about mike metzger

Mike Metzger, aka "The Godfather" at 32 years old, has accomplished many things that most people would say were impossible to do on a motorcycle. After 28 years of riding dirt bikes, Mike has become an icon amongst his peers, as well as many devoted fans throughout the world. Known as "The Godfather of Freestyle Moto X", Mike has been credited with starting what is now known all over the world, the Sport of Freestyle Moto X (viewed by millions on ESPN's X Games, NBC's Gravity Games, & NBC's Dew Tour), as well as bringing The Back-flip into competition.

Mike is known for innovating many new tricks and ideas into the sport and is the main reason it is where it is today. In 2002, Mike surprised the world with back flipping his dirt bike over 80 feet, which not only won him 2 Gold medals that year as well as a silver medal in Step Up contest, but even more important gained him X Games Elite, Athlete of the Year Award (shared with only a handful of others such as Tony Hawk, Dave Mirra, & Matt Hoffman to list a few) and found himself on Ripley's Believe it or Not for being the first person to back flip back to back. In fact it was such a big moment in sports history that ABC's Wide World of Sports used the TV footage as the highlight of the show.

That was the fuel that set Freestyle Moto X blazing and made it mainstream. Not long after the X Games 2002, Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim, Ca. decided to bring Freestyle Moto X into their park (along with a few other extreme sports) and presented Mike with a medal for doing the impossible. Mike has since been on numerous Television commercials, shows on a vast array of networks, and even in movies. He has also been in many mainstream magazines and on a handful of covers as well. Mikes popularity expanded rapidly and still continues to do so. Mike Metzger has now become a household name around the globe; Mike will continue pushing the envelope and help the motorcycle industry in many different ways. Mike has recently launched a new company, Factory Freestyle, and will be designing and manufacturing after market motorcycle parts specifically for Freestyle Moto X and will continue being a recognized face on televisions everywhere. Mike's skill, image, charisma and ability to win, makes him the major draw for motocross events worldwide.

In May 2006, in front of Millions watching LIVE around the world on ESPN, Mike Metzger did the "Impossible". Timed with the release of Mission Impossible III the movie, Mike jumped the Caesars Palace fountains in Las Vegas in front of more than 15,000 fans and Millions around the world watching, hoping he could pull it off. Mike not only completed this Historic World Record Breaking Jump but he smashed his own goal by landing 125' and also performing a Back-flip as if to show off his talent while on center stage. Mike pushed the limit that day and challenged others to follow in his footsteps as he always had in the past, building the sport to what it is today, always going Big.

Now in a new chapter in his life Mike Metzger enjoys spending his days producing insane art which comes strait from the heart. Whether it is on a canvas, through tattoos, or on a paper sack, Mike is an artist to the core. He has a unique ability to envision and produce the most unique artwork pieces in existence. Through the collision of Mike’s art and a few creative souls, Mike is proud to introduce Metzger Brand!

As a visionary of the overall direction of the company, Mike has a unique perspective for direction. His vision for the company is to create an exclusive private label apparel brand through a combination of his art with his direct involvement in design and cutting edge printing techniques, all produced on a hi quality garments.

career highlights & events

• 1998 IFMA Champion
• 1999 IFMA Champion, Vans Triple Crown Champion
• 2000 Gravity Games Silver Medalist
• 2001 Munich, Germany NEA Award Best MotoX Overall
• 2002 Gravity Games Silver Medalist, X-Games Freestyle Competition Gold Medalist, X-Games Big Air Gold Medalist, X-Games Step Up Gold Medalist, XGames 2002 Athlete of the Year
• 2003 Winter X-Games FMX Big Air Gold Medalist, Jumped the Golden Gate Bridge at Disney's California Adventure, Cameo/Stunt double for Cameron Diaz in Charlies Angels 2
• 2004 Winter X-Games Silver Medalist, Brought Super Moto into the X-Games, AMA Supermoto Irwindale Raceway 3rd Place
• 2005 Announced X-Games (Broken Foot)
• 2006 Set World Record 125' Back-flip over the Caesars Palace fountains, Filmed The Great Biker Buildoff on Discovery Channel/His bike won, Promoted the first Factory Freestyle MotoX & Music Festival/ & won, Rebuilt His Foam Pit since the other one went up in flames, Put together his own Factory Freestyle team, Designed his very own Freestyle Triple Clamp, Started his CORR off road racing career
• 2007 Stunt Junkies with Discover Channel, 80’ Back-flip attempt at the Queen Mary jumping Barge to Barge(Injured Back), MTV’s Scarred, Guest in Vegas at Venetian’s Blue Man Group Show

video/movie appearances

• Charlie's Angels 2 Full Throttle
• Crusty Demons of Dirt
• Fox's-Terra Firma
• Arnette-My Way
• MotoXXX- Creatures of Habit
• Freeride Revolution
• Metztopia
• Flipped Out
• Jeremy McGrath's-Steel Roots
• Black Fly's-Fly TV
• Fox's-Wrath Child
• Shift's-Fresno Smooth
• Fox Racing-Fly
• Air Raid
• Chainsmoke
• Mike Metzger's-The Godfather Freeride Revolution Chapter 1, 2, & 3

television appearances

• Jimmy Kimmel Live
• The Seven Wonders of Motorcycles
• The Wide World of Sports
• ABC/ESPN MX numerous racing shots
• Vans Triple Crown
• 54321
• Fuel Channel
• History Channel
• NBC Gravity games
• ABC/ESPN Winter X Games
• Mountain Dew Commercial
• X Games 10 opener
• Disney's Xperience (Commercial)
• ABC/ESPN Numerous X Games riding & interviews
• MTV’s Passion/Xtreme Athlete Profiles
• ESPN-Las Vegas Jump Contest
• Blue Torch numerous times
• Eye on extreme
• Livin Large w/ Carmen Electra
• Discovery Channel-Great biker Build Off
• WB movie Zolar
• Numerous commercials for X Games
• NBC Dew Tour Denver, Co.
• Discovery Channel’s Stunt Junkies
• MTV’s Cribs
• MTV’s Scarred
• SPEED Channel’s Epic Ride

magazine publications

• Dirt Rider 3 covers/several issues
• Transworld MotoX several issues
• Racer X Cover, several issues
• Cycle news several issues
• Moto Verte (French mag) several covers & issues
• MotoX (German Mag) several covers & issues
• MX Machine several issues & 1 cover
• Wide Open several covers & issues
• ESPN The magazine 3 issues w/interview
• Rolling Stone Magazine a couple times
• Spin 1 cover of the fall fashion mag, and a couple issues
• FHM magazine a couple times
• Teen People
• Cosmopolitan
• Freerider, Australian magazine several covers & issues
• Stuff Magazine
• Many Japanese Magazines
• Several catalogs (Oakley Cover)
• SuperMoto (Cover & Article)

Stay tuned to see what Mike does next, most certainly you will not be disappointed!