If you’re looking for Jason Gousse, you probably should start with YouTube. Or a professional race track or long empty parking lot. You’ll find him, probably up in the air somewhere or passing by at 70 mph. Professional stunt motorcycle guys are hard to catch up to. It’s kind of fun trying, though.

Gousse lives in Auburn, but he’s all over the place with his professional freestyle team The Vertical Outlaws. The group travels across New England, performing gravitationally unsound feats, moving their bikes in ways that seem to defy classical physics.

We caught up with Gousse while he was stationary.

What do you ride?

Currently I ride a 2003 Kawasaki 636.

When did you get into riding?

Our official group all started around 2000. We had been riding and working on stunts and tricks since 1998.

What’s the most difficult maneuver?

Currently, multiple sit down no handed circle wheelies (which I cannot do).

Is being a stunt rider popular with the ladies?

You would be surprised how it rarely seems to impact the success rate at finding a date.

What’s been your worst injury to date?

My worst (sounding) to date was a skull fracture and fractured vertebrae in my neck. The skull fracture ruptured my ear canal. Bleeding out the ear (when not at a rock concert) always gets an interesting response. My injury that doesn’t sound as bad but was extended for years was my shoulder dislocation. It required surgery and sleeping in recliners for months. Then there’s always the small stuff — collar bones, ankles, etc. — that can be considered run-of-the-mill.

What do you find to do in winter when you can’t ride?

I make weekend trips to the mountains. I’ve become a very big fan of snowboarding. It’s my off season and allows me to get away and have time with friends outside of being obligated to shows, etc. If I’m not in the mountains, I’m planning a trip south for a riding session with friends.

Copy the Story Link