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May 13

Monster Energy Team of the World’s Best Competing Athletes in Japan

By General Posts

Monster Energy Is Bringing the Heat to Japan with Its Team of the World’s Best Competing Athletes

Monster Energy, The Official Energy Drink Partner of X Games Chiba 2023, Is Bringing the Heat to Japan with Its Team of the World’s Best Competing Athletes

Three-Day Action Sports Spectacle Features more than 110 of the World’s Best Athletes in BMX, Motocross, and Skateboarding at ZOZO Marine Stadium on Tokyo Bay from May 12–14, 2023

CHIBA, Japan – May 11, 2023 – X Games is back in Japan! The world’s premier showcase in action sports competition will return to Japan for the second consecutive year. Monster Energy, the official energy drink partner of X Games, is proud to bring some of the world’s biggest names in competitive BMX, motocross, and skateboarding to X Games Chiba 2023 from May 12–14.

Following the success of last year’s event in Japan, X Games Chiba 2023 marks the 67th edition of X Games since the event’s inception in 1995. For three action-packed days, the action sports world will focus on ZOZO Marine Stadium on Tokyo Bay with a total capacity for 30,000 spectators.

The Japan edition of X Games is bigger than ever: More than 110 athletes from 20 countries will compete for a total of 33 medals in 11 events across three sports. This year, Moto X Best Trick will be contested as a medal event for the first time in Chiba.

All competitions will stream live globally across XGames.com, YouTube, and Twitch, supplemented by behind-the-scenes, athlete-curated, and complementary content on @XGames social media accounts.

Fans can look forward to an elite display of the best in action sports: X Games Chiba is an invite-only event reserved for multiple-time X Games medalists and highly competitive newcomers to keep the level of riding at premium levels. As the official drink sponsor of X Games Chiba 2023, Monster Energy is ready to raise the bar with a stacked team of riders, including action sports icons, defending gold medalists, and upcoming rookies.

Heading into X Games Chiba 2023, look out for the following key Monster Energy athletes and competitions:

The big spectacle in the Land of the Rising Sun kicks off on Friday, May 12, with eliminations in key BMX and skateboarding events at ZOZO Marine Stadium.

Athletes will then compete for the first set of X Games medals on Saturday in the BMX Street final. Be on the lookout for 24-year-old German team rider Felix Prangenberg ready to level up his silver medal in the discipline from X Games 2022 and expand his current count of four X Games medals. Also gunning for podium spots, Scotland’s own Alex Donnachie already owns gold from X Games Sydney 2018 and bronze from X Games 2021. And with three-time gold medal winner Kevin Peraza in the session, the first medal event of X Games Chiba 2023 is bound to be a battle for the history books. Let’s go!

For the Women’s Skateboard Park final, our squad consists of bona fide legends and rising stars: Stoking the hometown crowd, 21-year-old Mami Tezuka from Hikone, Japan, is a podium favorite with X Games silver and bronze under her belt. She will face off against her teammate and mentor, 30-year-old Lizzie Armanto, known as a legend in women’s skateboarding since winning Skateboard Park gold at X Games Barcelona in 2013. Also don’t count out Brazilian Olympic skateboarder Isadora Pacheco with some big tricks up her sleeve. Monster Army rider Grace Marhoefer from Cocoa Beach, Florida, on a mission for her first X Games podium after recently winning the women’s street contest at Phoenix Am. Last but not least, the upcoming American rider Ruby Lilley is ready for the world stage. Don’t miss it!

Skateboarding remains the focus in the Women’s Skateboard Street final, where last year’s X Games Chiba gold medalist Rayssa Leal will be the rider to beat. The 15-year-old from Imperatriz, Brazil, is the reigning SLS Super Crown World Champion and has won the last five consecutive SLS competitions. Plus, she has a score to settle after finishing closely off the podium at X Games 2022 last summer. Leal is facing off with a hometown favorite, three-time X Games gold medalist Aori Nishimura. Also, watch out for young Monster Army rippers Grace Marhoefer and Haylie Powell looking for their first podium at X Games. Let’s get it!

Next, Monster Energy rolls into the BMX Park with a squad of heavy hitters: Last year, young rider Justin Dowell made his X Games debut in Chiba by claiming silver, then followed up with another silver medal at the summer games. Will the 23-year-old clinch his first X Games gold this year? Or will 2022’s bronze medal winner Kevin Peraza go all the way up for his third gold in the discipline? Expect the unexpected because the competition is intense: 26-year-old Canadian Mike Varga has bronze in the discipline, plus three gold in Best Trick (more about that later), while Corona, California local Daniel Sandoval owns one gold and three bronze.

Another California rider, Pat Casey from Riverside, earned three of his five X Games medals in Park and clinched silver in Mega Park at X Games 2022 – making him a ‘mega’ contender this year! Never rule out Jeremy Malott from Lake Havasu City, Arizona, on a quest to expand on two bronze medals from Park Best Trick. Last but not least, the squad includes 22-year-old Bryce Tryon, already boasting an X Games silver medal, plus a recent win at the Monster Energy BMX Triple Challenge in Glendale. Also, keep an eye on reigning European champ Anthony Jeanjean and Argentinian young gun Jose Torres. Tune in for this epic battle!

All eyes will remain on the concrete bowl course for the BMX Park Best Trick final, where Monster Energy team riders will unleash their most technical trick creations. The biggest story: At X Games 2022, Canadian rider Mike Varga made history as the first athlete to win three consecutive gold medals in the discipline. Will he raise the bar to four gold? Don’t miss it!

Closing out an epic first day at X Games Chiba 2023, the Skateboard Vert event will bring the heat with technical halfpipe riding at its finest. Last year’s silver medalist, style sensation Moto Shibata from Osaka, has already shown the style and technique to claim gold – will he repeat the win from X Games 2017 this year? Heavy competition will come from New York City’s Elliot Sloan, owner of 15(!) X Games medals, including six gold, and last summer’s silver medalist in Skateboard MegaPark. Also heading to Chiba as a favorite, eight-time X Games medalist Tom Schaar just returned from injury by claiming a second-place finish in the Tampa Pro concrete jam. An explosive mix!

Sunday at X Games Chiba 2023 kicks off on a high note in the Men’s Skateboard Park final. All eyes will be on the golden boy, 19-year-old Australian ripper Kieran Woolley, after clutching gold at summer X Games 2022 and silver at X Games Chiba last year. The first-ever Australian park champ faces competition from 2021 X Games gold medalist Liam Pace from Tucson, Arizona. What’s more, previous X Games gold medalists in the Big Air event, Tom Schaar and Trey Wood, are looking for the top spot in Park. And making his X Games debut in Chiba, Australian Monster Army rider Keefer Wilson is bringing big tricks to the battle. All bets are off for this one!

At X Games Chiba 2022, the time-honored BMX Flatland contest returned after a 19-year hiatus. The fan favorite is back by popular demand this year, the roster including 38-year-old style legend and current Flatland World Champion Moto Sasaki from Chiba. Having claimed bronze in the previous year’s event, the hometown hero faces a field of upstarts and rookies. Will Sasaki once again prove that timeless style can still win podium spots?

As the action continues, technical halfpipe skateboarding takes center stage in Skateboard Vert Best Trick. Ready to push the limits, Elliot Sloan took gold in the discipline at X Games 2022 and joins the progression session along with teammates Shibata and Schaar. Get ready to see the full evolution of the sport on full display!

Speaking of evolution, the upcoming rider to watch in the Men’s Skateboard Street Final is a young prodigy: 16-year-old Daiki Ikeda earned a surprise silver medal in his X Games debut at X Games Chiba 2022 and has also won the 2022 edition of Tampa Am. But not so fast! The winningest street skater of all time, Nyjah Huston, just returned to competition earning a podium spot at SLS Chicago and commands the biggest stack of X Games medals of them all: Huston owns 20 X Games Medals (13 gold, five silver, and two bronze). Nyjah will go against 30-year-old Kelvin Hoefler from São Paulo, Brazil, a two-time X Games gold medalist who just put the field on notice by winning SLS Chicago 2023. The Olympic silver medalist will be joined by three-time X Games medalist Ishod Wair from New Jersey as well as Canada’s Matt Berger looking to level up from his bronze medal from X Games Real Street 2022.

But wait! A slew of young guns is ready to shake up the Skateboard Street event, including 26-year-old Jhancarlos Gonzalez from Columbia, who is ready to claim his first X Games medal after winning the 2022 Vans Showdown. Also, witness the X Games debut of 21-year-old Braden Hoban from Encinitas, California, who disrupted the status quo by finishing second in the 2022 SLS Super Crown finals. Not to be missed!

As the worthy finale of X Games Chiba 2023, Moto X Best Trick was featured as a demonstration event the previous year. Now contested as a medal event in Japan for the first time, the showcase for freestyle motocross is headlined by the most dominant rider in the discipline: Australia’s Jackson Strong holds eight medals in Best Trick (six gold, two silver) and brings some new moves to the battle. He’s facing fellow Aussie and 14-time X Games medalist Josh Sheehan, who most recently took Best Trick silver at X Games 2022.

The final battle of Chiba 2023 gets even hotter with the return to Japan of Julien Vanstippen from Belgium. Last year, the 25-year-old claimed bronze in Moto X Best Whip as his first medal. He’s now flexing his freestyle skills alongside decorated ripper Harry Bink from Australia, owner of bronze in Best Trick, and 38-year-old FMX icon Taka Higashino showcasing his mastery of the sport on home turf. A true classic in the making!

Visit www.monsterenergy.com for exclusive updates from X Games Chiba 2023, including photos, videos, and contest results as they happen. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

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May 01

Freestyle Motocross Icon Jeremy Stenberg on UNLEASHED Podcast

By General Posts

Monster Energy’s UNLEASHED Podcast Welcomes Freestyle Motocross Icon Jeremy Stenberg

41-Year-Old Pioneer and 17-Time X Games Medalist Joins Episode 09 of Season 03 of Sports Podcast

 CORONA, California – May 1, 2023 – One of the Founding Fathers of freestyle motocross joins the podcast! Monster Energy is proud to welcome Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg on Episode 9 of Season 3 of the sports and pop culture podcast UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny. In the exclusive interview, the 41-year-old Moto X pioneer and 17-time X Games medalist shares his lifelong passion for freestyle dirt bike riding.

Recorded at Studio M inside Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California, the one-hour episode was initially broadcast live on the Twitch platform on April 18, 2023. Today, fans have the chance to tune in to the official recording of the episode featuring the freestyle motocross veteran who left his mark on the sport as a top competitor and trick innovator.

“Dirt bikes are no joke. If you crash, you crash hard! It is what it is. It’s my job and the path I chose. I want to ride a dirt bike for the rest of my life. No matter how many of my friends get taken from me. I would rather die doing something I love than getting hit in a car accident,” said Stenberg on UNLEASHED.

For the full conversation with the influential FMX trailblazer, fans can now tune in to Episode 09, Season 03 of UNLEASHED. Released today, the new podcast is streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.

In the world of freestyle motocross, Jeremy Stenberg needs no introduction. Raised on a steady diet of BMX and dirt bike riding, the California native found an outlet for his Tourette’s Syndrome in spectacular stunts. After turning pro in 1998, “Twitch” became a driving force in the progression of freestyle motocross and a figurehead for the young sport. After winning every notable Moto X competition in his day, including a staggering 17 X Games medals (including 6 gold), Stenberg paved a new way by filming influential video parts on real-life dirt terrain. Stop, look, and listen as the motocross trailblazer gives a first-hand account from the sport’s early days all the way to FMX becoming a billion-dollar industry and global spectacle – exclusively on UNLEASHED!

Hear the inside story in conversation with the two podcast hosts, Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass. Also joining the interview is acclaimed painter, model, and UFC ambassador Brittney Palmer. Tune in right here.

Getting into trouble was inevitable when Stenberg grew up in Southern California. Diagnosed with Tourette’s at age 8 and regularly taunted by his peers, he found an outlet in riding BMX bikes on dirt tracks. “I always tend to do it more when I get nervous or excited. I never thought about it on my bike,” said Stenberg on UNLEASHED.

In the days of VHS videos, one particular video series left a deep mark on young Stenberg: The ‘Crusty Demons Of Dirt’ franchise showed the new and exciting world of ‘freestyle’ motocross. “Crusty, for me, was one of the movies I would come home every day from school… pop it in and watch. Every video made me want to go out and ride BMX and ride dirt bikes.”

His proficiency for hoisting jumps on dirt bikes caught the eye of his first sponsor; a company partaking in the push to establish ‘freestyle’ motocross as its own sport. “I told my dad these guys want to pay me money to jump my bike, and he said: ‘No one’s going to pay you to jump your bike. You need to race to make money!” But when the first paycheck arrived, Stenberg’s father was convinced: “My dad went home and tore the race track down and built jumps. And I rode them every day!”

The rest is history: While still in school, Stenberg competed in pro events as the sport kept growing. But at some point, traveling to competitions interfered with Stenberg’s high school career, so he made a choice. “When I told my dad I quit school because they weren’t going to let me ride in a contest, he said: ‘I can’t tell you that you can’t quit. But if you quit, you better be the damn best at what you do!’ And that has stuck with me ever since.”

As part of a generation that expanded the physical limits of motocross tricks, Stenberg pioneered new maneuvers on dirt tracks without the aid of foam pits and other safety measures. The consequences were always tangible: “When you hit the ground, you hit the ground hard. You’re 35 feet in the air. And you have a 250-pound bike chasing you to tackle you if you don’t do the trick right.”

From 1998 onwards, Stenberg dominated the contest circuit alongside trailblazers Travis Pastrana, Mike Metzger, and Mad Mike Jones. Stenberg won every single top-shelf competition, racking up 17 X Games medals in the process. “Style always mattered. No matter what it is. Your street clothes. Everything you’re doing, it better be good,” said Twitch about the keys to his success. Speaking on his style, he said: “I want to say a lot of it was from riding BMX. I notice a lot of guys who ride BMX and ride Moto all have similar styles. You got to be smooth, you got to hit your marks perfect.”

At the height of his career, Twitch decided to step away from the contest arena. With support from Monster Energy as his sponsor, he continued to maintain his relevancy in the sport by filming groundbreaking videos and pushing the evolution of the sport. And like that, Twitch opened a path for future generations to build pro careers without contest results. “I feel good seeing guys like [Colby] Raha and Axell [Hodges] benefit from what I helped start,” said Stenberg.

Filmed in open terrain on dirt jumps built solely using shovels, video parts such as “Hillside O.G.” have become classics of the sport. “I think the longest I ever built a jump for was seven hours. And then we rode it,” said Stenberg, adding: “We always have to hide from the cops out there. We hide behind mountains.”

For a chance to see Twitch catch air, viewers can head to current tour stops of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. The veteran enjoys showcasing his tricks alongside the new generation of FMX talent, including Monster Energy teammate Axell Hodges. “Whenever I ride, I gotta show these little bastards I still got it!”

Hungry for the full story? Visit the landing page to access Episode 09, Season 03 of the UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast featuring motocross icon Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg.

Episodes of UNLEASHED are filmed on a special set inside Studio M at Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California. The podcast is hosted by the dynamic duo of Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass. Known for their deep roots in action sports culture, the two starred in the beloved cult TV show ‘The Adventures of Danny and The Dingo’ on Fuel TV for five action-packed seasons in the early 2010s. Both hosts have walked the walk as pro snowboarders and possess the interview skills to find common ground with guests from any background – sports and pop culture. Always look out for new episodes dropping bi-weekly on Mondays.

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Nov 24

Moto X Phenomenon Axell “Slay” Hodges on UNLEASHED Podcast

By General Posts

  • Monster Energy’s UNLEASHED Podcast Welcomes Moto X Phenomenon Axell “Slay” Hodges for Episode 45
  • Broadcast Live on Twitch, Episode 45 of Sports Podcast Interviews 12-Time X Games Medalist /
  • Episode Now Available for Streaming on Major Podcast Platforms Including YouTube and Spotify

CORONA, California – November 22, 2022 – Get inside the mind of the most creative and progressive motocross athlete on the planet! Monster Energy is proud to welcome freestyle motocross innovator and 12-time X Games medalist Axell Hodges from Encinitas, California on Episode 45 of the sports and pop culture podcast UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny.

Recorded inside Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California, the special episode was initially broadcast live on the Twitch platform on November 18th. As of today, fans can tune in to the official recording of Episode 45 of UNLEASHED on all major platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.

Episode 45 also features special guest Ash “Dirt Shark” Hodges, Axell’s brother and creative collaborator, as well as their father, Phillip Hodges.

In the episode, the 26-year-old athlete shares his creative process behind record-setting jumps and boundary-breaking tricks. “I always snowboarded and skated a bit. I had a lot of friends who skated and were better than me and had good style. I never really had that in skateboarding, so that’s where I kind of wanted to be a skater on my dirt bike and flow and have good style. So, skating and all that helped a lot on how I ride my dirt bike,” said Hodges on UNLEASHED.

Axell Hodges is a motocross rider with no need for introductions. Despite his young age, Hodges already holds twelve X Games medals, including four gold. The prodigy not only dominates competitions such as Best Whip and High Air but raises the bar with innovative freestyle tricks recorded in viral videos. His trilogy of “Slayground” motocross videos has garnered more than 14 million combined views… and counting. In the episode, Hodges dives deep into the high-stakes world of competitive freestyle motocross at the highest level.

Hear “Slay” tell the full story in conversation with the two podcast hosts, Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass on Episode 45 of UNLEASHED. Also joining the interview, acclaimed painter, model, and UFC Octagon girl Brittney Palmer contributes questions and background information to the episode. Tune in right here.

Raised in a motocross family, Hodges discovered dirt bikes at a young age. Initially, the native of Southern California pursued a career as a racer. “I wanted to be a dirt bike racer and thought that was the only way when I was a kid. Like, you gotta race! And I did not want to do freestyle when I was younger.” But ultimately, his freestyle tricks would garner Hodges worldwide attention: “I raced from 14 to 18, and then filmed the first ‘Slayground’ video. That’s when I came out of racing and into more freeriding and social media,” said Hodges.

While also making his mark in motocross competitions such as the X Games, Hodges discovered the power of social media platforms to document his boundary-pushing tricks in his own online videos. “I never thought I would be able to call what I do my job, just post videos, and ride my bike. Just make up stuff on the regular,” said Hodges on UNLEASHED.

Fast-forward to today and the “Slayground” video series – filmed with brother and filmmaker Ash Hodges – has generated over 14 million views on YouTube. “I started the ‘Slayground’ series in 2015 at my parents’ house in Encinitas,” said Hodges. “That was my first video and what I was doing every day. Riding in my backyard and had my brother come film a sick line going through my parents’ house, and that’s where the ‘Slayground’ originated.”

In 2020, Hodges took the dream to the next level by building his own 40-acre “Slayground” facility in Ramona, California, as a place to practice and film the third installment of the video series. “This is what we did through Covid. Bought some property and built and tweaked all the jumps until we got it right then we filmed the video,” said Hodges.

For X Games 2021 and 2022, Hodges opened his legendary “Slayground” compound for competitions across five Moto X competitions as well as BMX Dirt. Aside from hosting the world elite of the sport, Hodges also pocketed one gold and two silver medals at X Games 2022, bringing his total count in the world’s biggest competition to 12 medals.

For his biggest moment of mainstream fame, Hodges attempted to set the long-distance jump record for the Guinness Book in 2019 for the ‘Evel Live 2’ event – hitting the ramp at 106 miles per hour – but suffered a life-threatening crash during practice. “I went 396 feet from ramp to ramp, but the next day I went there and ended up going down around 400 feet. I don’t really know if I hold the record or not. All I know is I went pretty far on my bike, and I’m satisfied with that.”

As his next challenge, Hodges has his eyes on more video projects. “I have a couple of things I want to check off,” the Moto X phenom said on UNLEASHED. But let’s hear it from “Slay” himself! Visit the landing page to access Episode 45 of the UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast featuring motocross trailblazer Axell Hodges.

Episodes of UNLEASHED are filmed on a special set inside Studio M at Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California. The podcast is hosted by the dynamic duo of Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass. Known for their deep roots in action sports culture, the two starred in the beloved cult TV show ‘The Adventures of Danny and The Dingo’ on Fuel TV for five action-packed seasons in the early 2010s. Both hosts have walked the walk as pro snowboarders and possess the interview skills to find common ground with guests from any type of background – sports and pop culture. Always look out for new episodes dropping bi-weekly on Mondays.

The UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast is here to celebrate the personalities behind the Monster Energy lifestyle. With each episode dedicated to a unique guest or topic, listeners learn about living on the edge and advancing the state of the art in the world of high-energy sports as well as music, games, and pop culture from individuals at the top of their game. More than a drink, Monster Energy is a way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans – and the podcast is an extension of this unique DNA.

For more on Monster Energy and the UNLEASHED Podcast, visit www.monsterenergy.com. Also follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for exclusive content and athlete features.

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Jul 26

Podcast features Motocross Trailblazer Jackson Strong

By General Posts

Monster Energy’s UNLEASHED Podcast Welcomes Motocross Trailblazer Jackson Strong

Episode 36 Gets personal with 30-Year-Old FMX Innovator and Six-Time X Games Gold Medalist

Start your engines! Monster Energy is proud to welcome freestyle motocross innovator and six-time X Games gold medalist Jackson Strong on Episode 36 of the sports and pop culture podcast UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny.

This latest one-hour episode released today across Monster Energy’s social media channels and was recorded inside Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California. A must-listen for all motocross fans, the podcast gets the inside story from the 30-year-old from Lockhart, New South Wales, Australia, who became a professional freestyle motocross rider as a teenager and left his unique mark on the sport ever since.

“I think freestyle motocross is in a bit of a transitional period at this point in time. There are a lot of guys doing a lot more freeride-type stuff, like what Axell [Hodges] is doing is really cool. But I think we’re going to see freestyle move away from being inside small stadiums and moving outside with bigger jumps, longer distances and highest air. But we’ll always have the Best Trick and people learning new tricks,” said Strong.

Fans can now tune in to Episode 36 of UNLEASHED featuring Jackson “Jacko” Strong.
Released today, the new podcast is streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.

Jackson Strong’s career is without parallel in professional freestyle motocross. At age 13, Strong began performing in shows with the Crusty Demons crew and has pushed the limits with never-been-done tricks ever since. He earned his first X Games gold medal in 2011 and has clinched the win in Motocross Best Trick six times since. His X Games record currently stands at 13 medals (6 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze) and includes one bronze from Snow Bike Best Trick. A fearless innovator and next-level athlete, Strong embodies the action sports mindset like few other riders and keeps the innovations coming in boundary-pushing video parts.

Learn about Strong’s innovative approach to motocross and unparalleled mental resilience in conversation with the two podcast hosts, Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass on Episode 36 of UNLEASHED. Tune in right here.

Born in New South Wales, Australia, to a farming family spanning several generations, Strong discovered dirt bikes at a young age. “For me it all began riding around dirt bikes on the farm. More like a ways of getting around, sort of my transport. It was how I got to school,” said Strong on UNLEASHED. With a penchant for catching air, he soon began building his own jumps and training at abandoned spots near his home. And he got good quick: When he was only 13 years old, Strong began touring with the Crusty Demons of Dirt crew. “I learned all the bad habits of life, early on. Crusty tours were fun,” said Strong.

Ultimately, the young rookie began traveling to the United States and competing in the world’s biggest showcase for action sports: The X Games. In what was only his second X Games appearance, the Australian shook up the established order by claiming gold in Motocross Best Trick with a spectacular front flip. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. That’s eleven years ago now, I was age 19 then,” said Strong.

Over the next few years, Strong began dominating the Best Trick discipline like no other rider before – and kept the trick innovations coming. In 2015, he landed the first-ever double back flip into dirt off a quarter pipe as one of many never-been-done tricks on his resume. “There are so many more tricks that can happen. Moving forward, we are going to see more technicality in the jumps. And when it comes to Best Trick, we’re going to see more air bag landings and things to make the sport safer.”

Before the pandemic, Strong built his own training facility, The Sandbox, to prepare for competitions and film his viral video segments: “I built it because with a busy traveling schedule of doing shows, it was hard trying to find enough time to practice. For me when I’m practicing, I want to go riding two times a day. I want to put in the work and be as current as I can! Freestyle motocross is a very real sport. And that’s why I love it!”

Constantly evolving his skill set, Strong also took his freestyle talent to the snow, competing in the Snow Bike Best Trick event at X Games Aspen 2020, where he won a bronze medal. Not known for resting on his laurels, Strong also likes to get his kicks base jumping from bridges and tall cliffs. “My friends at home who sky dive, fly planes and base jump, I started hanging out with them a lot more because you couldn’t travel as much during the pandemic.”

After dealing with several heavy injuries, Strong began cultivating a resilient mental attitude to fortify himself against doubt and distractions. “There have been lots of injuries and broken bones. But anyone who’s looked at action sports has their fair share of bones and injuries happen. It’s not something I like to pride myself in, because you’ve done something wrong when that happens, but everyone who’s looked at a motor bike had something happen.”

Want to hear it from Monster Energy’s Jackson Strong himself? Visit the landing page to access Episode 36 of the UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast featuring daredevil FMX athlete Jackson Strong.

Episodes of UNLEASHED are filmed on a special set inside Studio M at Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California. The podcast is hosted by the dynamic duo of Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass. Known for their deep roots in action sports culture, the two starred in the beloved cult TV show ‘The Adventures of Danny and The Dingo’ on Fuel TV for five action-packed seasons in the early 2010s. Both hosts have walked the walk as pro snowboarders and possess the interview skills to find common ground with guests from any type of background – sports and pop culture. Always look out for new episodes dropping bi-weekly on Mondays.

The UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast is here to celebrate the personalities behind the Monster Energy lifestyle.

For more on Monster Energy and the UNLEASHED Podcast, visit www.monsterenergy.com.

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Nov 20

Harley-Davidson Hits the Slopes with Street Rod Snow Bikes

By General Posts

by Jason Marker from https://www.rideapart.com

Harley-Davidson and Suicide Machine Company built a pair of extremely rad Street Rod-based snow bikes for the X Games.

What do you get when you cross a Street Rod 750, a snow track kit, and the know-how of a couple of ace fabricators? Well, you get a pair of killer Street Rod-based snow bikes like these two beauties right here. Now, I hear you. I hear you asking, “But Jason, why?” The short answer is, “Why not?” The long answer is that the X-Games are coming up and Harley wants to go play in the snow with the cool kids.

A week or so ago, we told you about Harley’s new Snow Hill Climb event at the 2018 X Games out in Aspen, CO. Apparently that wasn’t the only thing The Motor Company had up its sleeve for the event, as I found out earlier this week when I got to talk with Scott Beck, Harley-Davidson’s director of marketing. Along with the customized Sportsters taking part in the hill climb, Harley hired known hooligans and all-around cool guys Aaron and Shaun Guardado from Suicide Machine Company to build the Street Rod Snow Bikes to haul athletes around between events. That’s… that’s pretty rad, Harley.

One of the first things I asked Beck was, “Why the X Games?” I’ll be honest, when I think Harleys I think more about lonesome highways and open roads rather than, say, snowboarding and energy drinks. Beck told me that the hill climb event and the snow bikes are all part of Harley’s efforts to attract more people to motorcycling via the power of awesomeness.

“For 115 years H-D riders from all walks of life have expressed their freedom from the seat of America’s favorite motorcycle, so it’s natural for us to continue to blaze trails – this time off the road and in the snow,” Beck told me. “We’ve raced the ice and climbed virtually every kind of hill, and the Harley-Davidson Snow Hill Climb is another way for us to grow the sport of motorcycling. We know our riders, and X Games fans and athletes alike share a passion for adrenaline and speed.”

That’s great and all, but what you guys really want to know about is the bikes themselves, right? Lucky for you I also talked to Aaron Guardado of Suicide Machine about the build to find out how these things were built and what makes them tick.

The bikes started off as bone stock XG750 Street Rods, which the brothers received from Harley just before Christmas. That kicked off a frantic search for track conversion kits, a search complicated by the fact that these things are so popular that they’re sold out just about everywhere and Christmas was in a few days. After a flurry of phone calls, they finally tracked down two Camso DTS-129 kits at a dealership in Salt Lake City, Utah, on December 23. The track conversion kits arrived at Suicide Machine’s Long Beach shop on Christmas Eve, delivered by the SLC dealer himself in his wife’s Jeep, but that was just the beginning.

If you don’t know – and I didn’t know until Aaron told me – track conversion kits like the Camso units are built specifically for dirt bikes, not street bikes. This meant that both the bike and the track unit itself would have to be modified to make the project work. The guys started by removing the Street Rods’ swingarm, rear tire, and shocks. They then fabricated a pair of struts with quick-release hardware to connect the track unit to the bikes themselves. This was complicated by the fact that the track unit was just a hair narrower than the bike, which threw off the chain allignment. With the help of a machinist friend, the Guardados built a handful of spacers and other adapters to get the drive chain aligned with the bike’s primary drive. Thankfully, since the track has its own integral suspension, they didn’t have to deal with finding a way to spring it as well as mount it.

Up front, they removed the front wheel and fender to mount the conversion kit’s ski. Using the stock Street Rod axle, forks, and triple trees and some custom machined spacers, they were able to mount the ski with much less drama than the track. It still wasn’t quite right though. See, the skis only come in white, which just wasn’t going to cut it. Since, as we all know, black is the coolest color, the guys had the skis ceracoated black. This improved not only their aesthetics, but added an additional layer of protection to keep the skis safe from any debris or obstacles lurking in the snow.

On the performance side, the Guardados chose to give the bikes a light tune and fancy-pants new clutches. Each one got a Screamin’ Eagle pro street tuner, Screamin’ Eagle intake, and Screamin’ Eagle exhaust. The latter needed a bit of fiddling to get it to fit since the stock mounts were removed when the track was installed. To improve power delivery and make these frankenbikes easier to manage, the brothers switched out the stock clutches for Radius X auto-clutches from Rekluse. These things consist of an auto-clutch assembly and a custom clutch pack and allow a rider to start, stop, and shift without ever touching the clutch lever. Aaron told me that the Rekluse clutches make the Street Rods respond to throttle input more like something with a CV transmission than a standard gearbox, therefore making them easier to control in the snow.

Once all the machining and fiddling and finessing was done, it was time for the Guardados to test their new creations. Sadly, there was no snow because, you know, California, so the bikes were just fired up on the bench and tested in the shop. Everything looked okay, so the bikes were loaded up and shipped out to Aspen for their shakedowns. Once the bikes were in the snow, they really showed off their potential. The Street Rods proved surprisingly well suited for the snow bike conversion, and with the engine tune and Rekluse clutch they powered through the drifts like they were built for it. At one point during all the screwing around in the snow serious testing, Olympic snowboarder Ben Ferguson showed up with fellow snowboarder Jack Mitrani. After oohing and aahing over the bikes for a bit, they snagged one and started towing each other through the snow while kicking up serious rooster tails. This was, without a doubt, the perfect way to test them.

During our conversation, Aaron told me that despite the stresses of building these bikes over the holidays with such a tight deadline, that he was really proud of how they came out. He felt that the project stretched the boundaries of not just the brothers’ skills as builders and fabricators, but the capabilities of the Street Rod as well.

I gotta say, these snow bikes are extremely rad. They’re such a departure from the usual Harley-based customs, and they really show off the versatility of the Street Rod platform. I mean, who ever would have thought making a Street Rod into a snow bike? If you’re going to be in Aspen this weekend, or are just enjoying the X Games from the comfort of your warm living room, keep an eye out for them zipping around the event grounds.

Jan 26

See Harley-Davidson’s XG750R Flat Tracker Bikes At Events in 2017

By General Posts

The liquid-cooled Harley-Davidson XG750R motorcycle will be the only bike raced by the Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Racing Team in 2017. The new flat-tracker will replace the Harley-Davidson XR750.
The Harley-Davidson Factory Team will contest the 2017 American Flat Track (ATF) racing series and ESPN’s X Games Minneapolis Harley-Davidson Flat Track Racing event exclusively aboard the XG750R bikes. The racing season opens during Daytona Bike Week at the March 16 ATF Daytona TT on a new circuit featuring a jump to be constructed inside Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

“There is extraordinary energy building behind the new American Flat Track series and after decades of XR750 dominance, it’s time to bring a new level of performance and technology to the track with the Harley-Davidson XG750R,” said Harley-Davidson Vice President and Managing Director U.S. Mike Kennedy. “The new Daytona TT promises to be a thrilling event. If you are in Daytona for Bike Week, ride to the race and help the Factory Team kick off an exciting season.”

With a custom chassis purpose-built for flat track racing, the XG750R flat tracker is powered by a race-modified, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected 750cc Revolution X™ V-Twin engine.

“Unlike our competitors, we are going flat track racing behind an American-made production engine,” said Kennedy. “The XG750R is a purebred racing motorcycle, but its modified engine is based on the same Revolution X V-Twin anyone can buy from a Harley-Davidson dealer in a Street 750 motorcycle, an engine designed by Harley-Davidson engineers and assembled at Harley-Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations in Kansas City. There’s a direct link from the Street 750 to the XG750R flat tracker the Factory Team will be racing for a championship, and that link is our passion for performance.”

The XG750R raced through a development season in 2016 alongside the air-cooled Harley-Davidson Factory Team XR750 motorcycles. The XR750 has carried racers to countless victories and 37 AMA Grand National championships in 44 seasons of competition. That winning DNA is the foundation of the XG750R, an evolutionary step into the future of flat-track racing. Its race-tuned Revolution X engine and racing chassis were developed in collaboration with Vance & Hines Motorsports. The XG750R flat tracker motorcycle is not a production model. The 750cc XG Revolution X V-Twin engine is for sale through Harley-Davidson dealers today and can be modified for racing use by aspiring dealers and privateers.

The 2017 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team will be revealed during live ABC network coverage of ESPN’s X Games Aspen on Saturday, January 28 at 2:44 p.m. ET.