Got Backflip?
06.10.02
by: Alex Thompson
EXPN.com
Editor's Note: At the time of posting, our definition of a motocross bike was a 125cc or larger bike. Not to be overlooked however is all around stunt-bike madman Bob Kohl. He has landed the backflip countless times, on an 80cc bike. Caleb is the first person to complete the flip on a 125cc or larger bike, the minimum standard for Moto X riders in competition today. The video of Caleb shown here has him flipping a 250cc dirtbike. EXPN would like to congratulate both men for this amazing feat.
A year ago I traveled in a motor home on Mark Burnett's demo tour with a half dozen or so top moto riders, including a quiet and intense young man, Caleb Wyatt. While quite a bit of raucous stuff would go on around him, in the motor home Caleb would sit with his headphones on, apart, silently squeezing on a pair of muscle grips, focused and staring at whatever happened to be in front of him. It was clear that Caleb had something on his mind that was consuming his thoughts. After each practice or show, he would burst into the air-conditioned motor home, throw his helmet down and say, "I know I can do it better. I KNOW I CAN DO IT BETTER!" Regardless of how well Caleb executed a trick, he was determined to improve, never satisfied.
In May, that determination gave Caleb a permanent place in the history of freestyle motocross as the first rider to ever complete a backflip on a dirt bike and successfully ride away. To get the whole story, I caught up with Caleb at Glamis, CA, where he and a team of Moto-X's top riders were filming for "ESPN Moto-X Championships: The Road to the X Games" for ESPN, which will be the debut of Caleb's historic feat. You can catch it on Wednesday, 6/12 at 6:30 and 9:30 AM East Coast, and 6:30 AM West Coast, with a prime time re-air on Sunday, 6/23 at 9 PM West Coast, Midnight East Coast.
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| If at first you don't succeed, and your bike doesn't crush you, try, try again. |
With a chance to compete in this Summer's X Games, all eyes will be on Caleb, who is claiming to make the backflip part of a normal Moto-X Freestyle run. Despite all of the fanfare though, Caleb wants to be known as more than "the backflip guy".
Much like today, you have been competing over the last year with the top guys in the sport. What were your goals this year?
My goal was to survive and find a way to make a name for myself and support my family. I had one big goal in mind, as you know, but most people don't realize how tough this sport is. Yes, some guys are doing well financially, but outside of the big names, there's a lot of guys like myself who make just enough from the contests and demos to maintain our bikes and get to the next show. I usually finish in the top ten when I compete and it keeps me going, and while it's tough, it's still way better than racing. Freestyle is so different than racing. You don't have to pay to get into a comp, and you're not lost in a pack of 15 guys - you do your run or your trick, and all eyes are just on you. What motivates me the most are the fans though - they really support you and it motivates me to really try and do well.
The backflip has been on your mind a long time; aside from the personal challenge were you mostly motivated by the fact that it hadn't been done yet?
Actually, when I first started riding a dirt bike I thought of the backflip. When I tell people that I jump a motorcycle for a living, lots of people think of Evel Knevel. The minute I rode a dirt bike I knew someday someone would do a backflip. It was just a natural thought for me. I never thought, "someday someone will do an Indian Air" or "someone will do a Stalefish Saranwrap". The backflip was always in my head, and I am sure it has been in other people's heads too. You look at other sports, like BMX especially, and the backflip seems inevitable.
You didn't just go huck this, you have constructed this in your mind for a long time. You tried it first for Tommy Clowers first video. How did all of this progress?
Since the day I first jumped a bike I have thought about it. When we went out to film for Tommy's video, I just knew I could do it. To me it was all in the takeoff. I really felt that was the key, and I spent a lot of time focusing on what the right set up for the take off should be. We set up a soft landing, and that day was not so much about me pulling the backflip as it was figuring out what would work right. To me it was like a bmx'er jumping into a foam pit. When I decided I could do it, I waited for the right conditions to come together. Weather was important, the takeoff, prepping my bike. There is no way that you just go out and do a back flip. Just like you don't do any other kind of jump unless the ramp and the landing are safe. When I had it all dialed, it took 5 or 6 tries, but I got it. Just like any other trick.
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| Alex, collecting all the important info. |
I saw a quote from Carey Hart about when he went for the backflip at gravity. He said, "There is no "me being a tough guy" about this, I was scared". Were you scared?
No. I spent all my time deliberating on how to do this right, and how to do it consistently. When I looked at the take off that day I was pumped. I knew I could do it. It is more important to me to make sure things are right. I don't want to get injured.
So you want this to be a staple trick you can pull in competition?
Yeah. That is the goal. I am very conscious of the whole "one hit wonder" label and I think it can be done on a regular basis. Tricks are introduced and they evolve, and this is just part of the evolution. The thing about the backflip is that the take off has to be just right and I don't think people had it dialed right. Now that we know what it is, just like every other trick it is a matter of practice. I want to compete and win contests. It is going to be part of my run and part of other people's runs that choose to do it, and part of freestyle. The challenge of it has made it a stand-alone thing, but I know now how to make it part of a run and that is what I intend to do. It might take a while to catch on, but there are riders out there like Nate Adams who see a trick and then they go out and just bust it. It will get there.
I was respectful of the backflip. You can't go in being scared. I would never do something I didn't think I could do.
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| It's a lot easier to laugh after landing the flip...cause there aren't a lot of people laughing in the hospital. |
If you could have three things be the result of all this attention from finally being the guy to do the backflips, what would they be?
Well, I see what happened to Carey's career, and I respect him so much for what he has achieved and I hope I go down a similar path. Specifically, I want to be able to do the backflip in competition, to do well at the X Games and go into 2003 in a good spot to compete and win, hopefully.
So let's talk about judging. Aside from big air, is a backflip something that would push an "ok" run in a timed freestyle contest into a contest-winning run?
Well, I think it is special for sure, but we'll see. My goal was to pull the flip and ride away and I did it. My next goal is to make it part of regular competition, and I guess we'll have to wait until the X Games to see if that will happen. I'm confident though. I know I can do it.
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