Famous Riders

All too often we come across a massive guide of things for your dirt bike, but no one is sharing the gear that you should carry when riding.

Frontaer is out to change all of this. We simply want to show you the stuff that you’ll need for the toolkit so you can make a good and basic repair on the side of the track.

Tools to Carry When Riding a Dirt Bike

Did you know that your dirt bike probably has a tool rool? Most people don’t even realize it. This is often located near the seat and is designed for a quick repairs.

Yet it doesn’t have absolutely everything you need. In this article, we’ll go a step further.

Here are the tools you need to carry when riding a dirt bike:

1. Duct Tape

Yes, you need to take some duct tape with you along the way. You never know when one of your fenders will come lose or your handlebar clamps have been hollowed out. Duct tape always saves the day.

2. Zip Ties

Another simple one is zip ties. We recommend 2 small and 2 large zip ties which is enough to do just about any job. They are handle for sorting out issues in handlebar region as they are for repairing torn clothing and even replacing a busted buckle on your boots. They take almost no space, and so there is no excuse not to have ’em.

3. Puncture Repair Kit

Yep, you need one. Even if you don’t know how to replace a dirt bike tire just yet, you need a puncture repair kit. Typically you’ll get spoon levers, valve cores, replacement valve caps and some plugs. These are immensely helpful and you can always save some tutorial videos off YouTube before heading out for a ride just in case. (They let you download them to your phone nowadays). The puncture repair kit needs to have a premium pair of tyre levers. Pass on the cheap versions you find online unless they are from a well-known brand.

4. Spare Tubes

Don’t be the fool who went out for a ride with a repair kit…only to forget to bring a replacement tube. Now, if space is limited, then you only need one tube. Go for a tube diameter equal to your largest tire. A large tube can be used in a smaller tire just to get you back to base safely, though a smaller tibe physically can’t fit in a larger tire. Of course, bring 2 tubes (1 for each tire) if you have the space available.

5. Bike Pump

When you get that flat tire, then you’ll need to replace the tube. Once that’s done, then it’s time to pump it up. This is where you’ll need to pack a high quality bike pump. Forget the cheap Chinese versions and go for a well-known brand such as Giant because on the side of the track 10 miles from anyone, you don’t want the bike pump to break.

6. Monkey Butt

Yes, Monkey Butt is a tool. It’s the type of tool that stops you from having a sore bottom end – literally. You put this on before you start riding and you’ll stop your chaffing issues. Trust us – this works, and it should live permanently in your toolkit if space permits. Chaffing can make or break a day out there on the dirt bike.

7. Tow Rope

The last on our list is a tow rope. All you need is about 30 yards or about 10 metres. This can be used for towing someone who broke down back to base, or to help a buddy who ditched his dirt bike down an embarkment. If you’re on a group ride, then only 2 to 3 riders will needs to carry these as breakdowns are unlikely to happen, but the rope makes for a good insurance policy.

Toby Price has legendary status among the Australian dirt bike community. Why? He’s the only Australian to win the Dakar.

What’s most extraordinary is that he did this with a broken wrist. An absolute tough nutter!

Toby Price

Toby is an enduro motorcycle racing veteran who started out riding at a very early age. In fact, he was behind the handlebars from 2 years old and winning races by the age of 4.

He spent much of his teenage years riding instead of reading and writing. Clearly a skill that has paid off for his future.

In addition to riding, he’s also heavily into off-road buggy racing and was a former champion. He lives today on the waterway canals of the Gold Coast and still competes at a national and international level. Do you know Justin and the crew at Patriot Campers? They’re close mates with Toby and often head up to Finke to catch up.

Toby has won many titles in Australian offroad motorcycle racing. This includes multiple wins at the Hattah Desert Race, the Finke Desert Race and the AORC. Then we have the big one….

Dakar Wins

Toby Price was already well known among the dirt bike and adventure riding community throughout Australia. He then rose to household status following his win in the Dakar Rally in 2016, followed by an epic win in 2019 with a broken wrist. Tough as nails!

For his efforts, he was awarded the inaugural Ronald J Waler Award for Excellence. This is a rare award given by the Australian Motor Sports Hall of Fame.

Toby Price Bike

In the Dakar Rally, Australian Toby Price rides a heavily modified KTM 450 Rally. The bike received a host of upgrades to both increase its performance and reduce the weight. Just check out that beast of an adventure fairing.

It’s an incredible machine designed for the harshest of conditions. If you think the Australian bush is a bit harsh…then you haven’t ridden for thousands of miles of the rally. Despite all of these modifications and aftermarket parts, the bike isn’t just reliable but often keeps Toby towards the front of the pack.

Competitive Super Truck Racing

While truck racing in Australia isn’t that popular and certainly doesn’t draw the crowds that the motocross scene does, that hasn’t stopped Toby from having a crack. When Toby isn’t twisting the throttle, he’s got his right foot flat to the floor.

Toby Price hasn’t done as well with competitive truck racing. He has raced in several cities and prefers to race for the enjoyment rather than winning spots on the podium. That said – he’s still bloody quick and rarely comes in at last position.

KTM Loyalty

Given KTM’s premium quality and race-ready performance, Toby has always had an affinity with this brand. KTM has sponsored Toby Price since 2009 yet he’s been riding their enduro motorcycles for years prior. This probably has something to do with their incredible performance when riding on sand.

Oddly enough, he previously rode for KTM Off-Road Racing Team then switched to the Red Bull Factory KTM Rally Team. Same bikes. Different tribes. Go figure. It would actually be odd seeing him rode for Honda or Yamaha. It just wouldn’t be….aligned.

Early Retirement?

We don’t see Toby retiring anytime soon. While motocross competitors are generally done by age 30, enduro riders often go on until their mid 40’s before hanging up the gloves.

Essentially, we wouldn’t expect him to retire as he certainly isn’t in this for the money. What we’d love to see is an enduro training school setup in Australia for young riders. These are rare and most riders have to head to Europe.

We can only think of one person worthy of starting such a training school for the next generation of riders.

Rosie Gabrielle on YouTube has led many people to become curious about her age, religion, illness, husband and of course, her epic adventures on her motorcycle.

Frontaer is as equally obsessed. After all, her YouTube videos and Instagram profile are filled with captivating videos and photos. Certainly she’s drawn some serious attention, as well as some criticism too.

Let’s get a better understanding of who she is and what she’s doing out there on two wheels.

Rosie Gabrielle Adventure Rider

Go back 30 years ago and adventure riding was certainly in its infancy. Then come Ewan and Charlie whose original Long Way series made the industry absolutely boom!

Now we have all sorts of riders heading out for global expeditions. Did you know that there are several men who have circumnavigated by motorcycle more than once? It’s insane!

From here, we’ve had a rise in female adventure motorcycle. It’s both welcoming and refreshing to see more women enter this space and live life behind the handlebars.

Rosie Gabrielle happens to be one of these people. Her travels have taken her through some unique experiences through North America, Canada, South Africa, the Middle East and now into Pakistan. And now that our international borders are essentially open, we look forward to seeing her in Australia real soon!

It’s clear that her model-like looks and charm have captivated many hearts. Unlike most ‘chicks for clicks’ type of YouTubers, she’s more heart-warming and genuine, and someone that just feels real. So much so that it isn’t surprising to see almost 500,000 subscribers to her account.

History, Religion and Marital Status

Rosie Gabrielle is French-Canadian, and was born and raised in Canada. She’s currently single an is an independent adventure filmmaker. Her hobbies include travel by motorcycle, photography and telling stories through heart-felt connections and the raw side of seeing the world as a woman.

Rosie Gabrielle is married:

Rosie converted to Islam recently which raised the eyebrows of some of her viewers. Fortunately, many were receptive to this with many positive comments from westerners towards her identification as a muslim. This occured having spend around a year in Pakistan and falling in love with the country and its people. Following her conversion, she has received many marriage proposals yet remains as a solo adventurer.

Rossie Gabrielle went into the hospital for emergency bowel resectioning surgery including abdominal surgery. This happened during the early months of the COVID-19 outbreak. This has caused her motorcycle adventures to cease for now, but they will start again once she’s safe and sound.

Supporting Rosie Gabrielle

As Rosie now continues her ADV adventures through the world, she needs all the support she can get. One of the very best choices is to get into the world of motorcycling yourself. She’s there to inspire us, both women and men, to head out on our own adventures.

If you’re needing some assistance, then Frontaer wrote this helpful beginners guide: How to Get Started in Adventure Motorcycling. We’ve jam-packed it with important information including dangers and concerns, as well as how do it all solo.

In addition, Rosie has a Patreon page and also accepts PayPal through her email address. Likewise, check here for some dirt bike riding tips otherwise you might wind up with a collection of your own motorcycle crashes as she has. 🙂

Travis Pastrana and his life behind the handlebars started at the tender age of 4, and today he has a legendary reputation in the world of motocross.

Famous? You betcha! Even if you aren’t yet riding your own dirt bike, chances are that you’ve heard of Travis. His name is certainly well known across North America, Canada, Australia, Europe and the UK.

Yet what makes him so respected on 2 wheels? How did he reach such status? In this guide, we’ll provide you with some insights.

Travis Pastrana Early Life

Travis was born to ride. He was ripping around on his parent’s ranch before he even picked up a pencil. At school, he simply dreamed of riding and as you’d expect, this is where he spent much of his weekends.

His dad is Robert Pastrana and formerly served with the US Marine Corp. As you’d expect, a tough man but also very supportive of his son’s dreams. Robert and his wife (the mum of Travis Pastrana) previously rode motorcycles. His mum actually broke her back on one of such jumps.

By the age of 14, Travis Pastrana was considered to be the best freestyle motocross rider globally. Imagine…he wasn’t even old enough to get a car licence yet could throw a MX bike around and overtake guys twice his age.

Motocross Career

Travis is well known for his antics on a 2-stroke. The man was born for the competitive world of motocross and supercross. He’s absolutely pushed himself behind the limits of physics and has been influential in growing the sport internationally. From this, he earned his ‘199’ lives tag, taken from the ‘a cat has 9 lives’ saying.

Now, we might think that a man of this stature is academically poor. You’d be far from the truth here! He graduated from Maryland University with a 4.0 GPA and he’s created his own TV Show called Nitro Circus. Take that!

What Travis Pastrana is known for is his energy. No matter what happens out there, he’s just going ot smile. He has a heart of gold and is super friendly on and off the race track. He just wants to have fun and show others what is truly capable.

Travis Pastrana: List of Accidents

On boy! He’s certainly been admitted to hospital more times than most people will in 10 lifetimes. Travis probably earned himself a membership card there!

Oddly enough, he always bounces back bigger than ever before. These temporary setbacks and just setups for a comback.

Travis Pastrana has been involved in the following accidents:

1. 9x surgeries in the left knee bone
2. 1x broken tibia
3. 10x on-track concussions
4. 1x Broken collarbone
5. 1x broken thumb
6. 2x surgeries on his back
7. 1x broken fibula
8. 1x torn ACL in the left knee
9. 8x surgeries in the right knee bone
10. 1x broken wrist

That’s a lot of pain, but as they say ‘no pain…no gain’!

Even at the age of 16, he won titles while riding with broken body parts, including a wrist and ankle. Ouch!

Life Today

Ever wondered what happened to Travis Pastrana? Well, today he’s alive and well and looks after his kids and wife, while still out there racing. He’s swapped the dangerous nature of the dirt bike for a relatively safer form of racing – rally cars.

This seems typical of the guys who retire from the competitive and bone-breaking world of motocross. Much like the world of dirt bikes, he’s certainly won some titles out there while ripping along at a million miles per hour.

For a man who has lived his life on the edge, he’s certainly inspired a generation to get out there and push the limits. While his lifestyle has changed, his attitude hasn’t. Life is best lived when going for more.

Yesterday is done and tomorrow may never come. You’re here for a good time. Jump on the bike and start rippin’. Braaaap!

Brian Deegan is a professional dirt bike rider, a professional race car driver and one of the founders of Metal Mulisha, aka The General.

He’s well known for his epic stunt work, having been the first-ever competitor to do a 360 twist (not backflip) in any competition. This became known as the “Mulisha Twist.”

Frontaer did the research to put together the essentials of what Brian does today, where he lives, his house, tattoos, race number and choices in life. Let’s begin.

Brian Deegan Early Life

Brian was born in Omaha, Nebraska and feel in love with dirt bikes by age 10. Sadly, by age 12 his parents were divorced and he developed an aggressive attitude. This is likely the driving force behind his success.

By age 17, had won his fair share of titles in motocross and supercross. He was a weapon on a 125 and his skills caught the attention of corporate sponsors. This was a combination of straight of pursuits paired with his rebellious nature.

His love for dirt bikes at an early age has inspired his son Haiden Deegan and his daughter Hailee Deegan to also move into the sport of competitive racing. His son is into motocross while his daughter is a competitive racer.

Crazy, right? 10 years old and Haiden Deegan (aka Dangerboy Deegan) is out there pulling backflips on his dirt bike. Call up the fun police!

Motocross Career

Brian was the hotshot to look out for earlier in the century. If you rode a dirt bike, then you knew Brian Deegan’s name. Everyone, from MX and enduro riders, to the ADV crowd, knew his name. From the found cover of magazines to gracing the television screens of every motocross event in the country, he was ‘the guy’ whose crazy nature captivated us.

While he’s made many wins on on the race track and has built a successful business (Metal Mulisha is worth millions), this certainly hasn’t come easy. He’s going through some tough crashes and surgeries to repair some nasty damages to what we may have thought was an indestructible body.

It’s during this time that Brian Deegan’s net worth increased substantially. He’s worth around $10,000,000 US dollars today and that number continues to increase year on year. This is due to his business interests predominantly.

What Happened to Brian Deegan?

Some say that he died, which isn’t true. Nor has he been arrested. He’s just not as popular as he used to be and has prefered to race trucks and motorcycles casually.

Today, Brian Deegan continues to compete in offroad racing in 4-wheels. His competitive nature shines behind the steering wheel as he continues to race in the Global RallyCross Championships in North America.

In addition, he continues to build and promote the Metal Mulisha brand to his loyal and enthusiastic followers on Instagram, while being a coach, father and husband to his wife and kids. He hasn’t retired, and still rides dirt bikes recreationally, but can’t keep up with the younger kids out there on the motocross tracks anymore, understandably.

Brian essentially built the freestyle motocross industry. Before then, it was just simply racing. One dude’s passion and persistence has built an entire industry and has motivated troubled kids to let their aggression out through the throttle.

Brian Deegan will always be known as the guy who pushed way past the limits. He’s an inspiration to the 1% of riders who’ll be out there behind the handlebars every weekend instead of binge-watching another YouTube video.

In a society that rewards those who wrap themselves in cotton-wool, it’s good to see there are still some dudes will actually get out there.