FMX Insider No.38: Harry Bink Interview

Transmoto’s weekly web-exclusive column, the FMX Insider, penned by Ben Heidrich.

Freestyle motocross rider, Harry Bink, has been hanging off the bars since 2011 and has just turned Pro in the last two years. Riding full-time for Showtime FMX and recently competing at the Red Bull X-Fighters in Mexico, you could say he’s on a busy schedule, not to mention the fact that he also performs in the Nitro Circus Live tour. I caught up with Bink to chat about his promising FMX career.

Ben: Can you tell me a little about your riding career so far?
Harry: It all kicked off for me joining the Showtime FMX team and doing shows for them for the first two years after turning Pro and then just this year it really started taking off. I got the opportunity to perform at Nitro Circus Live and compete at the Mexico stop of the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour.

How long have you been riding Nitro shows?
I did my first one in February this year and I have now done four Nitro shows in total.

Can you run me through your Nitro experience? It looks like your having a lot of fun!
It was a crazy experience getting to hang out with the Nitro Circus crew! There is a lot of partying but when it comes to the show everyone puts their game face on and puts on a world-class show! I have never had as much fun as I have had touring with Nitro Circus!

It looks as though you and Travis Pastrana are pretty tight, so what’s it like riding with him?
Travis is more crazy behind the cameras than he is in front of them! It’s insane hanging out with the guy and the level he is at is just unreal. I grew up watching him on TV and he is no different in person. I look up to him heaps and had some crazy times touring with him!

When and how did the opportunity arise for you to ride at Red Bull X-Fighters in Mexico?
Kain Saul had put a good word to Grant ‘Goba’ O’Brien about me at a party one night and Goba then asked me if the opportunity came up would I ever be interested. Me being me, I jumped at the opportunity and said I would be pumped! Josh Sheehan had other stuff going on for Mexico and I was lucky enough to take his spot!

Has this been something you have always wanted to do as a young FMX rider?
Yes, for sure! These are all my childhood dreams coming true and I can’t believe it. It still blows me away every time I think about all the stuff I have got to do this year. I just hope it all keeps happening for me.

What else did you get up to while at X-Fighters? Any interesting stories?
Going to Mexico was a very full on experience! When Sauly and I got to the venue to put my bike together, we realised my back shock had been taken out at LA airport and they didn’t even tell us. So I rode with a stock back shock and the humidity played up with my riding heaps as well. I then also got bad food poisoning on the first day of practice, so I was pretty worried at that point. But then after that it all started coming together for me and we had an awesome time!

How was the experience riding on the night; did the nerves kick in? Talk us through your run.
It was insane riding into an arena with 40,000 crazy Mexicans cheering you on. It blew me away. I was very nervous but right before my run I pulled my shit together, went out and did what I knew how to do!

How was the competition? Was it hard riding against so many other world-class riders?
It was crazy watching all the other riders in practice and qualifying and it was very intimidating!

Were there any standout moments for you? What was your favourite part about the Red Bull X-Fighters?
My favourite moment was when I did my run on the final night, having the whole stage to myself and getting to go do what I love! Was the craziest moment of my life and hope I get the chance to do it again.

Are you planning on riding any more X-Fighters rounds this year?
I would love to! My biggest focus at the moment is to try learning some bigger tricks so I can get an invite back.

What other plans do you have for this year?
To be honest, I don’t have another show guaranteed for me this year, so my biggest focus is to keep getting better until I can get another shot at X-Fighters or Nitro Circus and keep doing the Showtime FMX shows. That’s where it all started for me and I love riding the Showtime FMX shows, so it’s all good.