Rob Carpenter's One Wheel Revolution Unveils New Stunts at 2013 Pensacola Harley-Davidson Show
- Jun 29, 2013
"The name One Wheel Revolution/1WheelRevolution/1WR was a name I originally created long ago when some friends and I were trying to figure out how to turn our passion into a career," Carpenter explains. "We kept trying to book local shows and people kept asking who we were. I began to realize the significance of branding and thus 1WR was created." For Carpenter, "One Wheel" signified the wheelie, which is the foundation of all stunt riding, and "Revolution" represented the challenge to bring about positive change. "In this case that change meant trying to take a negative perception of stunt riding and turning it into something positive that people, venues, and sponsors would enjoy," Carpenter says.
The 1WR genesis came about after Carpenter was spotted performing at local sport bike events and he got a phone call one day to fill-in at the 2009 National HOG (Harley Owners Group) Rally. Clearly this was a great opportunity, the problem was he had never ridden a Buell or a Harley before. It didn't matter though, because he nailed it, and he was immediately scouted from that event to join a traveling Buell stunt team. At the same time Chris Rayburn rejoined the Buell team after his departure the year prior. "Our teamwork was second to none and it showed at every performance. Then in October 2009 we got some terrible news, Buell would be closing its doors and focusing on racing only." "This was devastating news, but ultimately the push we needed to make the switch to H-D Sportsters. We continued to perform for the same team on Sportsters for the 2010 year. It was a lot of fun but we wanted more, more action, more opportunities and the possibility of further sponsorship. At the end of 2010 we decided to go in our own direction and take 1WR into the V-twin realm. I took loans from several family members, cashed out my savings account and purchased three H-D motorcycles, sound equipment and our show trailer. Since we stepped into V-twin entertainment, we have performed roughly 175 shows at 43 different events, in 18 different states. Generally we perform an average of 20 events each summer with sponsor photo/video shoots mixed between."
Carpenter and Rayburn's Pensacola Harley-Davidson performance was a mixture of new stunts and finely tuned equipment, "like our new K&N Charger Intakes, complimented with subtle variations of new tricks," remarks Carpenter. "Crowd safety and enjoyment is always our top priority for any event. This requires diligent practice ranging from 20 to 100 hours before a maneuver can be used in a show. Each time we ride we take basic maneuvers and add a variation, like one hand on the bars, no hands on the bars, one foot wrapped over the front, etc. And then we push the equipment related limits of that particular maneuver, for example the speed of bike, lean angle, extension of arms/legs, g-forces, tire traction and so on. After much practice, you end up with a finely polished new trick for the next event." One such new trick that the duo performed at the Pensacola event is actually a combination of two tricks called a merk-step to tank-splitter. "The merk-step is basically doing a wheelie and briefly stepping one foot on the ground. The second trick is a tank-splitter which is riding on the gas tank with your legs protruding from each side while in a wheelie," Carpenter diagrams. "To perform this trick smoothly requires a strong rear handbrake setup, paired with a fine tuned motor. While in a wheelie, you perform the merk-step, pulling the clutch and rear handbrake at the same time. Giving the handbrake a quick pump at the end of this movement throws the bike forward, thus throwing you into the air. Once in the air, you simply time your brake and clutch release with a little bit of gas and at about that same moment, your rear lands on the gas tank. Proper setup, timing and practice are the key to pulling it off successfully." One Wheel Revolution's next opportunity to pull it off successfully is June 29 and 30 at J&P Cycle Open House Rally in Anamosa, Iowa. |
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