Riding the Hills - Chasing the Storm
In 2014, we made Chasing the Storm because we wanted to join a long-standing tradition: making a movie that captures what it feels like to Freeride in the hills with your buddies. In 2017, we debuted the sequel, Chasing the Storm 2, because we found we had a lot more to say–and a lot more hills to ride.
Our movie stars Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg, Josh Hansen, Tyler Bereman, and many more friends in the industry, and was directed and edited by Twitch’s brother-in-law, John Sanders. At its core, the film is about freestyle motocross today, including the laughs, the adrenaline, the labor, and the people. But mostly, it’s about buddies catching air on their bikes.
When we were kids, watching Moto videos was one way to get a glimpse into the lifestyle of our favorite riders. Along with the tricks and jumps, we loved seeing our favorite riders' vibe and laughing with their friends–getting to know what they’re like off the big screen or racing. Sometimes it can feel like there’s a disconnect between professional racers and people who ride FMX for fun–but at DBK, we don’t feel that way. We all share an important commonality, and that’s the love of the sport.
Since its advent nearly 100 years ago, motocross has always been about pushing the boundaries of both machine and rider. As new tricks were invented by riders just having fun on and off the track, the sport entered the popular imagination–yet retained its unconventional and “punk” roots. In a sense, FMX has always been about defying the mainstream: the sport and industry operate on the belief that it’s possible to do the impossible. The link between heavy music and motocross is one that persists today; many riders will attest to the fact that there’s nothing like listening to punk rock and riding.
Motocross’s association with punk music, beginning in the 1980s, was likely furthered by its cross-cultural and countercultural reputation. The sport has roots in England, but took on a life of its own in America, where Southern California became a mecca for serious riders and the birthplace of Supercross. The handmade “works'' bikes of the ‘80s came on the scene and left shortly after in a blaze of glory, leaving production or “factory” bikes to take their place. The fascination was about more than just the novelty of a custom bike–bringing works bikes to the sport created a gripping rivalry between manufacturers’ teams such as Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha. Yet, it created a disconnect: the bikes being raced were nothing like those being sold to consumers.
Cut to the 90s, now often nicknamed the “glory days” of MotoX, when 2 strokes and kidney belts were abound. As professional riders enjoyed their celebrity status and races such as the X Games gained more traction, the sport was becoming more accessible than ever through the advent of the internet. Fans and riders could get access to their favorite athletes like never before–from homemade short movies to features such as Fresno Smooth. As the industry became more popular than ever, films such as these inspired young riders everywhere to take up the sport as their own.
These days, you can consume as much content as you’d like about supercross, outdoor racing, super moto, and pit bikes, but Chasing the Storm is all freestyle in the hills. Digging our own jumps, putting in our own quarter pipes, and riding with friends. We want people watching our movies to feel like they’re a part of something bigger.
At DBK, we’re all about respecting the sport. To us, that means its history; its riders, both past and present; and its traditions–making new ones and sticking with what works. So for years to come, you can find us out on the track listening to our favorite music and “chasing the storm.”
Chasing the Storm and Chasing the Storm 2 are available on Youtube, Amazon, and DBK.