X Games gold medalist Chuck Carothers plans to flip a Harley Davidson this weekend at the Gladiator Games in Prague, Czech Rebublic.
November 23, 2009, 9:52 PM
By: Ryan Leyba
Last week I hit up Chuck Carothers on Instant Messenger to see what was poppin'. As usual, he informed me that he was working on something big and proceeded to ask me if I can keep a secret. What am I supposed to say to a question like that? "Of course I can keep a secret Chuck!" He then sent me a photo of a Harley Davidson. I just figured it was his new Sunday cruiser. Then he sent me a photo of him flipping it into a foam pit and to top it off, he then sent me a low-resolution cell phone video of it, which was absolutely mind-boggling.
What would possess Chuck to do such a thing is beyond me, but it's going down this weekend at the Gladiator Games in Czech Republic and I'll be in attendance to witness it with my own eyes. Since Chuck is currently in Prague working out the final bugs, I caught up with him via IM to find out more about the — do I dare say — "insane stunt?"
ESPN/Shazam
Chuck's no stranger when it comes to successfully stomping a far-fetched trick fantasy.
OK, so tell me where the hell the idea of flipping a Harley Davidson came from.
Event promoter Marek Rejman just hit me up on Instant Messenger one day and asked if I wanted to flip a Harley. He then told me if I accepted, I would be jumping the Harley XR1200 for the finale of his 10th anniversary of the Gladiator Games.
Is there any specific reason why he asked you to flip a Harley?
Well, he always tries to have something new at his show, and this is what he thought of.
What was your reaction when you got the offer?
It sounded exciting! I was excited! After seeing the bike online I told him that I wanted to feel one out before I committed. I went to the local Harley shop and was standing on the same model bike in the middle of the showroom. I was going through all the motions of a what a flip with my body. I'm sure people were looking at me funny, but I got off it and felt I could do it.
fmxgladiatorgames.com
Chuck pulls the Harley Davidson around at Petr Pilat's foam pit in Prague. It's a small photo, but it's the only proof we could find.
So, obviously you think it's possible?
It is possible and I will do it. Getting the rotation is hard on a 580 pound bike, but landing it with the 4-inch suspension will be the hardest part.
I was going to ask you about that. So this is the same bike that someone could go buy at a Harley shop, right? It's not crazy modified?
Yeah, it's the same bike. They made a skid plate for it and stiffened up the suspension, but otherwise it's right off the showroom floor.
How has your preparation has been going in Prague?
I've had four days in the foam pit so far. The first straight jump was the scariest though, because I didn't know what to expect. After three straight jumps I went for the flip, but I pulled too early and my hand came off the handlebars. I just peeled away from the bike and did what you are NOT supposed to do. I landed in the pit without the bike and it seemed like forever before the bike finally hit, and lucky it landed next to me. I then had four more jumps with my hand coming off, but I would get it back on and rotate. The next day I finally got my timing right and started sticking it.
How far are you jumping?
I am going 34 to 35-feet off a super kicker ramp that is jacked up four inches.
And so this will be the final jump of the show right?
Yeah. The hardest part will be my timing since I won't have any warm up jumps before flipping for the show.
Chuck Carothers
This is the exact bike that Chuck will be flipping this weekend at the Gladiator Games in Prague. Sooooooo gnarly!
Holy crap man. So you're going straight from the foam pit to the dirt in front of a sold out arena?
That's where all the fun is!
Are you begining to question your sanity?
No way. I finally get to do something that will give me that adrenaline I'm always looking for.
Well, good luck man, I can't wait to see it. I hope you're getting paid well! That's going to be one hell of an after party after you nail it!
The party will be good! For those of you not able to make the show, you can watch it live on freecaster.tv.
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Contributors
Ryan Leyba
Leyba is a bitter, retired FMX rider who likes to sit in his cubicle and call the professionals of the sport wussies for not pulling 360s and double backflips. He claims he quit riding FMX before flips were even invented ... yeah, right.
Cliff Talley
Making FMX videos exciting is easy. Making them look good is not. Cliff Talley does both of these well and still manages to find enough time to piss off his neighbors with his Travis Barker-esque drum skills.
Chris Tedesco
You've seen his photos on the covers of Transworld, Racer X and more. You've also seen his tequila shooting skills at your local dive bar. Ladies, Chris is single and looking to mingle.
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FMX in Australia wouldn't exist if it weren't for Goba. Well, maybe it would, but it wouldn't be nearly as cool. I don't know why, but we can't quit calling him gobalobadingdong — it just rolls off the tongue.
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Tes is the dude who's always involved in everything that's going on in FMX. How he does it, we don't know, but that's the reason we hired him to share his plethora of FMX wisdom in the form of a monthly column.
