Monday, November 12

Mike Metzger - All Over the Map

By B.J. Smith

Mike Metzger is his own publicist. In the mid-90s, he was fighting for top 20 overalls in the MX Nationals, yet he made more magazine covers than any other rider. Since those experimental days, he's gone on to become the "Godfather of Freestyle," a road racer, family man, and now he's going to try Supercross again. When he showed up at Glen Helen to race the RM Cup, we had the chance to catch up on old times.

This is what we call a rare photo: Mike Metzger, jumping with hands on the bars, feet on the pegs. Look for Mike at the Anaheim Supercross round one.

MotoWorld.com: Mike, what are you doing here? I didn't see any ramps in the infield.

Mike Metzger: Yeah, well, yesterday I was hanging out and I heard there was a race going on and lately I've been missing racing. I just recently competed in the Gravity Games and X Games for freestyle and we've got quite a bit of time off before any qualifiers so I thought I'd come out, hang out with all the Suzuki guys and see what I can do. It's good fun out here, I'm glad to be back racing.

MW.com: Is it like riding a bicycle? Do you still have the skills?

MM: Yeah, I definitely feel like I still have the skills as far as being able to handle my machine, but as far as my physical conditioning, I've been a freestyler for a while now and I definitely don't have the top pro level body going on right now. I know what I have to work on and I definitely have a goal and that's to compete at the first Supercross at Anaheim on a 125cc. Like I said, I miss racing. I tried road racing earlier this year and it's just expensive. Even with my contracts and salaries from freestyle, I can't afford road racing. Racing's racing and I can't wait to start banging bars again.

MW.com: How did that whole road racing gig come about?

MM: I love racing and I love going fast. I always told my mom and dad that I wanted to street race and they thought I was crazy and never thought I would do it. Last year I ended up coming across a bike, stepped out to Willow Springs, did a few races, crashed, blew up a bike. I got a new Suzuki GSX-R 600cc, it's fast, I love it but it's just a budget thing. To step into a sport like that you have to pay your dues and I can't afford it right now.

MW.com: You're doing the RM Cup, why don't you just go do the Suzuki Cup too?

MM: Yeah, I'd love to do that. I'll just get a plane ticket and have a bike waiting for me out there. But I just bought a house, been married for a year and a half, had a kid finally. That was one of my goals in life-to be a dad. My daughter is five months old now. With all that, my budget isn't as big as it was five years ago so you want to help me out a little, get me a plane ticket and fly my bike out there for me?

MW.com: I'll see if management will clear that. So how is the married life, the family life?

MM: Everything I expected it to be. I love my wife, she's good, she puts up with my crap, she enjoys motocross, that's a bonus right there, plus she's beautiful and we had a beautiful baby.

MW.com: Does she wash your bike for you?

MM: No, but she washes the house. (laughs)

MW.com: What's your take on your freestyle year?

MM: I was fifth at the Gravity Games this year and unfortunately I didn't make the main event at X Games. I was the first guy to get cut. I was ninth, right on the bubble. I think I only got to practice freestyle before the X Games maybe a dozen times and that was due to breaking my back and both my heels at last year's Gravity Games on that little cliff jump that Carey Hart did the back flip off of. I kind of lost my mind, the crowd got me pumped, I landed a little too far and that was all she wrote. That put me out for a good eight months and I didn't really get the chance to go out and practice what I needed to go out and win the X Games and Gravity Games. This year the plan is to stay healthy and having a kid now forces me to think about the things I'm doing before I go out and hurt myself. I've grown up.

MW.com: Do you have anything left to prove in freestyle?

MM: I do. I want to go out there and have more fun than all those guys and that's what freestyle is all about - who can go out there, pull the biggest tricks and have the most fun. It's all about entertaining the crowd. Racing is the most physically demanding thing to do. Like this track, I couldn't believe how rough it was in practice. I had arm pump after only a few laps. It's awesome to be able to ride my bike no matter what it is, freestyle, motocross, road racing, I just enjoy it. So whether I get hurt, and in the past, I've gotten really hurt, broken backs, femurs, bones heal up and I just can't get away from the bike.

MW.com: So you don't really have a set schedule for next year? You're just going to do whatever comes your way?

MM: My set schedule is to start with Anaheim and see about the following weekend. I know I have the skills right now, it's just building the endurance and training.

MW.com: Well that's pretty big news. I know a lot of people used to look forward to watching you race because we never knew what you were going to pull.

MM: Thanks, I'm really looking forward to this. I miss racing, and with the freestyle schedule there are really only six events that I have to compete in so it's a pretty open schedule as far as freestyle goes. I quit drinking alcohol about a month ago. I don't know if you could consider me a freestyler if I don't party, right? I hang out, I'm a family man.