Grigory Taldykin's Training
We met Grigory Taldykin before the Moscow round of the Eastern European Stunt Riding Championship, just as he was preparing for his run on the lot by the Megasport arena. Grigory caught our attention above all because he progresses very quickly and competes on a supermoto, which is rare in Russian stunt riding. His arsenal includes drifts (this trick is much harder on a supermoto than on a sport bike), fast power circles with a deep lean, a deathspin and confident stoppies: quite a lot for someone who has been training for two years, much of which he spent recovering from an injury.
Grigory's banged-up elbows caught our eye right away!
While Grigory was training, Yura Verkhovnikov came by, guys on scooters dropped in, and so did Sasha MOTA from the cbr600rr forum. By evening the lot was a bit crowded :) Too bad we didn't have our motorcycles: we really wanted to ride, but in situations like this you either film or ride. We filmed and chatted, so you can read the interview and look at the photos and video!
SX: When did you start training, and on what?
Grigory: I did my first wheelie on a KTM 950 SM in the city. I had a serious accident on it and needed surgery; of course I had to sell the motorcycle to pay for treatment. Then I bought a 2005 KTM 525 SMR, which I still train on today. In parallel I train on a KTM quad. I also have a BMW F800R. I once saw Antoine on it, I really liked his stunts, and I bought this motorcycle from him. I try to be a versatile stunt rider; I'm interested in all classes of motorcycles.
SX: Which trick was the hardest?
Grigory: Circles were hard, but once I mastered them, it got much easier. Now I'm not afraid of anything at all and know for sure that I can learn everything; it just takes time.
SX: Do you crash often?
Grigory: Usually 3–4 light crashes per session. My hardest crash ever was from a stoppie in Rostov: I flipped over. I seriously injured my shoulder and now have 4 titanium implants. That injury really knocked me out of training.
SX: How do you stay in shape?
Grigory: In summer, stunt riding is quite enough. Fighting the motorcycle is a great workout. The rest of the time I jump on a trampoline and do acrobatics. I snowboard all winter. In general I train actively; I'm not a big fan of spending time in the gym.
SX: You're into a lot of things; do you do any other sports?
Grigory: Diving: I'm already an assistant instructor :) I also skydive. Laser tag, but that's more for fun.
SX: What are your ambitions in stunt riding?
Grigory: It all started as fun; I rode for myself, for pleasure. But now I treat it as a sport and want to progress and succeed in competitions. My ambition is to be the best supermoto rider.
SX: Why did you choose supermoto as your main class?
Grigory: I've always liked motards! Even before I discovered stunt riding, I rode motards. More fun: you can ride over curbs, go off-road, and it's more fun to ride around town.
SX: Are there problems with the motorcycle; do you often have to sit in the garage?
Grigory: Apart from crash damage, only consumables. There have been no serious engine problems. You need to look after a KTM; if you do, everything's OK.
SX: You have your own team; tell us about it.
Grigory: Anyone who wants can join the team :) A lot of people dropped out this year. There were about seven, now there are two or three of us. But we train regularly. The team is more just a group of people we go out training with.
SX: You do a lot of things; in which sport did you get your worst injuries, and which do you think is the most dangerous?
Grigory: I got the worst ones in stunt riding. There were some in mountainboarding too, but that was from stupidity, while in stunt riding it was in training and competitions. It's hard to say which is most dangerous. Stunt riding is certainly one of the most dangerous. Some snowboarding disciplines are just as dangerous. Diving and skydiving are a separate story: the probability of injury is lower, but the risk of death is higher...
SX: Why do you ride without elbow guards?
Grigory: I can't find comfortable ones, but they're needed, that's a fact! Riding without protection is nonsense! It really saves you and keeps you healthy. I just haven't found elbow guards that fit me yet; the ones I have are very uncomfortable.
SX: Is stunt riding more of a sport or a show?
Grigory: For me it's both. I perform at many shows, work with the audience, and I like it. But at competitions all the feelings are much stronger. Because of that, a lot often doesn't work out at competitions. It seems everything is wrong and nothing will work. You burn out in about five minutes, and then everything's OK.
SX: Do you have any passive hobbies?
Grigory: I play chess. When I can't be active, I like to play some CS.
SX: How much do you fuss over your motorcycle's settings?
Grigory: Settings are very important. You get used to them, especially the controls and suspension. My fork is on medium stiffness settings, the rear shock at maximum. There are problems with tires: I fit whatever I can get, which of course causes problems. I don't have the money for a new tire every time, so I always end up riding on different ones, of different classes and purposes. Each time, getting used to a new tire takes training time. I keep tire pressure between 1.7 and 2 atmospheres on both wheels.
