, every day.
308
00:23:27,839 --> 00:23:30,274
I just hope to God that I can
always have the sensation,
309
00:23:30,276 --> 00:23:34,712
and I guess when I'm not, I'll be talking
and dreaming about it all the time.
310
00:23:34,714 --> 00:23:38,816
I'll be taking a lot of naps
just so I can see it in my dreams.
311
00:23:44,623 --> 00:23:47,525
I met Bret and I went home
that day and I said,
312
00:23:47,527 --> 00:23:50,027
"Just to let you guys know,
I met my future husband. "
313
00:23:50,029 --> 00:23:54,064
Sharing my
passion with the person that
314
00:23:54,066 --> 00:23:59,570
I'm gonna spend the rest of my
life with, means the world to me.
315
00:24:02,107 --> 00:24:04,542
I used to race out
of Willow Springs WSMC.
316
00:24:04,544 --> 00:24:06,444
I was out there
minding my own business,
317
00:24:06,446 --> 00:24:08,345
and then he asked me
out to dinner and I said no.
318
00:24:08,347 --> 00:24:10,181
But she was really hungry,
so she went.
319
00:24:10,183 --> 00:24:13,684
So I relented when I realized
I'd spent all my money on tires,
320
00:24:13,686 --> 00:24:16,654
and I was like, "Well, at least
I'll get a meal out of this. "
321
00:24:18,324 --> 00:24:20,391
I actually met my wife
at a race track.
322
00:24:20,393 --> 00:24:24,528
I met her at, uh, at Little
Talladega Gran Prix Raceway.
323
00:24:24,530 --> 00:24:28,199
We met at the snack stand,
she was working there,
324
00:24:28,201 --> 00:24:33,103
serving hamburgers, and I ate
about 15 hamburgers that weekend.
325
00:24:33,105 --> 00:24:38,476
I took my then girlfriend, now my
wife, up in the San Joaquin Valley.
326
00:24:38,478 --> 00:24:42,179
We stopped at a little stand
to pick some cherries.
327
00:24:42,181 --> 00:24:45,316
As I'm riding down my motorcycle,
she's biting the cherry,
328
00:24:45,318 --> 00:24:49,320
pulling the pits out
and feeding them to me.
329
00:24:49,322 --> 00:24:52,957
I'll still remember that
to this day. Uh...
330
00:24:52,959 --> 00:24:56,460
It was just one of the most
romantic things we've ever done.
331
00:25:28,894 --> 00:25:30,861
Motorcycling has
a very bad reputation.
332
00:25:30,863 --> 00:25:33,163
When my grandpa
first got involved,
333
00:25:33,165 --> 00:25:34,665
they'd pull up to restaurants,
334
00:25:34,667 --> 00:25:36,233
they'd pull up to hotels,
and they wouldn't be allowed in.
335
00:25:36,235 --> 00:25:38,469
You'd pull up on a bike and
they'd turn the sign around.
336
00:25:38,471 --> 00:25:41,305
Pretty much you were
considered an outlaw.
337
00:25:41,307 --> 00:25:46,343
It goes way back to, what was that
movie, The Wild One, with Marlon Brando,
338
00:25:46,345 --> 00:25:50,714
when bikers were bad, you know. You wore
black leather and you took over the town,
339
00:25:50,716 --> 00:25:54,818
and you ran the sheriff off,
and attacked the women.
340
00:25:54,820 --> 00:25:58,722
They didn't like the motorcycles
there for a long time.
341
00:25:58,724 --> 00:26:00,925
And, of course,
along come Honda.
342
00:26:00,927 --> 00:26:02,927
There was
a great PR campaign
343
00:26:02,929 --> 00:26:04,595
that Honda did at that time,
and it was,
344
00:26:04,597 --> 00:26:06,764
"You meet the
nicest people on a Honda. "
345
00:26:06,766 --> 00:26:09,133
It changed a lot
of the image back again.
346
00:26:09,135 --> 00:26:11,068
And that kinda brought
it more into the mainstream,
347
00:26:11,070 --> 00:26:14,204
suddenly it's the moms and
dads, the kids next door,
348
00:26:14,206 --> 00:26:15,739
and the neighbor
down the street.
349
00:26:15,741 --> 00:26:17,708
People just
started buying these things,
350
00:26:17,710 --> 00:26:19,677
because they were accessible,
they didn't have to go and buy,
351
00:26:19,679 --> 00:26:23,247
you know, a six-, seven-
800-pound motorcycle.
352
00:26:23,249 --> 00:26:24,982
They were smaller,
they were lighter,
353
00:26:24,984 --> 00:26:27,551
they were nicely designed.
They were damn cute.
354
00:26:27,553 --> 00:26:30,387
It was a good move, I think
somebody at Yamaha was like,
355
00:26:30,389 --> 00:26:32,623
"We shoulda went with
the nice people thing. "
356
00:26:32,625 --> 00:26:36,527
Everybody could ride a Honda,
a little Honda.
357
00:26:36,529 --> 00:26:39,363
God.
358
00:26:39,365 --> 00:26:42,900
Almost everybody that learns to ride
was taught by their friend or neighbor,
359
00:26:42,902 --> 00:26:47,137
you know, and whatever false
information, misinformation,
360
00:26:47,139 --> 00:26:53,243
bad habits that friend or neighbor had
are passed on from learner to learner.
361
00:26:53,245 --> 00:26:56,180
We come equipped with a certain
number of survival reactions.
362
00:26:56,182 --> 00:27:00,117
We do something like put our
hands out to cushion a fall,
363
00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:02,453
whereas if you roll,
you won't break your wrists.
364
00:27:02,455 --> 00:27:06,790
There are about eight or nine of these
responses that we have to situations
365
00:27:06,792 --> 00:27:09,193
that are just a little bit
out of our control.
366
00:27:09,195 --> 00:27:13,364
Each and every one of these are contrary
to what you should be doing at that time.
367
00:27:13,366 --> 00:27:18,035
The California Superbike School
is a running research project
368
00:27:18,037 --> 00:27:21,538
on how to understand
and control a motorcycle.
369
00:27:21,540 --> 00:27:24,274
Now it's expanded into
about 50 different areas,
370
00:27:24,276 --> 00:27:28,245
where we can make corrections
on specific areas of skill
371
00:27:28,247 --> 00:27:31,682
and control of the motorcycles.
372
00:27:31,684 --> 00:27:34,218
Street riding is great,
but track riding is way better.
373
00:27:34,220 --> 00:27:39,189
It's so much more fun because you don't
have all of the distractions, restrictions.
374
00:27:49,300 --> 00:27:52,302
A student we had up
at Sears Point, up in Sonoma,
375
00:27:52,304 --> 00:27:56,740
26 years he'd been riding,
ridden 1.2 million miles.
376
00:27:56,742 --> 00:28:01,245
At the end of the day he said, "You know,
I thought I had 26 years of experience,
377
00:28:01,247 --> 00:28:04,948
now I realize I had one year
of experience 26 times. "
378
00:28:09,220 --> 00:28:13,590
It's so fulfilling, there is no
other job better than this.
379
00:28:17,962 --> 00:28:21,765
Motorcycles are what taught me
everything about how things work.
380
00:28:21,767 --> 00:28:24,868
Tearing down the motor
on my first Honda CL-90
381
00:28:24,870 --> 00:28:28,172
and not being able to put it
back together.
382
00:28:28,174 --> 00:28:32,843
I had a handful of cafe racers, none
of which really resonated with me
383
00:28:32,845 --> 00:28:34,845
until I built my first Indian,
384
00:28:34,847 --> 00:28:37,181
and that was a 1926 Indian that
I built with my grandfather.
385
00:28:37,183 --> 00:28:41,585
You nurture it, you love it,
it grows, you develop it,
386
00:28:41,587 --> 00:28:43,787
you restore it,
and then finally it's done.
387
00:28:43,789 --> 00:28:50,160
It was a great experience to hang out with
your grandfather and work side by side with him.
388
00:28:52,497 --> 00:28:56,967
We started collecting motorcycles about
the same time we started making wine.
389
00:28:56,969 --> 00:29:00,671
One became a hobby
and one is a business.
390
00:29:00,673 --> 00:29:03,307
We appeal to
a different crowd.
391
00:29:03,309 --> 00:29:06,076
The motorcycle riders, they have
a different spirit about 'em,
392
00:29:06,078 --> 00:29:09,713
and they usually have an
appreciation for the arts.
393
00:29:09,715 --> 00:29:13,417
Being an artisanal winery,
it goes hand in hand.
394
00:29:13,419 --> 00:29:15,819
It's people
from all walks of life.
395
00:29:15,821 --> 00:29:18,989
We all share the same
passion, same desire,
396
00:29:18,991 --> 00:29:21,658
to bring these older bikes
back to life
397
00:29:21,660 --> 00:29:25,095
and to really admire the
simplicity of them, the lines.
398
00:29:25,097 --> 00:29:31,135
The old bikes just have
this character to 'em.
399
00:29:31,137 --> 00:29:34,471
The feeling of firing
a vintage bike is unique.
400
00:29:34,473 --> 00:29:37,708
There is no electric start, you
don't push a button and they go.
401
00:29:37,710 --> 00:29:41,545
You may have to kick it, you may
have to play with the carburetor.
402
00:29:41,547 --> 00:29:47,618
It's very emotional to get one of those
bikes running and hear the open exhaust.
403
00:29:47,620 --> 00:29:49,820
And they sound incredible.
404
00:29:53,291 --> 00:29:55,225
Anyone that's out there
that has a motorcycle,
405
00:29:55,227 --> 00:29:57,261
you always try to customize it,
make it yours,
406
00:29:57,263 --> 00:29:58,996
whether you buy one right
off the showroom floor,
407
00:29:58,998 --> 00:30:01,265
whether you buy
a used one off of somebody,
408
00:30:01,267 --> 00:30:05,702
most people want to add a little
something to it to make it their own.
409
00:30:05,704 --> 00:30:08,238
You customize
your bike 'cause it's personal.
410
00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:11,708
People don't like to be like
everybody else exactly, you know.
411
00:30:11,710 --> 00:30:15,846
And it's not just here in
the U.S., we see it worldwide,
412
00:30:15,848 --> 00:30:19,516
we see it in Europe, we see it throughout
Asia. People want to be noticed.
413
00:30:19,518 --> 00:30:22,319
The most
reward that people get from it
414
00:30:22,321 --> 00:30:24,988
is a slap on the back
at the bar when they went off
415
00:30:24,990 --> 00:30:27,658
and had bragging rights
and showed off their bike.
416
00:30:34,132 --> 00:30:37,067
They're all extensions
of our own personality.
417
00:30:45,176 --> 00:30:49,446
Helmets are a great
canvas to experiment with.
418
00:30:49,448 --> 00:30:51,348
I get to reach into the soul
of the athletes and the racers,
419
00:30:51,350 --> 00:30:53,917
and, you know, feel what
they're feeling hopefully
420
00:30:53,919 --> 00:30:56,987
and then transfer that
onto their helmet.
421
00:30:56,989 --> 00:30:58,856
What I try to do and push
all of my artists
422
00:30:58,858 --> 00:31:02,092
is to give them something
they're not expecting.
423
00:31:02,094 --> 00:31:06,263
We're art-driven company and
it's gotta be something they go,
424
00:31:06,265 --> 00:31:09,099
"Wow," you know, and I'm OK for
half the people out there to go,
425
00:31:09,101 --> 00:31:12,769
"I would never wear that,
you know. "
426
00:31:12,771 --> 00:31:15,339
I want it to be the piece
that people talk about.
427
00:31:19,043 --> 00:31:21,011
Back in the day when I
started shooting bikers,
428
00:31:21,013 --> 00:31:23,213
there was a directness
that I felt,
429
00:31:23,215 --> 00:31:27,951
that they were experiencing
life in a big way.
430
00:31:29,654 --> 00:31:32,389
I like culture
and I like character,
431
00:31:32,391 --> 00:31:37,694
and bikers are full
of character and full of life.
432
00:31:40,932 --> 00:31:45,202
I don't know how many times I've ridden with
him, and he's riding with no hands and shooting.
433
00:31:45,204 --> 00:31:48,872
Now, of course, that's not
the safest way to be shooting.
434
00:31:48,874 --> 00:31:51,375
The back of a two-wheeled
motorcycle works great,
435
00:31:51,377 --> 00:31:55,812
and so, I know in the last few years I've
done more then 10,000 miles backwards.
436
00:31:57,849 --> 00:32:00,884
I have a photograph of somebody
riding through a storm,
437
00:32:00,886 --> 00:32:03,420
I call the photograph
"Storm Rider. "
438
00:32:03,422 --> 00:32:07,291
And I've seen bikers and they
grab their girlfriend and they say,
439
00:32:07,293 --> 00:32:10,994
"Do you remember that? That's me. I
came back and I told you all about it,
440
00:32:10,996 --> 00:32:12,562
that's me in that photograph. "
441
00:32:12,564 --> 00:32:14,264
I think it brings back for them
442
00:32:14,266 --> 00:32:16,133
that feeling of
riding through a storm,
443
00:32:16,135 --> 00:32:20,037
and feeling the elements and
feeling the beauty around them.
444
00:32:20,039 --> 00:32:22,205
People see themselves in it.
445
00:32:28,479 --> 00:32:32,482
- Everything happens in California first.
- Saddleback Park.
446
00:32:32,484 --> 00:32:34,618
- Orange County Raceway.
- Hopetown.
447
00:32:34,620 --> 00:32:36,320
- LACR.
- Muntz Park.
448
00:32:36,322 --> 00:32:38,422
- Ontario Motor Speedway.
- Big Bear Hare and Hound.
449
00:32:38,424 --> 00:32:43,160
- Bay Mare.
- The coolest place in the world, that was Indian Dunes.
450
00:32:43,162 --> 00:32:45,095
That's were we started
promoting our first races.
451
00:32:45,097 --> 00:32:49,533
But it was the first place
that everybody remembers.
452
00:32:49,535 --> 00:32:52,002
I spent probably five
days a week out there.
453
00:32:52,004 --> 00:32:55,906
- It was just a way of life.
- A lot of families out there,
454
00:32:55,908 --> 00:32:58,775
everybody would come out and
more like a potluck-type thing,
455
00:32:58,777 --> 00:33:03,580
and build a big bonfire
and have a good time.
456
00:33:03,582 --> 00:33:06,116
Indian Dunes
had something else.
457
00:33:06,118 --> 00:33:11,188
It had a river running down through it,
it had the hills, it had the sand wash.
458
00:33:11,190 --> 00:33:15,258
There was some vibe that the
other places just didn't have.
459
00:33:18,730 --> 00:33:23,367
In the '70s, the club racing scene in
California was good, it was really, really good.
460
00:33:23,369 --> 00:33:25,469
It didn't take too long
of riding a motorcycle,
461
00:33:25,471 --> 00:33:28,672
where I discovered I could do
this better than my friends could.
462
00:33:28,674 --> 00:33:30,340
And I rode it and it ran great,
463
00:33:30,342 --> 00:33:32,442
and I rode it, and he goes, "That
kid's gotta go on the racetrack. "
464
00:33:32,444 --> 00:33:35,512
My fondest memories for sure
are racing motorcycles.
465
00:34:02,507 --> 00:34:07,844
Everybody is your friend when we're
on the track with the camaraderie,
466
00:34:07,846 --> 00:34:14,518
and also the competition, because when
we have our helmet on, we're racing.
467
00:34:37,408 --> 00:34:41,344
Racing to me makes everything
else I do easy.
468
00:34:41,346 --> 00:34:44,347
Because racing is one of the
toughest things in the world.
469
00:34:52,323 --> 00:34:55,792
There's some guys,
the competitive spirit in them
470
00:34:55,794 --> 00:34:59,129
is so intense,
they have to race.
471
00:34:59,131 --> 00:35:02,165
There's no getting away from
it, it becomes part of your life,
472
00:35:02,167 --> 00:35:04,935
it gets in your blood.
473
00:35:33,297 --> 00:35:35,098
If you're
looking up to anybody,
474
00:35:35,100 --> 00:35:36,666
they're gonna beat you
on the racetrack,
475
00:35:36,668 --> 00:35:38,635
so you can't look up to anyone.
476
00:35:38,637 --> 00:35:41,438
Growing up, I was always really
competitive at everything I did,
477
00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:45,142
having four brothers.
As soon as I got on a racetrack,
478
00:35:45,144 --> 00:35:48,111
if there's someone in front of
you, you want to pass 'em.
479
00:35:51,649 --> 00:35:55,852
I can see a corner
and I can imagine the line
480
00:35:55,854 --> 00:35:58,622
of how that turn
needs to happen,
481
00:35:58,624 --> 00:36:03,226
and then on the first try I
can go out and make that happen.
482
00:36:03,228 --> 00:36:05,795
When I did my first race it was
like that moment, you know,
483
00:36:05,797 --> 00:36:10,066
where the angels sing, and you realize
this is the thing that makes me happy.
484
00:36:40,498 --> 00:36:44,067
Hillclimbing has been
going on since the 1920s.
485
00:36:44,069 --> 00:36:47,170
It's a time trial, so
you're basically competing
486
00:36:47,172 --> 00:36:48,738
against yourself and the clock.
487
00:36:48,740 --> 00:36:51,741
Making the hill is one thing,
but you gotta make it fast.
488
00:36:51,743 --> 00:36:53,510
Fastest person to the top wins.
489
00:36:54,745 --> 00:36:56,746
You don't really have
anybody else around you
490
00:36:56,748 --> 00:36:58,782
and you just go for it.
491
00:36:58,784 --> 00:37:01,151
You're
running very hard up the hill
492
00:37:01,153 --> 00:37:02,586
and to have
a lot of obstacles,
493
00:37:02,588 --> 00:37:04,321
a lot of jumps,
a lot of cliff faces.
494
00:37:04,323 --> 00:37:05,956
You gotta know
how to take turns,
495
00:37:05,958 --> 00:37:10,227
you gotta know how to hit jumps
like on a motocross track.
496
00:37:12,597 --> 00:37:17,500
It's not you against the other
guy, it's you against a mountain.
497
00:37:17,502 --> 00:37:19,436
It's pretty crazy.
498
00:37:22,473 --> 00:37:24,975
A lot of our
hills are incredibly steep,
499
00:37:24,977 --> 00:37:26,843
some of them are past vertical,
500
00:37:26,845 --> 00:37:29,479
and when you tell somebody
that you're going up a hill
501
00:37:29,481 --> 00:37:33,783
with a motorcycle that's past vertical,
they're going, "No, that's not happening. "
502
00:37:33,785 --> 00:37:35,252
Well, it is.
503
00:37:39,957 --> 00:37:43,727
The first time
up and over is just awesome.
504
00:37:43,729 --> 00:37:46,663
You just want to turn around
and yell at everybody.
505
00:37:47,932 --> 00:37:50,133
All of our
bikes are all handmade.
506
00:37:50,135 --> 00:37:52,535
A lot of the classes you
have kind of free reign
507
00:37:52,537 --> 00:37:58,141
on choosing either chains,
or bolts, or disc paddles.
508
00:37:59,844 --> 00:38:04,547
Putting your leg over a
220-horsepower, nitro-injected bike
509
00:38:04,549 --> 00:38:08,084
with steel spikes on the back
of it, driving it up the hill,
510
00:38:08,086 --> 00:38:10,553
it scares a lot of people.
511
00:38:11,856 --> 00:38:14,291
X Climb got started
up in Northern California.
512
00:38:14,293 --> 00:38:19,362
The gate drops, and you battle bar-to-bar
all the way to the top of the hill,
513
00:38:19,364 --> 00:38:22,232
which is something
new to the sport.
514
00:38:34,378 --> 00:38:39,516
It's my release, it's my
medicine in this crazy world.
515
00:38:49,927 --> 00:38:54,931
Bonneville is like being
on the surface of the moon.
516
00:38:54,933 --> 00:38:56,199
Bonneville changed my life.
517
00:38:56,201 --> 00:38:58,001
Bonneville.
That one word
518
00:38:58,003 --> 00:39:00,337
sends chills up
people's spines.
519
00:39:00,339 --> 00:39:02,706
This is it,
this is the Holy Grail,
520
00:39:02,708 --> 00:39:04,541
everybody in the
world knows Bonneville.
521
00:39:04,543 --> 00:39:09,212
You're on this fast,
smooth, white surface
522
00:39:09,214 --> 00:39:10,880
that's flat in every direction.
523
00:39:10,882 --> 00:39:14,784
Salt stuck to everything,
the cycle was covered with it.
524
00:39:15,853 --> 00:39:18,054
Well, I went one time
and I got the salt fever.
525
00:39:18,056 --> 00:39:22,859
You have to experience lining
up, to know what it's all about.
526
00:39:22,861 --> 00:39:28,698
Butterflies, always, always,
filled with butterflies.
527
00:39:30,201 --> 00:39:32,869
Sometimes you forget
to put it in gear.
528
00:39:32,871 --> 00:39:35,605
All the old-timers say when
you're at the starting line,
529
00:39:35,607 --> 00:39:39,509
you can feel the spirit of all the
people that were there before you.
530
00:39:39,511 --> 00:39:41,978
You feel everybody's
spirit there.
531
00:39:41,980 --> 00:39:45,281
And I'm like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,"
and so I get up there to the line,
532
00:39:45,283 --> 00:39:48,017
and I'm like,
"Wow, this is incredible. "
533
00:39:48,019 --> 00:39:50,687
It still kind of gets me.
534
00:39:50,689 --> 00:39:53,823
And the fastest man has gone
on the planet was right there.
535
00:39:53,825 --> 00:39:55,725
It's you and your
motorcycle, that's it.
536
00:39:55,727 --> 00:39:58,395
You're not racing
next to someone,
537
00:39:58,397 --> 00:40:01,097
you're not rushing
to get off the light.
538
00:40:01,099 --> 00:40:04,367
When you're ready you take off.
539
00:40:05,903 --> 00:40:08,104
Bonneville is a 10-mile course,
540
00:40:08,106 --> 00:40:13,143
and you're at full speed, 200 miles
per hour, for three or four miles.
541
00:40:13,145 --> 00:40:16,646
It's a very powerful
place to be.
542
00:40:21,485 --> 00:40:23,787
Everything goes
into slow motion.
543
00:40:27,291 --> 00:40:31,928
I get to turn it wide open and hold
it as long as I think I can do it.
544
00:40:33,597 --> 00:40:36,065
You look at these guys today,
they're the same mindset
545
00:40:36,067 --> 00:40:39,569
of the guys that were flying
the P-51 Mustangs and Corsairs.
546
00:40:39,571 --> 00:40:43,072
It's that seat-of-the-pants,
"tell me how to start the thing
547
00:40:43,074 --> 00:40:44,441
and I'll figure out the rest. "
548
00:40:44,443 --> 00:40:46,810
Chuck Yeager,
did the guy have a clue
549
00:40:46,812 --> 00:40:49,979
what was gonna happen on the
other side of the sound barrier?
550
00:40:49,981 --> 00:40:52,382
He didn't. Did it matter? No.
551
00:40:52,384 --> 00:40:55,452
It's like going to Bonneville,
it's the same thing.
552
00:40:55,454 --> 00:40:58,087
It becomes a really personal
thing with your motorcycle.
553
00:40:58,089 --> 00:41:01,458
To go that fast you
need to be one with the bike,
554
00:41:01,460 --> 00:41:04,027
be the paint, be a sponge.
555
00:41:04,029 --> 00:41:06,563
I came to a point with
that first bike that I raced,
556
00:41:06,565 --> 00:41:08,565
that I didn't know if it
was the bike holding me back
557
00:41:08,567 --> 00:41:09,966
or me holding the bike back.
558
00:41:09,968 --> 00:41:11,935
So we started switching
around motorcycles,
559
00:41:11,937 --> 00:41:15,505
and found out I could go
a little faster, but...
560
00:41:15,507 --> 00:41:18,942
So I just, um, took off,
twisted the throttle
561
00:41:18,944 --> 00:41:22,979
and took off and got a land speed
record in the first two passes.
562
00:41:27,985 --> 00:41:31,488
My first land speed record
was set on a 1946 Indian Chief,
563
00:41:31,490 --> 00:41:36,092
and that bike is still ready, sitting
and waiting to go get another record.
564
00:41:36,094 --> 00:41:39,562
We've had the 1000cc turbo
charge record since last year.
565
00:41:54,845 --> 00:41:56,946
By the end of last year,
we had it at 245,
566
00:41:56,948 --> 00:42:00,083
this year we went back
with some changes in September
567
00:42:00,085 --> 00:42:02,585
and we set the record at 262.4,
568
00:42:02,587 --> 00:42:08,424
which is now the fastest sit-on
motorcycle record in the world.
569
00:42:08,426 --> 00:42:11,127
Setting the record this year
is a phenomenal thing.
570
00:42:11,129 --> 00:42:13,162
People say, "What's it like
to be the fastest in the world?"
571
00:42:13,164 --> 00:42:18,501
I said, "Well, that and $3.95 gets
you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. "
572
00:42:20,771 --> 00:42:23,306
On the way home after that
first year, after they saw it,
573
00:42:23,308 --> 00:42:26,910
I said, "Well, what do you think, girls,
is that something you'd want to try?"
574
00:42:26,912 --> 00:42:30,179
And before I had it out of my mouth,
they were like, "Yeah, we want to do it. "
575
00:42:30,181 --> 00:42:35,552
It's kinda hard sitting on the sidelines and
just watching when you're a bike freak too.
576
00:42:35,554 --> 00:42:37,420
First of all you either have to
either have a mom crazy enough
577
00:42:37,422 --> 00:42:39,789
to let her daughters do it,
or vice versa.
578
00:42:39,791 --> 00:42:43,660
And we became the first
mother-daughter-daughter trio in history
579
00:42:43,662 --> 00:42:46,062
to hold records
at the same time.
580
00:42:46,064 --> 00:42:49,065
It's so amazing that
her kids can do what she does,
581
00:42:49,067 --> 00:42:54,003
and, you know, they have
fun at it. All of 'em do.
582
00:42:54,005 --> 00:42:57,407
I think there's something about riding
a motorcycle that's really empowering.
583
00:42:57,409 --> 00:42:59,142
I really like riding my own
a whole lot better
584
00:42:59,144 --> 00:43:01,477
than I ever liked riding
on the back of a motorcycle.
585
00:43:01,479 --> 00:43:05,615
The difference between being a passenger
and being a rider is everything.
586
00:43:05,617 --> 00:43:09,218
I mean, most of fellas today who
ride, they want their women to ride.
587
00:43:09,220 --> 00:43:12,855
Being a wife,
and a worker, and a mother,
588
00:43:12,857 --> 00:43:16,059
when I get on my bike,
the wind just kind of takes it.
589
00:43:16,061 --> 00:43:18,761
I mean, you see two bikes in a
row, one's a guy, one's a woman.
590
00:43:18,763 --> 00:43:21,798
Women and racing
has come a long ways.
591
00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:26,102
There's more women riding now and a
larger percent of them are going racing.
592
00:43:26,104 --> 00:43:30,707
And they would get on these bikes
that would scare some normal men.
593
00:43:30,709 --> 00:43:34,477
Well, there's all those great women
that have paved the way for us.
594
00:43:34,479 --> 00:43:38,681
I didn't think of 'em
as men and women,
595
00:43:38,683 --> 00:43:40,683
I just wanted to race.
596
00:43:40,685 --> 00:43:42,752
Women, you know,
20, 30 years ago
597
00:43:42,754 --> 00:43:45,688
that wanted to get into racing,
they faced actual real barriers.
598
00:43:45,690 --> 00:43:50,093
I wanted to ride with the
guys on the track and beat 'em,
599
00:43:50,095 --> 00:43:55,732
but I couldn't, because
women didn't do it then.
600
00:44:02,573 --> 00:44:07,510
You say I can grow up to be anything I
want to be, I can do anything I want to do,
601
00:44:07,512 --> 00:44:10,446
so why is there a line
drawn in the sand?
602
00:44:11,849 --> 00:44:14,017
You definitely see
a lot more women out there now,
603
00:44:14,019 --> 00:44:16,586
trying it, and encouraging
other women to do it.
604
00:44:16,588 --> 00:44:21,024
Oh, women are taking over. I say five, ten
years, they'll be more women riding than men,
605
00:44:21,026 --> 00:44:23,993
because women are tougher,
you know.
606
00:44:44,314 --> 00:44:47,450
I learned that I needed to slide
the bike without using brakes,
607
00:44:47,452 --> 00:44:50,953
'cause every time you'd use the brakes
to skid around, it'd slow you down.
608
00:44:50,955 --> 00:44:54,057
You know, I didn't want that, I
wanted to stay fast all the time.
609
00:44:55,292 --> 00:44:58,561
Flat track racing is probably
one of the best places
610
00:44:58,563 --> 00:45:04,267
to build that skill set, because
it's all about controlling traction.
611
00:45:04,269 --> 00:45:07,537
I was in Indianapolis the first
year they had MotoGP there,
612
00:45:07,539 --> 00:45:10,473
and they had the Indie Mile,
which is a famous dirt track race,
613
00:45:10,475 --> 00:45:14,544
and they took the MotoGP riders
to see the dirt track riders,
614
00:45:14,546 --> 00:45:17,714
and they were like, "That's
crazy, how are they doing that?"
615
00:45:17,716 --> 00:45:23,152
That's where so many successful
road racers have come from.
616
00:45:23,154 --> 00:45:26,189
The American racers
like Kenny Roberts,
617
00:45:26,191 --> 00:45:29,258
they always had to do both
so they could ride dirt track.
618
00:45:29,260 --> 00:45:35,231
Because of the dirt track experience,
I started hitting my knee on the ground.
619
00:45:35,233 --> 00:45:37,734
You talk to any one of
these guys and they'll tell you
620
00:45:37,736 --> 00:45:39,769
the reason why they became
a good Grand Prix rider,
621
00:45:39,771 --> 00:45:42,105
is because sliding a motorcycle
didn't intimidate them.
622
00:45:42,107 --> 00:45:45,308
I started winning. At that point,
I just started winning races,
623
00:45:45,310 --> 00:45:48,277
so everybody is now trying
to play catch-up.
624
00:45:48,279 --> 00:45:52,448
That's where the whole back wheel
sliding thing kind of took off.
625
00:45:52,450 --> 00:45:55,051
Yeah, Kenny was
a pioneer in a lot of ways.
626
00:45:55,053 --> 00:45:58,154
And when I got to Europe,
it kind of multiplied.
627
00:45:58,156 --> 00:46:02,024
He was the guy that just went over
there and showed those Europeans,
628
00:46:02,026 --> 00:46:04,327
"Hey, us Americans can
ride motorcycles, too. "
629
00:46:04,329 --> 00:46:07,730
People are fascinated
to watch a racer drag a knee,
630
00:46:07,732 --> 00:46:10,233
and now they're dragging elbows.
631
00:46:12,770 --> 00:46:15,671
You know, when I drag my elbow,
it's part of the crash.
632
00:46:20,477 --> 00:46:22,678
Every sport
has its pinnacle,
633
00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:24,647
football, it's the
National Football League,
634
00:46:24,649 --> 00:46:26,649
in baseball, it's
Major League Baseball.
635
00:46:26,651 --> 00:46:30,052
Motorcycle racing,
the pinnacle is MotoGP.
636
00:46:30,054 --> 00:46:31,954
Over in Europe,
it's huge.
637
00:46:31,956 --> 00:46:34,223
It's the most evolved,
most technically advanced
638
00:46:34,225 --> 00:46:38,694
motorcycles in the world, and
arguably the best riders in the world.
639
00:46:38,696 --> 00:46:43,466
Every rider
wants to be in that show.
640
00:46:43,468 --> 00:46:46,769
I don't think the talent is
any less than it was years ago,
641
00:46:46,771 --> 00:46:49,105
but the bikes have become
so technical today,
642
00:46:49,107 --> 00:46:51,374
that it really
requires a completely
643
00:46:51,376 --> 00:46:53,709
different type of a rider
to master the bikes,
644
00:46:53,711 --> 00:46:58,114
because you're mastering electronics
now as well as mechanicals.
645
00:48:12,823 --> 00:48:15,057
I wanted
to have the world,
646
00:48:15,059 --> 00:48:18,127
and going round it is
one way to do that,
647
00:48:18,129 --> 00:48:22,431
and I was thinking should I do it
on a donkey or a skateboard or...
648
00:48:22,433 --> 00:48:28,404
...or something, and I thought a motorcycle
would be a really good way to do it.
649
00:48:30,340 --> 00:48:34,010
That was when everything
in my life changed completely.
650
00:48:38,882 --> 00:48:41,450
I was quite sure nobody
had ever done it,
651
00:48:41,452 --> 00:48:47,256
because I didn't know anybody who
rode bikes, and there was no Google.
652
00:48:48,926 --> 00:48:52,261
I'm neither brave nor strong,
and so I realized
653
00:48:52,263 --> 00:48:56,666
that you don't need strength and
bravery to be able to do this,
654
00:48:56,668 --> 00:48:59,302
you just need the
determination to do it.
655
00:49:01,271 --> 00:49:03,906
It got rid of
all my anxieties.
656
00:49:03,908 --> 00:49:06,776
I can't think of a better way
of changing your life
657
00:49:06,778 --> 00:49:09,745
than to lose fears
and anxieties, I mean,
658
00:49:09,747 --> 00:49:12,248
that's the...
that's the main thing.
659
00:49:15,786 --> 00:49:18,955
I wasn't counting miles, I
wasn't even counting countries,
660
00:49:18,957 --> 00:49:21,891
I was just going
'round the world.
661
00:49:24,061 --> 00:49:26,162
There were people where there
shouldn't have been any.
662
00:49:26,164 --> 00:49:30,366
I was like Lawrence of Arabia
coming out of the desert.
663
00:49:32,602 --> 00:49:36,472
So I had these very immediate
and intense relationships
664
00:49:36,474 --> 00:49:42,111
with people all the way around, and
carried stories from one to another.
665
00:49:44,314 --> 00:49:46,916
I don't know how I can convey
the sheer excitement
666
00:49:46,918 --> 00:49:51,387
that I was feeling almost the whole
time about being able to do this.
667
00:49:53,590 --> 00:49:58,294
It's the interruptions that are
the journey, not where you're going.
668
00:50:02,799 --> 00:50:05,001
I swear that never
in those four years
669
00:50:05,003 --> 00:50:09,271
did I ever wish
that the journey was over.
670
00:50:29,626 --> 00:50:32,294
I really wasn't suited
to being home.
671
00:50:32,296 --> 00:50:35,531
I was more comfortable
on the floor than in a bed.
672
00:50:35,533 --> 00:50:38,034
I couldn't do small talk.
673
00:50:38,036 --> 00:50:42,705
I couldn't believe
what was obsessing people.
674
00:50:42,707 --> 00:50:46,008
The problems they were having
seemed be absurd, you know.
675
00:50:46,010 --> 00:50:48,244
Why were they worried
about that?
676
00:50:48,246 --> 00:50:50,046
Things weren't going
right for them,
677
00:50:50,048 --> 00:50:52,681
they were getting
in all sorts of turmoil.
678
00:50:52,683 --> 00:50:56,018
And I thought, it's... nothing.
679
00:50:57,421 --> 00:51:00,122
You're alive,
what else do you need?
680
00:51:04,428 --> 00:51:08,130
I have great trouble coming
to terms with social media.
681
00:51:08,132 --> 00:51:12,601
I simply don't understand
how people have the time
682
00:51:12,603 --> 00:51:16,705
to be so involved in
the lives of so many people,
683
00:51:16,707 --> 00:51:20,743
and I can't imagine how their
interest in those people
684
00:51:20,745 --> 00:51:24,146
can be anything
but superficial.
685
00:51:25,916 --> 00:51:28,184
The advantage of the technology
in this world
686
00:51:28,186 --> 00:51:30,686
is that if you have a really
good idea about what it is
687
00:51:30,688 --> 00:51:35,391
you want to achieve, the technology
can generally make it a lot easier.
688
00:51:35,393 --> 00:51:38,894
The disadvantage is that
having all this technology
689
00:51:38,896 --> 00:51:41,464
probably doesn't encourage
people to have
690
00:51:41,466 --> 00:51:44,266
very great ideas
about things to do,
691
00:51:44,268 --> 00:51:48,971
because it's so easy to just
swim along with the current.
692
00:51:53,910 --> 00:51:59,448
So I went on home from Vietnam. I was
depressed and I was miserable and I was angry,
693
00:51:59,450 --> 00:52:02,318
like a lot of us, and I
just couldn't settle down.
694
00:52:02,320 --> 00:52:04,653
It was nobody's problem
but my own.
695
00:52:04,655 --> 00:52:08,023
And I looked at Israel as a
country that had something together,
696
00:52:08,025 --> 00:52:12,862
they had just fought the
1973 war, the Yom Kippur War.
697
00:52:12,864 --> 00:52:15,431
And, uh, and I said,
"I want a part of that. "
698
00:52:15,433 --> 00:52:18,834
I served two years,
and then I went on to be
699
00:52:18,836 --> 00:52:22,304
in the Rhodesian Light Infantry,
then I went on to South Africa.
700
00:52:22,306 --> 00:52:24,206
I served in a special
organization,
701
00:52:24,208 --> 00:52:28,077
the parachute brigade called
the Pathfinder Company.
702
00:52:29,246 --> 00:52:32,948
August 29th, 1981, about
100 miles up inside Angola,
703
00:52:32,950 --> 00:52:37,386
we were in light vehicle
operations and, uh...
704
00:52:37,388 --> 00:52:40,156
...the light vehicle I was in,
was a Toyota Land Cruiser,
705
00:52:40,158 --> 00:52:44,493
which was a firing platform for heavy
machine guns, 250-caliber Brownings.
706
00:52:44,495 --> 00:52:48,731
And, um, the left rear
wheel of that vehicle
707
00:52:48,733 --> 00:52:53,569
- initiated a Soviet-made
TM-57 anti-tank mine.
708
00:52:53,571 --> 00:52:58,107
When that mine went off, the last thing
I ever heard in my left ear was "pop,"
709
00:52:58,109 --> 00:53:00,543
and I watched
the vehicle going away.
710
00:53:00,545 --> 00:53:06,282
And I said to myself,
"We've hit a mine, I'm dead,
711
00:53:06,284 --> 00:53:10,152
and I'll be answering for my
life in front of God very soon. "
712
00:53:10,154 --> 00:53:12,221
Well, God had other ideas.
713
00:53:12,223 --> 00:53:15,958
And I was transported down
to one military hospital,
714
00:53:15,960 --> 00:53:18,394
Pretoria, South Africa
in a medevac transport,
715
00:53:18,396 --> 00:53:21,397
where I was to spend the next
nine months and 18 days.
716
00:53:21,399 --> 00:53:25,267
During that time,
I underwent 20 operations.
717
00:53:25,269 --> 00:53:27,503
All right. And it left me...
718
00:53:27,505 --> 00:53:31,473
And four of those operations
were amputations,
719
00:53:31,475 --> 00:53:33,309
which left me with
my right leg off...
720
00:53:33,311 --> 00:53:34,977
...above the knee,
721
00:53:34,979 --> 00:53:36,545
and my left leg off just below.
722
00:53:36,547 --> 00:53:41,717
I got out of the Army, and
I went home to my mom and dad.
723
00:53:41,719 --> 00:53:45,854
After a very touching reunion, I was
out in the garage having a reunion
724
00:53:45,856 --> 00:53:48,724
with something to that
time now I'd owned ten years,
725
00:53:48,726 --> 00:53:54,496
and that was a 1972
Harley-Davidson Wide Glide.
726
00:53:54,498 --> 00:53:58,567
Within a few days, my dad and I,
we had it out of the mothballs,
727
00:53:58,569 --> 00:54:00,903
we had it cleaned up, we
had it all put back together,
728
00:54:00,905 --> 00:54:05,941
and we knew we were gonna have to fix
the rear brake for the mechanical knee.
729
00:54:05,943 --> 00:54:09,445
So we extended the brake pedal,
we put overload springs on it,
730
00:54:09,447 --> 00:54:12,314
my dad welded a stirrup
on that pedal,
731
00:54:12,316 --> 00:54:14,383
where my foot would sit
on the brake all the time.
732
00:54:14,385 --> 00:54:16,986
The overload springs compensated
for the weight of the leg,
733
00:54:16,988 --> 00:54:20,990
and the idea was, when I was
driving, I would push on the stump,
734
00:54:20,992 --> 00:54:23,993
that would push on the leg,
that would push on the brake,
735
00:54:23,995 --> 00:54:26,095
that would stop the motorcycle.
736
00:54:26,097 --> 00:54:30,199
And it works most of the time.
Ask my passengers.
737
00:54:30,201 --> 00:54:36,772
And I got out to the freeway,
and I just let go.
738
00:54:36,774 --> 00:54:41,710
And I cannot tell you
the wonderful feeling
739
00:54:41,712 --> 00:54:44,213
of being on that machine,
740
00:54:44,215 --> 00:54:47,950
after four years overseas
741
00:54:47,952 --> 00:54:50,819
in some of the most hateful,
angry places
742
00:54:50,821 --> 00:54:54,089
this world has to offer,
you know, and all of the sudden
743
00:54:54,091 --> 00:54:55,758
I'm moving on my machine again.
744
00:54:55,760 --> 00:54:59,895
What I felt was something
that was so far beyond words,
745
00:54:59,897 --> 00:55:02,765
I can't tell you, you know.
746
00:55:02,767 --> 00:55:06,802
And all of a sudden something hit
me in the top of the head and say...
747
00:55:06,804 --> 00:55:08,737
It was a vision.
748
00:55:08,739 --> 00:55:11,640
It said, "Why don't you ride...
you need to ride this thing
749
00:55:11,642 --> 00:55:16,045
around the world for those that
are more unfortunate than you,
750
00:55:16,047 --> 00:55:19,715
especially in the Third World
countries where they don't have access
751
00:55:19,717 --> 00:55:22,885
to positive examples, like
we do in the United States. "
752
00:55:22,887 --> 00:55:26,388
I left in the
rain, for western France...
753
00:55:26,390 --> 00:55:29,525
- ... across Northern Europe...
- Three days later I made it to the Atlantic Ocean...
754
00:55:29,527 --> 00:55:31,827
- ... Russia, Siberia...
- ... to the UK, and from there...
755
00:55:31,829 --> 00:55:33,662
I went north to the Arctic.
756
00:55:33,664 --> 00:55:36,598
- And headed east...
- Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda...
757
00:55:36,600 --> 00:55:39,702
...and onto Tunis, the
North Cape, Marseilles...
758
00:55:39,704 --> 00:55:42,504
The bottom of one continent,
to the very top of the other.
759
00:55:42,506 --> 00:55:46,408
And rode back into this
driveway, into this garage,
760
00:55:46,410 --> 00:55:50,012
and the journey
around the world,
761
00:55:50,014 --> 00:55:51,914
three years, seven months,
762
00:55:51,916 --> 00:55:56,719
83,000 ridden miles, was over.
763
00:55:56,721 --> 00:56:00,689
That was to be the establishment
of a Guinness World Record,
764
00:56:00,691 --> 00:56:03,692
something that no one in
recorded history had ever done,
765
00:56:03,694 --> 00:56:06,829
and it had nothing
to do with my disability.
766
00:56:06,831 --> 00:56:13,001
I am 160 percent disabled
and I did what no one's done.
767
00:56:13,003 --> 00:56:15,437
It became more than
a motorcycle.
768
00:56:15,439 --> 00:56:21,276
It was a vehicle for me
to take an idea
769
00:56:21,278 --> 00:56:24,146
about commitment and attitude,
770
00:56:24,148 --> 00:56:29,485
and rising above,
out to the world.
771
00:58:11,988 --> 00:58:15,891
Each motorcycle has its
own soul. They're alive.
772
00:58:15,893 --> 00:58:19,795
I still find it incredible that I
can push that motorcycle out here,
773
00:58:19,797 --> 00:58:21,964
and hit a button,
and it goes, vroom!
774
00:58:33,409 --> 00:58:37,045
Once you get out of the town,
out on some country road,
775
00:58:37,047 --> 00:58:41,583
putting along and taking in all that
energy from all the trees budding,
776
00:58:41,585 --> 00:58:45,087
all the bright greens coming
in, it's... it's awesome.
777
00:58:48,291 --> 00:58:53,195
I love riding first thing in the
morning when the sun's coming up.
778
00:58:53,197 --> 00:58:59,468
It's a magic time, the light's warm and
inviting, and the air is crisp and clean.
779
00:59:01,004 --> 00:59:04,072
I can't imagine a
better way to experience that
780
00:59:04,074 --> 00:59:06,775
than on a beautiful motorcycle.
781
00:59:11,581 --> 00:59:14,583
There's a love and a passion
that can bring people together,
782
00:59:14,585 --> 00:59:16,818
they can have incredible rides,
incredible experiences,
783
00:59:16,820 --> 00:59:20,122
incredible adventures, but there's
always that one common bond.
784
00:59:20,124 --> 00:59:22,925
You're riding down the road,
there's another biker,
785
00:59:22,927 --> 00:59:27,229
and suddenly you guys decide
this next leg, this 350 miles,
786
00:59:27,231 --> 00:59:29,197
you're going
to do it together.
787
00:59:29,199 --> 00:59:31,433
You may have just found
a friend for life.
788
00:59:33,836 --> 00:59:35,671
A lot of times
when a guy buys a motorcycle,
789
00:59:35,673 --> 00:59:38,073
there's nothing more
then he wants to meet someone
790
00:59:38,075 --> 00:59:40,609
and find a buddy to ride with.
791
01:00:00,563 --> 01:00:02,698
You just roll in
on a motorcycle,
792
01:00:02,700 --> 01:00:06,001
amongst other cyclists, and
they treat you like an equal.
793
01:00:06,003 --> 01:00:09,037
You can go to the
Rock Store on a Sunday and see
794
01:00:09,039 --> 01:00:12,441
a wide swath of
demographics of people.
795
01:00:12,443 --> 01:00:16,378
Everybody that's in motorcycling,
they're there because they wanna be.
796
01:00:16,380 --> 01:00:18,780
They love it, and they
understand that love
797
01:00:18,782 --> 01:00:21,617
when they run into
another motorcycle rider.
798
01:00:33,229 --> 01:00:36,632
Your point of reference is always
with the people that you're meeting,
799
01:00:36,634 --> 01:00:38,233
and the place where you are,
800
01:00:38,235 --> 01:00:42,437
and I think there is a degree
of respect that comes from that.
801
01:00:45,041 --> 01:00:47,976
Bike night is a night
where there'll be a place,
802
01:00:47,978 --> 01:00:50,178
it might be a restaurant,
might be a bar,
803
01:00:50,180 --> 01:00:52,848
might be a coffee shop,
might be a parking lot,
804
01:00:52,850 --> 01:00:56,084
and for whatever reason,
bikers meet there.
805
01:00:57,220 --> 01:01:00,088
You park your bike, you talk
bikes with other people,
806
01:01:00,090 --> 01:01:04,559
you plan rides,
maybe go out for a ride.
807
01:01:05,662 --> 01:01:08,263
You know what I love about
going to a bike night?
808
01:01:08,265 --> 01:01:11,900
I don't have to explain why
I have four motorcycles.
809
01:01:13,503 --> 01:01:16,304
A lot of that heart and soul
of the motorcycling community
810
01:01:16,306 --> 01:01:19,141
comes from the gatherings,
and you get everybody together,
811
01:01:19,143 --> 01:01:23,078
you think, really, could you put
customizers in with road racers?
812
01:01:23,080 --> 01:01:25,013
Are they really gonna
talk to each other?
813
01:01:25,015 --> 01:01:28,450
Come to find out the common
denominator of two wheels
814
01:01:28,452 --> 01:01:31,119
is so much deeper than any
of us could have ever guessed.
815
01:01:31,121 --> 01:01:34,823
We all do indeed
share the same passion.
816
01:01:41,864 --> 01:01:43,899
I think some of these
club events to me,
817
01:01:43,901 --> 01:01:46,268
they're the real heart and soul
of the sport and the hobby.
818
01:01:46,270 --> 01:01:50,238
My husband's in a motorcycle
club. It's like a family.
819
01:01:50,240 --> 01:01:54,376
They all know each other,
they all ride together,
820
01:01:54,378 --> 01:01:55,777
they all they all watch
out for each other.
821
01:01:55,779 --> 01:01:58,280
It's passion, passion fuels
822
01:01:58,282 --> 01:01:59,948
everything about motorcycling,
823
01:01:59,950 --> 01:02:02,851
and camaraderie is the glue
that holds it all together.
824
01:02:02,853 --> 01:02:05,420
When they come to a major event,
like Daytona,
825
01:02:05,422 --> 01:02:09,191
there's a connection and I think
they lack that the rest of the year.
826
01:02:09,193 --> 01:02:14,696
The first Daytona Bike Week I ever went
to, I was just like, "What is this?"
827
01:02:14,698 --> 01:02:19,701
I just couldn't believe the sheer number
of motorcycles and motorcycling people.
828
01:02:19,703 --> 01:02:22,404
All brands, all styles,
all ages.
829
01:02:22,406 --> 01:02:27,142
If you look in that scene in Star
Wars, the bar scene, that's Bike Week.
830
01:02:38,856 --> 01:02:43,658
I enjoy going to Daytona, but for me
Sturgis is... Sturgis is my homecoming.
831
01:02:43,660 --> 01:02:46,161
Sturgis is Mecca
for motorcycles.
832
01:02:46,163 --> 01:02:48,029
If you own a motorcycle
you have to come here
833
01:02:48,031 --> 01:02:49,965
at least once,
if not all the time.
834
01:02:49,967 --> 01:02:52,601
Upwards of a half a million
people having a good time.
835
01:02:52,603 --> 01:02:55,070
Sturgis is a lot of different
things to a lot of different people.
836
01:02:55,072 --> 01:02:58,940
To some people it's where they take
their vacation every single year.
837
01:02:58,942 --> 01:03:01,610
This year will be
the 41st year in a row.
838
01:03:01,612 --> 01:03:03,478
To some people it's
an opportunity
839
01:03:03,480 --> 01:03:07,449
to meet up with friends who
they don't see any other time.
840
01:03:07,451 --> 01:03:09,117
We have a big
block party every year.
841
01:03:09,119 --> 01:03:10,952
People come visit us
from all over the place.
842
01:03:10,954 --> 01:03:12,921
It's a good time
surrounded by motorcycles.
843
01:03:12,923 --> 01:03:15,824
For some people,
it's about the racing.
844
01:03:19,962 --> 01:03:23,331
Sturgis started out as racing,
but it stayed successful
845
01:03:23,333 --> 01:03:25,834
because the riding in
the Black Hills is fabulous.
846
01:03:25,836 --> 01:03:27,969
To me it was made
for motorcycling.
847
01:03:27,971 --> 01:03:31,206
I think there's a reason why
Native Americans held it sacred.
848
01:03:31,208 --> 01:03:35,210
There's something about the Black
Hills that is absolutely magical.
849
01:03:35,212 --> 01:03:37,546
Guys come in
from all over the country.
850
01:03:37,548 --> 01:03:39,714
Over 30
different nations.
851
01:03:39,716 --> 01:03:43,785
Getting there is just beautiful.
852
01:03:43,787 --> 01:03:46,788
We go and ride with friends
from all over the country,
853
01:03:46,790 --> 01:03:51,993
sometimes the world, we've got buddies
from Italy and Australia riding with us.
854
01:03:51,995 --> 01:03:54,362
You're almost sorry
sometimes when you arrive,
855
01:03:54,364 --> 01:03:56,731
because the ride's over.
856
01:04:00,803 --> 01:04:02,904
Every time you get on a
motorcycle you feel grateful.
857
01:04:02,906 --> 01:04:06,208
You just feel grateful that
you've got the ability
858
01:04:06,210 --> 01:04:08,944
to get on a motorcycle
and go be free.
859
01:04:08,946 --> 01:04:11,246
And I think with a
lot of that gratefulness
860
01:04:11,248 --> 01:04:15,016
comes the thought of, you know, I
should be doing something about this.
861
01:04:15,018 --> 01:04:16,985
Let's help.
862
01:04:16,987 --> 01:04:20,922
I just think it's a byproduct
of how the bike makes you feel.
863
01:04:22,992 --> 01:04:27,495
The motorcycle community
is the most open, inviting
864
01:04:27,497 --> 01:04:29,197
community that I've ever known.
865
01:04:29,199 --> 01:04:32,567
They're always
raising money for charities,
866
01:04:32,569 --> 01:04:36,004
and almost every time they get together,
they're doing something for somebody else.
867
01:04:36,006 --> 01:04:40,342
There's millions of motorcycles
come together for different toy runs,
868
01:04:40,344 --> 01:04:43,912
for burn camp runs,
cancer runs, you name it.
869
01:04:43,914 --> 01:04:47,682
It's a spirit thing,
and to be charitable, uh,
870
01:04:47,684 --> 01:04:49,651
it comes from within,
it comes from the soul,
871
01:04:49,653 --> 01:04:53,088
it comes from the spirit, and
I think that's a common thread
872
01:04:53,090 --> 01:04:56,024
is that a lot of
us ride motorcycles.
873
01:04:58,561 --> 01:05:02,097
Once we started getting records, we
got opportunities to go speak to women,
874
01:05:02,099 --> 01:05:04,599
and I got a chance to speak
at a troubled girls' home
875
01:05:04,601 --> 01:05:06,368
in Mitchell called
the Abbott House.
876
01:05:06,370 --> 01:05:10,005
It's a residential treatment
facility for girls ages 7-17,
877
01:05:10,007 --> 01:05:12,540
and I spoke to these girls
and got hooked on 'em,
878
01:05:12,542 --> 01:05:14,943
and I thought, what if we
take a damaged motorcycle,
879
01:05:14,945 --> 01:05:18,179
literally parallel to what's
happening in their lives,
880
01:05:18,181 --> 01:05:21,850
into the classroom, and help
them face and repair the damage,
881
01:05:21,852 --> 01:05:25,220
transform it into
something incredible,
882
01:05:25,222 --> 01:05:27,122
which is what they're doing
with their lives.
883
01:05:27,124 --> 01:05:29,925
And the Abbott House gave
me a chance to do that.
884
01:05:29,927 --> 01:05:32,427
Now I wrote a curriculum
in my kitchen,
885
01:05:32,429 --> 01:05:37,132
and have other places licensing, so
we've got, like, five of them running now.
886
01:05:41,804 --> 01:05:46,074
Mert's Hands is a nonprofit group
where I'm able to take donations
887
01:05:46,076 --> 01:05:48,910
and then help people
that can't afford a hand.
888
01:05:48,912 --> 01:05:51,112
This attention that he's put
into these prosthetic devices,
889
01:05:51,114 --> 01:05:54,950
ways to find amputees
to get back on motorcycles
890
01:05:54,952 --> 01:05:57,185
and go out and feel the wind
again in their face,
891
01:05:57,187 --> 01:06:01,222
is just, you know, if that isn't
passion, I don't know what is.
892
01:06:01,224 --> 01:06:03,625
Jake McCullough,
he was born without a hand.
893
01:06:03,627 --> 01:06:08,196
He was a guy that was trying to motocross
and the kids are making fun of him,
894
01:06:08,198 --> 01:06:10,765
"What are you doing today, gimp?"
You know, and stuff like that.
895
01:06:10,767 --> 01:06:14,436
And it caused him
to be real withdrawn.
896
01:06:14,438 --> 01:06:18,139
And so they called me and
purchased one of my hands.
897
01:06:18,141 --> 01:06:22,711
Well, in about eight months
he was on the podium.
898
01:06:22,713 --> 01:06:26,514
It has completely
turned his life around.
899
01:06:26,516 --> 01:06:31,119
Getting anybody back on wheels
is a real pleasure for me.
900
01:07:01,117 --> 01:07:03,251
To me, going out the
to desert is such a release,
901
01:07:03,253 --> 01:07:05,453
you know, you can just kind
of get away from things.
902
01:07:05,455 --> 01:07:07,856
We go out there with a
bunch of recreational bikes,
903
01:07:07,858 --> 01:07:11,726
usually 30, 40 people, extended
family, cousins, aunts, uncles,
904
01:07:11,728 --> 01:07:14,029
and we just have a ball.
905
01:07:14,031 --> 01:07:17,098
If you go
together, it's the best thing,
906
01:07:17,100 --> 01:07:19,300
because you're camping together.
Everybody's involved.
907
01:07:19,302 --> 01:07:21,269
Dad's putting
the gas in your bike
908
01:07:21,271 --> 01:07:23,505
while Mom's making
you a sandwich.
909
01:07:29,745 --> 01:07:32,881
Made a whole weekend out
of it, a whole family thing.
910
01:07:32,883 --> 01:07:36,484
Nowadays there's a product
almost for everyone in the family.
911
01:07:36,486 --> 01:07:39,788
You could get a dirt bike,
you could get a couple quads,
912
01:07:39,790 --> 01:07:42,123
and then just all go out
and have fun.
913
01:07:44,427 --> 01:07:49,197
I get all my gear and warm up
the bikes and then I'm gone.
914
01:07:51,167 --> 01:07:57,005
There's nothing better than watching
your kids absolutely play all day.
915
01:08:15,524 --> 01:08:19,928
All my sons and my daughter
all rode motorcycles.
916
01:08:19,930 --> 01:08:23,264
We went with my dad out
to the desert, riding,
917
01:08:23,266 --> 01:08:27,102
and my husband,
and we all... took off.
918
01:08:27,104 --> 01:08:29,704
It was the best time ever.
919
01:08:29,706 --> 01:08:33,875
Wind in your face, bugs in your teeth.
920
01:08:33,877 --> 01:08:38,446
That's how you tell a happy motorcycle
rider, how many bugs in their teeth.
921
01:08:48,724 --> 01:08:52,327
I love riding, it's just the
best feeling in the world.
922
01:09:03,005 --> 01:09:07,208
When your children are young, you
have a chance to shape their world.
923
01:09:07,210 --> 01:09:10,478
You get to tell them what's
cool and what's exciting.
924
01:09:23,259 --> 01:09:27,462
Family time is always good, and when
you're in the desert barbecuing at night,
925
01:09:27,464 --> 01:09:33,701
hanging around the fire pit at night,
that's always fun. That's always good times.
926
01:09:42,344 --> 01:09:46,314
When a child rides, the whole
family is involved in motorcycling.
927
01:09:46,316 --> 01:09:51,219
Riding motorcycles, for my son,
is more than just having fun.
928
01:09:51,221 --> 01:09:55,757
In our home it is
an absolute tool
929
01:09:55,759 --> 01:09:58,660
for every single avenue
in his life.
930
01:09:58,662 --> 01:10:02,230
If he doesn't do well in school,
he's not gonna ride.
931
01:10:02,232 --> 01:10:05,333
If he's not polite,
he's not gonna ride.
932
01:10:05,335 --> 01:10:07,769
I use it as a parenting tool.
I don't know how else
933
01:10:07,771 --> 01:10:10,905
I could have taught them what
they've learned on their motorcycle,
934
01:10:10,907 --> 01:10:13,875
as far as challenging
themselves, and working as a team,
935
01:10:13,877 --> 01:10:18,746
and handling success correctly,
and handling failure.
936
01:10:21,350 --> 01:10:23,184
It's affected my kids'
eating habits.
937
01:10:23,186 --> 01:10:25,086
Now he's wanting
to be a racer, so he's like,
938
01:10:25,088 --> 01:10:27,255
"I'm not gonna eat that,"
you know, I'm like,
939
01:10:27,257 --> 01:10:30,525
"Wow, that motorcycle is
changing his eating habits at 13."
940
01:10:35,598 --> 01:10:38,733
It changed my life,
it has to change a kid's life.
941
01:10:55,951 --> 01:11:01,089
My dad gave lessons
all the time to kids
942
01:11:01,091 --> 01:11:05,026
all over the world
that wanted to ride a bike.
943
01:11:05,028 --> 01:11:06,961
I think parents,
for the most part, are scared
944
01:11:06,963 --> 01:11:08,896
of what's gonna happen to their
kids if they ride a motorcycle.
945
01:11:08,898 --> 01:11:11,466
You can't just get on the
motorcycle and be a perfectionist.
946
01:11:11,468 --> 01:11:13,701
Educate people to how
much fun it is to ride.
947
01:11:13,703 --> 01:11:16,337
You can do a lot of things
to make it as safe as possible.
948
01:11:16,339 --> 01:11:18,973
- Get him the right gear.
- Rider education classes.
949
01:11:18,975 --> 01:11:21,809
The biggest thing you can do
is get 'em the right training.
950
01:11:21,811 --> 01:11:26,814
We've recently started a
MiniMoto school for little guys.
951
01:11:28,350 --> 01:11:31,386
A miniature, legitimate,
road race machine.
952
01:11:32,655 --> 01:11:34,455
These guys
are, like, five years old,
953
01:11:34,457 --> 01:11:36,691
and they are just so jazzed,
954
01:11:36,693 --> 01:11:38,059
and they have race face.
955
01:11:38,061 --> 01:11:41,562
I mean they...
they're going for it!
956
01:11:42,731 --> 01:11:44,632
Creating safer riders
957
01:11:44,634 --> 01:11:46,367
is gonna be good
for the industry,
958
01:11:46,369 --> 01:11:49,671
because it keeps riders
in the industry longer.
959
01:11:49,673 --> 01:11:53,041
I felt like a lot could be done with
MiniMoto racing here in the States,
960
01:11:53,043 --> 01:11:57,278
to make it more known and make it
more of a way of life for people,
961
01:11:57,280 --> 01:12:00,381
like it is over in Europe.
962
01:12:00,383 --> 01:12:03,885
I just wanted to contribute
to the road racing scene.
963
01:12:05,220 --> 01:12:06,821
If you give
kids a playground
964
01:12:06,823 --> 01:12:09,624
where they can learn these
skills while they're playing,
965
01:12:09,626 --> 01:12:13,394
in a racing competition or
a school or whatever you have,
966
01:12:13,396 --> 01:12:18,333
an event, then the whole sport
will grow even more.
967
01:12:18,335 --> 01:12:21,836
That's the best way I've actually
observed the kids improve.
968
01:12:21,838 --> 01:12:23,971
Last one that we did,
the kids were blown away
969
01:12:23,973 --> 01:12:27,008
with how much fun they had
and how much they learned.
970
01:12:27,010 --> 01:12:30,611
It's so much fun to ride
a motorcycle.
971
01:12:35,351 --> 01:12:37,218
Parents that are
involved are really jazzed,
972
01:12:37,220 --> 01:12:40,154
and everybody wants
to make it grow.
973
01:12:48,197 --> 01:12:51,299
Getting kids on motorcycles
is one of the coolest,
974
01:12:51,301 --> 01:12:54,769
coolest, coolest, coolest
things that there is.
975
01:13:03,812 --> 01:13:08,383
When I was growing up, my
favorite place was Indian Dunes.
976
01:13:08,385 --> 01:13:10,017
They just don't have
places like that anymore,
977
01:13:10,019 --> 01:13:12,186
and you know what, we need to
find someplace like that.
978
01:13:12,188 --> 01:13:18,693
We need to recreate that feeling so we
can, you know, turn it onto our kids.
979
01:13:18,695 --> 01:13:22,029
Back in '98, a stunt buddy
and I, Jimmy Roberts,
980
01:13:22,031 --> 01:13:26,167
we looked at each other and said,
you know what, let's put on a race.
981
01:13:26,169 --> 01:13:30,004
Let's put on a Grand Prix
like the old days.
982
01:13:30,006 --> 01:13:31,873
Let's call it
"A Day In the Dirt. "
983
01:13:40,749 --> 01:13:43,351
When we started A Day in the
Dirt, we wanted it to be fun.
984
01:13:43,353 --> 01:13:46,888
- I love Day in the Dirt.
- You're so excited because you're going to go there,
985
01:13:46,890 --> 01:13:48,956
you're going to have fun
with all your friends.
986
01:13:48,958 --> 01:13:51,392
Before the truck stops,
the kids have jumped out,
987
01:13:51,394 --> 01:13:53,428
running to go see what
the track looks like.
988
01:13:53,430 --> 01:13:54,896
We're talking about
a Grand Prix track.
989
01:13:54,898 --> 01:13:56,964
We're talking about
a good three-mile track.
990
01:13:56,966 --> 01:14:00,134
So these kids humping around
and they come up and they ask
991
01:14:00,136 --> 01:14:01,803
the tractor drivers
what's going on.
992
01:14:01,805 --> 01:14:04,205
It's Grand Prix style racing,
993
01:14:04,207 --> 01:14:08,209
where you don't actually go out
of a gate, it's a flag start.
994
01:14:08,211 --> 01:14:09,944
A lot of guys
are out there, it's a big race,
995
01:14:09,946 --> 01:14:11,946
a lot of people are watching
and, you know,
996
01:14:11,948 --> 01:14:13,981
when you line up on the gate,
you got 20 guys to your left,
997
01:14:13,983 --> 01:14:18,920
20 guys to your right, it
gets a little nerve-racking.
998
01:14:18,922 --> 01:14:22,723
It doesn't matter if
you finish in 27th place,
999
01:14:22,725 --> 01:14:26,661
as long as you finish in
front of your friend, you won.
1000
01:14:38,173 --> 01:14:40,908
Kids don't have to
worry about who's gonna win,
1001
01:14:40,910 --> 01:14:43,711
or who's gonna lose, or who's
gonna make the hole shot.
1002
01:14:43,713 --> 01:14:45,646
All these kids,
all of them get along.
1003
01:14:45,648 --> 01:14:47,915
Somebody's gonna win
and somebody's gonna lose,
1004
01:14:47,917 --> 01:14:50,451
but they're gonna come off,
and they're gonna shake hands,
1005
01:14:50,453 --> 01:14:52,286
and then they're gonna go roll
around in the dirt again.
1006
01:14:52,288 --> 01:14:54,489
It's really
cool to seem them out racing
1007
01:14:54,491 --> 01:14:56,924
and how good they are
at such a young age,
1008
01:14:56,926 --> 01:14:59,794
and even if they aren't good,
just seeing them out on the track
1009
01:14:59,796 --> 01:15:05,533
going two miles per hour they're still getting
out there and they're still going for it.
1010
01:15:07,369 --> 01:15:10,738
The last lap, you are so tired
because you get the white flag,
1011
01:15:10,740 --> 01:15:13,674
and you're like, "OK, just one
more," and you give it all you got,
1012
01:15:13,676 --> 01:15:18,479
and then when you see that
checkered flag, you're like, "Yes!"
1013
01:15:18,481 --> 01:15:21,048
They have a race at Day in the
Dirt called the Wild Child race.
1014
01:15:21,050 --> 01:15:23,351
It's really cool, 'cause you do a
lap and then your partner does a lap,
1015
01:15:23,353 --> 01:15:26,454
and every time you come in
you've gotta switch a wristband.
1016
01:15:26,456 --> 01:15:29,023
My dad helps me and then
Trevor's dad helps him.
1017
01:15:29,025 --> 01:15:33,628
I'm kind of nervous when Trevor comes
in and it's my turn, and it's like,
1018
01:15:33,630 --> 01:15:37,131
"OK, gotta do this, gotta do
this, just gotta do your best. "
1019
01:15:37,133 --> 01:15:39,567
It creates a friendship
between the two racers,
1020
01:15:39,569 --> 01:15:43,838
a bond that they'll have for the
next 30 years that they'll remember.
1021
01:15:43,840 --> 01:15:47,475
"I raced with Johnny in
that one Wild Child race. "
1022
01:15:47,477 --> 01:15:50,144
On Saturday night,
you have this big party,
1023
01:15:50,146 --> 01:15:54,048
and everyone goes out and they
just have fun no matter what.
1024
01:15:54,050 --> 01:15:57,018
Every year
we end up meeting new people
1025
01:15:57,020 --> 01:16:00,788
and just keep building
our family, of moto.
1026
01:16:00,790 --> 01:16:04,625
I'll be there just as long as
Day in the Dirt's there probably.
1027
01:16:04,627 --> 01:16:06,527
Probably have to bury
me out there.
1028
01:16:06,529 --> 01:16:09,597
Hopefully my kid
will take it over.
1029
01:16:09,599 --> 01:16:13,868
We have a passion and we share that
together and there's nothing like it.
1030
01:16:15,737 --> 01:16:18,906
Teaching your kids how to
do something that you enjoy,
1031
01:16:18,908 --> 01:16:21,976
and then seeing them enjoy it,
it's priceless.
1032
01:16:21,978 --> 01:16:26,881
I just think it's the best experience,
like a father-son riding day.
1033
01:16:26,883 --> 01:16:29,050
You can talk about the track
with your dad,
1034
01:16:29,052 --> 01:16:32,386
and he knows what you're talking
about because he's riding with you.
1035
01:16:32,388 --> 01:16:34,488
We don't have the most
money in the bank,
1036
01:16:34,490 --> 01:16:37,391
but, uh, we have
the most memories.
1037
01:16:51,039 --> 01:16:53,908
The day that Scout was born,
I found out
1038
01:16:53,910 --> 01:16:57,912
that I had advanced
breast cancer.
1039
01:16:59,681 --> 01:17:04,285
It was a tough battle,
just surviving.
1040
01:17:04,287 --> 01:17:09,724
And my husband said, "Is there
anything that you want to do?"
1041
01:17:09,726 --> 01:17:12,727
And I said, "Actually, I wanna
go on a motorcycle ride. "
1042
01:17:19,267 --> 01:17:24,405
And I was going through chemo,
and I was really, really sick.
1043
01:17:24,407 --> 01:17:28,676
And I just needed to get out of the
house, and I couldn't be around people...
1044
01:17:29,745 --> 01:17:32,713
...because my immune
system was so weak.
1045
01:17:32,715 --> 01:17:34,982
And he got me up
and he got me dressed,
1046
01:17:34,984 --> 01:17:37,084
and he put me on the back
of his bike,
1047
01:17:37,086 --> 01:17:38,886
and he rode me to the beach.
1048
01:17:40,722 --> 01:17:44,392
It was one of the absolutely
the best days of my life.
1049
01:17:44,394 --> 01:17:47,461
I knew that I was
gonna be OK after that.
1050
01:17:47,463 --> 01:17:52,566
Motorcycles made it...
made it OK for me.
1051
01:17:55,671 --> 01:17:59,640
You get everybody together and we're all
talking about the same stuff, experiences.
1052
01:17:59,642 --> 01:18:04,478
You know, that's what we're all doing with
bikes, is we're experiencing something.
1053
01:18:04,480 --> 01:18:07,715
Take advantage of these blessings
that we've been given with our health
1054
01:18:07,717 --> 01:18:10,484
and live 110 percent
in the moment.
1055
01:18:10,486 --> 01:18:13,487
The people that are out there
doing it, they're out there,
1056
01:18:13,489 --> 01:18:17,258
and they're living their lives, not
intrinsically, they're living 'em.
1057
01:18:17,260 --> 01:18:22,430
They're living the adventure, the
competition, the adrenaline, the excitement.
1058
01:18:22,432 --> 01:18:25,933
I still ride motocross, I
still ride dirt trackers.
1059
01:18:25,935 --> 01:18:28,736
You know, it's in my blood
and it's never left.
1060
01:18:28,738 --> 01:18:31,972
I ride because there's
nothing like it in the world.
1061
01:18:31,974 --> 01:18:34,675
It's a passion, it's something
that I absolutely have to do,
1062
01:18:34,677 --> 01:18:38,245
and I could never
imagine not doing it.
1063
01:18:38,247 --> 01:18:40,414
Whatever it is you're
passionate about,
1064
01:18:40,416 --> 01:18:44,385
go at it and make sure you do it
the best that you can possibly do it,
1065
01:18:44,387 --> 01:18:46,854
so that you're proud of what
you've accomplished with it.
1066
01:18:46,856 --> 01:18:49,356
Say you go out
on a track for the first time
1067
01:18:49,358 --> 01:18:53,627
and you're a little bit nervous,
don't be nervous, you got it.
1068
01:18:53,629 --> 01:18:56,797
Just believe in yourself.
1069
01:18:57,833 --> 01:19:00,468
Don't be scared, it's fun.
1070
01:19:00,470 --> 01:19:02,937
I'll help you
and I'll cheer you on.
1071
01:19:04,606 --> 01:19:08,309
When I see little girls racing,
it's... To me, that's awesome,
1072
01:19:08,311 --> 01:19:10,945
'cause I wanna see where
she is in ten years,
1073
01:19:10,947 --> 01:19:14,582
not even just as a motorcycle
racer, but as a person.
1074
01:19:16,818 --> 01:19:18,919
Some of us were born into it,
1075
01:19:18,921 --> 01:19:20,888
and others find it
along the way,
1076
01:19:20,890 --> 01:19:24,925
and it is just a love
affair like no other.
1077
01:19:27,562 --> 01:19:34,068
Once you try it, if you like
it, you'll never leave it.
1078
01:19:35,604 --> 01:19:37,938
Some people have it inside,
it's a seed,
1079
01:19:37,940 --> 01:19:40,474
and it's never sprouted,
but the seed sits,
1080
01:19:40,476 --> 01:19:42,476
and if you ever put
the water on it,
1081
01:19:42,478 --> 01:19:44,712
if you ever get on that bike
and you roll that throttle
1082
01:19:44,714 --> 01:19:46,881
and you feel the sensation,
it's done,
1083
01:19:46,883 --> 01:19:48,849
the seed has sprouted
and it doesn't go away,
1084
01:19:48,851 --> 01:19:51,285
it doesn't die till the day
you take your last breath.
1085
01:19:51,287 --> 01:19:54,855
So you enter this thing basically
trying to follow a trend,
1086
01:19:54,857 --> 01:19:57,124
but what happens is
you become a purist,
1087
01:19:57,126 --> 01:20:00,528
you are a biker because
the seed was always there.
1088
01:20:00,530 --> 01:20:04,698
It carries with it a whole
universe of experiences.
1089
01:20:04,700 --> 01:20:11,238
There's nothing that connects you in
that special way to an environment.
1090
01:20:13,141 --> 01:20:18,679
I says I've had the most interesting
and amazing and adventurous life.
1091
01:20:19,881 --> 01:20:22,116
I'm 87, and I'm still riding.
1092
01:20:22,118 --> 01:20:26,153
I'm aiming for 100, because I
don't think anybody's ever done it,
1093
01:20:26,155 --> 01:20:29,356
and I'm always
up to a challenge.
1094
01:20:29,358 --> 01:20:32,526
Like my mother taught us,
no such word as "can't. "
1095
01:20:32,528 --> 01:20:34,595
Two great kids,
1096
01:20:34,597 --> 01:20:38,065
a few good grandchildren,
great grandchildren,
1097
01:20:38,067 --> 01:20:41,669
what the hell else can an
old man want anyway?
1098
01:20:41,671 --> 01:20:44,805
The greatest memories I
got are happening right now.
1099
01:20:44,807 --> 01:20:47,908
They're happening right now.
I just rode with my dad today.
1100
01:20:47,910 --> 01:20:52,446
So, to me, this was a great day.
1101
01:20:52,448 --> 01:20:57,751
I totally see myself teaching my kids
if I have any, which I do want some.
1102
01:21:00,322 --> 01:21:03,858
Can't wait for my kid to have a
kid and we all go ride together.
1103
01:21:11,366 --> 01:21:15,035
He was a... not only a father,
but he was a good friend.
1104
01:21:15,037 --> 01:21:18,005
We did get along very good.
1105
01:21:20,041 --> 01:21:23,878
Motorcycles have put me in
touch with wonderful people.
1106
01:21:23,880 --> 01:21:26,914
As a result of that,
I have an elevated idea
1107
01:21:26,916 --> 01:21:30,284
about how good everybody
in the world is.
1108
01:21:30,286 --> 01:21:34,088
It makes you feel like you
belong in this world.
1109
01:21:43,265 --> 01:21:45,599
My whole life has
revolved around riding,
1110
01:21:45,601 --> 01:21:50,371
and the best memories of my
life are from those times.
1111
01:21:50,373 --> 01:21:54,909
And I would not trade
absolutely anything for those.
1112
01:21:58,413 --> 01:22:00,748
I remember her
telling me not long ago,
1113
01:22:00,750 --> 01:22:02,483
"Dad, I gotta ride the
motorcycle with you,
1114
01:22:02,485 --> 01:22:04,551
so I can learn to ride it,
so when you get old,
1115
01:22:04,553 --> 01:22:06,153
I can ride you on the back. "
1116
01:22:06,155 --> 01:22:08,222
What a great thing
that would be.
1117
01:22:08,224 --> 01:22:12,026
I took her for her first,
maybe she takes me for my last.
1118
01:22:17,599 --> 01:22:21,201
To share that with my
little girl like I did today,
1119
01:22:21,203 --> 01:22:26,240
is just wonderful,
it's just wonderful.
1120
01:22:27,909 --> 01:22:31,078
Motorcycles and family,
it's life.
1121
01:22:31,080 --> 01:22:35,249
I don't know anything
but it, we've done it...
1122
01:22:40,422 --> 01:22:41,989
They just go together.
1123
01:22:56,438 --> 01:22:59,807
The one thing I can tell you,
having lived the life I have,
1124
01:22:59,809 --> 01:23:03,077
tomorrow, my friend,
is promised to no one.
1125
01:23:32,374 --> 01:23:35,009
Kenny Roberts,
first 500cc World Champion,
1126
01:23:35,011 --> 01:23:39,213
and the first father to ever have
a son who is 500cc World Champion.
1127
01:23:39,215 --> 01:23:42,649
Mert Lawwill, I was the
national champion, in 1969.
1128
01:23:42,651 --> 01:23:44,752
Don Emde,
I won Daytona in 1972.
1129
01:23:44,754 --> 01:23:49,757
Dave Ekins, best known for opening
the trail from Tijuana to La Paz.
1130
01:23:49,759 --> 01:23:52,359
Al Lamb, AMA FIM
world record holder,
1131
01:23:52,361 --> 01:23:54,361
as the fastest man
on a sit-on motorcycle.
1132
01:23:54,363 --> 01:23:56,697
I'm Jason DiSalvo,
Daytona 200 winner.
1133
01:23:56,699 --> 01:24:00,067
I'm Joey Pascarella, I'm
the 2012 Daytona 200 winner.
1134
01:24:00,069 --> 01:24:02,302
I'm Josh Hayes,
AMA Superbike Champion.
1135
01:24:02,304 --> 01:24:04,505
Melissa Paris and
I race motorcycles.
1136
01:24:04,507 --> 01:24:06,106
I'm Troy Lee and I'm an artist.
1137
01:24:06,108 --> 01:24:08,642
Brian Klock, and my wife
and I and my daughters
1138
01:24:08,644 --> 01:24:10,110
own Klock Werks Kustom Cycles.
1139
01:24:10,112 --> 01:24:12,112
Laura Klock, I'm a
land speed record holder
1140
01:24:12,114 --> 01:24:14,048
on the Bonneville Salt Flats
with my daughters.
1141
01:24:14,050 --> 01:24:17,251
My name is Erika,
and I'm a bike freak, too.
1142
01:24:17,253 --> 01:24:21,088
- I'm Karlee, I'm the youngest,
and I have no fear.
1143
01:24:21,090 --> 01:24:23,190
Gordon McCall, and I'm
a motorcycle enthusiast.
1144
01:24:23,192 --> 01:24:26,193
I'm Keith Code, and I'm the director
of the California Superbike School.
1145
01:24:26,195 --> 01:24:29,096
I'm Judy Code, I make
people happy with my food.
1146
01:24:29,098 --> 01:24:30,998
Michael Lichter,
I'm a photographer.
1147
01:24:31,000 --> 01:24:33,167
Arlen Ness, we're in
the motorcycle business,
1148
01:24:33,169 --> 01:24:34,601
in almost every aspect.
1149
01:24:34,603 --> 01:24:36,804
Cory Ness, I'm president
of Arlen Ness motorcycles.
1150
01:24:36,806 --> 01:24:40,240
Zach Ness, I design and build
custom motorcycles and custom parts.
1151
01:24:40,242 --> 01:24:42,543
Hi, I'm Alonzo Bodden,
I'm a stand-up comic.
1152
01:24:42,545 --> 01:24:46,113
My great-grandfather, Fritzie
Baer, his son, Butch Baer,
1153
01:24:46,115 --> 01:24:50,851
Butch's children, Rick,
Timmy, and Chrissy,
1154
01:24:50,853 --> 01:24:53,087
and then I am
Rick's son, Michael.
1155
01:24:53,089 --> 01:24:55,456
Buzz Kanter, I publish
American Iron Magazine,
1156
01:24:55,458 --> 01:24:57,524
Motorcycle Bagger,
and Roadbike.
1157
01:25:01,097 --> 01:25:03,697
I'm Damian Doffo, and I'm
the winemaker at Doffo Winery.
1158
01:25:03,699 --> 01:25:07,101
Valerie Thompson, five-time
land speed record holder.
1159
01:25:07,103 --> 01:25:09,603
I'm Ernie Alexander,
I opened Indian Dunes.
1160
01:25:09,605 --> 01:25:11,939
Kenny Alexander,
I put on A Day in the Dirt.
1161
01:25:11,941 --> 01:25:16,343
My name's David Hansen, I own a company
called The Shop in Ventura, California.
1162
01:25:16,345 --> 01:25:18,412
Johnny McClure, I'm the
mechanic at The Shop.
1163
01:25:18,414 --> 01:25:21,415
Stoney Landers, I am a dad to a
bunch of kids who love to race.
1164
01:25:21,417 --> 01:25:25,519
Rocco Landers, I will ride
until I make it to MotoGP.
1165
01:25:25,521 --> 01:25:27,754
My name's Guerin Swing,
I'm a designer.
1166
01:25:27,756 --> 01:25:30,958
My name's Scout Swing,
I ride, that's really all I do.
1167
01:25:30,960 --> 01:25:35,729
I'm Taye Swing, I will ride until
these bones won't hold me up anymore.
1168
01:25:35,731 --> 01:25:39,032
Caleb Hawkins, I love motocross
and I love my family.
1169
01:25:39,034 --> 01:25:41,468
Talon Hawkins, and I like
to ride with my dad.
1170
01:25:41,470 --> 01:25:44,404
Jules Hawkins, and I'm
passionate about my family.
1171
01:25:44,406 --> 01:25:47,908
Jim Hargraves, motorcycles
and family is family unity.
1172
01:25:47,910 --> 01:25:51,678
I'm Anthony Hargraves, I'm in the dry cleaning
business, and we're a motorcycle family.
1173
01:25:51,680 --> 01:25:54,348
My name is Patty, and my family eats,
sleeps, and breathes motorcycles.
1174
01:25:54,350 --> 01:25:58,452
Eric Hargraves, been a journeyman
carpenter now for 15 years.
1175
01:25:58,454 --> 01:26:01,121
Jimmy Hargraves, I've been
racing ever since I was little.
1176
01:26:01,123 --> 01:26:03,824
Josh Hargraves, I'm 14 years
old and I love to ride.
1177
01:26:03,826 --> 01:26:06,560
Tanner Hargraves, I'm 11 years
old and I like to ride.
1178
01:26:06,562 --> 01:26:10,364
Zach Hargraves, and I wanna be a
pro motocross rider when I grow up.
1179
01:26:10,366 --> 01:26:15,435
Kerry Petersen, awarded title of Greatest
Hillclimber of all time from Dirt Rider Magazine.
1180
01:26:15,437 --> 01:26:18,505
Debbie Petersen, I'm married
to Kerry Petersen.
1181
01:26:18,507 --> 01:26:21,642
My name is Bret Petersen,
three-time National Champion.
1182
01:26:21,644 --> 01:26:25,812
Chelsea Saylors, 2012 Women's
Champion for the NAHA Pro Hillclimb.
1183
01:26:25,814 --> 01:26:29,449
Pam Saylors, administrative assistant,
Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.
1184
01:26:29,451 --> 01:26:32,419
John Saylors, and I drive
Team Petersen's big rig.
1185
01:26:32,421 --> 01:26:34,555
Johnnie Saylors, been
riding my whole life.
1186
01:26:34,557 --> 01:26:37,491
I'm Austin Fox, and I'm a professional
hillclimber on Team Petersen.
1187
01:26:37,493 --> 01:26:42,963
Jack Hoel, my mother and father are given
credit for starting the Sturgis Motorcycle Event.
1188
01:26:42,965 --> 01:26:47,000
Christine Paige Diers, I'm the Executive
Director of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.
1189
01:26:47,002 --> 01:26:51,138
Coe Meyer, and I'm the owner of Gypsie
Vintage Cycle here in Sturgis, South Dakota.
1190
01:26:51,140 --> 01:26:53,607
Jay Allen, I am here to carry
this tradition on.
1191
01:26:53,609 --> 01:26:58,212
Gloria Struck, in the Motor
Maids 67 years already.
1192
01:26:58,214 --> 01:27:02,382
Ted Simon, in 1973 I set out
on a motorcycle journey,
1193
01:27:02,384 --> 01:27:04,351
and wrote a book called
Jupiter's Travels.
1194
01:27:04,353 --> 01:27:08,589
I'm Donna Jean Kretz Forstall,
and I love to ride motorcycles.
1195
01:27:08,591 --> 01:27:11,725
Ed Kretz, Jr.
Racing was my life.
1196
01:27:11,727 --> 01:27:14,461
I'm Dave Barr, if you have
sense of destiny,
1197
01:27:14,463 --> 01:27:18,732
don't let anything stop you
from making it a reality.