A kingdom of dirt
Konnrad Kuest is continuing a legacy in professional motocross. He said his father passed the torch to him nine years ago. The 24-year-old Spokane resident turned professional in 2001 and has since used that flame to light his travels across the nation.
At the end of February, Kuest placed sixth at the Tri Cities’ Richland ORV Park and was the No. 1 crowd pleaser at a “Whip Contest” freestyle demo in Moses Lake. His upside-down and sideways aerial skills earned him a $500 prize.
Raised in Airway Heights, Kuest began riding motocross at the off road vehicle park near Seven Mile. Following in his father’s steps, he became professional, he said, by climbing the ranks from beginner through amateur and eventually collecting enough points in race series to become pro.
In ‘03 Kuest placed 10th overall in the American Motorcyclist Association’s Western 4-Stroke Nationals, his greatest victory thus far.
“That was my big breakthrough because at that level there’s a lot of guys aggressively competing for the top prize,” Kuest said. He also competes in other AMA Nationals from May through September.
In 2004, a spill at the AMA Nationals in Ohio nearly crippled his motocross career. He fractured and dislocated several disks in his neck. “I had a little crash. It wasn’t such a big deal, but when you got 40 guys racing around a track it’s scary, and I got landed on.”
As a professional rider, Kuest’s schedule is no 9-to-5. Until recently, it was work out Monday through Friday, ride three times a week at his track at his parents’ place and trek to races on the weekends every summer.
He is a harbinger for companies such as Vortex and Pro-Wheel and is cloaked in the gear of No Fear and Oakley, among others.
His “real” job is at Kootenai Cycle in Coeur d’Alene. The company is also his main sponsor. “They’ve helped me out a ton because they understand my riding schedule and allow me to work around it,” Kuest said.
To ease the stress of frequent cross country driving, Kuest cranks up the soundtrack to his life, everything from adrenaline-pumping punk music to hip-hop. He also makes a conscious effort to soak in the sights of the nation.
“I know it’s not something everybody gets to see. I’ve been riding pro since ‘01 so I’ve been to every state. That’s a lot of miles,” Kuest said.
Traveling with the people he loves also makes for a more fun journey, he said. “My parents both back me 110 percent and both help me accomplish my goals,” Kuest said.
His dad is his No. 1 inspiration and the forefather of the Kuest professional motocross lineage, and he now travels with his son to every race as his bike mechanic.
Kuest notes that hard labor yields triumph and heralds the motto “Success only comes before work in the dictionary.” He said he credits his success to keeping a clear head and healthy body.
“Motocross is all about fun for sure, as well as having time to yourself to do what you love, he said, “and for me it’s also a job, so it’s about making a living.”
The battle continues April 21 and 22 at the Western 4 Stroke Nationals in San Bernardino, Calif.