Chris Birch is Britain’s best freestyle motocross rider and he has been thrilling fans on the Red Bull X-Fighters Jams tour across the UK recently.
Birch tells us about the sport of FMX and the skills you’ll need if you fancy throwing yourself in the air off ramps on a motorbike for a living…
So, Chris, how did you get into FMX initially?
I used to ride motocross and I used to work at the weekends as well at a motocross track and one day this guy came over who owned a motocross display team and he was looking for more riders, so I took the leaflet and it looked perfect for me.
I was only 15 at the time and when I got home my dad set up a trial for me. I had a day off school and went over to Norfolk where the team were based. They had their own track and there was a little ramp set up – a six feet high ramp to a dirt landing – and I just hit the ramp. They didn’t ask me to, I just did it. I couldn’t do any tricks – not even one handers – but I hit everything and because of my age they saw potential in me.
They had much more experienced riders on that ramp – even expert motocross riders – but they weren’t hitting the ramp. I went over there training more and more and then a few months later I was on tour with them doing the shows, jumping through fire and over cars.
Two years later (in 2001) I hit my first freestyle ramp, and then in 2002 I did my first freestyle competition. I remember it was April 3, 2002 in Sheffield. It was an international freestyle motocross show – only the second time ever it had been done in the UK – and I had done a Superman Sea Crab in the British Championship just before to finish second.
So I entered the Sheffield comp and I came seventh or eighth in an international event with lots of riders from the USA performing.
Jørg Mitter/Red Bull Photofiles
Is there a big FMX scene in the UK at the moment?
Not really, no. There are probably only four or five riders that are any good to be honest. There are a few that can do the jumps, but from a safety point of view you think ‘it’s only a matter of time' watching them. It is a very dangerous sport.
I spend a lot of time abroad because I can’t rely on the British weather. It’s summer now and it’s raining. We need reliable weather to do FMX. I always go to Spain for the winters to ride there, because their winters where I’m based is like the summer here – without the rain – and this has been the first year that I’ve actually lived in Spain and now I’m back over here for the summer.
It’s always great to come back but as far as my riding goes there are not really any good riding areas in the UK that would push me. I need a course to keep improving. If you can’t afford to spend your winters somewhere that you can ride then you’re not riding at all. It’s as simple as that. I go where the sun is, so if you’re in Europe you go to Spain or if not then California. I’m very fortunate to be able to do that.
What skills do you need to be an FMX rider?
You need motocross experience first, without a doubt. You need to be able to ride that bike fast and handle it well on a track first before you even think about a ramp and then if you have the opportunity to hit a ramp and you’re a good enough rider then go for it. It depends on the person. I like to think anyone could be an FMX rider.
How has the X-Fighters Jams tour been going so far?
Great. Really good. It’s great to take freestyle motocross into the cities to people that have only seen it on TV or not seen it at all. We’re jumping 66 feet (20 metres) on the setup that we have at the moment and just doing the jump is spectacular enough for the general public and then when you start letting go of the bike and doing back flips they really show their appreciation. We’ve had a lot of good crowds – Brighton is the one that really stands out at the moment. I wasn’t sure it was going to work with the coastal winds, but it turned out great and the crowd was really into it, which always pushes us even more.
It's Madrid up next for Chris. Find out more information about this weekend's event at www.redbullxfighters.com
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