VoidRabbit Community Blog Featured Rider: HandBrakeNape

VoidRabbit Community Blog Featured Rider: HandBrakeNape

As Genuine As They Come

I have the pleasure of introducing our first Featured Rider on the blog, and you will have to forgive me for using his handle over his real name, but as they say, IYKYK.  I met this fine gentleman when I first came to Evansville and was trying to branch out and get involved in the local car scene.  I met HBN, (HandbrakeNape) at a drifting event at Riverside Drift in Salem and got to enjoy 3 days with 9 dudes in a camper built for less than 9 dudes. It did not take long to figure out that HBN is one of the most genuine guys I've ever met.  We all have reasons for why we do what we do, and he's in it for the good of his soul. Always the first to laugh and never one to shy away from a good time, he's been a joy to get to know and I look forward to shredding pavement with him this season. But enough butthole tonguing for now, this blog is about those of us who take on life with the throttle wide open and I mean to get into it.

Two Wheels, One Love

When talking about how HBN got into riding, I don't mind using the moto Mantra 2 wheels 1 love.  HBN took to the bike after getting out of the military. As many who've been through it can attest to, it leaves you with less than you brought in with you, and he found himself struggling to find peace afterwards. Fortunately a friend pulled him into the riding scene, pushed him to get a bike, and a week later he had his first set of wheels, a KTM 625smc.

Ride or Die

When asked how riding plays a part in HBN's social life, his answer was quite clear.  Riding is life, and I make the most of it. His social media, his friends, peers, all point towards one thing. Being on the bike. Right now HBN's focus has been stunting; Getting better at tricks, learning new tricks, and spending time with kindred souls. Fortunately, having cool hobbies takes you to cool places, and it sounds like a few are up north. 

"I’ve got a lot of homies all over the place that stunt, main of them being Corey and Noah from Indy. Noah’s scene up in Indy is WICKED, they got permission from what I’m assuming is a shipping yard that’s put down fresh concrete and they have a Lot Sesh every. I'm trying to make it up there in the next few weeks. I also wanna make it back up to Chicago for Leaned Back in Chiraq. 'YouTube that btw people, it's a massive stunt ride up in Chicago and it was honestly the wild Wild West in 21’ when I went',  we’re going to the Tail of the Dragon in a few months and I'm super excited for that."

At one point I asked what he thought the near future of his life as a biker would look like and what about it makes it so worth it to him, and it's funny because most of the bikers I've talked to have a very similar outlook to riding.

"It's weird you ask this because my girl asked me a while back one night, 'Do you ever see yourself not having a bike?” Immediately I said no, riding saved my life, I constantly was having bad thoughts going thru my head, if it wasn’t for riding I don't know where I’d be or if I’d be alive as corny as that sounds, but it’s true. Stunting is main focus right now, At the moment I’m trying to stay behind balance point and let go of my clutch hand. I also wanna learn sit-down no handers this year to but that’s getting testy and I'd rather not loop this year. I don’t wanna have clout for it from what I post to the Gram, I just like to show off. Nothing makes my day more when I out riding streets and I see a kid in the back of a car telling me to do a wheelie. The smile they get from seeing them excited makes my day. I could care less about myself being happy, I’d rather put a smile on someone else’s face than my own."

At the end of our conversation I asked HBN for some straight forward information on how a newbie might get into stunt riding without killing themselves, and he gave me the the following which I will leave unedited.  

  1. Honestly if your wanting to get into wheelies, buy a Grom. No, your 6in off the ground power wheelie is not a proper wheelie. It’s stupid and your gonna get hurt quick af. Buy a Grom, practice 1st gear, bring it up, immediately push footbrake to bring it right  back dow. Build that muscle memory of using the rear brake, your natural instinct is to bail when u go to far back, but if you can convince your brain that your rear brake is your safety instead of bailing, you’ll be at balance point in no time. I’m just now getting to where I can flick the bike up to balance point, but I personally chase for a little bit to gain some speed and then swing back behind balance point to slow down, cuz when I just flick up to balance point, I slow down so quick from wanting to drop back n drop back to try n scrape, next thing ik I’m doing 10-15 mph in a 45 and the boi’s are on my ass telling me to speed up lol. 
  2. ……If you guys wanna check my Insta out, no I'm not the greatest at wheelies but I sure do try lol. @handbrake_nape     If you wanna check out some of my favorite street killers @brian_636 @leanedbackluke @bobbyblox @cbearstunts @reckless_203 @sloppy_stuntz @top16tch are some of my favorite riders out. 
  3. ……And always remember, rear brake or raw meat, comfort is the key to progression, and if you ain’t wreckin you ain’t learnin. 

Pack Animals

I'm going to jump in here at the end to both post some pics of a couple wild bikes and supercars from Nashville Cars n Coffee this week and express how badass pack riding is.  Being a relatively new rider, I haven't had a ton of exposure riding with more than just 1 or 2 other people.  That all changed today when I found myself in a real pack, roughly 20 or so sumo bikes that are what I would call dirt bikes with road tires. I'm hoping I didn't make too many of you cringe by saying that but that's the best way I can explain em. Don't get me wrong almost every bike in there could move, and there were a couple that could move faster than me. Being on a Night Rod that's no small thing. But the main thing I want to point out was the camaraderie, the absolute joy that being on the bikes with these other hooligans brings. It's like when you're goin out on the town with the Boys and everyone's messin' with each other, poking fun, taunting, laughing, daring each other to do something wild.  It's exactly the same energy, just flying by the seat of your pants with the smell of petrol and burning rubber added to the mix.

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