Fastest Rider on the Planet?

[weimedog]

James Stewart.

Watched him today at Broome. Only KW is as smooth. wow. KW can beat RC as he did today in moto one but Stewart looked more at ease with his super human speed. RC flailed harder and wore KW out in moto two. KW put enough pressure on RC in moto one to make him crack....proving it can be done. James Stewart will do the same next year. My bet is KW will beat Stewart before RC does...if anyone in this current pack can period! because he has a similar style and has less pressure to win. RC will flail and crack under the pressure.

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by weimedog
RC will flail and crack under the pressure.

do you realize that you guys say that every season? keep saying it, maybe someday you'll be right.

 

[jake949]

^^^^^^^ i'm with stupid. just kidding rc is not going to crack under anyones pressure. he might get beat but he is not going to crack.

 

[Erick82]

I think the one with the most wins ever gets that award.

 

[nephron]

That'll be Bubba.

 

[Okiewan]

I guess who'll crack, who's the most consistent, who's the toughest mentally, who'll win what, who'll beat who, who should win, who has the coolest underwear, who wears the best socks.

I do know Stewart is the most talented, fearless, fastest & most creative rider I've ever seen. I'm not on any "bandwagon", just stating the facts. Every so often a rider comes along that's just so much more talented than everyone else, it's hard to deny. Many of the new up and comers fail for one reason or another, so we'll just have to wait and see. Stewart seems to learn from his mistakes much faster than most... we'll see if he crashes his brains out (a la RC) in his first 250 season. I'm betting he won't.

 

[dirt bike dave]

I agree about Bubba's speed and creativity.  He's amazing. 

However, RC did win the 250 outdoor title in his first season on the bigger bikes.  I don't see how Bubba can do any better than that. 

 

[Okiewan]

Actually, the first we'll see Stewart on a 250 is in SX, which is what I was referring too. Out of context, my bad.

I suppose he could go undefeated outdoors in his first year :p

 

[BEEF706]

I don't think RC will crack, you can say alot of things about Ricky, but can you really question his mental toughness? I do think Buuba is the most talented I've ever seen, and I hope this sets up some truly classic racing, talent and creativity versus drive and determination. I'll be rooting for Ricky, but none of us fans will lose if the battles are even half as good as I expect. :aj:

 

[marcusgunby]

I think RC is very strong mentally.

 

[weimedog]

I'll be rooting for all of them. Amazing amount of effort work and talent required to perform at that level! I still expect to see a three way dual .. assuming no one gets hurt. I remember watching DeCoster, Robert, Hannah, Ward, Glover, and all the current well known guys. I never saw anything like the raw differential I saw yesterday at the Pro Level between RC, KW, JS and the rest. And I think James Stewart has upped the bar yet again. .... Like RC did before him. Only there isn't anyone on the horizon who can touch JS. We are watching a once in a life time...enjoy it.

 

[OldManIn]

Ya know ... no matter what, I think we fans are in for one of the most exciting race seasons next year. With RC, KW, and Bubba all in the same class. Also, if Reed figures things out and Ferry can ever crack that 2nd/3rd place curse, it will be one season to remember.

 

[sspmxc400]

There are so many variables when it comes to comparing riders - particularly over periods of time and generations. Variables such as:

* equipment - it improves consistently each year overall but inconsistently between factories
* age - the riders peek at different times - to compare bubba and RC may not even make sense from this perspective (has bubba reached his peak? has RC past it?)
* Tracks - Bailey said the other day that the tracks were getting too easy/smooth
* Injuries - who is ailing when? Who is at 100% when? We don't even know.

From my perspective you can only compare 1 race at a time.

 

[karterron]

I don't think we have seen it all from RC yet either. He has not been seriously challenged the last few years. He has shown the maturity to back it down to win a Championship when necessary as well. Bubba can't back it down for one lap or one race. Remember how his injury occurred? He will learn it with time, but don't assume he is going to move to 250's and automatically spank everyone.

Wasn't the same thing said about Ricky when he was on a 125? Wasn't as easy as everyone thought it would be and I doubt it will be for Bubba either. Give him a few years and it will be a different story.

 

[Okiewan]

karterron, I disagree.

RC has been beaten Straight-Up by two riders recently (Reed & Windham), Bubba has been been beaten by who? Who's been challenged and who hasn't? He's also turned FASTER laps on the same track on the same day than RC with half the cc's.

I too like to go against the grain, but in this case, the talent is so far ahead of the rest, I can't, with a straight face deny it. Stewart is the new level. Any track, any bike. SX, MX whatever, doesn't matter.

 

[WhKnuckle]

Bubba's definitely "in the zone". It's an open question whether he can change bikes and start racing guys who can match him speed-wise and stay in the zone. Don't be shocked if he loses a lot of momentum, most guys do - but he's just too good to lose it for long.

 

[karterron]

I never said RC had not been beaten, I said he has not been challenged for Championships and that we have not seen him ride what he is capable of because of it. RC has shown the ability to back it down and win the Championships. I seem to recall when he was on a 125 and all everyone talked about was wait for him to move up. No doubt Bubba has the potential, but for anyone to say it will or is a given to happen has a short memory.

We have not seen what Bubba's reaction is when seriously challenged. Will he crash like in SX when all he did was lose the lead for half a lap and end up costing himself the outdoor title? He already had SX wrapped and had no need to ride out of control for that race. RC has learned how to handle the pressure and I firmly believe we have not seen the best of RC yet.

I'm just curious, just how bad do you guys think Bubba is going to whoop up on RC, Windham, Reed, et al? Do you guys really think that KX250 is going to be a benefit in the premier class? What will Bubba do when Windham pulls a holeshot and a 5 second lead on the first lap and continues to gap with his smoothness? Does Bubba have the capability to not ride like a madman and take himself out in the process?

I agree with you guys on Bubba's talent, I just think you guys are expecting way to much from such a young rider his first year in the premier class. Thats all.

 

[weimedog]

I think Bubba will be as dominant as RC is right now... against RC and the rest. As far as the brand factor...it really isn't because at the factory level any one of the top four or five can build a machine capable of winning. What I see as the issue at the factory level is the blending of team machine philosophy with rider capabilities. Sometimes they get out of sinq and product less capability than the sum of the parts. Strong personalites can do this. The Kawasaki team players worked to success with RC and Bubba....and its the team along with the machine that will product a winning effort. Talent like Bubba and RC only make things easier. ( Windam was fast on a Suzuki...my least favorite machine.....I'd like to rationalize it's Suzuki's fault for his problems as Honda fanatic's want to rationalize how Honda has made RC possible. I realize now talent blended with a solid team = wins)

 

[weimedog]

One other thought...I also have spent just enough time in the business to under stand magazine butt kissing and market presence. Kawasaki has produced machines for a long time the can be built to a championship level. ...Go back and look not just at the premier classes but at the lower levels as well. Their presence in the market place does not reflect the results on the track. Not even close. All these machines are a platform capable of greater performance and most racers spend money to extract that from them.

Yamaha has the market presence and they don't have the results at the premier levels even after huge expenditures of capital. Bubba and RC have helped but its more than that. Yamaha also has fine equipment but really not significantly better than the rest.

One thing Yamaha does have is bigger "butt pursed lips" than Kawasaki!
(flame away!!!)

I am Honda fan. I am resigned to the fact that any of the top 5 can be built to win..(except Suzuki..my logic and reason can push emotion only so far!)

 

[nephron]

IMO, RC is NOT as fast in SX on a Honda (as he was on his KX). Outdoors: yes. I predicted he would dominate like "never has been seen before" in 01, shortly before the beginning of the 02 MX season. He went undefeated. I think his Honda, particularly the current setup, is a hindrance to him in SX. He already had whoops problems on his KX, then his Honda and that Aluminum frame (without any feedback whatsoever), compounded the problem of absolutely no rebound (XS damping) "jiggajiggaflip".

I realize those are big statements coming from a neophyte--so I'm encouraging you to take that with a grain of salt. And the people with actual knowledge in this area (suspension gooroos)---let's hear the truth.

It's not the bike's fault itself--IMO it's just his style and the way he had it setup complicated and magnified his previous problem.

 

[RM_guy]

Walt,
You're killing me with your Suzuki comments :whiner: ;)

 

[super rat]

Anyone with eyes can see Bubba is stupid fast and has all of the skill. But the will to win is what makes a great champ. RC has the will like no one I have ever seen.The kid wins with broken bones, stiches, crap in his pants it doesn't matter what he is up aginst. He want's it sooo bad. Rember his first east/ west shoot out when Kdub beat him? I'll never forget seeing the little guy crying in the infeild as he watched Kdub take the win. If you guys think RC is going to roll over, your nuts!!!!!

 

[RM_guy]

Don't doubt that Bubba doesn't have the will to win too. During the SX season he raced with severe burns on his leg after some spilled gas caught fire while at home. It might have been the Dallas race when he didn't have his boots all buckled up to keep the pressure off the burns.

 

[zcookie49]

I'll bet that Bubba doesnt win the 250 Sx his first year. Yes, he does learn from his mistakes very quickly, but just like how he lost the 125sx in his first year, he will probably do the same in the 250's, crashing by overriding...In his rookie 125 sx, he crashed alot and it cost him the championship. He will step up to the 250's and have RC,Kdub, and CR running about the same speed. I think the pressure will be great on him, at his age, and I think he will override because his ego is so huge (and that it should , because he has the skills), that he will crash out . It will kill him to not finish 1st.
.
I could be wrong, just my opinion on his First year for SX, after that probably wouldnt happen again.....

 

[ZOOK250]

in my opinion Bubba had a rookie season. it was called last years 125 sx. just because he is moving up to the 250's doesnt mean that he is a rookie. he has raced the same tracks at a faster pace than 90% of the current 250 class supposed superstars, rookie my @$$.