Moto maniac Blake "Bilko" Williams talks backflips, birds and broken bones.
How did you end up riding freestyle motocross?
When I was younger, I raced BMX, then I progressed to racing dirtbikes and, in the past five years, I’ve started doing freestyle. And now I ride with the
Crusty Demons. I live in America most of the year, mainly because I compete over there. I’ve got a house in California, but when I’m home, I live in my barn.
What do you ride?
A 250 four-stroke Honda. It’s pretty much standard, engine-wise, but it’s got an exhaust system, carburettor modifications, harder suspension, grab holes, cut-down seat and handlebars. The rest is cosmetic.
What’s your four-wheeled vehicle of choice?
I drive a silver Ford Ranger on 22s here in Oz. In the States, I’ve got a murdered-out Chevy Express van. It’s black with black rims – 22s – black headlights, black tail-lights, black tint. It’s just black. It looks like something out of a movie, where a bloke’s about to jump out with an
AK-47 and mow you down.
How long does it take to perfect a trick?
You can always brush up on tricks. But if you’re learning something, it can take up to six months in the foam pit. Or you could land it first go.
How much does a big stack mess with your confidence?
It’s usually the trick you crashed on or similar tricks that give you problems. I haven’t really done the Ruler Backflip since I crashed [in 2007 at the Dew Tour finals] and I haven’t done a 360 since Mexico last year. With stuff like that, there’s a voice in the back of my head saying, “Remember what happened last time?” After my last crash, I had nightmares and I’d wake up and reach down to feel my leg and see if it was broken.
We do the same after a night on the turps. What’s been your worst injury?
Back in ’07, when I over-rotated the Ruler flip. I landed behind the bike, on my feet, about three-quarters of the way down. It’s like jumping out a third-storey building. My left leg took all the impact and I broke and dislocated all my toes. I shattered one bone in my ankle and they pretty much couldn’t repair it – it was in 10 or 12 pieces. I broke the bone behind that, dislocated my ankle, broke my tib and fib [tibia and fibula], dislocated my knee and tore my ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] and messed up all the soft tissue in the joint.
That’s f–ked. What other injuries have you had?
Four or five knee dislocations and 22 broken bones. I’ve popped my shoulder three times and had a dislocation. I’ve got arthritis in my left ankle and can’t run long distances anymore – it needs to be fused. I’ve also had some internal bleeding. But I don’t really think about that stuff, because if you’re second-guessing then you shouldn’t be out there.
Dan Steiner
•
To read the about what Bilko gets up to on tour, buy the June 09 issue.
What's the biggest stack you've ever had? Enter your comments below.
Slideshows
Lesbian Vampire Killers
RALPH ASMY Grand Final
Hot Videos
Girl Next Door
RALPH ASMY 2009 Winner
