Stunt Junkies is a television program dedicated to explaining the science and techniques behind the most extreme sports stunts, and for their first episode featuring sportbike stunting, the Discovery Channel couldn't have selected a better stunter than the flamboyant, photogenic-and extremely talented-Friesen. They also couldn't have picked a more exciting, and dangerous, stunt than an extremely high-speed endo. It helped matters that Friesen is a well-connected rider, because it took a concerted effort from a bunch of his sponsors and industry associates to pull off a feat like this.
Step one was finding a capable motorcycle. Since qualifying as an official endo for record purposes required the bike's speed to be measured with the rear wheel off the ground (not at approach speed), Friesen figured he would need to clamp on the front brake at around 160 mph to hit his goal stoppie speed of 135 mph. Clearly, a fast bike would be required, a need fulfilled by Carter Powersports in Las Vegas, who provided a brand-new, 160-hp Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R that would clearly be up to the task. Friesen's sponsors at FMF added a few more ponies via a set of Friesen's signature pink-logoed exhaust cans, and GPR Stabilizers kicked in one of their top-line rotary steering dampers-an essential component if you're going to be rolling along on the front wheel at triple-digit speeds. Lastly, suspension guru Paul Thede at RaceTech worked his magic on the forks, installing stiffer springs and tweaking the damping circuits to best stand up to the incredible forces this stunt would exert on the front end.
The filming of the episode occurred over a three-day period-the first chronicling the bike setup and Friesen's preparation for the stunt, including familiarizing himself with the brand-new ZX-10R he had just picked up from the dealership days earlier. The second and third days were spent on-location at the airstrip at SkyDive Perris in Perris, California, where the record attempt would actually take place.
The third day the actual record attempt took place. Friesen made just four passes in total that day. The first attempt rolled in at right around 102 mph-already breaking the record-and Friesen, confident and excited, methodically stepped the speed up. By the fourth attempt he hit 137 mph, breaking the old record by a comfortable margin of 39 mph, ahead of his own goal of 135 mph. The producers were pleased, applauded accordingly, and shut it down for the day. Friesen is stoked to hold the record, but of course he thinks he can (and will) go even faster in the future. Better him than us-137 mph is insane enough, as far as we're concerned.
One-two, testing one-two: Checking the mic with Mr. Evans, everyone's favorite Stunt MC and Dirty South O.G., who gives us the lowdown on the U.S. Stunt Riding Championship and more
SSB: What the hell is a Stunt MC, anyway?
Evans: An MC is the person who Motivates the Crowd, the Mic Controller. In addition to promoting and organizing stunt events, I announce at stunt events and shows, making sure the crowd stays hyped and that they are properly educated on a lot of the small details about stunt riding that the normal public might not know. It's also my job to tell the fans as much about the riders as possible in the few minutes they are on the bike. But most importantly, I am the guy with the freesh*t for the fans!
SSB: What did you do before you got into promoting stunting?
E: I have pretty much been an entrepreneur all my life ["Entrepreneur" is code for "dude's never had a real job, ever..." -Ed.]
SSB: Tell us about the U.S. Stunt Riding Championship you helped launch this year.
E: The XDL U.S. Stunt Riding Championship is a series of events in different regions of the U.S. designed to qualify riders and allow them to compete in a single final event that will crown the real U.S. Stunt Riding Champion. The production company putting it together is great. They truly love stunt riding and trust myself and the riders completely to put on a great show. We're excited to finally name a legitimate national champion for this sport.
SSB: Is stunting a sport?
E: It's a competitive sport, as well as a lifestyle.