Travis Pastrana All time legend????

[mx250]

you know you're getting old when....

..... you're not dazzled by bright lights, razza maatang, hype and bling. You have a time tested value system and the courage and conviction to call a spade a freaking shovel and a hyped up egoist a freaking waste of space and an oxygen thief. 

[mainline]

fair call, but you know what I'm saying.

[magoo]

Another waste of talent. Anthony Gobert comes to mind.

[suzuki27]

The guy has no tats,is a tea-totaller from what I hear,is as fit as all F...,won an outdoor AMA title and is having a whale of a time,not to mention making a fair quid-I think I smell "Tall Poppies" in the air!

[vandy010]

me personally, i give Travis the thumbs up!
the amount of time and effort thats required to do some of the jumps he's capable of just reaks of commitment to his dream. the double backflip? who'd ever of thought that was possible.
welcome to 2008 folks! the world is an ever changing place and people like Travis don't come along everyday. he has something very valid to offer and i for one am enjoying it. given his loyalty to suzuki's, who knows, perhaps he could be the 2028 guest of honour at classic dirt!
i believe it was Rodger DeCoster who said, "let Travis be Travis"
who am i to argue...

[magoo]

vandy010, you've won me with your argument, very convincing. I just can't see him living that long. I think I need to refer myself back to the "you know you're old" thread.
I'm going to go and have a Nana nap now.

[KB171]

Have a look at his grand canyon jumps,Fair bloody effort i rekon

[gator]

So does that make Evil a tosser 2 hey look at me 

[Graeme M]

I'd agree with those who think Travis might be a bit of a ego-freak, but he is something of a hero to me. Here is a guy who is so naturally talented that he can go fast on anything. I don't know if anyone noted his performance in Florida at the GNCC a couple of weeks back, but he was right with Knight and the other top guys for several laps and only his lack of race fitness let him down. He hasn't raced regularly for years, but he went out there and rode against some of the best off-road guys in the world and held his head high. He may have faded to something like 18th, but I doubt there's a guy on this forum who even at their best would have been able to do that.

When you factor in his performance in rally, in freestyle, in MX and SX, you have to admit this man is something special. He might not be perfect, but he is bloody good on a bike. If I had a quarter of his skills, balls and flair, I'd be a happy man.

[Lozza]

Not to mention youth, good looks and $$$$$$

[Tim754]

Who is Travarse Pastiebanana any way? Would he spend time in the dusty/muddy pits at your local Vmx meet? Do you think  he would be bothered to be a guest of honour at CD5 just for the pleasure of it? Does he promote VMX ?  Look i did see a bit of him when he was a damn fast youngster, that seemed to be enjoying the sport and competing hard but along comes the lets do biggy poo jumps and film them then carry on  like pissed maggots all for dollars, Racing is now for great grandparents, we are super supeme super intelligent super risk taking "Freestyle" Champions... till you break your body badly once to many times in a crash or ten times more likely the drugs fork you up so your as wanted as yesterdays dogs vomit... but hey you have got all these rancid  tats and scars to show for it.....    I must be getting old if I am thinking like this...........

[Wombat]

It's the whole 'Jackass' movie type thing - it's Crusty Demons and Freestyle - it's Rap music and graffiti - it's mosh pits and Big Days out.
It's a generational thing; and Travis is a modern day legend for this generation.

A quick trip through history shows it's always been around.
Remember the 'Barn Stormers'? Those bi-planes they'd fly low across the the tarmac and slam into a ready built barn?
How about the person on top of the wings or dangling beneath the wheels whilst doing gymnastic moves two hundred feet above the ground?
I think that was back in the '20s.

How about going over Niagara Falls in a barrel?
Being shot out of a cannon?
Tight rope walking?
Houdini - handcuffed and locked in a box and dropped into deep water?
Evel Knievel and his jumps over buses and fountains?
There's many more but you get the idea.

Each generation has been impressed or shocked by each and every new dare or stretching of the boundaries.
Records are made and records are broken at all competitive events, regardless of the sport.
All of these things stretch the boundaries and they will continue to evolve.
I've seen footage of (or attended) all these things. I'm impressed and horrified depending on what's happening.

But let's remember there are people in society who think we are insane for riding motorcycles...am I right?
Each to their own.

[YSS]

You know why he does it ? Because we all take notice If thats what turns him on , let him do it. Would he do it without the publicity ? I doubt it.

[Graeme M]

I'm sure you're right, and being human I bet he's even starting to believe his own hype. Which is why I agree with other posters that he may not live to be an old man. I've posted a poll at the top of the page - what do you reckon, will he get to collect his old age pension?

[mx250]

It's the whole 'Jackass' movie type thing - it's Crusty Demons and Freestyle - it's Rap music and graffiti - it's mosh pits and Big Days out.
It's a generational thing; and Travis is a modern day legend for this generation.

A quick trip through history shows it's always been around.
Remember the 'Barn Stormers'? Those bi-planes they'd fly low across the the tarmac and slam into a ready built barn?
How about the person on top of the wings or dangling beneath the wheels whilst doing gymnastic moves two hundred feet above the ground?
I think that was back in the '20s.

How about going over Niagara Falls in a barrel?
Being shot out of a cannon?
Tight rope walking?
Houdini - handcuffed and locked in a box and dropped into deep water?
Evel Knievel and his jumps over buses and fountains?
There's many more but you get the idea.

Each generation has been impressed or shocked by each and every new dare or stretching of the boundaries.
Records are made and records are broken at all competitive events, regardless of the sport.
All of these things stretch the boundaries and they will continue to evolve.
I've seen footage of (or attended) all these things. I'm impressed and horrified depending on what's happening.

But let's remember there are people in society who think we are insane for riding motorcycles...am I right?
Each to their own.

An excellent summary Wombat.

Wombat you give a good explanation and put it in a histrocial context but guess what, none of them does it for me. I wouldn't go out of my way to watch or participate in any of it, I most certainly wouldn't pay for the pleasure. That might be 'old and boring' but guess what, I'm been 'old and boring' all my life.

It all lacks substance for me, I particularly rile against the stunts that involve gratuitous 'slapstick' destruction of things, stunts that confuse bravery with bravado and stunts that manipulate the viewer.

Gratuitous would be the summary; being without apparent reason, cause, or justification (leaving out publicity, self promotion and self gratification of course).

I also rile against the irresponsible media who hide behind the responsible media to purposely take advantage of the subterfuge to give credence to what otherwise would be a nonevent. In other words, the interlacing of publicity articles with serious newsworth articles - the Press are been manipulated, they know it, but hey, 'it sells'.

I also rile against the mindless mimicking and repetition and general 'giving credibility, substance and popular support' by individuals for such subcult icons.

Yes, I rile against whole lifestyle movements. I 'live and let live' but doesn't mean I can't let fly and call a spade a freaking shovel at times.

Its a tough job been  Cultural Police, Thought Police and Good Taste Police all wrapped in one, but hey, someone got to do it  .