Beau Bamburg: They Call Him "The Basher"
Jul 24 2007 / Los Angeles, CA
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“I broke my back twice, I've broken my right leg seven times, (broke) my fingers, and I've ripped my nose off my face completely twice.”
To the casual observer, hearing someone tell you they've experienced just one of these injuries makes even the toughest guy cringe. And that's why mad respect is given to motocross riders, especially crazy and talented ones like Beau Bamburg.
Bamburg isn't exactly your most mainstream of MotoX riders, but he's definitely amongst the elite of the dirt bike crew, especially when it comes to pulling tricks with unbelievable extension and hold.
A top ten finisher on the AST Dew Tour both in 2005 and 2006, Bamburg had a difficult start to the 2007 season. He failed to qualify at the debut event, the Panasonic Open in Baltimore, Maryland. Guaranteed though, in no way shape or form are Beau's spirits dampened. He's one of the more laid-back and fun riders on the tour, and doesn't let losses get to him.
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I caught up with Beau prior to the start of the Dew Tour in his hometown of Gresham, Oregon (near Mt. Hood). Meet one of the more underrated motocross competitors on the tour, Beau Bamburg.
Lat34: This last winter, Mt. Hood was one of the premier destinations if you wanted to ride a board. Is that area a motocross hotbed, or is motocross just something you got into, and now you have a big foam pit in your backyard?
Beau: It's kind of just something I got into. I'm pretty much the only guy from around this area that does what I do. I have yet to get a foam pit actually. I kind of need one.
Lat34: Yeah you do!
Beau: If you know anybody who's giving away foam, send them my way. (Laughing)
Lat34: Motocross seem to attract all the ladies. Are there a ton of motocross groupies?
Beau: There's been known to be a few at some of the events.
Lat34: Are you married or single?
Beau: I am married. I tightened the noose and jumped a long time ago. (Laughing)
Lat34: What tricks are you working on right now?
Beau: You name it. Pretty much all the sideways and upside-down stuff. I pretty much have all that stuff dialed. It's basically trying to get back to the basics now. I'm trying to learn some of my right-side up tricks better. I kind of neglected those when I started learning all the backflip stuff. They kind of went down the tubes. I'm basically working on those again. It's basically trying to get the old school, the filler tricks dialed again.
Lat34: What's the gnarliest crash you've experienced?
Beau: My freestyle's been pretty good. I didn't get hurt as much as when I raced. I broke my back twice, I've broken my right leg seven times, (broke) my fingers, and I've ripped my nose off my face completely twice.
Lat34: What? Do they just sew the nose back on?
Beau: Pretty much, yeah. Basically, when you're at the track, the medics come out and duck tape a maxipad to your face. The first time I did it, I had to go to the bathroom and luckily there was a mirror in the bathroom at the track. I had to straighten it out myself, because I knew that the doctors at the hospital weren't going to straighten it out right. I pretty much had to go in the bathroom, and straighten the thing out myself before they sewed it back on my face.
Lat34: You're definitely bad ass. What do you look like when that happens, a skeleton?
Beau: I look like a super-villain. (Laughing)
Lat34: What's the shock factor?
Beau: The first time I ripped my nose off my face, I broke my collar bone at the same time, and that actually hurt worst than the nose. Me straightening it out looking in the mirror in the bathroom, that smarted me out a little bit. Once you get to the hospital, they numb you up and use some kind of rusty fish hook to sew you back together.
Lat34: Your nickname is "The Basher" but it really should be "The Badass."
Beau: It's not because I beat anybody up or anything, it's because I "bash" myself. (Laughing)
Lat34: What does your wife think about all this stuff, when you're all banged up?
Beau: She's just over it. She knows that it's part of the job. It's kind of like a disappointed parent, when you come home and get a bad grade, or get in trouble at school. She kind of just shakes her head.
Lat34: Who's paying your bills?
Beau: Vans, Smith, Ogio, Fender Musical Instruments, Alpinestars, Works Connection, Dunlop Tires, Pro Circuit.
- Cyrus Saatsaz
