Patrol

It's getting to be that time of year again. You can choose to drain the tank, pull the battery, and fog the cylinders - or - you can pick up a set weatherproof Icon Patrol gear and keep the dream alive. Granted it will be a wet dream, but a dream none the less.

Nick 'Apex' Brocha FAQs

Nick 'Apex' Brocha hails from the great Pacific Northwest. His background is a mixed bag of action sport action. When not on the road you can find him relaxing in various parking lots throughout the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area. He loves Vegas and often talks about the cities unique charm and wholesome family environment. We (virtually) sat down with Nick to discuss various topics related to his life. 

Q: What was your first BMX bike and how old were you when you first bunnyhopped another person?

A: 1982 Mongoose Supergoose. I never made it over anyone but I busted my lip on my neighbors mint Stingray Corvette. It looked better with that bar gouge.

Q: Riding styles are often compared to the moustache - are you a FuManChu, Pencil Thin, or Ridiculous Hipster?

A: Potentail Kung Fu Master, potential Douche bag, or Douche Bag. Is that a real question?

Q: Knife to a fist fight or Gun to a knife fight?

A: I don't own a gun but I've been known to impale my foot with a butterfly knife.

Q: Favorite Elvis song (other than 'In The Ghetto') and why?

A: I'm not a huge Elvis fan but I'm a huge Little Richard fan. Elvis did his own “Long Tall Sally”, it's far from Richards, but it's the lesser of all evils. In fact it's terrible, Elvis's version.

Q: You were previously known as 'Otter Pop' during your pro snowboard career, why?

A: I could only afford Saltines and Otter Pop's during those great years. Many years later, nothings changed except what I ride.

Q: You have amazing balance - do you partake in dance or martial arts to enhance your skills?

A: I partake in lap dances while heavily inebriated at Diablos. That takes an awful lot of balance of holding ones food down and a Kung Fu grip on ones cash. Thieving dumpster diving strippers!

Q: Icon builds a lot of custom bikes from every genre - does it make you interested in building your own non-stuntbike custom?

A: Yeah, you bastards are completely responsible for hours of lost time hunting Craigslist. I forgot to add that stipulation in my 2011 riders contract for an Icon Sportster. Too late to revise!?

Q: How long have you been riding with teammate Ernie Vigil?

A: He's been there from the beginning of my freestyle days so over 5 years. 5 years for the rise of the gypsies!

Q: Your bikes are generally beat to within inches of scrap - how much time do you spend wrenching on them each week?

A: I'm always hunting for that last inch! I still crash a lot but I've learned to save the bike. I only need to put in about 6 hours a week plugging holes these days.

Q: Rumor has it you have a few supporting actor roles in Porno's in your past - confirm or deny?

A: That's what happens when you let Matt Lippincott use a search engine.

Q: Kawasaki has taken over the street riding scene - why?

A: They were the first manufacturer to capitalize on the growing lifestyle market. That and what I consider the 600/1000 glory years, 2003-2005.

Doomsday

For a few months now we've heard that three wheels is the new two. While we can't say we have come to understand these tri-wheeled steeds, we can say that they no longer make us vomit uncontrollably - Just a little burp-puke is all.

Another creation from the crew over at AFG - The Gilera Fuoco in Sacrifice livery

The Mayan culture believed the proliferation of three wheeled vehicles signaled Doomsday

New Plastics

Our friends at Hotbodies sent us some plastics last week for our new ZX10 bike project. Getting a fresh set of fiberglass in the mail was like an early Christmas. Allen lane, editor of digimag Sportbike Inc,  wanted to expand the holiday spirit by going sledding. Unfortunately, being November in Portland, there was not an ounce of snow to be found. Improvise, adapt, overcome. 

Could stair sledding be the next Festivus feat of strength?

Krazy Klowns

Yeah, we had nothing to do with this. Except for the gloves. That was all us. Oh yeah, we did that helmet last summer - but we promise we won't do it again.

There is definitely magic up in this bitch

Icon is very sorry for this...sorry

North of 52

A couple of cool shots from the North of 52 blog. 

Freaktoons

Anybody have any idea what this cartoon is about? (Yes, we know it's Russian)

What's the point?

Icon's Skull Guy breaks down helmet graphic creation:


What really goes into making a graphic that might end up on a helmet? Looking at the slick new production samples is always a great artistic high. I get a buzz off staring at finished new images after so many weeks of brain frying clicking and dragging thousands upon thousands of points and curves that make up all the color layers. From the first sketches all the way through to final Illustrator layers I try to keep a basic idea on what the image will look like when its done. I try to set them up so that all the people who handle the files into the production process can see what I'm seeing and hopefully have little trouble translating the chaos. My small brain takes a beating attempting to process and direct the detailed tedium. But it wasn't always this way.

I grew up using only pencils and ink for finished images. Spent many hours in dark rooms with hand cut rubylith seps and diffusion transfer machines. Shooting halftones, bumping shots, choking and spreading exposures... not to mention changing fixer and developer all the time. I don't remember the last day I used a vacuum table or had to order a box of film. At some point I sat down to use a Mac and everything changed. I still love to use the pencils and inks for the lines but after a clean high rez scan... my little universe has completely changed.

The big buzz about the computer was how fast everything was going to get done. While it is quite true that operations go at lightning speed... My deadlines are just as tight, the work nights go as late as they ever did back then and the work never seems to get done any faster. So whats the point? Dunno... But it does looks kinda cool on a screen capture. Just for Kicks... Have a good damn day!


-Tanner

Tenere

Dual sport - mono wheel. Jeremy at AltRider putting the new Yamaha adventure bike through the Hooligan test.

New product category: 12'o-clock travel bar

Your Helmet is the Best

A sneak peek at the new Icon 'luchadore' helmet.