Nextsport Interview

Whether you love them or hate them, Nextsport is doing something soon that is catching the interest of riders all over the sport of scootering. They are releasing two new models:  the Fuzion Spencer Hawk H4, which is going to be a four wheeled scooter, and also, whats got everyone's attention, the Fuzion Spencer Hawk H2.. their first two wheeled scooter. How will it perform? How much will it cost? Is this the first of many 2 wheeled models? I can't answer these questions, but I can answer some other ones.

The company Nextsport was founded by a competitive downhill skateboarder in 2004. Before that he spent a few years in the downhill skateboarding circuit, and he had an idea to improve the current handling and carving technology, and before we knew it the first Fuzion scooters were created. The name of course comes from the way they developed a “Fuzion” between a skateboard and a scooter. One of their first products was the “Quadcarver,” which was eventually developed even further to become the “Fuzion Asphalt”. The Asphalt, which was released in 2005, was made to appeal to both the average person, as well as the action sports riders.

Making four wheeled scooters however, is not something that has not been openly accepted by the Scootering Community. While some ride both two wheeled and 4 wheeled scooters, most stick to the two wheeled models, and at times express quite a few insults and negative remarks towards Nextsport and its four wheeled scooters. Nextsport feels that a lot of the comments made towards them are biased and pretty unfounded. With the release of their two wheeled model, they hope to provide options for both types of riders, 4 wheeled, or 2 wheeled. To have both 4 wheeled scooters and two wheeled scooters work in conjunction, much like skateboards and longboards do. They realize that with each product there are pros and cons. They listen as best they can to riders wants and needs, and will continue to do their best to provide quality products. Nextsport is well aware of how fast the sport of Scootering is growing. They believe in this sport much like all of us do, and will be doing their best to help bring scootering to the mainstream where they feel it belongs.

What keeps Nextsport making products? Its their Team Riders. They have an amazing group of riders who are constantly pushing the limits on Fuzion scooters, and helping promote them at any chance they get. They congratulate their Team riders and applaud them for helping to show that Fuzions are not just “another” scooter.

For 2009 Nextsport has some pretty big plans. Their two new Spencer Hawk Models will be released. They are also going on tour soon, which will be titled the “Raise the Gnar” Tour. Announced shortly will be a list of sponsors and media outlets that they hope to attend. With this tour they hope to get freestyle scooter riders the recognition they feel they deserve. Nextsport is also expanding their products internationally. Soon they hope to have a full range of products available in most major countries. You can also expect to see some other non-scooter Fuzion products that will be released in 2009 and 2010, a year Nextsport also expects to be quite big. Last, but not least, they plan to continue to develop their current athletes and expand the reach of their team. Depending on the outcomes of their upcoming tour, they will be having more opportunities available on a sponsorship basis.

Intro written by Steven Tongson
Interview done by Jordan Jasa

In the past regarding production of 2 wheeled scooters, you've said "Why reinvent the wheel?".  Why the change of heart?

We haven't really changed heart in the matter- we are not "reinventing the wheel" per se as the Fuzion Spencer Hawk H2 is functionally the same as most traditional 2-wheel scooters.  Rather, based on market research, which included the freestyle scooter community, we've created what we consider an improved design based on material properties, quality construction and an aesthetic very specific to Fuzion products. 

It took years for skateboarding and BMXing to really gain a solid footing, but one major factor in its growth was the ability to really customize to each athletes liking.  Different wheels, trucks, board designs, colors, etc. we feel really helped skaters and BMXers create a riding apparatus specific to their style and personality.  We hope that by creating a new look and refreshing the category, the sport will gain the attention that it deserves and allow riders to really make a statement.

How did Spencer Hawk get involved with Fuzion?  What does his father, skateboarding legend and action sports icon Tony Hawk, think of him having his own signature scooter?

Spencer Hawk has long been a fan of Fuzion products and the brand.  While interested in many other action sports, the innovation and brand quality has always appealed to him but we've never been quite able to create the perfect partnership with him.  As far as Tony, he is very supportive of Spencer and the product and just as enthusiastic to see its debut.   

How much input did Spencer have over the 2 scooters?  When were the first designs for the H2 started?

As Spencer was a big fan of Fuzion scooters to begin with, much of the design was left up to the internal product development team at Nextsport with Spencer choosing some more specific aspects such as colors and style. Initial development began roughly 8-9 months ago and the product development team spent a lot of time creating a look based on Spencer's riding style and personality; this can be seen in both the packaging and overall look of the product.

Do you feel that the H2 is meant to cater to the 4 wheel specific rider who wants to try something new, or were you trying to gain a new audience of 2 wheel only riders?

Again, neither the H2 or any Fuzion scooter was meant to exclude any riders.  This division was created purely by the freestyle community and was neither our direction nor intent; we still feel that our 4-wheeler is a truly advanced piece of equipment and one of the best in its class when used in context of what it was designed for.  Both are scooters and we view them as such.  We see the existence of our 2 and 4 wheel products similar to the way skateboarding has distinct divisions of use such as park, street, longboarding, downhill, etc. 

Simply we created another product to help diversify our line and capture the attention of existing and new scooter riders no matter what their discipline.

Is the H2 truely a freestyle scooter, meant for hard riding?

"Freestyle scooter" is a very subjective term.  If you take a look into the scooter community the degree and skill level of all the riders is quite vast.  We took a look at comments that were made by consumers and skilled athletes and found a compromise to give consumers a way to experience both.  While seasoned riders will appreciate certain aspects of the scooter such as the one-piece crossbars, aluminum frame and solid core wheels, the average rider can enjoy the product just the same for everyday transportation purposes.

Additionally, we want to make it possible for aftermarket companies to really get involved in the process of growing the sport.  From one perspective, creating a 100% indestructible scooter would be great- however, it would be excessive for 99% of users and drive the cost up for everyone unnecessarily.  It would also limit the amount of modifications that any individual could make.  Being able to modify and create a scooter to your liking was important to us- some riders like certain types of wheels, forks, colors, brakes, etc.  We like to think of the H2 as a great canvas to begin with. 

We stand behind its construction and durability as many of our team riders can attest to the strength and functionality of our previous scooters.  While it's not a battle that we want to fight, we hope that new Fuzion users will give the product a chance to help prove that the Fuzion brand is one of the leading manufacturers in the industry.

How much will it cost?  Can you give us some technical details about it, such as bar height/width, materials used, etc?

Current MSRP will be $59.99 at nearly all major retailers.  The Fuzion Spencer Hawk H4 will be priced at $79.99.  Existing team members will be allowed to purchase direct from us eventually and take advantage of their member discounts.

At the moment max height for the H2 and H4 will come in at roughly 91 cm however will be adjustable based on personal preference.  Crossbar with is roughly 38 cm but as we have a clamped design for easy interchangeability, we expect certain companies to provide different widths and materials for future modification.  Estimated weight will come in at under 3.5 kg.

As seen in our Electron design, the H2 and H4 will both utilize an aluminum square tube frame design.  The deck will consist of a specially blended polymer material for strength, flexibility and weight savings.  The combination of these two parts will help bring weight down while providing exceptional durability.

Front wheels will be 120 mm and rears will be 100 mm.  These wheels are made of cast polyurethane and specially designed for the H2 for maximum support, speed and traction.  Both forks will accept most standard scooter/inline wheels but will be a the owner's discretion to determine what will and will not fit perfectly.

Like Steven asked in the intro, is this the first of many 2 wheeled scooters from Nextsport?

That remains to be seen. ;) As Nextsport is a sporting goods company we have a variety of upcomign products that span a variety of categories.  For example, during the release of the H2 and H4 we will also be releasing a product called the LandShark.

Similar to our other products, future development will be determined by a variety of things.  However, the two most important to us are market demand and our company dedication to innovation. 

I know that there will be a limited edition "Pro Model" H2.  What upgrades can we expect to be on it? 

That remains to be determined at the moment however we can promise you a quality product backed by Nextsport and your very own Andrew Broussard.  We'll release more information as this develops. 

On another note, the H2 uses many standard sizes for most common parts in the industry.  We're sure that even without the Pro Model athletes will begin to modify or accessorize their scooters right out of the box without any complications.

Switching gears now, what can you tell me about the "Raise the Gnar" tour?

The Fuzion Raise the Gnar Tour is a culmination of many things that have been discussed and imagined but never actually rolled out.  One of the biggest complaints shared by the scooter community and Nextsport is the lack of attention and focus on the emerging industry and the amount of people that participate in this extreme sport.  The action sports community is a very tough place to exist and while skateboarding and BMXing will almost always be the premiere events, there are a growing number of alternative sports that are quickly coming to the attention of mass media.  We hope that freestyle scooter riding will join these ranks and receive the kind of attention that is due.

The Raise the Gnar Tour will consist of a competition series that will span 5 cities nationwide.  While a few of these competitions are well known by freestyle scooter riders, we wanted to bring them all together under a single banner to really unite the sport and build a thorough marketing and PR plan around it.  Our goal in doing this is to really legitimize the sport and supplement with coverage from a variety of media.

With over $10,000 in cash and merchandise prize purses exclusively from Fuzion we have put out an open invitation to known aftermarket companies as well as other similar corporations to Nextsport to join in on this unique and exciting opportunity.  We expect some of the best riders in the world to attend and aim to implement a regulated judging and scoring system so that the athletes will really be able to measure how well they stack up against their competition.  While competition is a major goal of the tour, we promise to bring a fun and organized series to riders and spectators alike.

Currently in development we'll release specific dates, venues and information shortly at the official website: www.fuzionraisethegnar.com.  Also, via our Fuzion forums we'll post continual updates as things progress.

I believe I've heard something about you guys starting a freestyle scooter association?  What’s that about?

We aren't necessarily starting a freestyle scooter association but rather supplementing and helping develop its growth by providing some funding and especially a number of venues and events to support it.  The American Freestyle Scooter Association (AFSA) is an organization that will help provide the scooter community with standards and regulations for official events and competitions that we hope to support in the future.  We will defer further information until a later notice and let the founder speak about the project himself.

Anything else about upcoming projects you'd like to add?

As we previously mentioned, an upcoming product we will be releasing is called the LandShark.  While not exactly a scooter per se it is a unique new product that transcends and "fuzes" together kneeboarding, skateboarding and scooter riding all in one.  Keep an eye on our website for future development as it will be released during the same timeframe as the Fuzion Spencer Hawk H2 and H4.