Video: Hitting Motocross Jumps With A Dirt Bike Tow In

Aug 30, 2023 at 9:07
by Caleb Ely  

Words: Caleb Ely

Had the opportunity to make a dream reality. I have always wanted to ride a moto ramp on a mtb and we finally did it. With the tow in help of Kelana Humphrey, we were able to setup and hit full size FMX jumps and quaterpipes with the tow-in speed from the dirt bike. This was somewhat of a test to see what is possible... I will just say, their is a lot more in the tank! Can’t wait to keep pushing this as the possibilities are endless. Thank you to everyone involved for making this happen!


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Member since Jul 7, 2015
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83 Comments
  • 107 37
 Deep down, Deep deep down we all secretly know that moto is cooler than mtb... its hard to admit, but its just the truth
  • 18 0
 i can freely admit that, but only cuz i also ride motos.
  • 29 1
 I used to ride moto back when life was easier, before a job, before family and limited amounts of spare time. It is cooler. Anyone who says otherwise has never tried riding moto.
  • 3 0
 @Muckal: or told a chick that they ride dirt bikes Smile
  • 55 6
 Hmm, maybe for a certain set. But I think plenty of us find the brap brap more than a bit annoying and prefer sending it downhill rather than up. Don't get me wrong, the bad-assery of the moto world is absolutely mind blowing-- top notch athletes and absolutely death defying stunts-- but "cooler" than mtb? Definitely depends who you ask.
  • 4 0
 Not too deep. A running joke for my crew back in the day was 'BMX, becasue deep down we all want to me moto stars"
  • 7 0
 Enduro (dirtbike format) FTW. Best of both worlds - fast up the mountain and down. Sometimes I throw the dirtbike in neutral and kill the engine for an acoustic downhill session.

The trick is riding trails that each vehicle is best at - i.e. not riding a moto singletrack trail on a mountain bike and vice versa to keep it all still interesting after many years.
  • 4 1
 @Lokirides: surely you must be talking about false-stroke engines, right? There's nothing sexier than a true stroke on the pipe.
  • 2 3
 @mobilechernobyl: idk feel like moto on mtb purpose single track would be pretty fun. of course very very frowned upon. Sometimes I see pitbike tracks at the dirt jumps spots. And while no one wants that bc they sure as hell aren't fixing them, I cant help but wonder how fun it'd be.
  • 6 0
 @yoimaninja: Crusty Demons called (circa ~1995) and would agree that it is fun.
  • 2 0
 @RadBartTaylor: I had that on VHS and I think I wore the tape out. In the shop I worked in back then, we had it on almost constant play. Seth would be proud
  • 2 0
 @Muckal: Unless you are behind them, on the trail, or worse on a tight difficult section.
  • 6 1
 Truth.....you should have seen my MTB in the early 2000's, THE fender, Monster T's, rear fender, 24" 3.0 tire, handguards, full face helmet, moto pants.....WTF was I thinking
  • 3 0
 @bman33: yup - doesn't get any better than that! Seth is the man. I'll be out riding sometimes and stop at a big sketchy section, with a big gap and just think about those OG's pinned 5th gear sending it....
  • 2 0
 ..thank you for that
  • 2 0
 @yoimaninja: Smooth single track is always nice, especially when compared to rutted/whooped out moto singletrack. I'm more referring to keeping it interesting. i.e. if the trail is dual use (moto/mtb) - I would prefer to moto it because I can. We have more than enough non motorized trail out here in CO to keep me satisfied for decades that I'd rather focus on riding just that via the pedal bike. Our moto single track access continues to be reduced every year - gotta ride it while you can!
  • 4 0
 @yoimaninja: I know exactly how fun it is, I used to race Moto on single track in the Rocky Mtns.
It’s, blinding, stupid, crazy fun..! Flying through Aspen trees making sunlight look like strobe light.
  • 1 0
 @Lokirides: Quick question,
you ever ridden moto, or enduro (on dirt bikes)?
  • 1 0
 Its not even deep, thats where I started, its so cool Its just a bit more faffing about for me, and areas to ride are a little more sparse. Off road exploring on a dirt bike is my absolute happy place
  • 1 0
 Moto is cooler for a lot of stuff, except going downhill.
  • 1 0
 @mobilechernobyl: for sure. the mtb community and access seems to be growing so thats awesome. But i've definitely witnessed a decline in moto/ohv access around me. What is left is pretty much just forest roads for buggies and jeeps now.
  • 1 0
 @mobilechernobyl:
I’d love nothing more than two professional off-road racers on Moto bikes come bombing by me at mach speed when I’m on a mountain bike ride! On single track..
  • 1 0
 @Untgrad: you missed his point
  • 3 0
 society be like:
"middle aged Moto dude = Man amongst Boys.... middle aged MTB dude = some sorta weird man-child"
  • 1 1
 @bman33:
I don’t care about the point, this is what I want to see!
  • 1 0
 @Untgrad: Thats an excellent description, I love it, you took me right back!
  • 3 0
 Also depends on what you appreciate about MTB. If you enjoy the mix of fitness, adrenaline and serenity that comes with single track riding, then MTB trumps moto. The feeling of slogging up a trail and enjoying the reward of the descent in the quiet of nature is something moto can't touch. But if you are into rowdy adrenaline-focused events like the fest series, then MTB is child's play compare to moto. It is very much possible to treat these things as different forms of enjoyment.
  • 1 0
 @savagelake: fureel bro anytime I got trouble with rizz I just bring up I ride dirt bikes and boom they into you
  • 1 0
 @onawalk:
I here for ya bro..
  • 1 2
 Speak for yourself. I hate everything motorized. The noise, the bro culture, the complexity and costs of the materials, the high risk, the pollution. I think this video is stupid too. If you need a moto to get enough speed, just get on a moto, what's the use of doing it on a bike in the first place.
  • 1 1
 @yoimaninja: Good. Motorized toys have no place in nature. F•ck off to moto race track.
  • 1 0
 @Spark24: 100% agreed.
  • 1 0
 @WhateverBikes: moto toys came way before mtb
  • 3 1
 @WhateverBikes: Thats pretty funny,
the bro culture, the complexity, the cost, the high risk

These are all the same for mountain biking.....
  • 2 0
 @m40sniper: is there some sort of google translation tools that can make sense of this comment?
  • 2 0
 @WhateverBikes: u might need a girlfriend. or a cocktail. Smile
  • 1 0
 @WhateverBikes: you realize the same argument is used by Hikers against MTBers, "go ride the bmx track or pump track"

You'd be surprised how many trails are cleared by moto, around here, if it wasn't for moto on some trails you wouldn't have trails since we can get saw up deep into the woods....not to mention, the trails were first built by moto guys back in the 60/70s.

Be careful what you wish for.
  • 2 0
 @RadBartTaylor:
50 thumbs up for that!
Without moto guys going out with chainsaws, our trails would be dead.
  • 1 0
 @onawalk: just tell girls that you ride a dirt bike and they will automatically like you(sorry I wrote my first comment kinda fast.
  • 2 0
 @m40sniper:
These days, I expect they’ll slap me and tell me I killed Bambi’s mom..
  • 1 0
 @Untgrad: And they'll get away with it...but if a girl slaps you, she probably is into you.
Just liftin up your self esteem you know
  • 1 0
 @m40sniper:
You see, this is what I’m talkin about!
Bro’s supporting bro’s.. Down with downvotes!
Thank you.
It happens every time I say “come to Butthead” or “Hey Baby” to a girl.
I’m just going to go back to telling girls I’m a lead singer in a band.
  • 30 1
 DH stands for Downhill Smile Without a hill it is in fact pretty lame
  • 33 6
 The moto more or less makes the DH bike seem really lame.
  • 17 0
 Pro tip: If you start moto before ever mountain biking, even the biggest mtb jumps all seem small
  • 11 8
 Agreed. And a Moto background is better/cooler than a BMX background.
  • 8 0
 @neimbc: both really cool! Sometimes I feel like mtb is just a lame overpriced middle ground but i still love it Big Grin DD
  • 8 0
 @neimbc: most good moto guys have a BMX background...funny enough
  • 5 1
 Sure, but having your center of gravity way lower, plus being able to self correct mid-air with a throttle twist makes going big on a moto MUCH easier compared to going big on a mtb.
  • 4 0
 I come from Moto since 6yrs old, and I ride a low travel Tallboy because to me, a Mtn bike is to ridden in the Mtns, where I can’t take a Moto bike. A bicycle will never take the place of my MX bikes, but the distance I can do on a Mtn bike in the Mtns is incredible- never thought it possible. And for now, there’s still places to ride it!
  • 4 1
 Uh, I think one of the BIG jump jams a few years ago, Fest maybe, there was a guy on a moto hitting the same lines in a train. When I first saw the jumps thought, "Looks like a moto course" then about 3 minutes into the video, a moto. It wasn't the new Fest location. Still kinda cool, but you don't need a tow in these days, just balls, a hill and a great builder(s)
  • 6 0
 Matt Hoffman was doing this in the late 90's on a 20". Some things never change
  • 2 0
 This was done soooo many times from the earlier New World Disorder films to Barry Nobles

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO3L3maXtg8

I'm excited to see what Jaxson does though given he's part of the new gen of freeriders.
  • 2 0
 Nathan Rennie was who sent it in NWD for a world record jump btw!
  • 5 0
 the sad part is that other than finding places to ride, sometimes I think moto is less expensive than Mtb.
  • 6 0
 It is crazy to compare pricing from mtb to moto. The mtb market gets away with murder! Either hobby can be as expensive as you want to make it. However, if you are racing moto it is far more expensive than mtb. Also for every hour racing its at least 2 hours of wrenching.
  • 4 0
 @Struggleteam: I can race local 2 hour harescrambles on the moto almost every other weekend for $40
Southeast DH and enduro races are $120-$150 for a few minutes of downhill racing
  • 1 0
 I like this kid for sure. However, I would have just found a hill to get speed on before I trusted a harbor freight ratchet strap attached to a plastic fender. Having raced moto before i got into mtbs, it is awesome for sure. However, there are fewer and fewer places to do it and its a lot more work to keep up with. I still ride motos but bike parks laps on a DH rig scratch the itch. However, NOTHING replaces hill climbing on a moto! Most fun you can have with your clothes on.
  • 4 0
 Caleb Ely should hire an editor
  • 2 0
 Meh, if that's what you like, who am I to dump on your enjoyment. But I find the fest riders going just as big without a tow to be so much more impressive.
  • 2 0
 They usually have a useful thing called a big fuck off hill to get some speed out of.
  • 1 0
 Did anyone else notice the "coincidence" of this video dropping with the moto kid riding for Gas Gas and today's banner ad being for Gas Gas ebikes? I hope Jaxson got a free moto or ebike
  • 3 0
 Surfing is cooler than either BMX, MTB or BMX. The rest are just things to do when you live inland or there's no swell..
  • 3 0
 Most moto guys ride MTB, but not all MTB guys ride moto.
  • 1 0
 I'm surprised more mtb freeriders don't ride moto, or at least maybe they do but I don't see it as much. So many of of the top DH racers are animals on the moto, Minnaar, Kerr, Pierron, just off the top of my head
  • 1 0
 Instantly brought back memories of the DK bmx guys launching over cars with a tow in!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jzjPIQZbps
  • 2 0
 Great video, looks like they had a blast!
  • 2 0
 Wait, don't steep and long downhills help a bike carry the same speed too?
  • 1 3
 Interesting to see so much moto love in the same place with so much ebike hate.

For the record I don't own either a moto or ebike.

Reminds me of the PB article / interview where Richard Cunningham explained why he gave up moto for MTB.
  • 13 2
 Because Moto doesn't pretend to be anything but, same with MTB. Ebikes are a weird grey area (I am neutral to ebikes either way)
  • 2 0
 you lost me with the golf swing...but I guess MTB is becoming golf anyway.
  • 1 0
 Speakers are blown. Can we get a master audio level pass in editing before uploading gents?
  • 1 0
 They deleted the video! Frown
  • 1 0
 I think Jaxson is a real decent guy, hope to see him at Rampage.
  • 1 0
 Brother Ali! Been a minute since I heard that song…gotta revisit.
  • 3 3
 I have a moto too, it's pretty sweet. Got a 630 wh battery. Been thinking about making the jump to a 750 wh !
  • 1 0
 bad grammar! "there" not "their"
  • 1 0
 so.... Schwalbe Holeshot tyres.... coming soon?
  • 1 0
 Always wanted to race a Trials bike UP a DH track....
  • 1 1
 Great song choice and great video
  • 1 1
 Finally some moto content. Faster, higher, bigger.
  • 5 8
 Not cool to surprise us with Limp Bizkit. Get that trash out of there.







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