INTERVIEW
How was the transition from Sherco / Scorpa to Vertigo ?
I rode for Sherco and Scorpa for , I think it was 11 years . I was pretty comfortable on that bike and when it came to riding with Vertigo , I just kinda pulled the trigger and went for it . It was definitely a different bike , but it wasn ’ t that hard to adapt to . The bike ’ s just a really planted , really smooth stable bike , so everything kind of transferred over really easily . It ’ s just getting used to how the power comes on and the fuel-injection a little bit , but for the most part , it ’ s a really easy bike to get on the way it is and it hasn ’ t been too much different , so it ’ s been a lot of fun learning the bike , learning the different gears and what they do .
This bike is like a half-year version ; not a 2020 , but not a 2021 . As far as the technical aspects , it ’ s the only fuel-injected two-stroke trials bike that ’ s out there right now , so it ’ s pretty awesome to be on that and not having to deal with a carburetor . It ’ s just got so much power ; the bike ’ s so snappy and crisp . The bike I ’ m on now I ’ ve been on for quite a few months , and it feels just as fresh now as when I first got the bike ; its durability is very impressive because I put it through its paces the last few months just getting used to it , hammering it and it still feels great and fresh . It ’ s a joy to ride and a breath of fresh air to get a machine that still feels good after all these months .
It started to work out that I was wanting to go to a different team . I was with RYP for so long ; with Brad and Ryan out of the equation , the team didn ’ t feel right for me any more . It just felt like it was time to leave and I was maybe just burnt out on riding because it WAS the same thing with the same brand for so many years . I just got this whiff of energy when I thought about going to a different machine . The way Vertigo came about is I actually started talking to Dustin Land this year , and the next thing I know , they ’ re offering me a ride , and the rest is history , really .
Dustin Land , Adrian Lewis , and Mandy Lewis , and Bill Merritt are really great people and I ’ m excited to ride for them . It ’ s cool to be on a brand that didn ’ t really have any representation from a US Pro before , and being able to help build that team and the brand and be a part of it is pretty cool to me .
I think that ’ s the biggest thing ; being part of a brand that didn ’ t have any representation , and just helping to get the word out about the bike . I think the Vertigo is still a very new bike ; it ’ s only been around for
ON THE PEGS // PAGE 64