Video: Mountain Bikers Do Moto in 'Liftoff'

Jun 3, 2020
by Rooted MTB  

Normally during this time of year we are wrapped up racing our downhill bikes while the dirtbikes collect dust in the shed. But with all this newfound free time, we finally had time to put together our "mountain biker made moto film" that we shot back in the fall when the desert was a little cooler and the world was a little less on fire.

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Directed by: Wiley Kaupas
Filmed by: Wiley Kaupas, Kasen Schamaun, Lear Miller
Photography: Lear Miller
Edit: Wiley Kaupas

Riders: Harrison Ory, and Austin Hackett-Klaube

Supported by: META and Specialized

Posted In:
eMTB Videos Motorcycles


Author Info:
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Member since Feb 28, 2018
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74 Comments
  • 58 18
 Where's the moto-content filter? Bring back the pedal bikes. I did like when he jumped over the moon, though.
  • 43 0
 It’s integrated into your mouse cursor Kaz.
  • 25 1
 @brianpark, my mouse is out of batteries.
  • 23 40
flag slayerdegnar (Jun 3, 2020 at 12:01) (Below Threshold)
 All i see is a bunch of lazy ass people doing reckless stuff out in the middle of nowwhere. Pedal a single speed, rigid bike like a real man....
  • 12 1
 @slayerdegnar: that looks like fun, so ,hopefully it will be illegal soon.
  • 8 2
 @unrooted: its called obvious sarcasim folks.
  • 3 0
 @slayerdegnar: super obvious in a text with zero tone of voice. Nailed it
  • 37 3
 You can get 2 motocross for the price of one ebike! Ride all day, more power, no limits!
  • 3 19
flag DoubleCrownAddict (Jun 3, 2020 at 13:05) (Below Threshold)
 But not as much fun to ride downhill and if you have extra batteries you can ride an e bike all day.
  • 5 0
 A new stock CRF450R is $9,000...
  • 32 1
 Ok that was actually very cool. Where are the MTB videos with a synthwave soundtrack?
  • 3 1
 People would bitch about the slomo if it were mtb
  • 3 0
 @me2menow: i wanted to see more full pin
  • 28 1
 That drop was monsterous.
  • 15 0
 In terms of skills involved and riding techniques. Moto and MTB are extremely similar in many ways. A lot of mountain bikers whom have never ridden a modern dirt bike would be blown away at how quickly and easy it is to adapt or even go back and forth. Both are vastly rewarding in their own and overlapping ways, and riding one makes you better on the other. I've been riding both obsessively for the last 15+ years and often have a hard time deciding which activity to do some days.
  • 3 0
 I would own one today if I had a place to store it and work on it. City living makes moto a tough pasttime. Frown
  • 3 0
 My brother in law started riding dirt bikes and told me I should get one. I thought they were lame and for sissies who couldn't pedal up a hill, you know like ebikes (I kid, I kid). Then I rode one. The skills are very transferable and you learn about this whole new thing called a throttle that can control so many positions on the x,y, and z axis. I love riding both and as you say @cthorpe they are both rewarding in their own ways. I am not sure though a MTB can ever give you same level of adrenaline rush as a dirt bike, the power felt when be rocketed into the air at 50mph off the face of the earth ecstatic.
  • 3 0
 I spent my whole life motocrossing. Now I mountain bike. The downhill translates beautifully. The climbing.... is a bit harder on a mountain bike Smile
  • 16 1
 Very nice, seriously top quality film making... It worked too, I think I need go for a ride after work.
  • 14 1
 Man, what a palette cleanser. Incredible video and aesthetic. More of this!
  • 13 2
 Is this where the Ebike story finally ends on Pinkbike?
  • 7 0
 that was Cainville UT (swingarm city). Just got back from there to moto there and mt bike Moab. Epic location.
I highly highly highly suggest all you mt bikers with out a motocross bike to make a motocross bike happen in your life.
Do it while your young(er) !! Moto aint easy.....the pre ride prep, maintence and post ride prep is astronomical in time and energy compared to mt biking.....but.....totally worth it!!! Moto and mt biking do compliment each other although the adrenaline rush you get from moto (either open riding trails or motocross) is 100 times greater than anything mt biking can provide - incuding full on downhill mt biking. Again....I deplore you....if you dont have a motocross bike.....do it now!! Despite the cost and time (and space as you need space and lots of tools) commitment, you will not regret it; once you have the bike....race it. just do it. go race motocross. there is NOTHING like it.
  • 2 0
 So many memories of my dad cleaning air filters
  • 1 0
 you're totally right, especially concerning the time needed for prepping but don't forget getting to tracks. I leave home at 7am and return at 2pm to have actually ridden 1.5h
  • 1 0
 @vhdh666: Where are you riding? I'm living in CH and want to get into MX.
  • 1 0
 @iadam: you can find some tracks here
mxbrothers.com/mx-tracks

I ride in Schlatt TG, Beggingen SH, Bernhardszell SG
  • 1 0
 One thing I would add is you don't need a 9k brand new dirt bike. Actually I would highly recommend against it. Get a well maintained YZ250 or even better if you don't weigh 100kg, a YZ125 for learning on. Typically only will cost you about 2-3k, and if in a year you want something else or broke your body in 15 different places and want out you can sell it for the same as you paid for it. Buying a fire breathing dragon that weighs a lot is just going to make your learning curve look like a wall. It is like telling a new biker to get a SC V10 and head out to RedBull Rampage. Get a lightweight low powered bike with good suspension. Suspension on a dirt bike is key.
  • 1 0
 Best place ever! Even fun on an MTB, just a little bit more of a pain to get onto the ridges..
  • 9 0
 LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT ARE YOU TELLIN ME ITS POSSIBLE TO HAVE FUN GOING UPHILL TOO?
  • 1 0
 Bikes are fun going downhill, but dirt bikes are fun going up. -my 10 year old daughter
  • 1 0
 @Iberian: So accurate!
  • 8 0
 So good, need more Wiley Kaupas videos in my life.
  • 9 2
 Get over it. That was rad.
  • 3 15
flag DoubleCrownAddict (Jun 3, 2020 at 13:07) (Below Threshold)
 Almost as rad as a sick e-bike shreddit.
  • 3 0
 That was seriously beautiful! That slow-mo floating air and synthwave music, great stuff! Felt like they were floating in low gravity. That last moon shot was great.
  • 3 0
 Wow, that was amazing on so many levels; music, film-work, artistic vision, sound editing, riding! Thank you to the people who brought this to me today.
  • 4 0
 OMG this drop at 3.25 is INSANELY BEAUTIFUL. Guys...YOU ROCK
  • 1 0
 Best part of the video. Landing a moto on that steep of a landing seems like it would be much harder than on a MTB.
  • 2 0
 @Tallboy97: Big landings on MX bikes are actually easier imo- more suspension travel, more stable in the air.
  • 1 0
 @roma258: I'm guessing he meant engine braking effects and wheel inertia making it the bike slow you on landing rather than a free coasting mtb. I'm thinking these guys are skilled enough on a moto to throttle to the right speed just before landing so they land smooth. Speed match if you will. But I'm a joey on a moto, so I could be wrong.
  • 2 0
 @roma258: You can't get your weight back quite as easy on a moto because of the longer seat and the fender like you can on a mountain bike. Also they are a little more front heavy. It is more of the angle of the landing than the size that I would think makes it harder. But yeah, they definitely have far more skills than I do. haha
  • 2 0
 @Tallboy97: Big time skills and cojones, no doubt about that.
  • 1 0
 Wouldn't you just pull the clutch in as you landed? Never rode a mx bike.
  • 2 0
 @Tallboy97: It is way easier to hit that drop on a moto. First off your tires are just plain bigger, kind of like fat bikes but to an even greater extent. Second your suspension is dampened by an extra 100+kg and you have at least 12 inches to work with. Third you have a throttle which you can use to adjust your position mid air to make sure you stick the landing.

Still that was a monster drop that 99% of riders aren't going to hit. That's like watching Cam Zink hit some jumps and thinking that is normal.
  • 1 0
 @pbuser2299: You wouldn't have to, that dirt is so soft it will pull/slide the tire and you won't even notice. Plus the tire is still spinning from either the take off or from you blipping the throttle mid air unless you had to hit your rear brake to help adjust your mid air position.
  • 4 0
 @pbuser2299: Ideally you want to land on the throttle. Pulling the clutch might work but the weight of the bike and the soft dirt really makes you want some extra forward momentum when landing. We were hitting the drop in second gear, and shifting to third in the air so you don't land with a ton of engine braking.
  • 4 0
 @Tallboy97: I don't think its too much worse. The first time it was a little scary because we actually didn't lean forward enough. The big bike was a little in the way of the vision and it felt pretty blind, but once we remembered to give a little lean forward it off the lip it was a lot nicer.
  • 1 0
 @rootedmtb: It was damn impressive!
  • 2 0
 Mesmerizing!
From the shots, the lighting (looks like one long golden hour), even down to the color grading. Beautifully done and edited!
  • 3 0
 That was good. Really, really frickin good.
  • 5 3
 Riding starts at 1:21 if you're wondering. Cool landscape cinematography with bikes thrown in.
  • 2 0
 Wow, mountain bikers can ride more than just mountain bikes? Color me surprised.
  • 3 1
 That was gorgeous! Wish it was longer! Makes me want to go ride that place!
  • 2 0
 One of the best videos I've seen in awhile. Killed it with this Wiley and crew.
  • 2 0
 I took this videos virginity.
  • 2 0
 That was way cool. Definitely sharing!
  • 2 0
 some of those moves were BIG Porkchop!

P"
  • 1 0
 Very stylish. Would have preferred more than 20 seconds of realtime riding tho. Damn right I'm complaining about the slo mo.
  • 1 0
 Soooooo are e bikes ok now? Asking for a friend.
  • 2 0
 So good Wiley!
  • 2 0
 so sick!!!
  • 1 0
 This made me happy. More dopamine please!
  • 1 0
 Anything pneumatic tires is cheating.
  • 1 0
 One of the best edit I’ve seen this year. Loved it!
  • 1 0
 So it is possible too fly...
  • 1 0
 Dems my boys
  • 1 0
 That drop was huge
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