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Have we always overhyped them? I was reading the thread on Deegan choosing one but then started thinking how many top riders never took them for whatever reason and have built a huge following around their personal numbers.
Reed - 22
Grant - 33
Hill - 75
Hunter - 96
Jett - 18
Davi - 18
Chisolm - 11
Kenny - 94
Anderson - 21
Barcia - 51
I know there would be plenty more, but does this sort of make the single-digit number selection not worth that much any more? Knowing so many top riders dont actually have one?
Poll
I think it would be cool if the top 9 in points from the year before ran #’s 1-9 like back In the day. Change every year. We’d probably have more single digits out there at every race instead of just a couple.
250s can have 10-19
There are a lot of 2 digit permanent numbers that aren’t eligible for a single digit, including a bunch on that particular list.
No, single digits rule
I feel like it's a good mix right now. The top guys choose their number and keep it from year to year to help with branding, and people here like to Photoshop bikes with guys' permanent numbers during silly season. We already had one extreme of run-what-you-earn and the opposite extreme of run-whatever-you-want (MXGP) so I'm fine with it. Jett and Deegan can market 18 and 38 while a privateer can take pride in earning a two-digit number for the first time. Guys like Webb, Tomac, Sexton, JMart, AP, and AC can do both marketing and taking pride in earning the option to pick a single digit number. I couldn't believe Jett didn't choose 8 when he first had the chance, I thought it would've been perfect to have an "8" styled with two doughnuts on top of each other and he had no prior connection to the number 18 as an amateur. Or when Osborne kept number 16 instead of choosing 8, because he had number 8 at MXdN that year and it's part of his old 338. Dungey got lucky nobody picked 5 when he was gone.
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Grant, Hill, Davi, Chisolm, and Barcia couldn't have picked a single ddigit.
I like to see the guys take a single digit and then ride it for their career…
Tomac and the 3 for example. Take the number and make it yours for your entire career.
If only they’d make 250 results not count for single digit career numbers……
this X5
TP199
MA800
Last of the triple digit permanent numbers....
They should definitely let them pick triple digit permanent numbers again. They're not gonna run out of two digit numbers. They should've let Osborne pick 338.
Add Pourcel 377 to that list.
They really should do away with this now that Martin is retiring. Make the single digit 450’s only
don't forget about the three digit heros, as well
I'm mixed. It works well when somebody like Tomac earns the single digit on a 250 and then moves to 450 the following career and spends his entire 450 career with #3 (or #1).
But it's not great when a guy like Jeremey Martin basically never goes to 450.
Maybe the compromise is you only get to take the single digit number if you are moving to 450 the following year.
I like career numbers. The riders are more easily recognisable and helps them build a brand. The numbers seem to hold more meaning to the riders too.
Ive been saying for a while that if anything we need to bring back triple digit permanent numbers. It was refreshing to see both vialle and deegan last year both winning races with triple digit numbers. You dont see that happen very often anymore. Such a stupid rule imo and theres been tons of legendary guys with triple digits. It doesnt hurt the gp’s at all. Most ppl start off racing with triple digits and keep them most of their amateur career, having to chop digits off when they turn pro is dumb imo.
This will be a downvote magnet but I like the old fashioned "Whatever you're running this year is where you finished last year". White backgrounds with black numbers for 450's, black backgrounds with white numbers for 250's. Easy to understand and more of a ranking than an "Identifying Brand" You're only as good as your last race right ? If a rider wants the same number year after year he can pick a 3 digit number if it isn't already being used. I dug seeing guys with their new numbers each year, lower the number, the more badass they are. I'll spare you the other reasons why I think that system was better. Smash that thumbs down symbol, it's the one on the right 😆
I could see Deegs going from 238 to 38 and now down to 8. He has plenty of time in his career yet to brand the number 8.
Pit Row
Bring back the 8 ball jersey
I agree. Change it to #8. Sometimes things happen and you don't get the chance to pick a single digit ever again. And he can be his own brand instead of Brian Deegan's #38 brand.
I hate the brand arguement.
Very few of these riders have a brand, at best, career numbers give them a social media handle
"Brand" is more of a marketing term. Its easier for people to remember 1 digit than 3...So get your single digit fast and then all your career pics will be easy to distinguish.
J-Law 338 would nearly have to be the most popular number in our sport. I think if you asked almost anyone who is 338 they would know, Same as even Stew and 259!
See I hear ppl say this sometimes but how? Unless you pay super close attention it absolutely does not make it easier to understand because the riders numbers are constantly changing every year. They dont do that in other sports, and for good reason. I’m not even talking about the brand thing, though that is also a valid argument, but just for ppl trying to remember who is who it just adds unnecessary confusion. First year a guy is 347, then hes 96, then hes 42, then hes 21, then 15 and across every rider that gets crazy pretty quick.
The thing that ppl also dont ever think about with this argument as well is that it makes historical records, pictures, videos a shit show as well. When you go back and watch a race from 5, 10 years ago you can recognize who is who by their numbers. If you tried to go back and watch a race or come across a short clip from 2018 in the 250 mx class and on screen first lap out front is number 21, followed by 22, 34, 5, 11 and 13 youd be like holy crap wtf is going on? If it went by last years (2017) results that battle would be 21 (justin cooper), vs 22 (michael mosiman), 34 (cameron mcadoo), 5 (joey savatgy), 11 (rj hampshire), and finally 13 (austin forkner). It would get exponentially more confusing the further back you go too as the memories fade more and more.
199
I thought the exact same thing with Jett.
I also couldn't believe Deegan didn't take the 8. The 38 was his old man's # right? So why not take the 8? Step out of his shadow. You clearly passed him as a racer.
And if someone wanted to "brand" a number, take the 13
For some reason people are scared of it
Deegan hasn't had an option to pick a single digit number yet.
I asked the questio last year on here and was told he could take a single digit because of his SMX "title"
That might have been false but no comment said otherwise so idk
The story is they run 38 because a kid (Brian's former neighbor) ran the number and was killed in a moto accident.
https://www.mxsafety38.org/
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