To say that Chad “de-throned” Ricky is giving him way too much credit. Ricky left on top, and let the rest fight for the top spot. If anyone was close to dethroning him it was Stewart. Regardless, that was such a magnificent era of motorcycle racing. Mad respect to all 3
Bang on with that comment. I loved watching every 1 of Ricky’s races. And when chad came to the big bikes it was invigorating to see a challenge to RC. But, as good as reed was, he certainly didn’t dethrone Ricky. Chad won the title while Ricky was off with surgery. And again, 2nd title while James was off with injury/surgery. James was without doubt THE fastest I’ve ever seen on a dirt bike. Sometimes too fast yes. But fantastic to see. Ricky is the best there has been. And I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Overall, he took the whole sport to another level. Watching reed Stewart and Carmichael race was THE best era to see as a fan.
Stewart was the only one that can come close to Carmichael . Stewart was on a different level speed wise ...but Ricky was just more consistent and Stewart's injury's really cut his career short he could of broke Ricky's records had he not been hurt half the time
Kind of explains why he retired at 28, he must have had enough of all that training and had nothing to work towards seeing as he’d already earned GOAT status.
@@invisiblespeedrc Are you saying he retired at 26, I thought it was 24. Pretty crazy either way because at that age a lot of people have just started their careers.
Yeah it was 26 or 27, but like you said that kind of a work schedule gets old fast. They’re putting a lot of these guys through it from the time they’re 12 or 13 now. That’s one negative side of the sport booming like it is right now. A lot of these kids will be retired by 27 or so like Ricky, RV, and Dungey. People give Webb, and Anderson a hard time for leaving Alden, but I think they had the right idea. Especially Webb, he’s won two titles. If he wants to just enjoy the rest of his career, and race, and be happy what’s wrong with that?
I had a crash in 2001.. broken femur and humorous… didn’t get back on a bike for 14 months and then I was hesitating hitting jumps.. lost my bottle and took up djing… I would say it’s more than work ethic and skill to crash over and over and still pin it on a track because you have that massive drive to win at all costs… I’m my mind the pain wasn’t worth it.
Aldon Baker was 100% a major influence on premature burn-out in the careers of top racers from Ricky to Villopoto, Dungy ect. They all packed it in too young. Anderson was wise to get away from that regime in my opinion
In regards to Ricky, you are wrong. Way before he was training with Aldon, when he was on a 125, he straight up told DC that he was going to grab the championships he was satisfied with and retire.
Ricky I understand I mean what was there left for him to accomplish. Try and tie or beat McGraths SX records? Then he ran the change of staying to long like McGrath did and Reedy.
I think that James Stewart was the fastest person I’ve ever seen on a dirt bike. But it didn’t translate into the championships like Megrath and Carmichael. But Stewart just amazed me with the speed at which he attacked tracks.
I think Bubba was shocked at Mount Morris in 2005. In the second moto, he got the holeshot and took off setting lap times 6 seconds faster than any laid down during practice. To his horror RC was right on his tail, gaining on him. By then it was too late to train.
I read Hank Haneys book called The Big Miss last week about his experiences coaching Tiger woods. Theres a little story in there practicing at Isleworth in 2008 when his practice partner introduced him to Bubba and Tiger asked a few questions cause hed never heard of him before. Asked him what he ate before competition and Bubba said "Coke and a snickers" and Tiger stopped talking to him and went back to hitting balls lol
Its called progression. Ricky is the goat. The problem started when 2 strokes went away imo, and the way tracks are designed. Back in the day there would be parts of the track that only the best could try to hit. I don't really see that anymore. I don't care what anyone says 2 strokes are harder to be fast on the 4 strokes.
I agree I have a 2017 sx250 2 stroke and a 2019 sxf 350 4 stroke and I am way faster on the 4 stroke. And I grew up rising 2 strokes from 50,65,85,125,250 4 strokes with the engines brake and power right now is just so much easier then staying on the pipe all the time. But I still like 2 strokes better
I agree that the sport has progressed. All sports do. That's what makes sports great. Evolution... There is always someone who is willing to work harder and smarter. If you want to be the best, you have to love what your doing so much, that you'll do whatever it takes to be a winner. That is why I disagree with Chad Reed's statement, "They don't love it". Maybe he would have won more championships if he loved the sport more, he would have done more to be the best of the best. Also, Ricky may be the GOAT, but Jeremy s the King of them all!
@@kerryday1792 true. I think too he was aware that motocross was his passion and life purpose to be the best. He had undeniable desire to be number one and sacrificed short term gratification for his end goal.
As someone who has attended sx races in 6 decades and been riding on and off for all of those decades, I would have to say the biggest change is the corporatization of motorsports like supercross. Monster energy and 4 stroke only designed tracks has made supercross something that resembles a sporting event from the movie "Idiocracy". It has become a caricature of itself. Long ways from spring 1978 when the parking lot at Pontiac Silver dome was full of campers .pickup trucks, and box vans. and racers amatuer and pro tuning bikes in the parking lot.
Love the moment in world championship when Håkan Carlqvist stopped midrace to take a sip from a beer and keep going to win the race. Will never happen again
So true, always remember charmicheal sr. Only one in the team green tent drinking beers all day while his mom was on RC's ass. RC even did his own bike cleaning sometimes between motos. I saw it.
I feel so lucky to have seen ( in person ) riders like Roger Decoster , Bob Hannah and Ricky Carmichal in their prime just obliterating everything in their paths . Roger put motocross on the map . Bob Hannah was so fast and determined that they joked about making him start backwards just to give everyone else a chance . Ricky was Hannah part two and Hannah saw that . I feel very lucky to have seen that . PK
@@BigBadWolf1stMarty Smith was an EXCELLENT rider , I can agree with that . I have in my closet a 1976 red white and blue Hondaline motocross jersey right next to my own 2 Suzuki race jerseys . I had more but these are the ones that survived and I kept. PK
@@trblemkr1d106 I was just getting serious into motocross and was already watching Marty make moves. I loved his riding style. I bought a Montesa Capra 250 and went to an amateur race in upstate NY. Marty showed up to support a friend and I walked over to him to say hello. He was super cool and even complimented my bike. :) I had a jersey signed by Decoster but it got lost in a divorce when the ex sold off a box of my stuff. 😞
@@BigBadWolf1st That's a shame about the jersey...that was a real prize . I gave away a box of very nice concert t's to a kid . He and his mom were at my garage sale and I could tell they were pretty poor . I gave her some dishes and a dining room set . Everybody deserves a break once in a while...right ? PK
Everything has just gotten so refined technically, which is natural "progression"- the bikes (more complex than ever), the tracks (go take a look at a video of the epic RJ vs. Bailey battle at Anaheim '86 to see what that track was like), the riders (nutrition, physical training, starting at very young age, etc), and the business/team side has changed dramatically too. With this refinement, the raw-ness and fun has taken a hit (and don't even get me started about how we no longer have sweet 2 stroke music and smells, haha). On the plus side, the field is deeper and we have more manufacturers involved. But regardless of all of this, it's the greatest sport in the world!!!!!
Agreed. Johnny O', Bailey, Glover, Ward, RJ.. all those guys were extremely structured and regimented. I feel like Johnny O' took it to a whole new level. The 90"s ushered in the Havasu crew who weren't as in shape, but had tons of flair and talent. This seemed to diminish after Emig and MC. Then, RC picked up the extreme training approach again. Just an observation from someone who lived through those days of MX and SX.
2025 gonna be (x)kwh class e-bikes lol. U think losing our beloved 2-strokes was bad? Wait til u can't even hear the damn bikes going around the track other than hearing dirt roosting up some. Maybe they'll be able to hear the crowd pump them up easier? Silver linings I guess...🤷♂️🙃
Are the bikes really that more complex? I saw a video of a Honda 250 1995 model that could compete against modern bikes just fine. What has changed since 95? I know shocks etc are better but what else?
@@swedish_sadhguru3854 A lot of what I was thinking was 2 stroke vs. 4 stroke, plus things like carb vs. fuel injection, electric start, ignition mapping, etc.
I agree in a 110 percent! On that time, we felt you guys fighting hard and from the heart! Every single weekend was a show! Thank you all for the moments you guys provide us!
Lol glad someone else caught that. RICKY dethroned Ricky. Ricky had at least 1 more sx and mx championship in him. He was just done. He proved he had no problem winning even during his farewell season.
Eh, he partially “”dethroned” Ricky in SX if you look at it a certain way. In his 03 rookie season, he ended the year with 6 convincing victories and looked to be clearly the fastest guy, and he then dominated the 2004 title. Of course, Ricky was hurt that season so he didn’t beat Ricky for the title, but the last memory of him racing Ricky was 6 straight wins. So at that point in time, Chad was probably a slight favorite, at least in SX. Of course, Ricky went on to win 2 straight SX titles against Chad in 05 and 06. And obviously nobody ever came close to dethroning Ricky in outdoors, not even Stew
@@thomaslopez7437 yeah he dominated ricky in those early races, chad was doing the first tiny scrubs. Ricky was bolt upright. This pissed ricky of and drove him to become untouchable.
In 03 Chad was destroying Ricky then 04 he did what he had to to win the title without Ricky there.. In 05 Yamaha went Alloy frame and it wasn't that good.. 06 they went 4 stroke.. Chad was never as good on the 4 stroke. Then the manufacturer swaps and two two days. Chad could of won a lot more Races.
@@LTR1420 he had 3 more mx champs in him. In 07 when he raced like 7 races and one all but one i think to james. He wasnt even training like he normally does
It seemed to me what made Ricky so good was he could make that bike pivot in a corner so cleanly and get going sooner. The battles that him and james had were pretty dam good.
Here's my take: MX/SX became the straight-laced corporate side of dirt bikes, and the free-riding guys have taken the "Havasu" mantle from moto racing. MX/SX will never go back, but if you want that freedom-loving, party vibe, it's still kinda there, but it's with the freestyle guys. Look at Axell. He has a genuine love for riding because he ISN"T racing, and from all appearances, he is enjoying the hell out of life.
Genuine question what makes the guys like axell and Colby raha freestylers? They don’t throw any tricks, they just learned how to back flip like recently. All they throw are fat whips. Just curious
I'll answer, I guess just going big and doing crazy stuff on A dirt bike that average people can't do. Even pro riders are impressed with The things Axell does
Do you guys ride? The spirit is alive brothers! Maybe not obvious at SX or MX (Stank Dog Not Included) check out your local track! Beers and bar bangin with the boys all day! Nothin like it
1:05 Wait, WHAT? Chad never dethroned Ricky. I know Chad is your fellow countrymen, but that just did not happen. Chad may have succeeded Ricky, but he did not dethrone him.
ricky lapped me because i kept crashing trying to keep up. and the next day i sold and gave away all my bikes and got a job. you gotta know when to hold em know when to fold em. nobody could beat tricky ricky, same with mcgrath. they trained so hard and dominated everyone with dedication and determination to be the best and they deserve every bit of success they've earned. ive never seen someone go so fast on the worse test track conditions ever seen. i couldnt even keep up the pace for 2 laps and i was spent and this dude fro florida just clicked off 30 laps like nothing, his speed and consistency was and will be some of the greatest moments ever seen in mx. being on the track with him was surreal, that one day changed my outlook on whats it takes to be the best.
I can't disagree to harshly with Reed here, because this is pretty out of date. Yes, things are changing, and what he said might've been true in '09, but what we're seeing - with JA and Eli on top, and the general transparency of many top riders (AC talking about his injuries, etc) - is a renewed love for racing by the top riders. IMO, the guard is already changing. Aldon's days as the kingmaker are numbered: Webb had enough, and he's still looking good (a mediocre start to the season, but he's getting better, and might even be back in the contention if he continues to improve), and team managers are talking about keeping the riders happy. That's the line, and you can see it in the interviews, and on the track: Eli is having fun. El Hombre is having fun. Roczen ISN'T having fun (but he wants to be). Mookie is mostly having fun. The old model, of being in superhuman physical shape, and having the mind of a samurai, is showing its weaknesses, and more attention is being paid to mental fitness and enjoyment.
Imo Eli moved teams cause he felt stagnant (Maybe a bit because of the kawi hydraulic clutch too). Teams are only just begining to see the benifits endorphins play in pro riders longevity in the sport. It's not just the riders mental wellbeing, but the reason they had the drive to win early in their career. Of course It's a job, and you need to bring good results, but if it's not enjoyable, why do it. Money isnt worth sacraficing your happiness. Just look at Villopoto. What Chad is pointing out here is a tipping point in the sport. Jetts manager knew this before he even signed him.
@@loneventhorizon Plus when it's like it is now to watch, seeing that passion again, seeing them having fun, in turn reflects that in interviews, it makes the internet clips more interesting, more intense, and at the end of that day makes your fans have a better time enjoying the sport, which will help grow it. It's great for the product of SuperCross, the sport itself, and the companies involved. It's like the perfect direction to go in.
Uhhh, wrong. This is, and always has been a sport where fitness, more than talent, is what wins championships, the difference is that the depth of riders willing to work that hard is greater than ever.....so when your a rider putting everything you got into fitness/endurance and you're still not winning, it breaks you....
@@ScottPaulConley I don't think so. Chad's saying that RC began the era of fitness-above-all-else. Before that, it was mostly raw talent and daring. I think he's probably right, but I also think it's changing. Everybody now is pretty much on the same fitness program. The riders that are truly excelling seem to be happy w/ their teams, programs, and on the track. Everybody at the top level is getting the best coaching money can buy, but attention to emotional well-being is a sea change in pretty much all sports. It's as much a head game, maybe more, than a body game, and I think we're seeing proof of that in SX/MX.
@Mr. Jumbotron Rick Johnson's parents lived in Yuma az, my hometown. 110deg weather. Rick was in town circa 1990 training for outdoors. My dad met his parents at the local Honda car dealer ask my dad a good sand track to ride at. I was 10yrs, old got to ride with RJ for a day in Yuma. Dude showed up with his trainer in a fricking box van at noon(110+) ran 2 40min +2 laps motos with trainer watching with a stop watch...true fucking story.
I miss the Hannah/Howerton/etc era but also I was in love with the Johnson/Ward/Bailey/O'Mara/Glover/Lechien/etc. era. Just two magical, transformative eras in motocross. the Stanton/Bayle era was good but the drop-off had began IMO. Carmichael picked up where the others left off. Thankful to have seen all of these riders in person
I was at Daytona Supercross 98. RC was new, on a 125, and was a second faster than Jerey McGraff on his 250, in the sand. Both riders were amazing in their day.
Reed is being politically correct about it, but McGrath was the last Champ that got radical publicly. With stiffer competition, the fun will be squeezed out of anything. It's about dollars & sense today not filming Crusty Demons getting hammered and crazy all weekend. Reed & Windyam my favorite riders from thay era.
Right! Mc got the budlight sponsership, 1-800-collect, the tonight show appearances, But after that, we went back to niche. My non moto friends have no idea who dungey is, let alone Tomac.
I agree in almost every way, except that it ended with the Stewart era. Villopoto was definitely an era, he was dominate in a way we hadn't seen in a while and haven't seen since.
Yes. But what burnt him out was exactly what chad is talking about in this video. It wasn’t fun anymore. They took the “dirt biking” out of Supercross.
RC was so much more talented than anyone else, and worked his ass off. I liked this interview, because they cover that fact, and brush off the "just worked harder" absurd type of thinking, which to be honest I have never heard about RC. Universally, the vast majority of people simply rate RC as the best to ever come along.
I remember RC saying he wasn’t that talented he just worked really hard, I always believed that, but now Chad has opened my eyes that that wasn’t the case
Right. If he wasn’t insanely talented, then he wouldn’t have been the most coveted phenom in the country as an amateur and 125 racer, before he was training hard. He was always stupid fast, but it was the training that I think allowed him to pace himself against a class full of big dogs and know WHEN to exert that energy, without relying on pure talent throughout a Moto
To be real Ricky was not the best built or the most talented at the top lvl. growing up in Tallahassee I hear them young Ricky stories. My favorite racer is Jeremy McGrath because he was #1 when I first watch. when you watch Jeremy he was smooth - controlled - talented fast vs Ricky would be flat out the whole race - endurance fast. Jeremy could not race that hard for that long and Ricky had too. (to me) The only two other racers that seem like they could race that hard for that long was James Stewart (but he would crash) and Villopoto (to me he was the best total package). in short...th-cam.com/video/zF9REy86aQA/w-d-xo.html
The love of the sport isn't as prevelant as it once was with the riders and I hope the next generation can bring that back. Starting to look like danger, casey cochran, and some of these younger guys are getting tired before even making it to the money
Agree with this. There are a few that seem to love it like Jett, McAdoo, AC and others. But, they're also a bit different mentally. But, yeah, Dungy retired at what? 25?
@the dude I kinda thought DB was a tool(cocky) too, but look at his recent videos, he's got the work ethic and poise for success. He's definitely not RC, but I've seen a lot growth physically and mentally since Loretta's. Him and his dad have definitely surrounded him with the right people to set him up for success.
Chad is a standout imo ..he left his home country from a young age to pursue his dream in world Mx and then SX ..and succeeded all the way to the top..definitely one of the toughest yet is such a cool dude and giving so much back to the sport he Loves
I was never a Reedy fan while he was racing until the end of his career. That's when I became a fan. What he did the last few years was because he had a genuine love of racing; not for $$$
I grew up watching all of the old motocross heads like McGrath, larrocco, Emig, Stewart, etc. But I love when reed says it seems like it’s no longer fun anymore, because in todays motocross and supercross world it seems like more of a job and no longer fun. A lot of great moments/battles in motocross history for sure.
As someone who’s been in charge of doing analysis and making decisions for professional athlete training for almost 10 years now, Chad is right. In regular pro sports we account for guys going and partying, living up life and not being able to always stick to the schedule we have planned. Motocross has more of a military training attitude or triathlete training mentality than a pro athlete training mentality. Just an observation but it’s also related to most motocross physical trainers and coaches being in the Stone Age when it comes to sport science.
Sir Chad Reed you are 100% right. There is very little LOVE in this sport anymore The crazy training, counting calories and burning out is not what motocross is about
I see 100% where he is coming from. But it seems to me a slow shift is coming back to the fun side. The 250 interviews are pretty layed back, and tomac and anderson seem to be actually enjoying riding same with craig.
Tell me Jett lawrence isnt enjoying himself out there every ride.. I agree with you I see where hes coming from but id say he may be slightly out of touch with the fast guys at this point in his career. Barcie not having fun ? Ap dont have fun? Even Tomac seems to have fun imo.
Ricky vs James outdoors was just amazing! James was capable of the fastest laps but RC would keep almost the same pace for the entire race until he was top of box. The races were RC had bad start or went down were amazing… Dungey/RV was good stuff too but just didn’t last enough seasons… burn out thing, plus that RV leg injury at GP didn’t help
Interesting to have this conversation directly after yesterdays upload with Gared Steinke saying he never wanted that racers life of today with all the working out, training, and regiment. He just wants to race for fun. I think it's also safe to say there are several well known riders out there that did the racing thing early on and then found out they could make more money freeriding and have fun doing it. Crazy world. Great topic btw, and you guys are absolutely right, I think that the vast majority of the current day pro riders don't like what they're doing anymore. They're like robots when they're being interviewed.
So true! Motocross lacks the personalities, character, and spirit that comes with loving what you do. Chad Reed was the last rider I had a serious interest in. Before that, Emig, Stanton, Bradshaw and riders like that kept our attention and made the sport fun. I think this is one example of what Ronnie Mac is spoofing on. It's also why I'm such a big fan of Uncle Ron. He's everything the sport has lost in the riders, and the entertainment we're missing.
that's one reason i like the Lawrence brothers (less so Hunter though).... they act real and show their passion while racing without looking entitled, like say maybe Hannah eventually did. i think Jett has the class-act drive of Rick Johnson and the precision of David bailey. while Hunter is more the Jeff Stanton, Ryan Dungey, who is just there to get it done. they may not have the flare that makes drama, but much of that past drama was not great for the sport's image. the success of a role model type may be a bit boring, but how many of our past wanna-be stars ended up in jail on a sunday night. heh.
I think that was the reflect of the SX/MX evolution. As everything, there is evolution with the time, and Ricky was the spark of the new evolution and development towards a more competitive era, and I think, it put the sport in a higher level for everyone on the pits to catch up and became more demanding due to new competition goals. XX
I'll never forget seeing Ricky race for the last time.. got to see him his last time at Hangtown outside of Sacramento, he won the race (both if I remember correctly), and then did a victory lap with his helmet off, it was surreal
Yeah,supercross isn't what it used to be. My buddies and I used to ride our bikes almost every day back in the 90's. We used to go to nearly every motorsports event at either the Tacoma Dome and the Kingdome. My most memorable Supercross was 2-1-92 at the Kingdome. Damon Bradshaw was my favorite rider and he won that night. I didn't even have a Yamaha,I had a CR80. 😂 Now I'm in my mid 40's. I still ride,but I still have an old ass bike. 1990 KLR 250. I like having having an older bike because I don't really have to worry if it gets scraped up,stolen or wrecked or something? I'm not out a small fortune.it is still in nice shape considering it's 32yrs old.
Its funny that chad said everyone including himself was watching RC yet RC has said MANY times that James was the fastest rider he has ever seen or competed against.. i also think that rly rly pisses chad off
Reed got on the podium at buds creek and i was front row watching, it was hot as hell, and when they went to spray champagne 🍾 Chad Reed looked me dead in the eye and B-lined straight towards me and sprayed the champagne in my face. Lol. Thanks for cooling me off.
It's so funny to hear this discussion because it is the same one across all sports. Even downhill. People try to say Gwin came.in and took it too seriously & no alcohol this, all work that. It really just boils down to the the information age catching up. Heart rate monitors became available, training data could be tracked more accurately, sleep cycles...better understanding of nutrition & recovery cycles. Guys like Jeff Stanton and Johnny O'Mara retired, got into cycling & started learning from elite European scientists in France, etc who trained road cyclists. Those trainers were directly funded by their governments to win Olympic medals. O'Mara, etc brought that information and training to MTB & Moto. And guess whose DAD was one of those international ROAD racers before he got into MTB? That's right...John Tomac. Ricky's generation wasn't the training era...they were the first legitimate information era.
Ricky was never dethroned the way McGrath was. He stopped winning because he wanted to retire, not because he couldn’t. Who knows how many more titles he could’ve won.
I specifically remember when Chad came over to race in the US. He felted we owed him a 250 ride. He whined and complained when he had to ride the 125 class. Ricky never complained. Ricky worked hard and represented his sponsors well. Ricky didn't even complain when Honda did not renew his contract and he was forced to ride a Suzuki. When did any manufacturer EVER not renew a contract with the current world champion in any motorsport? Never. The Big 4 conspired to help Suzuki regain a little market share by putting RC on yellow and showing that Suzuki did make a good bike. Suzuki was not competitive on track nor in sales. Travis Pastrama had just left MX and there was a huge void in the Suzuki lineup. Despite numerous clutch failures and DNFs, RC rescucitated Suzuki. Chad was a good rider, but no where near as good as Ricky Carmichael or James Stewart.
Their rivalry was so minuscule compared to what it could have been. James was always injured, and in the year Chad won the title Ricky was injured. I think their rivalry was more an idea than something that actually happened very often. But when all three were on the track together and close it was super exciting…. that is definitely lost nowadays sadly.
yes, agreed. and the fun part being how desperately they all wanted to beat the other guy. each had their way of showing it, but every race oozed with attitude issues. it was more intense than we see now.
The part of people around the riders forcing them to be pro 100 percent accurate. If they take a break from the sport n come back they will love it every second.
Ricky set the bar for Motocross racing. Maybe Ricky took it to another level but his result can't be denied. It's not for everyone. There is a great documentary on Ryan Villopoto on this subject how the sport has changed. It's way harder for the riders, mentally, physically, family life and diet. Keep in mind it's only a sport like any other. It's not the end of life for most of these guys.
All the champions since Hannah/Glover late 70s trained like mad men. O'Mara and Bailey use to compete in triathlons. Barnett rode hours every day wfo on his gnarly ungroomed paractice track. I think MC lasted because he didn't burn out. He gave up MX and just run SX. He went to the lake and partied and recharged after a race....bottom line if you can charge a whole moto/heat from start to finish that's the top condition you can be in, why over train. Body needs rest as well and so does the brain/spirit.
We all know who dethroned Ricky and it wasn't Chad. It took the fastest rider of all time AKA James Stewart. Chad is an elite rider but let's be honest he held down 3rd place while Ricky and James were on the track
It was in chads 1st sx season. He was faster than ricky which drove ricky to the next level. Chad was doing little scrubs and Ricky was bolt upright. Go watch some of those races. I wouldn't say chad dethroned him but rather poked the bear lol
@@ricksmith7659Yeeeah no. After RC WON the title In 2006 he decided that 2007 before the season started that it would be his last season. RC was already on his way out when Stewart was just coming up in his 2nd year in the premier class. 2007 was the only season Stewart beat RC.
Ryno summed it up perfectly: JS is a phenomenal rider, speed talent and wise, but best rider ever “no” because Carmichael will be that till the sport dies
Personally watching Danny Magoo Chandler was what the sport was all about regardless how it ended, Most ride with the whole year in back of mind, Danny rode every lap like you were trying to steal his bike! Best quote you’ll ever hear, “ Guys out there trying to figure out the triple jump, Danny cleared it cleaning out his carburetor in practice” Brad Lackey…
I don't think there has ever been a rider that's as fast as Danny Chandler was. He rode a works HRC 500 like it was a 125. You could always tell when he was coming just from the sound.
Magoo was my hero when I was a kid! He didnt win a lot of races or championships but he put on a show every race he was in! He is the OG pioneer of tricks and extreme MX in my opinion
Back in the day, racing and free riding was a lifestyle, it was an attitude, it was a key component of who we were and effected every aspect of our lives, with extreme passion and intensity on and off the track. Today it's more of a full-time job, it's similar to punching a clock in a factory. Once you're off the track, you go on with life, like everyone else. However that also could be a change in society that dictates it to a certain degree... MX/SX is seen as a corporate mainstream professional career instead of a crazy fringe hobby we all lived and loved.
Aldon Baker. When Anderson left the Baker factory I commented on the announcement " now you can live" both his parents agreed. Carmichael is one of my all time favorite riders.
Chad's always been a negative nancy... nice to see he's progressed to being the "it was sooo much better in my day" old man. Eli and Jason are loving this stuff and at the top.
Reed did not dethrone Carmichael,reed won cause Carmichael set out to fix a knee injury,came back following year and took back his title and reed never took it away from Carmichael.
I think these people see things this way because of their age. I have watched supercross since Bob Hannah and I do think there is more talent today. Just like every sport, but don't agree that racers don't like riding their dirt bikes. Sure it is probably more serious and that can take some of the fun out of it, but Eli looks to me like he is having more fun than ever. He doesn't have to worry anymore his legacy as one of the greatest of all time is set. Now he is just having fun.
To say that anybody dethroned, Ricky is giving them a lot of credit. Ricky Carmichael was the best motocross rider I have ever seen. Yes, James Stewart was great and I loved every minute watching him but Ricky by far is the greatest of all time🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
there are to types of working hard. working harder when you are already winning anyway, and working hard coming back from injuries. not having as many injuries and constantly being rewarded with success worked for carmichael. avoiding outside temptations and staying on track big picture thinking. most people can’t pull that off like he did
RC was so much fun to watch he was the short stocky rider riding with the low handle bars who would look out of place at the gate but once the gate dropped he was in a league of his own like he was born on a bike! I for one thought RC would have a difficult time beating McGrath but he dominated Jeremy who ultimately hung it up after knowing he could not beat Ricky.
This happens in every sport with every generation. I quit watching basketball when MJ retired. Quit watching football when Peyton manning retired, quit watching Nascar when Dale died. Quit watching Supercross when Ricky retired. But there's still young kids that see the new guys as we saw the legends.
IMO TOP 5 MOTOCROSS RIDERS OF ALL TIME (*there are a few combinations/other outliers IMO like Eli Tomac,Chad Reed, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, Roger DeCoster, Jeffrey Herlings, Tony Cairoli, Ricky Johnson) 1)Ricky Carmichael 2)James Stewart 3)Bob Hannah 4)Jeremy McGrath 5)Stefan Everts
RC used to train on a road bicycle. I heard him say (paraphrasing) you know you’re training hard when you collapse in a field with no one around to see it. That’s the kind of commitment it takes now and that can’t be fun to train at that level all the time.
I wouldn’t say ruin.. I race armature Moto and I’m in the gym 6 days a week.. just a hobby for me. But still I love it. So for rc to take it to the next level.. he was just doing what he thought was right and that was go all out and be the best he could possibly be. And he changed the sport for ever.. but if it wasn’t rc it would have been someone else
GOAT! CR22 laying down truth. Bakers Factory mentality is why the athletes get burnt out! They don’t live for the race when their whole life is training only.
I think up until R.C. brought his extra hard work ethic into the sport, Riders had FUN riding, then it quickly became a job. It is way different I cannot honestly say the riders of today are actually having FUN racing not near as much as previous era's.
He was faster then ricky in his debut sx season. I wouldn't say he dethroned rc but he poked the bear. This lead to ricky becoming what he did. Untouchable.
you will love something until someone is controlling what you love to do. how could you love busting your ass not having a life. all they do is ride dirtbikes in a training format until the races, working out, dieting, sponsorship, team stuff, and doing press shit. like its just constant pressure. i used to love nascar and circle track racing until i worked for a team. and the life you give up for the life you gain is not worth it. yes its amazing when you win and do awesome but in the end man the shit it takes out of you just isnt worth it. theres so much more to life than 1 single thing.
To say that Chad “de-throned” Ricky is giving him way too much credit. Ricky left on top, and let the rest fight for the top spot. If anyone was close to dethroning him it was Stewart. Regardless, that was such a magnificent era of motorcycle racing. Mad respect to all 3
Bang on with that comment. I loved watching every 1 of Ricky’s races. And when chad came to the big bikes it was invigorating to see a challenge to RC. But, as good as reed was, he certainly didn’t dethrone Ricky. Chad won the title while Ricky was off with surgery. And again, 2nd title while James was off with injury/surgery. James was without doubt THE fastest I’ve ever seen on a dirt bike. Sometimes too fast yes. But fantastic to see. Ricky is the best there has been. And I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Overall, he took the whole sport to another level. Watching reed Stewart and Carmichael race was THE best era to see as a fan.
As soon as I heard him say that I was like "What" Reed dethroned Ricky.
I don't think so.
Stewart was the only one that can come close to Carmichael . Stewart was on a different level speed wise ...but Ricky was just more consistent and Stewart's injury's really cut his career short he could of broke Ricky's records had he not been hurt half the time
Yeah right, when did Chad dethrone Ricky? I guess I missed that part.
Stewart was very close he’s the fastest point blank l think out of them all but
McGrath was my fav ricky is the goat
The morning after winning his first perfect mx season....RC was up at 6am working out. You can't beat that kind of work ethic mixed with talent.
Kind of explains why he retired at 28, he must have had enough of all that training and had nothing to work towards seeing as he’d already earned GOAT status.
@@ian9toes 26 surely
@@invisiblespeedrc
Are you saying he retired at 26, I thought it was 24. Pretty crazy either way because at that age a lot of people have just started their careers.
Yeah it was 26 or 27, but like you said that kind of a work schedule gets old fast. They’re putting a lot of these guys through it from the time they’re 12 or 13 now. That’s one negative side of the sport booming like it is right now. A lot of these kids will be retired by 27 or so like Ricky, RV, and Dungey. People give Webb, and Anderson a hard time for leaving Alden, but I think they had the right idea. Especially Webb, he’s won two titles. If he wants to just enjoy the rest of his career, and race, and be happy what’s wrong with that?
I had a crash in 2001.. broken femur and humorous… didn’t get back on a bike for 14 months and then I was hesitating hitting jumps..
lost my bottle and took up djing…
I would say it’s more than work ethic and skill to crash over and over and still pin it on a track because you have that massive drive to win at all costs… I’m my mind the pain wasn’t worth it.
Aldon Baker was 100% a major influence on premature burn-out in the careers of top racers from Ricky to Villopoto, Dungy ect. They all packed it in too young. Anderson was wise to get away from that regime in my opinion
Yeah they burnt out on the pack...everday
In regards to Ricky, you are wrong. Way before he was training with Aldon, when he was on a 125, he straight up told DC that he was going to grab the championships he was satisfied with and retire.
Anderson looks like he really is enjoying riding!!!... love his style, he looks passionate when he rides..
Ricky I understand I mean what was there left for him to accomplish. Try and tie or beat McGraths SX records? Then he ran the change of staying to long like McGrath did and Reedy.
Aldon did burn a lot of guys out. That's for sure. But in motocross, there's no such thing as too young. You get it done, you retire. That's it.
I think that James Stewart was the fastest person I’ve ever seen on a dirt bike. But it didn’t translate into the championships like Megrath and Carmichael. But Stewart just amazed me with the speed at which he attacked tracks.
No lie
Uncontrolled speed doesn’t translate to talent just a fuck it mentality.
I think Bubba was shocked at Mount Morris in 2005. In the second moto, he got the holeshot and took off setting lap times 6 seconds faster than any laid down during practice. To his horror RC was right on his tail, gaining on him. By then it was too late to train.
I remember one race where he lapped everyone except Travis Preston in 2nd
I read Hank Haneys book called The Big Miss last week about his experiences coaching Tiger woods. Theres a little story in there practicing at Isleworth in 2008 when his practice partner introduced him to Bubba and Tiger asked a few questions cause hed never heard of him before. Asked him what he ate before competition and Bubba said "Coke and a snickers" and Tiger stopped talking to him and went back to hitting balls lol
Its called progression. Ricky is the goat. The problem started when 2 strokes went away imo, and the way tracks are designed. Back in the day there would be parts of the track that only the best could try to hit. I don't really see that anymore. I don't care what anyone says 2 strokes are harder to be fast on the 4 strokes.
I agree I have a 2017 sx250 2 stroke and a 2019 sxf 350 4 stroke and I am way faster on the 4 stroke. And I grew up rising 2 strokes from 50,65,85,125,250 4 strokes with the engines brake and power right now is just so much easier then staying on the pipe all the time. But I still like 2 strokes better
@@wyattlarson1104 personally I don't care how fast a 4 stroke gets. Nothing beats the sound and feel of a 2 stroke on the pipe
I agree that the sport has progressed. All sports do. That's what makes sports great. Evolution... There is always someone who is willing to work harder and smarter. If you want to be the best, you have to love what your doing so much, that you'll do whatever it takes to be a winner. That is why I disagree with Chad Reed's statement, "They don't love it". Maybe he would have won more championships if he loved the sport more, he would have done more to be the best of the best.
Also, Ricky may be the GOAT, but Jeremy s the King of them all!
@@bigpapa1470 If Jeremy would of trained as hard as Ricky he would be the GOAT
@@billymadison8036 Well I personally don't care what the bike sounds like.
Have fun with all that whille you get smoked on the track
Ricky is one of those rare athletes, that he found EXACTLY what his mind and body would be perfect at.
you mean taking PED's ?
I think he approached it like a job , and put in the hardest work and is obviously talented !
@@kerryday1792 true. I think too he was aware that motocross was his passion and life purpose to be the best. He had undeniable desire to be number one and sacrificed short term gratification for his end goal.
As someone who has attended sx races in 6 decades and been riding on and off for all of those decades, I would have to say the biggest change is the corporatization of motorsports like supercross. Monster energy and 4 stroke only designed tracks has made supercross something that resembles a sporting event from the movie "Idiocracy". It has become a caricature of itself. Long ways from spring 1978 when the parking lot at Pontiac Silver dome was full of campers .pickup trucks, and box vans. and racers amatuer and pro tuning bikes in the parking lot.
Bingo. And local hare scrambles, poker runs, hill climbs, etc. All gone.
I was one of those guys in the Silverdome parking lot. Those days are long gone.
The world is changing and its really not for me anymore
Love the moment in world championship when Håkan Carlqvist stopped midrace to take a sip from a beer and keep going to win the race. Will never happen again
RC could have done that JS7 could have done that. What are you talking about
@@aboveitall4763 but they didnt.
@@dantehakansson8753 lapping all the to 2nd doesn't do it for you? Gotta drink a stupid beer.
J law would do that as an amateur an eat a hotdog
@@aboveitall4763 first of all you can’t compare a world champ ways to Supercross races.
Ricky only elevated the sport. Dude was rad
Truth!
Yea right he was one of the worst riders there ever was 😈
No he transcended it.
He's certainly ruining it now with his announcing. I can hardly stand to watch the races now.
Don't overlook Jeannie Carmichael. She played a big part in Ricky's development and demanded perfection
So true, always remember charmicheal sr. Only one in the team green tent drinking beers all day while his mom was on RC's ass. RC even did his own bike cleaning sometimes between motos. I saw it.
I feel so lucky to have seen ( in person ) riders like Roger Decoster , Bob Hannah and Ricky Carmichal in their prime just obliterating everything in their paths . Roger put motocross on the map . Bob Hannah was so fast and determined that they joked about making him start backwards just to give everyone else a chance . Ricky was Hannah part two and Hannah saw that . I feel very lucky to have seen that . PK
Me2
For me, Marty Smith was the start of seeing exceptionally talented riders.
@@BigBadWolf1stMarty Smith was an EXCELLENT rider , I can agree with that . I have in my closet a 1976 red white and blue Hondaline motocross jersey right next to my own 2 Suzuki race jerseys . I had more but these are the ones that survived and I kept. PK
@@trblemkr1d106 I was just getting serious into motocross and was already watching Marty make moves. I loved his riding style. I bought a Montesa Capra 250 and went to an amateur race in upstate NY. Marty showed up to support a friend and I walked over to him to say hello. He was super cool and even complimented my bike. :)
I had a jersey signed by Decoster but it got lost in a divorce when the ex sold off a box of my stuff. 😞
@@BigBadWolf1st That's a shame about the jersey...that was a real prize . I gave away a box of very nice concert t's to a kid . He and his mom were at my garage sale and I could tell they were pretty poor . I gave her some dishes and a dining room set . Everybody deserves a break once in a while...right ? PK
Chad is making a lot of sense. I slowly faded away from watching the sport after Villapoto.
same here i thought he would be the next biggest thing but retired so soon.what a blast to have seen him anyway a joy to watch
Villopoto was a BAD DUDE !!!
He was the closest example to Carmichael.
Missed allot of good racing
But he never dethroned RC Lol and it’s cuz who cares about reed hahah
Everything has just gotten so refined technically, which is natural "progression"- the bikes (more complex than ever), the tracks (go take a look at a video of the epic RJ vs. Bailey battle at Anaheim '86 to see what that track was like), the riders (nutrition, physical training, starting at very young age, etc), and the business/team side has changed dramatically too. With this refinement, the raw-ness and fun has taken a hit (and don't even get me started about how we no longer have sweet 2 stroke music and smells, haha). On the plus side, the field is deeper and we have more manufacturers involved. But regardless of all of this, it's the greatest sport in the world!!!!!
Agreed. Johnny O', Bailey, Glover, Ward, RJ.. all those guys were extremely structured and regimented. I feel like Johnny O' took it to a whole new level. The 90"s ushered in the Havasu crew who weren't as in shape, but had tons of flair and talent. This seemed to diminish after Emig and MC. Then, RC picked up the extreme training approach again. Just an observation from someone who lived through those days of MX and SX.
2025 gonna be (x)kwh class e-bikes lol. U think losing our beloved 2-strokes was bad? Wait til u can't even hear the damn bikes going around the track other than hearing dirt roosting up some. Maybe they'll be able to hear the crowd pump them up easier? Silver linings I guess...🤷♂️🙃
Are the bikes really that more complex? I saw a video of a Honda 250 1995 model that could compete against modern bikes just fine. What has changed since 95? I know shocks etc are better but what else?
@@swedish_sadhguru3854 A lot of what I was thinking was 2 stroke vs. 4 stroke, plus things like carb vs. fuel injection, electric start, ignition mapping, etc.
Two stroke racing was better. The riders made more mistakes. There was more passing. It was more fun to watch and less predictable.
I agree in a 110 percent! On that time, we felt you guys fighting hard and from the heart! Every single weekend was a show! Thank you all for the moments you guys provide us!
"You (Chad) dethroned Ricky..." - dude stop. Chad is a legend, but this did not happen
Lol glad someone else caught that. RICKY dethroned Ricky. Ricky had at least 1 more sx and mx championship in him. He was just done. He proved he had no problem winning even during his farewell season.
Eh, he partially “”dethroned” Ricky in SX if you look at it a certain way. In his 03 rookie season, he ended the year with 6 convincing victories and looked to be clearly the fastest guy, and he then dominated the 2004 title. Of course, Ricky was hurt that season so he didn’t beat Ricky for the title, but the last memory of him racing Ricky was 6 straight wins. So at that point in time, Chad was probably a slight favorite, at least in SX. Of course, Ricky went on to win 2 straight SX titles against Chad in 05 and 06. And obviously nobody ever came close to dethroning Ricky in outdoors, not even Stew
@@thomaslopez7437 yeah he dominated ricky in those early races, chad was doing the first tiny scrubs. Ricky was bolt upright. This pissed ricky of and drove him to become untouchable.
In 03 Chad was destroying Ricky then 04 he did what he had to to win the title without Ricky there.. In 05 Yamaha went Alloy frame and it wasn't that good.. 06 they went 4 stroke.. Chad was never as good on the 4 stroke. Then the manufacturer swaps and two two days. Chad could of won a lot more Races.
@@LTR1420 he had 3 more mx champs in him. In 07 when he raced like 7 races and one all but one i think to james. He wasnt even training like he normally does
It seemed to me what made Ricky so good was he could make that bike pivot in a corner so cleanly and get going sooner. The battles that him and james had were pretty dam good.
Let’s not leave RV out of the conversation!!!
People forget about him probably because he only raced 450s for 6 years He ended the Stewart and reed era and beat dungey in every series he finished.
Gypsy does it again. The ability to create a open, honest, blunt, non judgemental space by just being himself and others can be their self is amazing.
Appreciate it mate
It was a decent interview, would be better without the foul language.
Here's my take: MX/SX became the straight-laced corporate side of dirt bikes, and the free-riding guys have taken the "Havasu" mantle from moto racing. MX/SX will never go back, but if you want that freedom-loving, party vibe, it's still kinda there, but it's with the freestyle guys. Look at Axell. He has a genuine love for riding because he ISN"T racing, and from all appearances, he is enjoying the hell out of life.
Genuine question what makes the guys like axell and Colby raha freestylers? They don’t throw any tricks, they just learned how to back flip like recently. All they throw are fat whips. Just curious
I'll answer, I guess just going big and doing crazy stuff on A dirt bike that average people can't do.
Even pro riders are impressed with The things Axell does
Do you guys ride? The spirit is alive brothers! Maybe not obvious at SX or MX (Stank Dog Not Included) check out your local track! Beers and bar bangin with the boys all day! Nothin like it
@@Brbrnskhgf5666 They are free riders. And both can do some tricks. Don't need to go full blown to call yourself a freestyler
@@mr.ainwater1913 absolutely! great point, man. For those of us who were never fast enough and are now older, we still have a hell of a good time!
1:05 Wait, WHAT? Chad never dethroned Ricky. I know Chad is your fellow countrymen, but that just did not happen. Chad may have succeeded Ricky, but he did not dethrone him.
Yeah during Ricky’s time the only reason Reedy won his SX title was because Ricky missed the whole season for surgery for some injury.
typical aussies
Oh he certainly dethroned him.
@@account2292 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Chad couldn't beat Ricky on a consistent basis. He definitely didn't dethrone him.
He got dethroned when he retired lol
Maybe the switch from 2 stroke to 4 stroke made a huge difference nobody had realized
ricky lapped me because i kept crashing trying to keep up. and the next day i sold and gave away all my bikes and got a job. you gotta know when to hold em know when to fold em. nobody could beat tricky ricky, same with mcgrath. they trained so hard and dominated everyone with dedication and determination to be the best and they deserve every bit of success they've earned. ive never seen someone go so fast on the worse test track conditions ever seen. i couldnt even keep up the pace for 2 laps and i was spent and this dude fro florida just clicked off 30 laps like nothing, his speed and consistency was and will be some of the greatest moments ever seen in mx. being on the track with him was surreal, that one day changed my outlook on whats it takes to be the best.
Cool story, really.
I guess if finding out that someone is better than you at mx makes you stop riding, riding wasn't for you in the first place
@@baconissofuck1nggood yeap, no chance vs the goat just walk away while i could still walk lol
I can't disagree to harshly with Reed here, because this is pretty out of date. Yes, things are changing, and what he said might've been true in '09, but what we're seeing - with JA and Eli on top, and the general transparency of many top riders (AC talking about his injuries, etc) - is a renewed love for racing by the top riders.
IMO, the guard is already changing. Aldon's days as the kingmaker are numbered: Webb had enough, and he's still looking good (a mediocre start to the season, but he's getting better, and might even be back in the contention if he continues to improve), and team managers are talking about keeping the riders happy. That's the line, and you can see it in the interviews, and on the track: Eli is having fun. El Hombre is having fun. Roczen ISN'T having fun (but he wants to be). Mookie is mostly having fun. The old model, of being in superhuman physical shape, and having the mind of a samurai, is showing its weaknesses, and more attention is being paid to mental fitness and enjoyment.
Imo Eli moved teams cause he felt stagnant (Maybe a bit because of the kawi hydraulic clutch too).
Teams are only just begining to see the benifits endorphins play in pro riders longevity in the sport. It's not just the riders mental wellbeing, but the reason they had the drive to win early in their career. Of course It's a job, and you need to bring good results, but if it's not enjoyable, why do it. Money isnt worth sacraficing your happiness. Just look at Villopoto.
What Chad is pointing out here is a tipping point in the sport. Jetts manager knew this before he even signed him.
@@loneventhorizon Plus when it's like it is now to watch, seeing that passion again, seeing them having fun, in turn reflects that in interviews, it makes the internet clips more interesting, more intense, and at the end of that day makes your fans have a better time enjoying the sport, which will help grow it. It's great for the product of SuperCross, the sport itself, and the companies involved. It's like the perfect direction to go in.
Uhhh, wrong. This is, and always has been a sport where fitness, more than talent, is what wins championships, the difference is that the depth of riders willing to work that hard is greater than ever.....so when your a rider putting everything you got into fitness/endurance and you're still not winning, it breaks you....
@@ScottPaulConley I don't think so. Chad's saying that RC began the era of fitness-above-all-else. Before that, it was mostly raw talent and daring. I think he's probably right, but I also think it's changing. Everybody now is pretty much on the same fitness program. The riders that are truly excelling seem to be happy w/ their teams, programs, and on the track.
Everybody at the top level is getting the best coaching money can buy, but attention to emotional well-being is a sea change in pretty much all sports. It's as much a head game, maybe more, than a body game, and I think we're seeing proof of that in SX/MX.
@Mr. Jumbotron Rick Johnson's parents lived in Yuma az, my hometown. 110deg weather. Rick was in town circa 1990 training for outdoors. My dad met his parents at the local Honda car dealer ask my dad a good sand track to ride at. I was 10yrs, old got to ride with RJ for a day in Yuma. Dude showed up with his trainer in a fricking box van at noon(110+) ran 2 40min +2 laps motos with trainer watching with a stop watch...true fucking story.
I miss the Hannah/Howerton/etc era but also I was in love with the Johnson/Ward/Bailey/O'Mara/Glover/Lechien/etc. era. Just two magical, transformative eras in motocross. the Stanton/Bayle era was good but the drop-off had began IMO. Carmichael picked up where the others left off. Thankful to have seen all of these riders in person
I was at Daytona Supercross 98.
RC was new, on a 125, and was a second faster than Jerey McGraff on his 250, in the sand. Both riders were amazing in their day.
Reed is being politically correct about it, but McGrath was the last Champ that got radical publicly. With stiffer competition, the fun will be squeezed out of anything. It's about dollars & sense today not filming Crusty Demons getting hammered and crazy all weekend. Reed & Windyam my favorite riders from thay era.
Right! Mc got the budlight sponsership, 1-800-collect, the tonight show appearances, But after that, we went back to niche. My non moto friends have no idea who dungey is, let alone Tomac.
I agree in almost every way, except that it ended with the Stewart era. Villopoto was definitely an era, he was dominate in a way we hadn't seen in a while and haven't seen since.
Yes. But what burnt him out was exactly what chad is talking about in this video. It wasn’t fun anymore. They took the “dirt biking” out of Supercross.
RC was so much more talented than anyone else, and worked his ass off. I liked this interview, because they cover that fact, and brush off the "just worked harder" absurd type of thinking, which to be honest I have never heard about RC. Universally, the vast majority of people simply rate RC as the best to ever come along.
I remember RC saying he wasn’t that talented he just worked really hard, I always believed that, but now Chad has opened my eyes that that wasn’t the case
Right. If he wasn’t insanely talented, then he wouldn’t have been the most coveted phenom in the country as an amateur and 125 racer, before he was training hard. He was always stupid fast, but it was the training that I think allowed him to pace himself against a class full of big dogs and know WHEN to exert that energy, without relying on pure talent throughout a Moto
It was more rc downplaying his talent.
To be real Ricky was not the best built or the most talented at the top lvl. growing up in Tallahassee I hear them young Ricky stories. My favorite racer is Jeremy McGrath because he was #1 when I first watch. when you watch Jeremy he was smooth - controlled - talented fast vs Ricky would be flat out the whole race - endurance fast. Jeremy could not race that hard for that long and Ricky had too. (to me) The only two other racers that seem like they could race that hard for that long was James Stewart (but he would crash) and Villopoto (to me he was the best total package). in short...th-cam.com/video/zF9REy86aQA/w-d-xo.html
The love of the sport isn't as prevelant as it once was with the riders and I hope the next generation can bring that back. Starting to look like danger, casey cochran, and some of these younger guys are getting tired before even making it to the money
Agree with this. There are a few that seem to love it like Jett, McAdoo, AC and others. But, they're also a bit different mentally.
But, yeah, Dungy retired at what? 25?
Deegan is a tool box. Hes going to get ate alive
@@thedude7726 saying someone is a tool box without knowing them makes you a tool box
@the dude I kinda thought DB was a tool(cocky) too, but look at his recent videos, he's got the work ethic and poise for success. He's definitely not RC, but I've seen a lot growth physically and mentally since Loretta's. Him and his dad have definitely surrounded him with the right people to set him up for success.
Money is the issue. Every form of motorsport when the money start coming in the quality goes down.
Chad is a standout imo ..he left his home country from a young age to pursue his dream in world Mx and then SX ..and succeeded all the way to the top..definitely one of the toughest yet is such a cool dude and giving so much back to the sport he Loves
I was never a Reedy fan while he was racing until the end of his career. That's when I became a fan. What he did the last few years was because he had a genuine love of racing; not for $$$
Me too!!
I grew up watching all of the old motocross heads like McGrath, larrocco, Emig, Stewart, etc. But I love when reed says it seems like it’s no longer fun anymore, because in todays motocross and supercross world it seems like more of a job and no longer fun. A lot of great moments/battles in motocross history for sure.
As someone who’s been in charge of doing analysis and making decisions for professional athlete training for almost 10 years now, Chad is right. In regular pro sports we account for guys going and partying, living up life and not being able to always stick to the schedule we have planned.
Motocross has more of a military training attitude or triathlete training mentality than a pro athlete training mentality. Just an observation but it’s also related to most motocross physical trainers and coaches being in the Stone Age when it comes to sport science.
Sir Chad Reed you are 100% right. There is very little LOVE in this sport anymore
The crazy training, counting calories and burning out is not what motocross is about
That may be true to some degree, but that is exactly what winning is about.
Can we get Chad traded out for Leigh Diffy in the booth!! I would be great to see Chad, Ricky and James announcing !
I see 100% where he is coming from. But it seems to me a slow shift is coming back to the fun side. The 250 interviews are pretty layed back, and tomac and anderson seem to be actually enjoying riding same with craig.
Tell me Jett lawrence isnt enjoying himself out there every ride.. I agree with you I see where hes coming from but id say he may be slightly out of touch with the fast guys at this point in his career. Barcie not having fun ? Ap dont have fun? Even Tomac seems to have fun imo.
Ricky vs James outdoors was just amazing! James was capable of the fastest laps but RC would keep almost the same pace for the entire race until he was top of box. The races were RC had bad start or went down were amazing… Dungey/RV was good stuff too but just didn’t last enough seasons… burn out thing, plus that RV leg injury at GP didn’t help
Interesting to have this conversation directly after yesterdays upload with Gared Steinke saying he never wanted that racers life of today with all the working out, training, and regiment. He just wants to race for fun. I think it's also safe to say there are several well known riders out there that did the racing thing early on and then found out they could make more money freeriding and have fun doing it. Crazy world. Great topic btw, and you guys are absolutely right, I think that the vast majority of the current day pro riders don't like what they're doing anymore. They're like robots when they're being interviewed.
Dunno bout the make more money thing.
Time line is about the same time as when fourstrokes made racing boring. Two stroke racing was so much better.
thumpers made MX better, but ruined SX
So true! Motocross lacks the personalities, character, and spirit that comes with loving what you do.
Chad Reed was the last rider I had a serious interest in. Before that, Emig, Stanton, Bradshaw and riders like that kept our attention and made the sport fun.
I think this is one example of what Ronnie Mac is spoofing on. It's also why I'm such a big fan of Uncle Ron. He's everything the sport has lost in the riders, and the entertainment we're missing.
that's one reason i like the Lawrence brothers (less so Hunter though).... they act real and show their passion while racing without looking entitled, like say maybe Hannah eventually did. i think Jett has the class-act drive of Rick Johnson and the precision of David bailey. while Hunter is more the Jeff Stanton, Ryan Dungey, who is just there to get it done.
they may not have the flare that makes drama, but much of that past drama was not great for the sport's image. the success of a role model type may be a bit boring, but how many of our past wanna-be stars ended up in jail on a sunday night. heh.
I think that was the reflect of the SX/MX evolution. As everything, there is evolution with the time, and Ricky was the spark of the new evolution and development towards a more competitive era, and I think, it put the sport in a higher level for everyone on the pits to catch up and became more demanding due to new competition goals. XX
I'll never forget seeing Ricky race for the last time.. got to see him his last time at Hangtown outside of Sacramento, he won the race (both if I remember correctly), and then did a victory lap with his helmet off, it was surreal
That’s Badass
That's cool, I seen Ricky at Hangtown for his first full outdoor season. He was #70 and they ran the track backwards, and he smoked them...
Yeah,supercross isn't what it used to be. My buddies and I used to ride our bikes almost every day back in the 90's. We used to go to nearly every motorsports event at either the Tacoma Dome and the Kingdome. My most memorable Supercross was 2-1-92 at the Kingdome. Damon Bradshaw was my favorite rider and he won that night. I didn't even have a Yamaha,I had a CR80. 😂 Now I'm in my mid 40's. I still ride,but I still have an old ass bike. 1990 KLR 250. I like having having an older bike because I don't really have to worry if it gets scraped up,stolen or wrecked or something? I'm not out a small fortune.it is still in nice shape considering it's 32yrs old.
Its funny that chad said everyone including himself was watching RC yet RC has said MANY times that James was the fastest rider he has ever seen or competed against.. i also think that rly rly pisses chad off
I don't think kids these days realize how good RC was
Love the reality check I hope it is for many and maybe even someone in charge will be moved by this conversation and learn to relax a little bit.
Reed got on the podium at buds creek and i was front row watching, it was hot as hell, and when they went to spray champagne 🍾 Chad Reed looked me dead in the eye and B-lined straight towards me and sprayed the champagne in my face. Lol.
Thanks for cooling me off.
Hasn’t this happened in every sport since 2000s? Literally everything. Min maxed
Once shit turns too corporate its over.
It's so funny to hear this discussion because it is the same one across all sports. Even downhill. People try to say Gwin came.in and took it too seriously & no alcohol this, all work that.
It really just boils down to the the information age catching up. Heart rate monitors became available, training data could be tracked more accurately, sleep cycles...better understanding of nutrition & recovery cycles.
Guys like Jeff Stanton and Johnny O'Mara retired, got into cycling & started learning from elite European scientists in France, etc who trained road cyclists. Those trainers were directly funded by their governments to win Olympic medals. O'Mara, etc brought that information and training to MTB & Moto.
And guess whose DAD was one of those international ROAD racers before he got into MTB?
That's right...John Tomac. Ricky's generation wasn't the training era...they were the first legitimate information era.
well said. it's motion and progression inspired by information, technology and the current competition standard.
Ricky was never dethroned the way McGrath was. He stopped winning because he wanted to retire, not because he couldn’t. Who knows how many more titles he could’ve won.
I specifically remember when Chad came over to race in the US. He felted we owed him a 250 ride. He whined and complained when he had to ride the 125 class. Ricky never complained. Ricky worked hard and represented his sponsors well. Ricky didn't even complain when Honda did not renew his contract and he was forced to ride a Suzuki. When did any manufacturer EVER not renew a contract with the current world champion in any motorsport? Never. The Big 4 conspired to help Suzuki regain a little market share by putting RC on yellow and showing that Suzuki did make a good bike. Suzuki was not competitive on track nor in sales. Travis Pastrama had just left MX and there was a huge void in the Suzuki lineup. Despite numerous clutch failures and DNFs, RC rescucitated Suzuki. Chad was a good rider, but no where near as good as Ricky Carmichael or James Stewart.
great point about him leaving Honda. it's all odd. we must learn more about what really happened.
Their rivalry was so minuscule compared to what it could have been. James was always injured, and in the year Chad won the title Ricky was injured. I think their rivalry was more an idea than something that actually happened very often. But when all three were on the track together and close it was super exciting…. that is definitely lost nowadays sadly.
yes, agreed. and the fun part being how desperately they all wanted to beat the other guy. each had their way of showing it, but every race oozed with attitude issues. it was more intense than we see now.
The part of people around the riders forcing them to be pro 100 percent accurate. If they take a break from the sport n come back they will love it every second.
Ricky set the bar for Motocross racing. Maybe Ricky took it to another level but his result can't be denied. It's not for everyone. There is a great documentary on Ryan Villopoto on this subject how the sport has changed. It's way harder for the riders, mentally, physically, family life and diet. Keep in mind it's only a sport like any other. It's not the end of life for most of these guys.
All the champions since Hannah/Glover late 70s trained like mad men. O'Mara and Bailey use to compete in triathlons. Barnett rode hours every day wfo on his gnarly ungroomed paractice track. I think MC lasted because he didn't burn out. He gave up MX and just run SX. He went to the lake and partied and recharged after a race....bottom line if you can charge a whole moto/heat from start to finish that's the top condition you can be in, why over train. Body needs rest as well and so does the brain/spirit.
You seem to forget the last few years of his career he sucked.
Great interview fascinating insights,chad reed is a legend and Supercross has become stale since the greats retired
We all know who dethroned Ricky and it wasn't Chad. It took the fastest rider of all time AKA James Stewart. Chad is an elite rider but let's be honest he held down 3rd place while Ricky and James were on the track
No one dethroned Ricky. He was not beat in a championship one time once he started winning in the premier class.
i was about to type someshit lmao!
@@YadaTubeGG Stewart beat Ricky a lot. Ricky seen what was coming and retired
It was in chads 1st sx season. He was faster than ricky which drove ricky to the next level. Chad was doing little scrubs and Ricky was bolt upright. Go watch some of those races. I wouldn't say chad dethroned him but rather poked the bear lol
@@ricksmith7659Yeeeah no. After RC WON the title In 2006 he decided that 2007 before the season started that it would be his last season. RC was already on his way out when Stewart was just coming up in his 2nd year in the premier class. 2007 was the only season Stewart beat RC.
Ryno summed it up perfectly: JS is a phenomenal rider, speed talent and wise, but best rider ever “no” because Carmichael will be that till the sport dies
Correction, Carmichael was never dethroned.
Personally watching Danny Magoo Chandler was what the sport was all about regardless how it ended, Most ride with the whole year in back of mind, Danny rode every lap like you were trying to steal his bike! Best quote you’ll ever hear, “ Guys out there trying to figure out the triple jump, Danny cleared it cleaning out his carburetor in practice” Brad Lackey…
I don't think there has ever been a rider that's as fast as Danny Chandler was. He rode a works HRC 500 like it was a 125. You could always tell when he was coming just from the sound.
Magoo was my hero when I was a kid! He didnt win a lot of races or championships but he put on a show every race he was in! He is the OG pioneer of tricks and extreme MX in my opinion
R.C for president!
Don't know bout yall, but, this is absolute gold!
Anyone else see that spark/magic he talks about in Jett? He's the next one!!!
in time more people will come to realize that Jett is especially special. generational talent as some say.
It was more fun to watch when the riders were riding two stroke bikes for me.
The smell of pre mix
Back in the day, racing and free riding was a lifestyle, it was an attitude, it was a key component of who we were and effected every aspect of our lives, with extreme passion and intensity on and off the track.
Today it's more of a full-time job, it's similar to punching a clock in a factory. Once you're off the track, you go on with life, like everyone else.
However that also could be a change in society that dictates it to a certain degree...
MX/SX is seen as a corporate mainstream professional career instead of a crazy fringe hobby we all lived and loved.
Best SX years when Carmichael, James and Reed were all on the track.
The end of two strokes did it for me
Aldon Baker. When Anderson left the Baker factory I commented on the announcement " now you can live" both his parents agreed. Carmichael is one of my all time favorite riders.
Chad's always been a negative nancy... nice to see he's progressed to being the "it was sooo much better in my day" old man. Eli and Jason are loving this stuff and at the top.
It was more loose in his time. They way the guys live now it’s spartan style.
Yes he's right, it was better in his day
Tomac loves what he does which is why he's not burned out, which is why he is so fast, which is why he is breaking records and setting records
now he loves it. almost burned out a few times though.
Reed did not dethrone Carmichael,reed won cause Carmichael set out to fix a knee injury,came back following year and took back his title and reed never took it away from Carmichael.
I think these people see things this way because of their age. I have watched supercross since Bob Hannah and I do think there is more talent today. Just like every sport, but don't agree that racers don't like riding their dirt bikes. Sure it is probably more serious and that can take some of the fun out of it, but Eli looks to me like he is having more fun than ever. He doesn't have to worry anymore his legacy as one of the greatest of all time is set. Now he is just having fun.
RC4 revolutionized MX. He took it from just dirt bike racing to requiring yourself to be a professional athlete to win races.
To say that anybody dethroned, Ricky is giving them a lot of credit. Ricky Carmichael was the best motocross rider I have ever seen. Yes, James Stewart was great and I loved every minute watching him but Ricky by far is the greatest of all time🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Chad Reed never replaced Ricky, Chad only won when the top guys weren't there.
Sorry it stopped after RV2. Ryan was special and could of won a ton more..
Yep, that knee in 2009 after he crushed Glen Helen opener and then that horrific crash in 2010 SX really did some damage to his potential.
there are to types of working hard. working harder when you are already winning anyway, and working hard coming back from injuries. not having as many injuries and constantly being rewarded with success worked for carmichael. avoiding outside temptations and staying on track big picture thinking. most people can’t pull that off like he did
RC was so much fun to watch he was the short stocky rider riding with the low handle bars who would look out of place at the gate but once the gate dropped he was in a league of his own like he was born on a bike! I for one thought RC would have a difficult time beating McGrath but he dominated Jeremy who ultimately hung it up after knowing he could not beat Ricky.
I see Chad Reed, I hit like before I watch
4 strokes are tooo dam expensive . No weekend warrior can afford race bikes anymore or the modifications.
james' career ended in such a strange way with the suspension and all so there really wasn't a chance for a changing of the guard so to say
Poto vs dungey is just as good as anything.
This happens in every sport with every generation. I quit watching basketball when MJ retired. Quit watching football when Peyton manning retired, quit watching Nascar when Dale died. Quit watching Supercross when Ricky retired. But there's still young kids that see the new guys as we saw the legends.
IMO TOP 5 MOTOCROSS RIDERS OF ALL TIME (*there are a few combinations/other outliers IMO like Eli Tomac,Chad Reed, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, Roger DeCoster, Jeffrey Herlings, Tony Cairoli, Ricky Johnson)
1)Ricky Carmichael
2)James Stewart
3)Bob Hannah
4)Jeremy McGrath
5)Stefan Everts
Bring back two bangers and you bring back racing.
Man I miss watching Chad Reed! He was my favorite back in the days when shit was authentic. I watch old races more than I ever do new lol
RC used to train on a road bicycle. I heard him say (paraphrasing) you know you’re training hard when you collapse in a field with no one around to see it. That’s the kind of commitment it takes now and that can’t be fun to train at that level all the time.
I wouldn’t say ruin.. I race armature Moto and I’m in the gym 6 days a week.. just a hobby for me. But still I love it. So for rc to take it to the next level.. he was just doing what he thought was right and that was go all out and be the best he could possibly be. And he changed the sport for ever.. but if it wasn’t rc it would have been someone else
GOAT! CR22 laying down truth. Bakers Factory mentality is why the athletes get burnt out! They don’t live for the race when their whole life is training only.
finally a real expert says what I've been saying all along. Rickys talent is/was a off the chart. (taking nothing from James and Chad)
Best overall & consistent - RC4
Purely Fastest ever - JS7
Best supercross / bike control - MC2
It always feels like CR doesn't give Stewart his flowers..even Ricky has said that James is the fastest he has ever seen and raced
are you kidding? only recently have James and Chad stopped hating each other. it's ok if they are not flowering the other.
I think up until R.C. brought his extra hard work ethic into the sport, Riders had FUN riding, then it quickly became a job. It is way different I cannot honestly say the riders of today are actually having FUN racing not near as much as previous era's.
Totally agree !
Chad is such a cool dude. He makes our sport legit
Chad is completely right and that’s why I’m my opinion no one in the sport today stands out to me like chad, Ricky and James did.
No one has ridden with the same intensity since Ricky. He was hard core every race.
Hahahah wtf, Reed never de-throned Carmichael. Not in the slightest sense.
He was faster then ricky in his debut sx season. I wouldn't say he dethroned rc but he poked the bear. This lead to ricky becoming what he did. Untouchable.
Love Chad, just a great Champion. However, Ricky Carmichael was talented, had great work ethic, disciplined and laser focused! #thegoat🐐
you will love something until someone is controlling what you love to do. how could you love busting your ass not having a life. all they do is ride dirtbikes in a training format until the races, working out, dieting, sponsorship, team stuff, and doing press shit. like its just constant pressure. i used to love nascar and circle track racing until i worked for a team. and the life you give up for the life you gain is not worth it. yes its amazing when you win and do awesome but in the end man the shit it takes out of you just isnt worth it. theres so much more to life than 1 single thing.
Yes sir!
Yeah I don't get near excited about these races like I used to. I'm an Tomac fan but The ghost of RC can still be seen from my end
For whoever is new to this sport. Chad Reed never once dethroned Ricky. Ricky is the G.O.A.T for a fucking reason.