famous motocross riders of the 2000s
And as riders start all going to these development academies, theyre living and breathing racing every day. It was the last Honda 450 to have a carburetor, and the 2009 model that followed was clearly a step backwards. Seems hard to believe that its been just 50 years since motocross came into its own in the U.S. After all, oval flat track racing had already been around for 50 years by then. Read on. All that changed in the early 1970s when Japanese companies Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki jumped into the fray. BBR MOTORSPORTS YAMAHA YZ125 SUPERMINI : 2-STROKE TUESDAY, MICHAEL LEIBS FONSECA TRIBUTE HONDA CR125 PROJECT: TWO-STROKE TUESDAY, CODY WEBBS 300CC SHERCO FACTORY RACE BIKE: TWO-STROKE TUESDAY, BILLY BOLT WINS THIRD CONSECUTIVE FIM WORLD SUPERENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP, JARED LESHERS YAMAHA YZ250 RACE BIKE : 2-STROKE TUESDAY, THE RIDE SHOP AZ DARK KNIGHT KTM 500: TWO-STROKE TUESDAY, MXREVIVAL BRC YZ500 PROJECT FINAL UPDATE: 2-STROKE TUESDAY, ADAM CIANCIARULO SIDELINED WITH WRIST INJURY: NO RACING AT ROUND 7, RANSOM KAWASAKI KX500AF UNSEEN PHOTOS: TWO-STROKE TUESDAY. 8.) De Coster, who is still engaged in the sport and has seen greats come and go embraces what motocross will continue to be. Ken Roczen hails from Germany but has been competing in the U.S. consistently with the outdoor motocross series and the supercross series. Top four finisher, between the years of 1970 1978. Super Hang-On. The duo often finished second or first to one another in the world championship between 1964 and 1968. Illustrations Martin Squires. He was named FIM Legend in 2012. His 3rd place in 07 was a career high for him. But clearly, the high-point for the German company was the 1981 Maico 490 Mega 2. Its important to the people who ride them, but its Pro racing success has been limited to Europe. We have taken into consideration factor such as riders who have been out due to injury, or in certain circumstance have retired due to a significant injuries. Importance: If only Yamaha made more YZ360, it might have changed the face of MX. Jobes memorable broad double jump in the 1984 500cc British Motocross Grand Prix, held at Hawkstone Park, Shropshire, England, is one remarkable cycling performance that will live in the minds of dirt bike racing fans for centuries to come. Longevity: Unfortunately, motocross bikes changed rapidly in the 70s and 80s. Something tells me that hes going to be a force in the next decade as well. And David Vuillemin was about to embark on his first U.S. outdoor tour, coming in with a ton of momentum after a superb supercross season, where he took second in the championship behind Jeremy McGrath. Heath is a guy that flies under the radar. In the nineties, McGrath WAS Honda. Thats a debate for another day. The late Belgian professional Motocross racer and racing driver was prolific in the racing sphere. By 1976, the party was over, though. Here are the guys that almost made the top ten: 11th- Ivan Tedesco-15 points Injuries have hurt him big time but he was close. It won every race because there were so many of them. There were a few piston issues in the earlier years, but Kawasaki cured most of its ills. MC raced the world supercross rounds, crashed 18 times and packed it in before Anaheim. It is a sport that lives in breaths by the everyday enthusiast that partakes in amateur races around the country. 14. 4th-6 points 30 Greatest AMA Motocrossers: #2 Bob . Struggling with injury all year, the popular South African logged a victory lap for the fans at Steel City, and slipped into retirement. Longevity: The same basic bike has been in production for 11 years. Hard to remember how spectacular Travis was in his racing days ten years ago (which seems like one-hundred now), but he was simply magic during the summer of 2000. David Thorpe: While American fans may not recall much of England's Grand Prix motocross royalty, Thorpe was the linchpin of a juggernaut in Europe that included, at times, Andre Malherbe, Eric Geboers, and Jeff Leisk. His best finish was a 3rd in 2003 and his other finishes were solid. Mat Hoffman The . But of course you knew that already if youre reading this right? He has been the most consistent rider between the years of 2000 and 2009, plus he has grown to be Australias most loved sportsman and one of the biggest legends in motocross history. 5.) . We disagree. Bob Hannahs notable achievements include: Ultimately Bob Hannah has left a huge legacy of being fierce competition. He was highly regarded among his competitors, as he made short work of his competition through his aggressive riding style. Reliability: By this time,Honda had most of its early bugs worked out. At the end of the season, 1999 250 National Champion Greg Albertyn called it a career. That seems to be changing.. Another change has been track design. Todays Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke is an excellent machine, but its only a fork and bodywork away from being the same bike it was over 10 years ago. Chad is without a doubt one of the best supercrossers ever and when he goes back to Australia, well all sit back in our rocking chairs and say We should a treated that guy a little nicer on our message boards.. Trust me, Ive looked at enough lap charts after races while wondering how in the hell Mike could round the turn in 19th and still beat my guy. The 2007 Honda 450 was produced in greater numbers than any other motocross bike of the 21st century. Within a single year, the CR125M was obsolete. Motorcross has seen incredible riders come and go in the sport and thus makes it quite a task to pick out the top-15 most famous motocross riders in the sports history. In what might be a surprise, Wey makes the ten best supercrosers of the 00s with a solid five years of top ten finishes including a 8th in 2002 with me as a mechanic. I think the world's in this transitional period of media, said Dave Prater, vice president of Supercross for Feld Entertainment who runs the events. For his recognition and achievement in the motorcycling, he was named FIM Legend in 2011, thus, joining the ranks of the greatest motocross riders ever. Dominance: In 1981, nothing was better, especially in the suspension department. In 1992 he won all classes - 125, 250 and 500s - aboard a Suzuki . It will always be based on the state of mind and how much you're willing to do to reach it. Unfortunately, motocross bikes changed rapidly in the 70s and 80s. That all changed when the Japanese got involved. De Coster went on to say that the approach was completely different. Reliability. I believe I really do believe that is because the rider arent as miserable as we may have been due to fighting for a factory ride.. The Golden Age of Tennis, 22 Most Beautiful Female Beach Volleyball Players in the world, Top 25 Hottest Female Surfers in the World Right Now. Ryan Nyquist is the perfect example of a rider who made it to the top and stayed there. In 1981, nothing was better, especially in the suspension department. Ballance continues his involvement in the sport, racing a handful of GNCC events, and running a motocross track and a race team. Arguably the greatest motocross and supercross rider of all time, Ricky Carmichael entered the AMA Motocross Championship series in 1997 until he retired in 2007 before moving to NASC He followed his fathers food steps and has made motocross history. In between the there was the reign of one Richard Carmichael who skipped one year completely with injury and raced another year part-time. He won the 250cc category four times. . Perhaps one of the most underrated riders if that is possible, when Reeds all done here he will rank amongst the greatest riders that has ever raced supercross. But then he won three more titles on Yamahas, plus a couple of races on Suzukis, and even took a brief ride with KTM before getting back to his red roots. Jeremy McGarths notable achievements include: Overall, you could not talk about the 1990s in motocross without mentioning Jeremy McGarths name. 30 Greatest AMA Motocrossers: #1 Ricky Carmichael May 19, 2018 The GOAT caps off our list at number one. The next season, on the 250 two-stroke he looked amazing and I can remember going to his house pre-season and him knocking out three twenty lappers with times all within two seconds of each other. Nothing from Europe was as bulletproof. RC completely dominated the second half of the year, ending the tour on a six-race win streak, and his nine wins on the season actually broke the record for most wins ever in a single season. The 2019 filmBennett's Warexplores the powerful nature of motocross. Unfortunately, the Honda also signaled the beginning of a technology race that Honda was unprepared for. Stefan Everts is from Belgium and is the son of infamous motocross rider Harry Everts. All Rights Reserved. A decade after Jean-Michel Bayle arrived on our shores, a whole crop of Frenchman had been raised with the dream of racing and winning in the U.S. By 2000, a trio of them were ready to do it. It was a left-side kick-start model with drum brakes, but its still coveted among evolution-class racers. Importance: The end of Maico was right around the corner in 1981. Light up your cigar, lean back and prepare to do the impossible. The 350s have steadily improved over their lifespan and are currently better than ever. Interestingly enough, the 08 is more reliable than the current Honda 450. In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycles Hall of Fame for his success and recognition in the sport. Just like talking the baseball stats of Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and Alex Rodriguez, were pitting the best MX bikes of all time against each other. He worked though a lot of personal turmoil and contention with his opposition and channeled his negative energy into his races. In American motocross, Team Honda's tale began in 1973, when Gary Jones rode the manufacturer's first production motocrosser . 1st-Ricky Carmichael- Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki- 67 points. As was often the case with bikes of this period, the RMs reign was brief. Overall, these are the best motocross riders of all time in our opinion. Kim Ashkenazi from New South Wales was the standout Australian rider in the 1990-2000s winning seven National Motocross Championships. I believe Ricky Carmichael is the best and this is why. This story appears in Iron & Air print magazine Issue 033 More from this Issue. In 1981 the . At Red Bud, he won his third race of the season and further stretched his points lead. While MX champions like Ryan Dungey and even Tony Cairoli now ride full-size 450s, the 350 remains the bike for the common man. Jol Smets notable achievements include: Jol Smets is a legendary racer, who should be highly regarded. He started clipping off national wins, and then even went to the X Games and won the freestyle contest on the off weekend! Check out all the exclusive content this month, The List: 10 Greatest Honda Riders - Motocross. Hes won 16 supercrosses in his career (second most ever for a rider who hasnt won a sx title-behind Bradshaw) and its funny that, of those 16, 9 have come in years that RC or Stewart didnt compete in. Harry Everts. Joel Robert is number 7 in our list of the top 10 greatest motocross riders of all time. It was in Hondas line-up in 1982 and 1983, and of those two bikes, the 83 was the bike that earned the most love. The only person that can stop James Stewart is himself. Rick Johnson was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. Part of the changes in track surface over the years has been due to changes in technology and racing facilities getting creative. One thing that has changed is something not dissimilar to professional stick and ball sports: the athletes are much more amicable toward each other, either due to increased salaries or opportunities with other teams. One of the most talented natural riders the sport has ever witnessed was Jol Robert. Johnson, like his '86 teammates Bailey and O'Mara, was as cool as cool can get in motocross. He even graced the April 1980 cover of the magazine, making it one of the first pure freestyle magazine covers by a BMX magazine. DV had claimed two straight wins in varied conditions, but his luck went south at Southwick when he ran into mechanical troubles. But by midway, Roncada was clearly the dominant force, with Pastrana the clear second-place man. Eli Tomac has been kind of the standard bearer for quite a while but there are guys like Ken Roczen theres the Lawrence brothers and so many more.. Jobe won FIM World 250cc Motocross Championship in 1980 and 1983. We chose the 2007 model because that year the other Japanese makers left the class, for the most part. 9th- Nick Wey- Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, KTM-19 points. Inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame in 2006. 500cc- 1971, NZ open- 1977/78, 1979/80, 1980/81, ACU Maxxis British Motocross Championship- MX2- 2008 MX1- 20142015, Belgian Championship- MX1- 2011, 1975 3rd,19762nd, 19773rd, 19792nd 500cc, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 20:35. Reliability: Interestingly enough, the 08 is more reliable than the current Honda 450. Both were the fastest ever period, and Stewart probably faster technically, but RC faster on a more consistent basis because he was the smoother and smarter . In 2018 he won the world record for the most career wins for Monster Energy Supercross main event starts. Please feel free to share your thoughts about these greatest motocross riders in our comments section below. It was a bike from the future. Roger de Coster was a dominating figure in motocross in the 70s. There was one truly excellentyear for the 490, but it was so good it was competitive for a long time. Aged 35, this Venezuelan BMX rider has been on the scene with style, grace, and skills. Remember when we came into 2000 (after we all survived the PCs and bank systems making the switch to the year 2000) the top supercrossers were MC, Lusk and some weirdo Frenchman who slithered all over the bike. His starts almost always sucked and he was forced to put in twenty laps at the same speed. There are many people out there that have wanted more from Windham, more heart, more speed, more desire but at this point in his career, he is what he is. Our panel of experts compared the bikes of the last 50 years based on four criteria: Heres what the editors at Dirt Bike Magazine said. He was the very best in a field where he had to consistently hold of another one of the fastest riders there ever was (Stewart). Hes a record breaker, media mogul and an exceptional racer who has a place on our list. A fan favorite who is a good dude and if everything aligns right, can win a race here and there. He even was the first motocross rider to have their own TV show, called 'Bubba's World'. Yamaha had already been the top-rated bike of all the two-strokes, even when the class was full. PulpMX exists as an informed, fan-driven Pro Motocross and Supercross site where objective editorial and entertaining racing-centric discourse flourish. Like De Coster, he has remained highly visible in the sport both on the broadcast side, and now as a consultant to Triumph who is currently developing off-road motorcycles, including one for motocross that is expected to join the manufacturing ranks with the national outdoor series. The voting process was closer than I thought it would be and RC actually tied with Chad Reed for the 00s best supercrosser but well give him the tie-break based on his five titles to Reeds two. 6.) We rank the 30 best motocross racers of all time. Upon switching to Suzuki, he won the 250cc Grand Prix championship in 1970, 1971, and 1972 recording 50 motocross Grand Prix victories throughout his career. Surprisingly, one of the original extreme sports got its start as an annual American Motorcycle Association (AMA) event when six European riders came across the pond and raced in a series called the Trans-AMA that got what is now a staple of motorsports in the country. He was the first rider to win all AMA motocross championship event. Heaviest Sumo Wrestler List, 25 Best 80s Tennis Players. It remains the sole Japanese two-stroke, and one of the most-loved bikes in the world. It wasnt that he got faster as the race went on, it was that he stayed the same and the others got tired. But how would RC do on the bigger bikes? for his phenomenal achievements. Nicknamed "The Goat" (Greatest of All-Time), the former professional Motocross rider had a distinguished 10-year career in the sport, winning seven AMA Motocross Championship titles from 1997 to 2007. Second man ever to become Mr 875cc'(winning world titles in 125, 250 & 500cc). And so is the whole French revolution thing, because Roncada started feeling the heat, too. Importance: Hondaraised the tide in motocross for everyone in the 80s. It handled better than anything of the day, and the motor was perfection. The year 2000 saw him been inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame for his recognition and role in popularizing the sports. "Team Honda": In motorcycle-racing circles, the mere utterance of those words inspires awe and reverence that can only be earned through decades of racing success on legendary circuits the world over. Ricky Johnson was unstoppable from '86 to '89 for Honda. The KTM 350 is the only current bike on our list for good reason: its the peoples motorcycle. Preformed the first ever double-back flip in 2006. Considering how light the YZ was, it was incredibly well built. 9th-1 point Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. McGrath did not start riding motocross until the age of 14 because he spent his younger years riding BMX. The 10 Greatest MX Bike list is all about comparing the incomparable. Jol Smets, similar to Stefan Everts, won Belgian Sportsman of the year in 2000. He was a five-time champion in his riding days. Also, a few have significantly impacted the sport, not just by racing but outside the racing sphere, and has thus, recorded jaw breaking achievements. But Kawasaki remains near the top. All Rights Reserved. After leading man Marshall Bennett (Michael Roark) survives anIED explosion, he is discharged from the Army Ranger Motorcycle Unit and told he has to give up his future as a racer. Supercross (2000 video game) Supercross 3D. Upon his parents' move to Argentina, he was able to ride more professionally with pros. From '86 to '89, RJ was almost unstoppable, as only Jeff Ward seemed to have his number on occasion. Its remarkable that Ricky won that many indoor titles as timing and jumping were never considered his strengths back when he first started. From the time Team Honda took a chance of this Michigan big-bike rider in 1989 through his retirement five years later, Stanton rode red to six AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross titles. 7.) At the next race at Red Bud, though, Tortelli was having none of it when he railed to the win. Hes been dubbed as the fastest man on the planet, plus hes the only other rider ever to match Ricky Carmichaels race record, of winning every race in a season. It was the best motocross bike of its day. Still, the CR lasted years. Anyways, a good decade for a guy that other riders watch and admire. What do I need to improve?. The ceremony was part of theAMA Legends Weekend, powered by Paul Thede's Race Tech, held at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa. Years active: 1970-1982. Jeff Stanton: Captain America if there ever was one! Its not unbreakable, but very close. It came down to the finale at Steel City, in a winner-take-all battle. 14th- Ezra Lusk- 12 points-He won a race in 03 and scored three top ten finishes this decade. The motor was the best ever. KTMs new generation four-strokes are solid. Stewart makes this list despite being only racing three complete supercross years. But at the Glen Helen opener, Carmichael proved he was up for the challenge of the 250 class, going 1-1 in his first-ever 250 outdoor race, and holding back Tortelli straight-up in the second moto. Now, its common to see 10 or more riders at the gate that can win on a given day which has created parity within the sport., Like riders before him, Roczen sees that specialized training and data from the teams have gotten dirt bike racing more with the times. Another fierce Belgian that should be mentioned is Jol Smets, who is another legendary racing from 1990s. Stefan Everts. 4.) How much better was this particular bike than the competition of its day? Tony Caroli is one of the most successful motocross racers in history. Ryan Villopoto has 10championship titles under his belt, but he is most noted for winning four supercross titles in a row. Travis Pastranas notable achievements include: Overall, you can owe a lot of credit to Travis for raising the profile of motocross as a sport in the 2000s. At the time of his retirement in 1991, Johnson was the all-time Supercross victories leader. Comedian George Carlin is arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for saying the "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television". The Best Supercross Riders of the 2000s! Interestingly enough, the two riders grew a friendship through the battle, running stickers to promote each other on the chest protectorsthe kind of thing that can only happen with personalities like Pastrana and Roncada. The Top Ten. He even was the first motocross rider to have their own TV show, called Bubbas World. He is the first and only rider to be crowned World Champion on all four Japanese manufacturers. For more on the history of the Suzuki RM250, click here. On July 4th, 2000, two fast Frenchman straight-up took it to Carmichael and Pastrana, and with Vuillemin knocking on the door of McGrath indoors, the world seemed set for a full-on takeover. He was forced into early retirement, due to his injuries, but no doubt won 157 races across all classes. 2000 and 2004 models are the best KX500 models. Ten times he emerged World Champion, he recorded a whopping 101 Grand Prix victories, winning 3 GPs every day. It was the best 250 motocross bike of its day, and still handles better than more modern bikes from Austria and Italy. 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship Motocross Riders/Teams. At that the time, he was the King of Motocross in Europe. Hard to believe that Pastrana was once this effective and consist as a racerbut then again, its hard to remember that for a brief time a decade ago, France looked set to take over the American Motocross scene. The KX is aproduct of evolution. Our site uses cookies. A Motorcycle Adventure (1912) Mabel at the Wheel (1914), early Charlie Chaplin film. As was the case in this period, the RMs period of dominance was short-lived. Importance: Kawasaki didnt really break new ground. Still, he made those two-smokers fly, and had Ricky Carmichael not come along in 1997, he might have broken all of the 125-class records. Heikki Mikkola followed his victory two years later with another win in the 250cc World Championship, becoming the first cyclist to win both the 250cc and 500cc Motocross World Championship. Le Cobra has his own What couldve been? when he was leading the 2002 series half-way through and injured his shoulder in a practice crash. The Yamahas frame and motor actually go back to 2005. For a video of the 2016 KTM 350SX-F, click here. Looking back, we were lucky he came here, and lucky Honda's brass was smart enough to let him trade it all in for a shot at AMA stardom. His first year on the 450 remains his best season yet. And cheap to fix if it does break. Importance: Its important to the people who ride them, but its Pro racing success has been limited to Europe. One of the best motocross riders, but without a doubt the best European rider, is Stefan Everts. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 2023 - Dirt Bike Magazine. I've just really enjoyed racing outdoors lately and it made me make me want to do this for longer.. This was the best Open two-stroke of its day. Number one, without a doubt is the legendary Ricky Carmichael. Super Mad Champ. A real revelation when he came into supercross, DV can look back at his seven career wins and know that they came against the best. This is a partial list of notable current and former motocross riders, many of whom have competed in the World Championships, National Championships, and supercross competitions. For more on the Tim Ferry story click HERE. He came to epitomize the more serious side of Team Honda as it evolved from super cool in the eighties to a more button-down, serious vibe in the nineties. Any Honda CRF450R from 2003 to 2008 is still a very good bike. The early 350 wasnt as good as the current one; but it was still good. No contest. That was the beginning of the end for the 500 class. He was a phenomenal figure in his active years in the sport. This is just one of these examples. My late father and the small group here at the track designed ways to better water and groom the track over what was more or less garden hoses to start, said Amy Ritchie, whose family has been part of one of the jewels of the outdoor motocross series since the early days, RedBud. With more outdoor victories then Stephan and 48 super cross wins in the premier class. Importance: Other Japanese companies dont think the 250 two-stroke is important enough to offer. There is a saying in motorsports that while things may change over time, in the end, it all boils down to racing. Injuries plagued most of his career, but that didnt stop him from racing on to victory. To this day, the one bike that vintage racers long for the most is the first Yamaha YZ360A. Former Natl Sportswriter Of The Year Nominee, BBWAA, MLB, Motorsports, Pro Motocross is celebrating its 50th anniversary, (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images), Ken Roczen(Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via, partnered to create the SuperMotocross World Championship. He won three 500cc world titlesback when those titles were hard to come by. In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycles Hall of Fame for his success and recognition in the sport. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Nutrition, training, data analysis, and feedback are all part of the sport. Eight years after retirement, Ricky Johnson was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. He's easily the most popular rider out there today, still going strong and still riding red. The King of Supercross, MC also won an outdoor title as well for Honda. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy. It felt like we were a little bit behind the times [of other sports}, he says. As to racing itself, Roczen sees how coming out of the pandemic affected the sport. Basically the track would have a bulldozer taken to it in the early spring after the snow had melted and that was it.