Five things you probably didn’t know about Ken Roczen
By TMX Archives on 30th Jul 15
If you're a motocross fan then you know Ken Roczen, but there's more to the factory-backed Suzuki rider than the man who suits up to do battle with the world's best dirt bike racers every weekend.
Here are five things to prove it.
1. His best friend is man's best friend
It's not uncommon for guys to forge special relationships with their dogs, but Roczen takes the bond to the next level with his Olde English Bulldog, Rocky. The dog goes everywhere Roczen goes, and that includes the airplane when he flies to races! When asked about it, he simply responds, "I just dig my dog!"
2. He plays with strings
The gruelling schedule of racing in American AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross championships doesn't leave much time for off-track interests, but that doesn't stop Roczen from picking up his guitar when he gets the chance. He says his motivation for learning to play came from mega-band Metallica and Nirvana's acoustic tracks.
3. He's a streak breaker
In 2011 Ken Roczen became the first German to win a World Championship Grand Prix title of any kind in over four decades. The last time a German had won a championship was whenPaul Friedrichs did it in 1968! Making the championship even more special was the fact that Roczen clinched it at his home round in Germany. Not surprisingly, Roczen says the championship celebration that followed was the best he's ever had.
4. He's a creature of habit
Most racers have a very specific routine when they get ready to go racing and Roczen is no different. When he's gearing up it goes, left sock, right sock, left knee brace, and finally, right knee brace. "It just feels right," he says. "I've always done it that way."
5. He's multilingual
You'd expect a German living in America to know two languages, but Roczen actually speaks Flemish too. He picked the language up before moving to America when he spent a large portion of his time in Europe's motocross heartland, Belgium.
