Quad Freestyle

If you’re one of those cats who says, “I could easily jump that gap and do tricks,” you should probably think before you speak. Although I’ve never hit a ramp or tried freestyle (can you imagine?), I know it’s way harder than it looks. When the Moore brothers (Caleb and Colton) did a show at the 2006 WPSA Championship in Pennsylvania, I was one of the lucky guys who got to watch while standing right next to their ramps. The distance from ramp-to-ramp was scary enough, but by adding in the angle of the huge takeoff ramp and the steep, short landing ramp (with little room for error) made it 10 times worse. Jumping a gap is one thing (in itself not easy), but pulling tricks and flipping while hitting the ramp pinned is a entirely different story.

When I hear guys like Derek Guetter – who is currently on tour with the Nuclear Cowboyz 15-City tour – say, “I still get nervous every time I have a show,” I know this niche of the sport quad world is for the special few (some might say crazy or insane). But then again, for those riders who can pull of these tricks, people will always pay money to watch. I also know it was an opportunity of a lifetime for Guetter, whose brother Jon Guetter was the first freestyle rider to ever back flip a quad and now flips at Monster Jam events.

I’m writing this because two of the industry’s better ATV freestyle riders in Guetter and Caleb Moore (of 2010 Winter X fame) recently hurt themselves attempting tricks. Guetter under rotated a flip and severely crushed an ankle (which required surgery) and Moore also hurt his ankle attempting another trick. I just hung out with Guetter for five days and he shared some of his freestyle experiences with me. Needless to say, I’m surprised something like this didn’t happen sooner. It almost did in Indianapolis – see the video here. And we all saw Moore’s crashes at Winter X Games. These two professional freestyle riders prove that this sport is dangerous despite its entertaining aspects and extreme-sport status. However, I’m glad both riders are OK and I hope they have a speedy recovery, return to the ramps and keep entertaining us for years to come. And, at the very least, share their skills and experiences with up-and-coming freestyle stars.

If you want to grow up to be like one of these riders, you must first know how to ride, control your machine, and practice more than you think is necessary. You’re going to need a foam pit, freestyle ramp and nerves of steel. Oh, a lot of luck and a whole lot of skill are also a necessity. Remember, start small and improve the distance and level of difficulty when your experience and skills improve.

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