Who is the overall best racer and what did they reign supreme upon?

[goliathgotit]

Do you have a favorite racer? Bicker it out in here. Who is the very best? Are they still racing? What makes them the best racer ever in your eyes?

I want to start naming names, and getting down and dirty. I mean if we can put up with the constant whining about who will be president in November, then surely we can hash it out over something that actually has an impact on our daily lives, like motorcycle racing heroes.

I will start off by nominating Chris Carr for holding the motorcycle land speed record of 354MPH in the salt flats of Utah in 2006.

I don't care what you say,thinking about two wheels @ over 300MPH in any conditions just makes me want to s---- my pants. I can also say, that no one has been able to beat him yet, thus he is the best.

[HellFireX12]

Ive only started watching racing the past few years, and mainly stick to GP but, not to sound like a band wagon fan, Rossi is awesome just the way he flys through the corners is insane, and this past season was a good example Stoners bike was soo much faster than every one elses but Rossi was actually faster through the corners most of the time even without as many electronics to help keep it up.

John Hopkins is cool too hes not the best but puts on a pretty good show, and Melandri I love the way he gets off the side of his bike and pulls the thing over, he hangs almost completely off the side its crazy.

[BH121869]

I don't keep up with them these days but I grew up admiring Gary Nixon and Mike Halewood, I may have spelled that wrong. When the metrics started winning I lost interest and have not been to a Daytona race since Honda won. Nothing against Honda at all,at least it was a four stroke. I did not enjoy the two strokes sound and missed all the bikes that ran equal and made it fun. Nascar will go the same way one day. I do like Rossi.

[webhustler]

I will go out on a limb here, but the man with the most broken bones, Evil Kenevil has to be the best there was. Especially in today's competition world, you see too many people sitting out due to something minor, and this guy would keep going if you had to tie him to the bike. He also probably made biking a household name. Who else has done that to the non biking home?

[a1c_joker]

Jeremy McGrath reigned supreme in the world of Supercross in the early-to-mid 90's. He came on the scene and was pretty much unstoppable. Then along came Ricky Carmichael, who pretty much followed McGrath's footsteps and arguably went above and beyond. When racing comes to mind (be it offroad, I know) those two always pop up in my mind. Look at their track records. They are icons of the sport.

~Joker

[selmer]

I loved watching Eddie Lawson dicing it up with Wayne Rainey and Wayne Gardner and Kevin Schwantz.

Lawson is my top guy. Awesome and inspiring.

dv

[badmonkey]

Rossi is the greatest.

Doohan is the next best.

Guys like lawson, rainey and schwantz deserve some mention.

[kschilk]

As far as being the best, i.e. "most talented racer", I'd have to name Steve Wise. Wise was the only rider to win MX, Supercross and Superbike (predecessor to Supermoto) Championships. After that, he moved directly into the GNC Series and even won the Mid-Ohio National, in his first year. He had the potential to be a GNC Champion but was forced into retirement by injuries. He was also named the 1982 AMA Athlete Of The Year. As far as being the most versatile racer of all time, I don't think anyone can compare with his record...other than maybe Dick Mann.

As for a "best racer" in general, I'd have to break it into three categories...MX, GNC and a general off-road category that would include other off-road racing disciplines, like Enduro/Cross Country, ISDE, Desert/Baja, etc.

For MX, I'd name Roger DeCoster. Aisde from his seven 500cc World Championships, Roger has done more for the sport of MX and its riders than anyone. He was a major driving force behind the technological explosion in motorcycle design and performance of the '70s and '80s. Even after his retirement from racing, he has remained the primary riders' liason to the factories, the AMA and race promoters. His powerful influence resulted in safer tracks and improved racing formats, as well as better contracts for the riders. He was instrumental in drawing in the outside industry sponsorships that are so prevalent today in all forms of motorcycle racing. He has used his international notoriety and prestiege to benefit the sport, its riders and several childrens charities. As Honda MX Racing Team manager, he volunteered his team to represent the U.S. at the 1981 World Team MX Championships (MX and Trophees Des Nations), when the other factories pulled their riders from the original U.S. Team lineup. The team was seen as second-rate by the FIM and due to protests by other teams, were nearly disqualified. RD's diplomacy prevailed and he led the team to a first-time U.S. Team victory in both events, that ended the European's historical domination of the sport. This began a 13 year winning streak for the U.S. and the FIM's efforts to end it, resulted in major changes in the rules and racing format. In a nutshell...Roger DeCoster started as a privateer and retired from racing with 7 World Championships, then went on to become the most powerful and influential force in the history of the sport.

For GNC, I have lots of favorites....like Gene Romero, Kenny Roberts, Mert Lawwil, etc. but I'm gonna' choose Dick Mann here. He also started in MX/ Scrambles and went on to be a GNC Champion. Because of his versatility as a racer, I'm rating him tops here and second only to Wise, as history's most talented racer.

For everything else, obviously....Malcolm Smith. Aside from his ISDE Medals and Baja performances, his overall contributions to the general sport of off-road motorcycling are unmatched. He's been a long-time ambassador for the sport and has been instrumental in motorcycle development over the years. His performance in the movie On Any Sunday, probably did more to attract people into the sport and show motorcycling in a more positive light, than anything before or since. As the "most talented racer" overall, I'd rate him third. I suppose if I had to pick a "greatest MC racer of all time", based purely on the number and prestiege of their victories, the level of their contributions to that particular form of racing and the length of time they were a dominant force in it...I gotta' say Roger DeCoster.

[selmer]

I will start off by nominating Chris Carr for holding the motorcycle land speed record of 354MPH in the salt flats of Utah in 2006.

I don't care what you say,thinking about two wheels @ over 300MPH in any conditions just makes me want to s---- my pants. I can also say, that no one has been able to beat him yet, thus he is the best.

Funny, when I first started teaching, I worked at the same school as Chris Carr's mother. I had NO idea that the two were related, even being the big AMA/motorcycle racing geek that I was at the time. Nice lady,very dedicated to her craft.

Really small world sometimes. 1988 - graduated from high school with a guy who would later become one of the top first-call studio guitarists in the state. 1995 - worked at the same school as Chris Carr's mom. 2006 - Scott Speed in Formula 1 auto racing is from the town I live in, not one of my former students, he went to the other high school in town.

Weird.

dv

[MS_Steve]

Though I never followed racing very closely since I began riding in the early 70's. I do remember Kenny Robert dominating the US road circuit for while in the 70's, and then the reign of Freddie Spencer sometime after that.
As far as MotoX / SuperCross goes... that Jeremy McGrath seemed a step ahead of everyone else a number of years back.
Hey.. and didn't Vanilla Ice fellow do some dirt bike racin' after his singing career got as cold as ice, ice, baby (ha ha ha... belch!)
Word to your mother! :D

I'm sure the unsung heroes of the day, were the unmentioned mechanics of those riders, and they deserve a good deal of the credit for their riders sustained victories.

[BillTheCat]

Mike Hailwood

Mike Hailwood's racing resume is impressive enough: nine-time World Champion, winner of 76 career Grands Prix, and 14-time winner of the legendary Isle of Man TT. But Hailwood was much more than simple statistics to a world of motorcycle racing fans. To many he was the greatest motorcycle racer of all time, a man from a family of wealth who became a people’s champion. A racer who came out of retirement after an 11-year absence and, against all odds, returned to win at the Isle of Man. He became known to his adoring fans simply has "Mike the Bike.

http://motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=187

[zigzagman]

I like watching GP racing and even some supercross, but my passion is motorcycle drag racing.
How about Larry "Spiderman" McBride on his nitro bike. 5.8 seconds through the 1/4 mile at 248 mph. Now that's having big brass ones.

I also like the pro-stock bikes in the NHRA, right now I'm favoring Andrew Hines, just cause I like Harley's.

[motorcycle-mania]

What a huge question,and how long could it take to answer that one.The second I start to even go near the thought, my head starts swimming.How many can be the "best" at the same time. The list could be quite long and debated over for years.
I immediately think my greatest racing hero, Joey Dunlop, from Northern Ireland and winner on the Isle of Man so many times that he is undoubtedly the greatest street racer of all time, then Mike Hailwood comes to mind as maybe the greatest racer of all time , then Valentino who has beaten Mikes records flows into the picture, Carl Fogerty had the absolute fastest IOM times that stood for seven years and he scored those times on an outdated RI that had a broken rear shock and his front brake had blown its seals , therefore no front brakes, for a large part of that race, Kenny Roberts was up there as a man who took his flat track victories onto the road racing tracks and cleaned up there then there's .............:)

[jdm636]

Rossi is #1

Rossi is probably my favorite rider out there. Young, smart and just an amazing racer.

[Tdubb]

Chris Carr is pretty bad ass, but I saw him get his ass Kicked at the Waco flat trak races last year, by a 15 year old kid. I believe his name was Cory Richard, keep an eye out for that kid.

Now I know there are a lot of greats out there(Valentino Rossi), but that Ben Spies is a freekin animal. He gets my vote!

[selmer]

I'm gonna throw some more love at Freddie Spencer. Just THIS little set of facts...

1985 proved to be an historic year for Spencer. He began the season by winning the prestigious season opening Daytona 200, including the 250cc and Superbike classes, making him the only rider to win all three divisions in a single year. Spencer also competed in both the 250cc and 500cc Grand Prix World Championships, winning both titles in the same year, and becoming the only rider in history to accomplish the feat.

-copied from the Wiki entry.

So, there you go.

dv

[Phantom]

Michael Schumacher, Dale Earnhardt, and Evel Kneival.

[markk53]

In motorcycles Dick Mann did it all. He won the various races that made up the Grand National Championship when the AMA had short track, TT, half mile, mile, and road racing all as points paying races. But Dick Mann also won at MX too and I believe also did some ISDE riding in his day as well.

Mann was a participant in the match races between England and the US when England was a definite GP power.

He continued winning and racing in vintage.

There were those who were better in specific types of racing, but Dick Mann did it all at top level and is probably the best all-around motorcycle racer who ever raced.

When it comes to all types of racing, there are John Surtees who did GP on two and four wheels; Jeff Ward who did Indy after taking National titles in 125,250, and 500 MX when the U.S. was (and still is) the hottest place for MX competition, then Indy car racing with a win at Indy, and now racing supermoto at a top level in his 40s. Rick Johnson is doing off road cars now after a steller MX career. Travis Pastrana has done well with an MX championship, free style domination, and now some good stuff in rally cars. Ricky Carmichael is doing NASCAR after being most likely the greatest in MX and SX. There are just too many to consider with too many variations for a greatest in all motorsports.

Personally I'd tend to lean toward Jeff Ward and wonder what he could have done on a roadracer since his skills show tremendously when on pavement with that CRF. I think he had/has the skills to perform at a top level any sort of motor racing where he applies himself. I think that's evident when looking where others have crossed over. The best motorcycle racers seem to be able to perform equally well in all areas given the capable vehicles. In addition the best four wheel racers also seem to be able to compete equally well given capable vehicles. So it seems the best cross overs from two to four who prove themselves in the four wheel world would likely be at top level again given capable vehicles. That is the one and only bad part about the motorvehicle world - the equipment and costs play a huge portion in success.

[trazzman]

I went to school at Grawood with Freddie Spencer and I can promise you not only was he a great racer but he was and is the nicest and one of the most decent people you will ever meet. He played foot ball and basketball as well as race motocross in those days. He and his family worked hard for him to be able to do what he did. They were not "rich", just good sincere hardworking people who knew what they wanted out of life and put everything they had into getting there. The thing I liked and still like most about him, is nothing ever went to his head and even when someone was mean or said something ugly he kept his demeanor and just went on, sometimes even saying something nice back to them. I have always said in the world of great people, Freddie is all around one of the greatest and most admirable people to achieve fame on any level. Yet he never forgot where he came from or how he got there.

[DachshundUberAlles]

It's too difficult to single out any one rider because you have to take into account the different disciplines and eras. Also, did you actually see them ride or are you going from accounts passed down?

I will have to divide between disciplines:

M/X: Ricky Charmichael. I watched him grow up on M/X bikes and what impressed me the most about him was the terrible beatings (from crashes) he took when he transitioned from the 125 class to the 250 class (at least a year too early in my opinion). A lesser man would have crumbled mentally under that pressure but Charmichael gained strength from it and absolutely dominated the sport until he chose to leave it. His 2 undefeated seasons in the outdoor series speak for themselves.

Roadracing: Eddie Lawson. Another rider I was able to follow throughout his career. It wasn't just his riding skill, it was his developmental skills and work ethic that separated him from his contemporaries. There were no electronic assist devices to help make the bikes more "user friendly", traction control was the finely tuned right wrist of the racer. Also, before Lawson, no rider rider in GP history and ever won a world championship on one make (Yamaha '88) and defended it on another (Honda '89) and he did that in the face of having turned over a bike (Yamaha YZR500) that he had nurtured to his most potent rival (Wayne Rainey).

Like I said at the outset, eras play an important role. How does one compare the best of today against the best of yesteryear? I've watched M/X and S/X from the beginning here in America. Those pioneers were spectacular riders and they did it on equipment that today's up and comers wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole.

Likewise the modern roadracers. Today's superstars have never dealt with trying to push a bike to it's limits for 20 or so laps when the drum brakes have faded by the end of lap 2 or the 4.00x18 tire has gone "greasy" just as fast.

Not to mention the evolution of the courses, both M/X and roadracing.

[DuckyTopTN]

AGO

And any guy who rode those crazy 500 machines in GP!!!!

[JVS]

Will not try and name the best rider ever. But will name some that I saw race over the years that I thought was the best than.
Joe Leonard
Carroll Resweber
Dick Mann
Ken Roberts
Jay Springsteen
Ricky Graham
Scott Parker
Chris Carr

[JVS]

Valentino Rossi is the MotoGP rider that is hard to not consider at the present. But than there was
Giacomo Agostini
Mike Hailwood
Mick Doohan

[Tazy Tiger]

Well here's my slant on who should get a mention, I spent a few years as a gp mechanic and some time as a local racer. Barry Sheene was probably the most exciting rider Greg Hansford possibly the smoothest. Todays racers almost get it handed to them,don't get me wrong here when Mick Doohan won all those titles there was little competition he came in and learnt his skills from all those riders ( Lawson,Rainey,Mamola, Gardner, Sarron and Shwantz) they all retired and Doohan became the grand master with out much opposition. The 70's were the best huge fields,much improved technoligy, proffesional riders and reliable machinery heading into the early 80's, this when a privateer team could still win a world title. they are all great riders other wise they would not be there. Hailwood, Luccinelli, Roberts,Uncini,Read Agostini, Spencer,Dunlop, Sarrinen, Ivy, Hartog, Redman, Surtees, Duke and on and on too hard to pick! But one rider who comes to mind is the last 750cc World Champion Steve Baker I might be wrong here but I don't think he ever had a race fall in all of his career.:thumbsup:

[BRONX1]

Supercross All time greatest stat wise...
Jeremy Mcgrath

Potential to be the greatest ever?
James Stewart. he has only not won 2 races in his career that he didnt wreck in. If he doesnt wreck, he wins.... His biggest problem is himself and learning to control himself


MotoGP
Stat wise...
Valentino Rossi

Currently with potential to be even better....
toss up between Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo... even Rossi has a hard time keeping up with those two.

World superbike....
I tend to like Max Biaggi (current champ)

AMA....
Only Scott Russell has won the daytona race on all four manufactuers...
Win wise....

Miguel Duhamel/Matt Mladdin/Scott Russell/Ben Spies are all equally great

[Bjauto]

Scott Russell .

[Drumguy]

Best and most innovative rider in my opinion has to be Kenny Roberts...the first man to use to layoff style in road racing

[Drumguy]

Another one has to be Robbie Madison...that guy just does crazy stuff on a bike

[rexmitchell]

Lorenzo is tearing it up this year. I'm curious to see what Rossi can do on a yamaha again. I'm partial but Melandri and Josh Hayes are both awesome riders as well.

[Eli54]

Kenny Roberts, dirt track and road race. Supermoto came along too late for him.

[RobMoore]

I'm very interested to see what Marc Marquez does this year on the 1000 Honda.

I also would like to see Guy Martin have more success.

[markk53]

I will go out on a limb here, but the man with the most broken bones, Evil Kenevil has to be the best there was. Especially in today's competition world, you see too many people sitting out due to something minor, and this guy would keep going if you had to tie him to the bike. He also probably made biking a household name. Who else has done that to the non biking home?

Evel didn't race... a minor problem with him in this debate...

[mikevillena]

In no particular order:
Giacomo Agostini "AGO"
Valentino Rossi
Mike "The Bike" Hailwood
Tazio Nuvolari "Il Mantovano Volante"
John Surtees - Double World Champion 500cc Motorcycle (MV Agusta) and Formula One (Ferrari). 1966 Can-Am Champion and Triple winner of the Isle of Man TT
The consummate "gentleman racer".
Early days on a Vincent:

[mikevillena]

Best and most innovative rider in my opinion has to be Kenny Roberts...the first man to use to layoff style in road racing

Nope, it was Surtees and his friends. See the photo in my previous post :D

[Critter]

horseman - figured, hey if he can do it.......

[Eye_m_no_angel]

Evel did race. That's how he started out in motorsports and that's how he broke the first of many broken bones. He wasn't the best racer though, that's for sure.

I read a book about him several years ago. If you take away everything he ever did on a motorcycle the man still lead an amazing life, and it was full throttle all the time and the whole way. Without ever getting on a bike Evel lived more in one lifetime then most people will live in 10. He was a big game hunting guide, a conservationist that badgered congressmen before being "green" was popular, a sports promoter, a professional hockey player, a soldier, a copper miner, a professional rodeo rider, a track and field star, and I forget what all else. Apparently the dude couldn't sit still.

[Top2ToeIOM]

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