Turns out getting Ryan Villopoto to come ride dual sport bikes in the mountains on a summer’s day was not a big ask.

Now retired from professional racing but not from his love of riding, he actually rides a lot; Pit bikes, two strokes, dual sports, flat trackers and anything you put him on. He genuinely likes to ride and it shows.

When you look up pics of him on the Google machine, he is typically smiling ear to ear. His inner child is clearly alive and well, but that was not always the case.

To some, Ryan Villopoto was the second coming of Ricky Carmichael. He was a red-headed, Kawasaki ridin’, demon on the track. He raced with a mixture of determination, grit, and with a touch of anger, much like RC. He also collected number one plates like they were baseball cards, but that is where the similarities end.

Ryan is the first person to tell you he didn’t win the lottery. 

He did, however, win a staggering number of races over a ten-year career. The result of which made him rich and famous, before rich and famous was regarded as a bad thing. Not Bill Gates rich, but most people would gladly swap bank accounts with RV.

To Ryan’s point, he wasn’t lucky, he was good. In order to be that kind of good, it took years of old fashioned hard work. Truth be told, it is surprising how old fashioned the private Ryan Villopoto actually is. Whether it is due to growing up in the lumberjack vibe of the pacific northwest, or just his parent’s approach to life, he has matured into a simple man in a complicated world. He also embodies the American spirit that has refused to fail for the last two and a half centuries. It is not hard to imagine Ryan being a patriot soldier, a fighter pilot or even an astronaut in a previous life. He believes in this country and the ideals that made it great. Old Glory and Ryan Villopoto are cut from the same cloth and he is damn plenty proud of it.

Now take that guy and his family and transplant them smack dab in the middle of Orange County, California. Newport Beach, to be exact, which is the epicenter of southern California culture; Not a lot of plaid flannel shirts in this community, if you know what I mean. For Ryan to live there is like finding a pine tree growing in middle of the Mojave desert. The contrast is too obvious to ignore but, that being said, he seems genuinely happy and isn’t that all that matters?

Finding a person of Ryan’s age (32) that isn’t co-dependent on life-zapping, electronic devices is refreshing. As a matter of fact, he and his wife of nearly 10 years, Kristen, are raising their twin boys, Gage and Brax (now 3 1/2), to be…old fashioned, little boys. They play, they get dirty, they fall down, they get up and they play some more… Hard to do that when your kids grow up glued to an iPad. Ryan and Kristen have refused that temptation. It is a denial by design and kudos to them for taking the road less traveled.

Before you start thinking that they live in a house with dirt floors, eat only what they kill and listen to a crank up radio at night, they don’t. Ryan and the other three V’s live in Newport Beach, which is some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Yes, it is near the ocean and in California that means you can add at least two to three zeroes to the asking price. To the victor go the spoils and, in this case, where they get to live is one of the manifest blessings he has brought to their lives.

Success- A Cautionary Tale

Racing was in Ryan’s blood before he was born. His dad was a motocrosser, his grandpa raced and owned a motorcycle dealership, so the sphere of two-wheeled influence was in place and awaiting his arrival. He spent his childhood learning to ride, then race, motorcycles. While others his age were just being kids, Ryan was logging laps in the mud, dust, heat and cold. The sacrifices he made along the way paid substantial dividends in his early 20’s, but those sacrifices came at a cost to both he and his family.

When parents go all in on helping their child become great at anything, it inevitably means giving up certain comforts and societal norms. When it takes the whole family’s involvement of time, money and focus, every member lives it and every member breathes it. Whether it is the countless hours on the road to and from races, or shuffling siblings off to relatives to watch while they were gone, the whole family is involved/impacted in one way or another. As overwhelming as that may sound, it is hardly unique to the Villopotos. It is the price of admission, as they say, into the elite club of motocross champions. A club with a very select few members who beat the odds and made it big. Even fewer are those who had the talents and the smarts to stay in that zone long enough to make “retirement money.” The life path that Ryan Villopoto traveled to get to where he is today is littered with “should have, would have and could have been greats,” all with slightly different stories that all ended the same way…in disappointment.

Ryan Villopoto By the Numbers:  Two-time 450 motocross national champion, four-time 450 supercross champion, three-time 250 motocross national champion, 41 career supercross wins, 12 career 450 motocross wins, multi-time MXoN team member and winner.

It hasn’t all been a charmed life along the way for Ryan, either; There have been hard fought battles on and off the track. The challenges have not been limited strictly to his racing rivals. As so often happens, money changes a great many things and those changes are not always good. When finances collide with family, there is going to be friction… The kind of friction that can start a fire, not easily extinguished.

When there is not enough money and folks are doing without, resentment is sure to follow; That is a natural reaction. Oddly enough, the real problems set in when success WAS achieved. Fat factory contracts, championship bonuses, endorsement deals, etc… That is when the ROI (Return On Investment) squabbles begin. The bigger the pay day, the bigger the expectations. The bigger the expectations, the bigger the problems.

It was clear he was up for a day of exploring the trails in the mountains that cradle Big Bear Lake, but he also had some things to say. Important things he felt deeply about, so the riding could wait a bit.

Rick Doughty: I know this is a super important issue to you and probably to a lot of the readers who are on a similar career path. Every kid that loves racing wants to get a factory ride and win championships. Most parents want to support their kids interests and goals, so what general advice would you give them?

Ryan Villopoto: First and foremost, keep it fun. Don’t burn your kids or the family out in the process. Also don’t go bankrupt trying to buy your kid’s way to the top. If they have the talent and the perseverance to become a pro, they will get noticed on whatever equipment you can reasonably afford. There are so few professional racer positions available, it is a long shot that your kid is going to get that opportunity. If you keep it fun and don’t over extend yourself, there won’t be such a huge let down if it doesn’t happen. Plus, you will have some great family memories to look back on.

It is equally important to have a plan in place if the long shot does pay off and your prodigy becomes the next Eli Tomac. What I mean by that is, if you as parents expect a return on the time and money you invested in making your kid successful (at any professional sport), you need to treat it like any other investment. Discuss the risks vs. rewards and decide how they are to be shared with whomever is involved. After which, I think it should be put in writing so it is not left up to anyone’s memory.

There are laws in place like the Coogan Act, to protect under-age wage earners. These laws require the parents to establish a trust fund for the child and mandate minimum percentages of the earnings be deposited in these accounts. Each state is different so parents may have to consult an attorney to make sure their plan is in compliance.

We didn’t do this when I was coming up and I don’t think most families do. It has the potential to create unnecessary problems that I think could be avoided. It can turn the dream of finally “making it big” into a nightmare. After all the time, money and effort it took to accomplish such a goal, it shouldn’t be tarnished by a tug of war over money. I am a father now and see the world differently than I did before. If can help people avoid the kind of hurt and division that it caused in my family, I want to speak out.

So how bad did it get?

Let’s just say we both had to get lawyers to sort it out and there was a period of about two years when we didn’t talk to each other.

You don’t get that time back, do you?

No, you don’t, and in my case my dad died in 2018 from a heart attack, so there are a great many things I will never get back with him. Luckily, we did reconcile before his passing and we were in a good place with each other. I love my family and appreciate all they did for me. I just think we could have avoided so much hurt if things had been done differently.

With that we geared up for the first loop of the day and, despite the fact that it was the most technical riding we would be doing, the earlier conversation was still on replay in my head. I could not get past the fact that helping others avoid the pitfalls he had experienced was so important to him. It didn’t have to be, but it was. That kind of raw altruism says a lot about the man he has become.

Threading a motorcycle through the rockscapes we were on without causing flat tires, bent rims or broken cases is a chore. The challenge of which is an entertaining exercise. To do it at the speed required to keep Ryan Villopoto from falling asleep is another thing all together. When you have someone of his caliber just off your right side panel you tend to push harder than normal. The ding in my previously pristine front rim will be a momento of the day. I would have rather had him sign my refrigerator but, hey, you take what you can get.

We headed back to the ranch to re-fuel before the next leg of the ride began and the Kawasaki connection came up.

Letting the Good Times Roll

You were the product of the Kawasaki farm program known as Team Green, right?

Yes, I was pick up by Team Green in 2003.

How did that happen? 

We were doing the races where you get noticed like Loretta Lynn’s and I was on a Yamaha YZ80 and a KTM65 at the time. Yamaha made us an offer, but my dad and I felt that Kawasaki’s Team Green program was a more seamless transition on to Pro Circuit and then to the factory team, so we went that direction.

What kind of support did you get?

Bikes, part allowance and some modest money to help getting to the races.

Was that the path to Pro Circuit, and how was that transition from your dad to Mitch?

Yes, it was definitely the path to Pro Circuit. I know Mitch has a rep for being hard on some people but, to be honest, what I saw was him pushing guys that were not performing to their potential and to the team’s potential. I was fortunate to have good results and never really had problems with Mitch. In fact, we have a good relationship to this day.

How about the jump from Pro Circuit to Factory Kawasaki?

I liked the team at Kawasaki all the way through my career and they were a big reason I stayed. The company also always stepped up and did me right when it came contract renewal time so it was easy to be loyal.

You stayed with Kawasaki throughout your career, like Jeff Ward. Was that because of brand loyalty or the relationships you had with the staff?

Definitely the combination of the two.

Was there any part of you that wanted to ride for a different brand and, if so, which one?

Every rider is curious about the other bikes out there but I just focused on making the Kawasaki the best I could for me.

You were such a Kawasaki guy that you married a Kawasaki employee?

Sort of. My wife Kristen worked for the P.R. firm Kawasaki hired to cover the Supercross and Motocross teams, so I first met her when I was at Pro Circuit and then worked with her when I was on the factory team. We knew one another for about a year before we started hanging out. Next year will be our 10-year wedding anniversary. She met me as a racer and was around the racing scene so she knew what she was getting into, which helped a lot. She made the coming home and unplugging from everything else possible. That kind of encouragement and support was essential to my success; we were a good team through all the racing and now as parents.

Side note: I am a horrible planner though so can you call me next year and coach me through the 10-year anniversary thing?

Will do, Ryan.

Time to go ride in the afternoon shade of trees that pre-date our country. The towering behemoths that stand guard over this mountain top mecca, perfectly re-create the Speeder bike chase scene in Return Of The Jedi with one exception. We are astride Yamaha WRs. Ryan, of course, takes the role of Luke Skywalker and proceeds to leave this clumsy Storm Trooper in the dust faster than I can say, “How many shoes can a Chewbacca chew.” We are on the same trail but clearly we read the terrain differently. I see a log, Ryan sees a jump. I see a big ass rock, Ryan sees another jump. I see a straight and Ryan sees a spot to bust out a wheelie… So it goes when you ride with aliens.

Eating dust is no substitute for eating lunch. Especially compared to LA Paws restaurant, where you can find the best tacos in town and dirt bikes are always welcome.

Soon the conversation turns to “retired life.”

Retirement vs. Odd Jobs

Retiring before you were 30 is pretty cool but what are you going to do with the next 60 years?

I am pretty busy now and always looking at what comes next. I currently have deals with Yamaha, Monster, Alpinestars, Canvas, Oakley, Mobius, Dunlop, Pro Circuit and a few others so I am still pretty plugged into the industry. I’m also part of a new coaching program called Elevate, which will be launching soon.

The position of “Brand Ambassador/Marketing Partner” is fairly new to the corporate structure and it is probably a fancier title than “Influencer.” You have been that guy for two different brands now, so how is it and what do your responsibilities consist of?

I do new model intros, ride days, dealer meetings, various PR stuff and even did some testing with the factory team. It is fun to do so many different things that I never got to do during my racing days.

European Vacation- Gone Bad

So how did the whole MXGP thing come about?

At the end of the 2014 season I was ready to call it a career and retire. I had accomplished all my goals and I was just burnt out from 10 years of the grind. The problem was that I still had another year on my contract with Monster and they really wanted me to finish it out. We came up with the idea of going to Europe and contesting the MXGP series and pitched it to them. They took a while to make the decision and when they finally did, I was over it and no longer interested. The problem was they were interested and enthused about it because they were making a big push into the Euro market. I had to suck it up and press ahead. I had never really gone into a race series I wasn’t excited and prepared for but I did what I had to do.

How was their series compared to the AMA races?

Qatar was a joke of a track with almost no spectators and the bike just quit running at one point. The team said I stalled it but it is pretty hard to stall an engine at 9000 rpm. There were issues everywhere: The team, the bike, the track and with me! I went 9-8 for 7th overall. Next was Thailand and the track was even worse if that was possible. I went 1-3 for 1st overall so people realized I still knew how to ride, but that was little consolation to me. Argentina was a very cool track but the bike wasn’t working well, not to mention it was slow. I went 4-4 for 4th overall but I was upset. I called Theo [Kawasaki technical advisor at the time] at Kawasaki in the US and told him what was happening and they actually allowed him to fly over to Europe with parts that I used in the AMA series. The ignition and suspension were way better so we bolted them on and went to Trentino. That is a picturesque track on TV but to race on it is a whole other story. It is very, very rocky so traction is always an issue. In the first moto I went from a spot of no traction to too much traction in an instant and looped out. I have never looped out in a race. I broke my tail bone and couldn’t ride so we packed it in and came back to the States.

In all your travels have you ever been to another country that you would prefer to live in over the US? 

I am never in a country long enough to really get to know it so that is hard to say. I can tell you that I can imagine a day when I move my family to Montana or Idaho or somewhere that is more aligned with our values. The problem is that the motorcycle industry is in California but even that is changing.

Life with Twins

What is the best thing about having twins?

Double the fun.

What is the hardest?

Double the not fun.

How diverse are their personalities?

Absolutely. Gage is more like me from appearance and attitude and Brax is more like Kristen. They are both all boy.

Do you want them to race?

They have both raced their Stacyc bikes a few times and they are having fun with it. If they want to race, I will support them, but if they have other interests that is OK too. I am not going to push them into it.

Hey Ryan, do you know the math of having children?

Huh?

One is one and two is ten. Think on it…

Oh, I get it… trust me.

Have you and Kristen talked about having more kids?

Yes, we are on the same page when it comes to that… We are just fine with the two boys.

Aldon Baker

Aldon is a bit of a mythical figure in the sport. How did you like working with him?

Aldon knows his business and with each passing year, I think he gets better at tailoring his programs to the various riders. I think it was probably easier for him when he had two or three guys. Now he has the Husky and KTM squads so that has to be a challenge.

How much more prepared were you physically after working with him?

When I started working with Aldon was right after I broke my Tib/Fib at the Seattle SX. I had a boot style brace on, I was on crouches, my back was all jacked from trying to walk like that. I was a mess and I am not sure Aldon knew what he was getting in to but we went to work. Progress wasn’t easy but we did make progress. When I came back, I was fit from core to cardio.

What did you like most about his program and what did you like least?

I am sure everyone would probably say they like the results and they hate the grind. It wasn’t just working in the gym. We would start with a road bike ride in the morning. Eat breakfast. Go to the gym and work out. Eat again and go ride laps. Then get up and do it again the next day. Grueling? Yes, but when you see and feel progress you want more.

Do you think there is an alternative training approach out there that would be better?

I am sure there are other good trainers out there but when you have worked with so many guys for so many years all that knowledge is valuable and there is only one way to get it. Put in the time.

How was he as a riding coach?

He was a mountain bike guy that never raced motocross, so you would think that it would be hard for him to coach riding, but it is not. If you are a good observer, you can tell a guy where they are losing time. For someone like myself that is all I need. I know how to go faster and so I work on fixing those sections on the track. He has years and years of watching motocross and supercross guys do laps and obstacles, so he can point out the trouble spots pretty easy.

Inked In

Tell me about your tats. Looks like you have an interesting full sleeve on your clutch arm.

Yeah, it started with the “No short cuts” tat, which was my philosophy and grew from there. I have a pic of my grandpa racing back in the 60’s, the birth flowers for my boys, the compass with the coordinates of where we got married and some other stuff.

I am interested in the quote you have.

It says “Never let weakness convince you that you lack strength”

Do you live by that motto?

I try to but sometimes life is not easy.

I get it, trust me.

With that lunch break was over and it was time for more casual riding over on the north side of the lake. The terrain is far less intense and provides a great wind down ride to cap off an epic day. The open meadows and serene surroundings allow for distracted thinking, so I took full advantage. I cogitated on how much Ryan has done in his first three decades and how that has molded him, not only from a boy to a man, but to a man of conviction. Like a young John Dutton from the series Yellowstone, his guiding principles don’t change with the wind; They are more set in stone.

He has a good head for business and knows that it requires multiple elements working together to be successful. He is also instinctually wise, which is something you are born with and hone along the way. Clearly, he has done just that.

On a personal side, he recognizes the gravity and the value of being a husband, a father and a son. Some folks never reach that level of awareness and clarity but he has a firm grasp on those realities.

Then I got lost in pondering the limitless directions that he could go in the next 60 years. In doing so I got caught up I completely missed the road back home. Luckily, Ryan didn’t have a clue where I was taking him so the missed direction was but a detour to the destination. 

That is something that happens to us all, when you really stop and think about it.