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Practice Area Burns to Ground
The Foam Pit at Full Blaze A Burnt up Honda CRF250
Up until last week, plans were going so well for the Bolddog Lings FMX Team. With better weather now across the region, it saw the team out regularly practicing and preparing for a busy year of competitions and shows.
Then disaster struck… The team’s foam landing practice area went up in flames, taking with it thousands of pounds worth of gymnastic foam and a brand new motorcycle. It was unknown how the fire started, however no one was injured.
The team normally use the large foam landing, shaped into the form of a motorcycle ramp, to practice there jumps including back flips. When the tricks are perfected in the foam, the team then perform their stunts on the solid ground and metal ramps.
The Bolddog Lings Team has been performing at competitions and shows since 1995 and normally performs at around 50 events each year. Last year, the team, all from the local area including Dan Whitby and Samson Eaton from Harleston, all had rostrum finishes at UK National Freestyle motocross competitions.
Dan Whitby, rider and manager’s latest trick is the back flip, a trick that has recently taken the World by storm by motorcycle stars such as Travis Pastrana. Dan said “The flip is a trick that we were watching only the world’s best perform only 2 years ago, and never thought possible for our team to perform. But then we invested our time and money into the foam training area and before I new it, I was in front of thousands of people performing the trick myself!”
A freestyle motocross trick normally involves a rider throwing himself off the back of a motorcycle whilst 30 ft in the air, it has often been described as gymnastics on a motorcycle.
As well as national events, the team also perform their shows locally. In the past they have been regulars at the Eye Show, and more recently at the Norfolk Show, where they will be again this year in June.
The team are supported by local motorcycle and car dealers Lings, that have backed the team with all their equipment from bikes to generators since the team started over 17 years ago. Andy, the director of Bolddog said, “It’s a great relationship we have with Lings, sponsorship is a two way thing, and we appreciate without Ling’s support we would not be able to run the team.”
The Bolddog Lings Team is made up of local riders in addition to Dan including Samson Eaton from Needham and Arran Powley from Dereham
Bolddog & Lings Sign up new Streetbike Stunter
Street bike stunting, is a sport that you would normally see in the camping areas at the big motorcycle races across the country. However, the sport has been more recently converted into a very competitive UK series that requires phenomenal balance and hours of practice each week.
Local rider, Paul Hanks, 30 years old, is an air con engineer from Brandon, and has taken to this new sport like duck to water. He was originally a professional mountain bicycle rider from 1996 to 1998, riding for Great Britain in the European and World Championships. However his bicycle carrier came to an abrupt end when he went onto break his back in a bicycle crash.
Consequently, Paul then moved from pedals to motors and has been competing as a street bike rider over the last 2 years. He has already picked up national honours in the UK including winning the 2008 and 2009 UK Stunt Championships which was held over 4 rounds over the UK. Paul has made appearances on the TV including Sky Sports and a recent BBC Promo Shoot for London Excel Bike Show.
After seeing Paul out on his road motorcycle practicing at a local disused airfield. Local Companies, Bolddog and Lings Motorcycles were quick to approach Paul for a sponsorship deal for 2010.
Andy Godbold, the Director of Bolddog Ltd said “We already have the best freestyle motocross stunt riders riding for us this year, and after seeing Paul on his road bike, we new we needed to get him also under our banner.” Chris Jary from Lings, who are the Bolddog Team’s main sponsor was equally impressed, consequently the following week, Paul was invited to the Lings Triumph showroom to meet everyone at Lings and to have a closer look at the triumph road bikes. Lings were keen to get Paul on one of the new Triumphs, but it had to be the right bike for the job. After a few test rides, in soon became apparent that both the Triumph speed triple and the street triple were the bikes that could do the job.
Only 3 weeks ago Paul picked up his bikes from Lings, and has been working every minute of his spare time to prepare the bikes for trick riding. Modifications have included molding the petrol tank so he can sit on it while perched over the handle bars! There have also been modifications to the gearing and electrics so that the bike continues to run when the bike is wheelied in a 12 o’clock vertical position. Already Paul has been out on the bikes, and already he is seeing the benefits of the new Triumph bikes, doing new tricks that seam to defy all laws of balance.
Paul has also been working with the Bolddog Lings Team to choreograph a routine to work in with the Bolddog FMX riders. Paul’s first show with the team will be at the Isle of Mann TT.
Ryan Powley joins Bolddog Moto Division.
Arran Powleys little Brother Ryan has been shredding the schoolboy motocross ranks and has now made the jump onto the adult bike. Ryan will be riding a Bolddog Lings DP Services Honda this season competing in the Eastern Centre Championship.
We'll keep you posted on Ryan's race progress and as he tries his hand at freestyle.
Little P onboard his new Lings Honda CRF250.
Ron P's new superflip levers.
Arran Powley and his father have been busy in the workshop constructing some "Jeremy Lusk" style superflip levers. Now Arran has perfected the skill of the backflip he now looks forward to experimenting in the foam pit with his new levers.
Arran Powley video on youtube.
The latest video feature from the Bolddog Teams very own Arran Powley.
"My Name is Ron......and I like to Party" Check Arran out busting a move on and off the bike!
Click here to link to the YouTube video
Dan Counts on the CRF450 to be the way forward.
Bolddog rider Dan Whitby was the first UK FMX rider to make the jump over from the 2 stroke to four stroke machine for freestyle. Dan now faces the new challenge of making the transition from the 250F over to the heavier 450F. We'll keep you posted on Dan's progress.
Dan Whitby's Lings Honda CRF450
First Practice session went well!
Arran Powley sucessfully completes his first flip in the Foam Pit.
Heart Throb Hero and super stylie disco dancer Arran Powley successfully completed his first back flip aboard his new 2010 Lings Honda CRF250 yesterday. The cold weather wasn't enough for the youngster so he picked a day where wind and rain would be of plenty! Well done to Arran!
Keep an eye on the news page for Arran's progression with his quest to flip dirt!
New 2010 LINGS Honda CRF250's with the Bolddog twist.
Here's a couple of pic's of the new 2010 Lings Honda CRF250's all prepared for the Dan and Arran as they ready themselves for the packed 2010 season.
left: Dan Whitby's machine. Right: the machine of Arran Powley.
The 2010 Honda's have already impressed Dan, Samson and Arran as they tested the bikes out in the tight arena at the NEC Motorcycle Show at the tail end of 2009.
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