Dirt Rider Magazine test...

Its the new year and with 2010 brings many new opportunities and responsibilities to make good things happen! For myself, wanting to get back on my game, riding at the top of my ability. I was really getting some time on my bike this past summer, riding at Salem/Albany up in the woods and of course at BaD Acres with my buddies. You really just need alot of seat time to get all the kinks out and really feel comfortable. Since having my left leg amputated below the knee in 2004 I was thinking I could never ride at the level I was befor the loss. I have proven that I can ride at that level and make good things happen this year! Memorial weekend will be one of the biggest races for me in 10 years! The plan is to road trip over to Michigan for a X games qualifier over the big weekend. Big thanks goes out to my buddies Terry, Neil, Corey, Bill, Shawn, Wes, my girlfriend Tabitha, and of course Brad @ Crash Inc. Its always good to have a good core group of riding buds to keep you on your toes. On top of the locals guys I met alot of people while I toured the US riding FMX events in 99 and 2000. I'm sure you have heard of this guy and I'm sure you have even seen him hitting ramps at some of the biggest events, he is Chris Denison. 10 years ago I was at an IFMA event in Denver CO when I first came across a very young Chris Denison, I think he was 16? He was wanting to get into the whole FMX movement and make a living doing it. His father owns A-loop offroad products, so back then I was finishing well at events and had been talking to Chris about running some of their products. All the while pushing Chris to keep riding FMX. Shortly after meeting him and getting to know his family I crashed in Tulsa OK, ending my career with 2 broken legs. I kept in touch with Chris for a couple years after that and always gave him encouragement to stay with it. Flash forward to 2009, after not talking to Chris in 7 years I was lurking around Freestylemtx.com posting video of me jumping when I got a message from my little long lost buddy! I was ecstatic!! We chatted and to my amazement he had slowed up from the fmx scene and had a way better gig as an associate editor with Dirt Rider Magazine!! So proud of him! As you know Dirt Rider does more product testing than any other magazine on the market! Now with my 2008 YZ450 being bone stock and starting to be on the clapped out side I asked Chris for some favors. He came forward with a miracle, for me to do a suspension test for the magazine. Basically a write up of almost 400 words after riding suspension on my bike. He worked the deal out with WR1 suspension and I sent my forks, rear shock down to Reno to be completely redone for a test in the magazine!! I hopped onto www.wr1suspension.com to check out his work, it looked like he was legit and I was ready to do this! I talked to Justin at WR1 about my weight and riding style so he can dial everything in to my ability. He received my suspension and went right to work, throwing new springs, valves, anodizing the caps nuts bolts, and a friction resistant coating on the tubes! Also giving them the works anti-bottoming valving system he has developed. So when I got them back I cant tell you how stoked I was!! I threw them on and went to test. Salem arenacross would be the first place I would get to hit with my new suspension. It was like a new bike the way it soaked up the larger jumps and made the smaller bumps feel smoother. It took about 10 hours of ride time for it to break in and really start to shine. I don't want to get in to deep here as you can read the write up in Dirt Rider's March issue. So make sure to check out the issue and keep up with all my doings on myspace.

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