STUNTING: Sport or Hobby?

Hail

Hail

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www.haileyan.net
Be prepared for a bit of cynicism!

The first time I ever saw a stunt show I though "Holy cow, that is freaking awesome!" The second time I saw a stunt show it was a totally different stunt "team" and it pretty much looked exactly like the first. I then decided to start watching some stunt videos on YouTube. After 3-4 I realized that pretty much the only thing that changed was the professionalism of the video production and the paint on the bikes. I saw a third stunt show at a bike rally/poker run and walked away before it was even over. Seen it!

This bring me to my random thoughts about stunting.


  • Is Stunting a Sport? If so why does it all look the same to me? I had a Houston area stunter tell me that if I stunted I would have a better appreciation for how difficult certain tricks are. If no one other than an expert can appreciate the subtleties then stunters must be their own audience and there will never be enough interested viewers to make it financially viable as a living.

  • Does it Take Skill? Here I would have to say, without a doubt, it takes skill and those that do this are by far in a minority. Much like unappreciated underpaid artists.

  • What is with all the jumping around? When I see these bike shows I see the guys feverishishly jumping round from side to side and from peg to peg to seat. It is not even slightly graceful or visually appealing. I guess this is part of the flaw of my untrained eye. I suppose it is hard to jump around disturbing the balance of the bike and yet still stay on one wheel. I would just like to see something more fluid and graceful.

  • Syncronized stunting? Now that I would like to see. A ballet of bikes on stage.

  • Do I wish I could do it? HELL YES! I am really good a riding wheelies in wheelchairs. ;) I think it would be a blast but I would have no delusions that I could make a living at it. It would have to be a hobby because I like the requisite tattoos and piercings.

So I sound conflicted right? I don't want to watch another show ever unless they start levitating the bikes with their minds or their are super hot sexy women doing the stunts. ;) Sorry ladies! I am, to my core, a boy and I like sexy chicks on bikes.

I would still love a beater bike to learn on and start my hobby. ;)
 
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I know exactly what you're getting at... the shows are all just extremely repetitive...

for me, it's like football... I won't sit there and watch it on TV.... but I'll go out and play until I can't breathe right, and my knees try to come apart...

I like to go out and ride wheelies.... but I don't enjoy watching so much... unless it's someone stunting in an interesting place... really, that's what makes it for me now... we've seen plenty of wheelies, standing, sitting, basket, circle, etc. We've seen plenty of stoppies.... even motorcycle drifting has gotten old at this point...

but... when someone is stunting on a frozen lake... or on a rooftop... that's interesting...

or... if someone is stunting on something that shouldn't be stunted on... like a Goldwing, a Sportster (although at this point, I've seen too many of these) ... or a scooter... you get the point.
 
I to have watched one too many stunt shows, "seen one you've seen them all". Jason Briton was one of them. I don't bother anymore.

I do however like watching the dirt bike guys doing the air shows (jumping). I have even watched them training using big foam block pits. It still has to hurt having a couple of hundred pounds of bike land on top of you foam or no foam. Then to do that in a arena with hard concrete under them, a little crazy or supremely arrogant.
 
va_rider said:
I know exactly what you're getting at... the shows are all just extremely repetitive...

for me, it's like football... I won't sit there and watch it on TV.... but I'll go out and play until I can't breathe right, and my knees try to come apart...

I like to go out and ride wheelies.... but I don't enjoy watching so much... unless it's someone stunting in an interesting place... really, that's what makes it for me now... we've seen plenty of wheelies, standing, sitting, basket, circle, etc. We've seen plenty of stoppies.... even motorcycle drifting has gotten old at this point...

but... when someone is stunting on a frozen lake... or on a rooftop... that's interesting...

or... if someone is stunting on something that shouldn't be stunted on... like a Goldwing, a Sportster (although at this point, I've seen too many of these) ... or a scooter... you get the point.
Click to expand...

I would go see a show with a Goldwing doing a stoppy, or a scooter doing wheelies and drifting!
 
I agree with you guys...once you've seen a stunt show, you've seen them all. To tell you the truth I enjoy watching the local police departments compete in their timed events more. It takes skill to get those full dresser police bikes around those tight courses (laid out with cones). Sometimes they knock over a cone or two or put their foot down, but it's still takes some skill...Something like this:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cms0bkNj7A]Fast Honda ST1300 Police Bike in Competition - YouTube[/ame]
 
No Joke! That police video is pretty good. Forget about taking a full up bike with bags and everything I'm not sure I could take my Huffy through that course.:tup:
 
I've seen lots of stunt shows and I agree with you guys to a point. Most stunters, although talented, are really just the same. And with the talented ones also come all the wannabes and as a result you see a lot of the same crap. Only the very best and smartest ones really make people stand up and say 'wow'.
 
the police bike video is awesome.I need me some skills like that.as far as stunting i may get an accidental wheelie once in a while but i am to afraid of hurting my beautiful redhead.
 
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