KTM’s Ryan DungeyWhen ESPY Awards (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) began in 1993, motorcycle competitors were way off the radar.This changed in 2007, when Travis Pastrana earned the ESPY Award in Action Sports, bringing motocross to the forefront of popular media through ESPY Awards host, ESPN. Pastrana’s double backflip at the 2006 X Games (height of the Nitro Circus DVD era) helped him win the award over two other nominees – Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart.
But Pastrana was the last motocross start to receive an ESPY award – until this year. At ESPY Awards 2015, two-time Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ryan Dungey received the top honors in the Best Male Action Sports Athlete, overtaking popular riders in disciplines such as skateboarding, BMW, snowboarding and surfing.The 25-year-old Minnesota native topped the Sport Athlete in the ESPY Awards 2015 as he is chasing his second Lucas Oil Pro Motocross title. After seven of 12 rounds, Dungey has a 44-point lead over the reigning MX Champion Ken Roczen.Dungey will also always be tied to KTM, accomplishing much history for the Austrian brand. Dungey, who joined KTM in 2012 following his first AMA Supercross title in 2010 with Suzuki, is now contracted to ride the Red Bull Factory KTM SX-F450 through 2017. Dungey gave KTM its first 450 Supercross win (Phoenix, 2012), its first 450 Motocross title (2012), and its first 450 Supercross title (2015).Following his top honors at ESPY Awards 2015, Dungey has once again showed that motocross is as mainstream as the other popular sport games.
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Motos and Friends; Ultimate Motorcycling’s weekly podcast. My name is Arthur Coldwells.
Our first segment introduces you to the new Arch 1s. This latest, slightly more sporting American V-twin, adds to the original KRGT1 coming from the boutique manufacturer based in Hawthorne, Southern California. Senior Editor Nic de Sena rode through Malibu with Gard Hollinger, who co-founded Arch Motorcycle with his friend, Keanu Reeves. The 1s is a unique ride for sure, and Nic explains what makes the bike really stand out.
For the entertaining story behind Arch Motorcycle from Gard Hollinger himself, you must listen to his podcast episode on Motos & Friends HERE
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The guest segment of Motos and Friends is brought to you by the faster and most technologically advanced, 2023 Suzuki Hayabusa—one of the most iconic sportbikes ever. Check it out in person at your local Suzuki dealer now, or visit suzukicycles.com to learn more.
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In our second segment, Associate Editor Teejay Adams chats with Thom Beers, the former Chairman & CEO of Fremantle Media North America, responsible for American Idol and America’s Got Talent. Thom’s astonishing resume as a Producer, Director, and actor, includes narrating many, many of the shows he’s created.
His fertile imagination led to most of the really big reality TV shows, and of course for us in the motorcycle world, you’ll be interested to hear the genesis and story behind his Jesse James show, ‘Monster Garage’, as well as the ‘Biker Build Off’ and ‘Zombie Choppers’ TV shows. Teejay’s chat with Thom gives us some amazing insight into other areas of Thom’s career, including ‘Deadliest Catch’ and others.
You’d imagine that most of Thom’s time is spent sitting behind a desk and on his phone. Not so. His intense stories of capturing much of the content for these shows make for some hair-raising listening. I for one, was fascinated; I hope you are too.
