The Grind with Paige Clark and Vicki Golden | Java Monster

In the fast-paced and adrenaline-fueled world of motocross, few names shine as brightly as Vicki Golden. A professional freestyle motocross rider and the first female team member of the iconic Metal Mulisha brand, Golden has been tearing up the track since she was just a seven-year-old. Since her debut in 2000, she has secured three consecutive gold medals in Women's Moto X Racing at the X Games and boldly ventured into freestyle Moto X, clinching a bronze medal in the best whip category. With her evident skill and grind mentality, she has become a respected and admired figure in the sport, amassing a strong following of fans along the way.

On the other hand, we have Paige Clark, a gifted custom painter celebrated for her original and ultra-modern designs. With a lifelong love for painting, Clark began her journey in her backyard, adorned with small motorhomes, and a sparkling array of glitter. Her innate eye for detail and obsession for creativity have consistently propelled her towards commissioned painting projects, including those for Salt City Builds' bikes. Today, however, she proudly operates her own business, crafting breathtaking works of art that leave both fans and riders amazed at what she can do.

Teaming up with Golden, these two powerhouse women collaborated on an epic project with the Monster Energy brand Java Monster. The partnership presented a one-of-a-kind opportunity for Golden and Clark to showcase their talents and imagination in a whole new way. Clark was tasked with designing and painting a personalized helmet for Golden. And they eagerly took on the challenge.

“When Monster approached me about this idea, I was absolutely thrilled to be able to work with Paige,” said Golden. “I absolutely love her style, especially because it’s coming from that street side of painting Harley’s and V-Twins. That’s a style of paint you don’t really see coming into the dirt bike world. It was such a cool experience to be able to bring something absolutely new and different to life.”

Clark’s fresh style and attention to detail were the perfect match for Golden’s fearless and bold personality. Together, they worked tirelessly to create a helmet that not only looked amazing, but also reflected the athlete’s attitude and passion for motocross.

“I’ve known about Vicki for a while, so I was like, of course I’ll do this,” said Clark. “Then, when I started talking to her about colors, patterns, and designs, I knew this was going to be an easy helmet. Well, not easy, but that we’d flow well together. The whole process has been really fun.”

In the early stages of the project, Golden drew inspiration from Clark's earlier work and suggested a couple of concepts to kick things off, such as the color scheme and the desire to include fish scales. However, Clark was adamant about infusing the racing style into the helmet design. In an effort to bring their shared vision to life, she incorporated traces of metal flake, a mix of textures, and edgy chopper elements. Drawing inspiration from her love for geometric patterns, Clark also integrated an optical illusion. And the cherry on top? When exposed to sunlight, the helmet reveals a mesmerizing rainbow flake, adding a subtle yet unique touch.

“Style is such a huge thing in my world,” said Golden. “To have Paige’s style come into my world is so cool. I am absolutely hyped to be able to run this kit and run this helmet. And on top of that, we get to ride and have fun. We get to show off what we built.” However, as with any creative project, this endeavor faced its fair share of challenges. While Clark is accustomed to painting street helmets that have a circular shape, Golden’s helmet proved to be a bit different.

“With motocross helmets, there’s a lot of vents and contours,” said Clark. “The areas you can use are very limited. This helmet was a little trickier because I wanted to add gold leafing, the metal flake, and all the designs. With all those contours, it’s really hard to get those straight lines, to get the leafing and spinning right, but it all worked out really well.”

The collaboration between Golden and Clark was part of an exciting new chapter for Java Monster. The energy drink brand has launched a new series dubbed “The Grind,” which aims to highlight the exceptional perspectives of creators and athletes who are committed to chasing their dreams and persistently grinding to accomplish what others deem unattainable. From their setbacks to their wins, “The Grind” offers viewers an intimate peek into the lives of those who are willing to put in the work required to reach their aspirations. 

“Every day is a heavy workload,” said Golden. “There’s not too many days off in my world and it can definitely get grueling at times, but you stay going for the pure passion. I mean, I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t ride if I didn’t love it. It’s even cooler and more inspiring to be able to team up with someone who has the like mind to be able to create and do things differently, to not take the same set path that everyone already takes. To line up with someone like that is inspiring in itself.”

As “The Grind” series continues to share their stories and the stories of others like them, we can all be inspired to push our own boundaries and never stop chasing our goals.

“I can’t wait to see Vicki riding tomorrow with that helmet,” said Clark. “I didn’t know when I started that I would ever be here. I think this is the coolest thing.”