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Bringing you our 3rd rider interview with one of the smoothest Freestyle Motocross riders on tour, Adam Jones. We talk to the American about Red Bull X-Fighters Pretoria and his return to South Africa.
Give us a quick rundown of some of your highlights of your career?
1 X Games gold, 4 X Games silver, 1 X Games bronze, 1 X-Fighters win, 3 Dew Tour wins and 1 Dew Cup championship.
You are one of the only riders doing the Rigormortis and with insane extension. Explain how you get such huge extension?
By accident I guess! I don’t know really, I’ve been doing dead bodies pretty much my entire career and I kept just trying to be more and more explosive with them and that just kind of ended up happening.
You have a consistent and smooth style, probably more than any other rider on tour. What do you think the pros and cons of this are?
Sometimes smoothness doesn’t work in your favour because being on the edge is more excited, and judges are human just like the rest of us, so their blood might get pumping more, or they just might get a little more worked up for a guy who rides on the edge, rather than a guy who rides in control. On the pros side, I like being smooth and I work hard to be smooth. Even if the rest of the world never gets it, being smooth is an accomplishment to me.
What have your thoughts been on this year’s X-Fighters courses, and which one suited your riding style the most?
Well two of them have been bull fighting arenas, which leave a lot to be desired as far as a FMX course goes, and Athens was a great location to check out but as far as what they were able to do in there with the space they were given, it was another course that didn’t really have a whole lot to it.
What are you hoping the course builders do different compared to last year’s Pretoria course?
I’m not sure. Last year was a pretty fun course, and I guess thats all I’m hoping for, something to go out and have some fun on!
With the progression of FMX, there is a fine line between landing new and innovative tricks or crashing out. Where do you draw that line?
I draw that line by staying way behind all the new and innovative stuff [laughs]. I don’t have all the tricks these guys nowadays have, I just enjoy doing my runs and always trying to change it up for myself.
What new tricks are you working on or planning to work on? Or is that a secret?
[Laughs] Umm….none? I had a very busy first half of the year, so I’ve been relaxing the last few weeks, and am about to get back on the practice program so I can be ready for Pretoria. Sometimes a nice long break can go a long way to rejuvenate you.
What do you think is the main attribute to the progression of FMX in recent years?
I don’t know…quarter pipes I guess?
What are you looking forward to most coming back to South Africa and competing in the 4th stop of the tour?
I’m not sure. I had a blast last year in South Africa, but like I said its been a long year for me and there’s a lot of year left to go. Just trying to get through one day at a time and enjoy what I do.
Besides Pages, Moore, Sheehan and Sherwood, which other riders on the tour have become a threat?
To me? Damn… every single one [laughs].
Take us through an X-Fighters weekend, from practice, to planning your runs, to what goes through your mind when you are about to compete?
I think you just pretty much went through the weekend You practice, plan your run and then all you’re thinking is “I hope I can do what I planned”. Then the weekend is over and you have some beers to either celebrate or drown the weekend.
You’re busy with a full back piece tattoo. How many hours do you think its going to take?
Way too many. Not really looking forward to how long its gonna take but the lower back tramp stamp had to go, so I’m jumping into it head first.
How many of your tattoos have meaning and how many are for the love of the art?
I basically just get tattoos so that I can regret them and tell everybody how much I hate them. Someday I’ll get a good one.
Lastly, any words for your fans out here in South Africa?
I’m very thankful to all of my fans. I know i don’t have the tricks to keep up with all the other crazy kids out there these days, but I’m very appreciative of the people that get a kick out of what I do, so thank you!!
The fourth stop of the 2015 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour will take place on 12 September in Pretoria, South Africa. Tickets are on sale here.
Can’t make it? We have you covered, as we’ll be broadcasting the event live right here on LW Mag!
To read our previous interview with Clinton Moore, click here.
To read our previous interview with Levi Sherwood, click here.
Photos by Joerg Mitter, Flo Hagena, Predrag Vuckovic, Marcos Ferro and Sebastian Marko / Red Bull Content Pool
