Extremz Interview With Dave "The Miracle Man" Mirra

Up Close & Personal With

Dave Mirra

"The Miracle Man"

by Chad Ison

Recently, the Extremz Magazine staff attended the 2001 Vans Triple Crown BMX Series at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center in Louisville, KY. During the event, I had an opportunity to sit down with Dave "The Miracle Man" Mirra. If you don't know who Dave Mirra is, then you're missing out on something...BIG! This 27-year-old is considered by many to be one of the best BMX freestyle riders in the world. To watch him is to see poetry in motion. Dave uses the bike and moves like it's an extension of his own body. At home on both the street course and the vert, Dave Mirra's reputation for winning is only exceeded by his love for the sport.

Dave, where did you grow up?

Chanagua, New York, which is twenty miles east of Syracuse.

Where do you live now?

Greenville, North Carolina.

How long have you been involved with BMX?

It seems like I've been riding a bike my whole life. I've been competing since 1987.

What type of bike do you usually ride?

I ride a Harro bike - a Dave Mirra signature model.

What do you like best about riding BMX?

It's something I've always done. I love it! It makes me feel good. It satisfies me at the end of the day. To go out and do some tricks you never thought you were going to do, and just progress, it's pretty amazing. It's just a goal, something that psyches me up. And, at the end of the day, I walk away happy when I've learned something new - something I thought was never possible.

Which do you prefer, riding vert or street?

It's a tough call. Vert's awesome to ride, but I definitely put more hours into the park courses.

Do you feel you get more tricks from the park courses?

Vert is definitely the most difficult form of bike riding in my opinion. The tricks you learn on vert are obviously big and insane and they make you happy. It's crazy because you're risking a lot. Where on street, you can learn a lot more tricks in one day. You progress at a different level and go different directions, where vert is one type of ramp.

What challenges do you face when riding BMX?

Well, there's some great competitors out thereand staying healthy is also important.

What is your favorite trick?

Man, you know it's crazy; there's so many. I could pick about ten on this street course I love to do. It's so hard to pick just one. You can do basically anything and link it into something else. To ride and be smooth while doing the hardest trick - that's my favorite part of riding.

What is the hardest trick you still have trouble doing?

Double Tails is pretty inconsistent for me right now.

Who, or what inspired you to get into BMX?

You know, I think it was my brother, our cousin and some friends. We started riding bikes and I loved it. We were doing wheelies, bunny hops and different kinds of tricks over the yearsit just kept me into it.

If you started competing in 1987, how long did it take you to turn pro?

I turned pro in '92, so it took me five years. It was a crazy era back then. Different than it is now, but it was awesome. There are tons of good riders now. Back then there were four or five guys that were insane. It was a tough transition for sure.

Do you feel it's easier for a person to turn pro now?

I think, yeah. There are a lot more guys turning pro now than back in the earlier days. But then again, there are a lot more participants riding today. There are a lot of great riders.

Do you feel with there being more riders there's more competition for riders to push the edge and do harder, more risky tricks?

Yeah, with the different styles involved, there is definitely. If someone else steps it up, you've got to step it up too. Basically, you've got to pack your runs filled with the hardest tricks you've got.

I know you have to go to a lot of competitions. How do you feel about traveling all over the world?

Everything I know is pretty much from bike riding, so it's a great experience. When it's all packed together in a season like this, it gets overwhelming. But when you look back, it's awesome. You learn a lot, you see a lot, and you meet a lot of cool people.

Who are you currently sponsored by?

Harro bikes, Fox Racing, DC Shoes, Arnette Obtacles and Slim Jim.

What other competitions will you be attending in the near future?

We've got the X Games and Gravity Games coming up real soon to check out. So, hopefully, we'll all stay healthy, and I'm sure there will be great contests there.

Have you ever thought about retiring from the BMX competitions?

Not yet. I know some day that time will come, but we'll see. Hopefully, with the right circumstances I can play a lot of golf.

Most people probably don't know that you play golf. What other sports do you like?

I ride motocross a little bit. I'm also into cars.

Do you try extreme stunts with motocross too?

Yeah, I do my own style of stunts. I jumped this 65 foot jump at Woodward on Allen Cook's motorcycle dirt-bike and jumped off the back. I ate crap all over the place...I ruined his bike!

Do you really consider BMX an extreme sport?

I think it's extreme. There's a lot of individualism and a lot of heart involved in what we do. It's great. I think that people are starting to understand what kind of athletes we are and what we're all about. I play a lot of sports and this is definitely the most energy enduring, the most strenuous.

Have you ever been injured in the sport?

I tore my spleen in half and broke a shoulder. The shoulder was at home and the spleen injury was in Dallas. They were both major surgeries. Those are the two biggest ones.

What other sport do you look at and say, "they've got to be crazy to even try that?"

There are a lot of sports....I like supercross personally. Jeremy McGrath and Travis Estrono - man those guys...I know what they do and I respect them. Now that I've been riding dirt bikes a little bit, I know what goes into that.

What kind of advice would you give someone that's thinking about getting into BMX?

Don't try to rush it. Get into it to have fun. Don't just get into the sport to make a living out of it. Basically, stay healthy and just take it easy.

What is the most unusual thing you've done?

Make a living in bike riding, I guess. That's pretty awesome! It's a dream come true.

Do you have any final words?

I'd just like to thank my mom and dad, my brother and family, my girlfriend Jennifer, my friends and all the fans. Everybody that's been there for me and supported me. It's been awesome. I'm having a lot of fun doing it. And hopefully, I'll be around for a long time.