FreestyleXtreme Team Spotlight: Bolddog

Things just seem to be going from strength to strength for Dan Whitby and Samson Eaton of Bolddog. Honda’s official display team and the UK’s number 1 motorcycle display team; they’ve been flying the flag for FMX in front of over half a million people this year. Add to that a tour with the Crusty Demons, a packed out booking schedule plus a list of sponsors as long as your arm and things look pretty sweet for the boys from Norfolk. We’ve supported Bolddog since 2006 and their rapid progress since then is pretty amazing. All the Bolddog riders have really stepped it up and earlier this year Dan Whitby became the first rider in Europe to backflip a 250 4-Stroke.

BoldDog History

In 1990 Lings Motorcycles sponsored two riders to race motocross at local Eastern Centre events, Andy Godbold and Richard Bunning.

In 1994, Andy and Richard along with Richard’s two Brothers, Phil and Mark were asked by Lings Motorcycles to put on a basic motocross demonstration. This was headed by Lings manager Paul Barkshire.

After further successful local shows, at the beginning of 1996, Lings and Andy teamed up to put on a more professional show. Lings gave Andy full sponsorship to perform at shows nation-wide. Andy Godbold, officially launched the Lings Honda Motocross Display Team, and started trading in January 1996. Lings supplied the team with 4 motocross bikes, 3 quads, a generator and kids Mini bike. The team has run on this basis up until now, booked every single weekend during the summer months.

At the beginning of 2002, the Lings Honda Team was in more demand than ever, but could see the need for change. With the introduction of freestyle motocross, which was rapidly becomming one of the most popular sports at the X Games, the team could see they needed to move in this direction and soon adapted their show to cater for this.

Consequently the new freestyle ramp was constructed and introduced into the show in July 2002 at the National Adventure Sports Show (NASS). The BoldDog ramp is the worlds most technically advanced mobile landing ramp and can be moved in and calibrated in 8 minutes.

Since these humble beginnings Bolddog have become one of Europes best FMX teams and a recent tour with the Crusty Demons has cemented their place in the FMX circuit. Here's a quick interview with two of the BD riders-

Dan Whitby

Nick name & age: Wilbe Oneday, 25

Sport: Pro Freestyle rider, team manager, MX, BMX, Mini bike

Career History: Started riding aged 5, started racing aged 12. Raced several Schoolboy and Eastern Centre Championships, winning my first in 1998. In 2002 I broke my neck. Late 2003 started riding again, 2004 won the adult N&SJMCC Championship. 2005 won the Eastern Centre MX2 Junior Championship Competed in the Western-super-Mare beach race 2005 NASS FMX competition 06 finished 3rd overall First English rider to complete a backflip on a 4 stroke. NASS FMX competition 07 finished 2nd overall NASS FMX competition 07 Winner of Best Trick (backflip). Now ride for Bolddog Lings Freestyle Team full time.

Sponsors: FreestyleXtreme, Bolddog, Lings Honda, Silkolene Oils, Dunlop Tyres, Shoei helmets, Ten-Eighty, RockStar, Osiris, Peter Henderson Sound Equipment, UK Fire.

Wheels: Honda CR250, CRF250, CRF450 , CRF50

Favourite Brand: Alpinestars

Best Moments: Getting back on a bike after breaking my neck in 2002.Pulling the Back Flip for the first time on the Honda CRF250.

Worst Moment: Seizing my bike 1 corner away from winning my first race.

Samson Eaton

Nickname & age: Sammy, 19

Sport: Pro Freestyle rider, MX, BMX

Career History: Started racing MX aged 12, Started FMX aged 15, Started FMX Professionally aged 16, 4th N.A.S.S 2006, 4th N.A.S.S 2007

Sponsors: FreestyleXtreme, Bolddog, Lings Honda, Silkolene Oils, Dunlop Tyres, Shoei helmets, Ten-Eighty, RockStar, Osiris, Peter Henderson Sound Equipment, UK Fire.

Wheels: Honda CRF250

Favourite Brand: Skin Industries

Best Moment: Riding with all the boys at NASS 2006

Worst Moment: Breaking my left leg at Margham Park last August

The Bolddog team are continually touring the country, check out BoldDog.com for a full list of bookings

The Weston Beach Race

Still fresh in our minds is the Weston Beach Race from a few weeks ago, which is one of the largest of its kind anywhere in the world. The race is renowned for being one of the worlds toughest two wheeled challenges and see's some of the best riders from accross the globe go head to head with over 1,000 club level and amateur riders.

The star studded pro line up included ten times world motocross champion Stefan Everts, MX2 World Champion Tyla Rattray, two times World Endurance Champion and Grand National Cross Country Champion, David Knight, MX1 Grand Prix racers Marc De Reuver, Tom Church, former World Endurance Champion Paul Edmondson and World Superbike rider Chris Walker.

Over 100,000 people hit Weston Supermare to watch the race and visit the dozens of trade stands along the promenade including our own 150 square metre marquee.

It's a unique experience, both for the competitors and spectators and this year three members of the FreestyleXtreme Team stepped up to the challenge yet again.

The Race

1. Scrutineering

Thousands of bikes are checked to make sure they meet the scrutineering standards to allow them to enter. Bikes that are unsafe or unfit to race are not allowed to race.

2. Race to the bike

Over 1,000 riders are given the green light to head to the start gate. The sooner you get to your bike; the sooner you get to the start gate!

3. Race to the start gate

Kick, shunt and shove! Riders try to get as close to the front as possible for a good start.

4. Pin it!

Over 1,000 dirtbikes scream down the straight at full speed. The noise is deafening, the sight is absolutely epic

5. The dunes

Queue at the dune. With 1,000 riders trying to get over a dune at the same time things can be pretty messy! Some riders really do come a cropper on the way down or need to be dragged out of the ruts by the stewards. This is especially true of the quads

They are MASSIVE! And if they look bug to us, imagine how they look to the schoolboy riders in the picture above

6. The test of endurance

As the race wears on the men are seperated from the boys. The ruts get deeper and the dunes collapse. This is what makes Weston one of the toughest races in motorsport


Team Riders

Garry Baker

Garry has been a member of the FreestyleXtreme Team for over two years now. He is the genuine article as far as hard working privateers go, working two jobs both night and day to fund his obsession. He fits the exact profile of a FreestyleXtreme Team member, hard working, dedicated, loves nothing more than riding and is a top bloke to boot. Alpinestars have really gotten behind Gary as well, sorting us out with full kits and boots.

We caught up with Gary after the race for a quick interview

Name and age?: Gary Baker 40 yrs old

Sport?: Enduro, Hare and Hounds

How long in the sport?: Been in the sport 25 years on and off with a 10yr break from 1993 to2003

How did you get into the sport?: I got into the sport after watching a schoolboy meeting at marshfield in my early teens

Favourite brand on FreestyleXtreme.com?: Skin hoodys

What made you want to ride in the Weston Beach Race?: Because its the biggest spectical and adrenaline rush in the off road calender

How did you get on?: Finished 81st

Were you happy with your result? I was disappointed. I wanted to finish inside the top 40

How did the race this year compare to previous years?: From previous years the race seemed much tougher with the conditions being dryer making the sand softer and more energy sapping or maybe my body was just trying to tell me something!

Will you enter again next year?: Cant wait to enter next year but ride a 450, 4 stroke if all goes to plan.

Garry is currently leading in the Hewitt 2008 National Cross Country Championship and (if all goes to plan!) will be riding in the British Enduro Championship (BEC) Expert Veterans class next season.


David Alexander and Tom Smith

We've been bumping into David and Tom for years at the trackside and when we heard they were entering the Weston Beach Race riding sidecar motocross we just had to get involved.

Name and age?: Dave Alexander and i am 24 years young

Sport?: Sidecar motocross

How long in the sport?: Only one year but been racing motocross for 20 years

How did you get into the sport?: A friend of mine (Steve Jones) is well into sidecar motocross and that is how it came about really, I had a go on his vintage wasp and it was mega, I wanted one..they are so much fun

Favourite brand on FreestyleXtreme.com?: I am really into Metal Mulisha stuff...Tom my sidecar team mate likes his Skin Ind

What made you want to ride in the Weston Beach Race?: Just always wanted to since I was 9...everything about it, the race, going out, sleeping in the van on the side of a random road, it's just the best time

How did you get on?: Well in a way really good...we were much faster than last year and made better use of the lines, on the first lap we could not stop, we had clutch problems and it was making it super hard work, we got the first lap out the way and headed for the pits so we could sort out the problem, we set off on lap 2 and we were on it, we had a really good flow going and were putting some really good moves on the composition. It was on the start of the 4th lap where the bike let go due to a jetting. But we know what's needs to be done now and we will see you out there in 09

Were you happy with your result? Not some much the result but more the way we rode, we have come on a long way since last year

How did the race this year compare to previous years?: Things were some what different this year, the track was way more fun what with all the woops out there. More sidecars out there so the racing was more fun and we knew how to ride it this year, we found this helps...haha. Last year we turned up had never been on it and raced....so it started off much better this year

Will you enter again next year?: Yes you will see Alexander and Smith out there for sure. We would like to say thanks to Jeff and all the people at FreestyleXtreme for all there help. Thanks Dave and Tom

David will be riding for Stomp Racing on their high spec 160cc pit bike next year

Travis Skydives without a Parachute !

Travis Pastrana's Double Backflip - Green Screen

The behind the scenes with the green screen used in the film “199 Lives”

Travis Pastrana's Double Backflip - Green Screen from Nitro Circus on Vimeo.