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JS7 made a comment on the last broadcast that all team riders look alike except for their number and it's true. I think it was a mistake to go this route, which I guess started with Pro Circuit. It doesn't give any individuality or uniqueness, mainly in the 250 class. It's not a team sport anyway. For a sport where you can't see their faces, it must make it harder to be a marketable athlete.
People still talk about Dogger's Dalmatian kit. RJ had the Bad Boy Club, Bradshaw made the Fox Zebra famous, Emig had the Thor chain link, Glover had the pink, Hannah had the lightning bolts etc. Riders were instantly identifiable and iconic. Now, I can't think of any recent gear or look that was especially memorable. It seemed so much cooler back then.
Marv had the cats...
Idk, the team look here is pretty sweet
😄 The cats!
In this sport, the only thing that makes anybody unique and stand out from the rest is when you’re in first place.
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If you’re good enough you’re on a factory team and get to choose you’re own look 😎 bubba, Millsaps, Hepler, Dungey, Izzi, Roczen, Marv, Tommy Hahn (factory HRC 07), Josh Hill. Those were all rookies aside from Hahn that were factory on the 125/250f and got to do their own helmet, goggle, gear, and boots deal. Jo, JuJu, Vialle, Hymas are guys that do their own gear deals right now, they’re also factory guys.
I feel like there is individuality. Deegan has his signature helmet. Lawrence bros seem to both have their own style of color combos and gear. Same with Tomac.
THE TEAM LOOOK WAS GREAT BEFORE EVERYONE DID IT ANYONE REMEMBER TEAM TAMM? HOW ABOUT WHEN YAMAHA MADE EVERYONE WEAR BLUE ALMOST EVERY RACE. I THINK THE REAL ISSUE IS GEAR DESIGNS TODAY EVEN RIDERS WITH DIFFERENT GEAR DEALS ON THE SAME TEAM LOOK ALIKE. FOR INSTANCE, I BET ONLY HARDCORE FANS REALIZE DEEGAN, TOMAC AND WEBB WEAR DIFFERENT. GEAR FROM DIFFERENT COMPANIES EVERY RACE NO GEAR STANDS OUT TODAY LIKE FOX AND JT DID DECADES AGO.
Money talks. Results lead to that money. The team riders that have won titles and earned millions get to make their own clothing deals; the rest have to settle for the team stuff. And it’s even better for the gear companies because they get to showcase more color ways and styles at each race.
It didn't just seem to be much cooler then....It Was !
I like the team look.
Besides it’s still not always the case- Webb in Fly, Plessinger in Thor.
There are many examples of team mates having different brand kits.
The Lawrence’s, whilst both in Alpinestar, often have very different colours on.
It’s better for brand recognition.
Don’t recall AC riding Suzuki
Anyone ever hear of ‘branding’? It’s a lot easier for a team owner to sell sponsorship when there’s 4/6/8 dudes who all look alike than it is to sell a bunch of individuals that don’t catch people’s eye.
I don’t mind the team look.
I just wish they had more custom helmets that stood out
This movie was mentioned in the new season of The Bear.
It’s mostly either the 250 (old 125) teams or the satellite teams that have the team gear deals. The 450 teams that are the most truly ‘factory supported’ don’t seem to have them, though there may be some exceptions over the years. But for the past 35 or so years, that’s been the general guideline.
Satellite teams need money if they aren’t getting as much from the manufacturers, and team gear is a big part of their business model. In theory they use some of that to pay the racers, but how much of it would probably have to depend on how much other income sources added up to.
I think that the cheesiest was when Honda had some riders contracted to include the Hondaline gear. I think that it was rebranded Answer gear, but it might have changed depending on the season. I don’t know how well it sold but I never saw much of it out in the wild.
Pit Row
Remember when Tim Ferry was on a Suzuki 125 and came out of the truck wearing some god ugly LBZ or equivalent clown gear ? Rodger Decoster laughed at him and made him go change and told him he not fast enough to get to dress like that. 🤣
Sometimes it's hard to tell the Ferarri F1 cars apart but I manage.
I like the homogenous team look.
What the hell…
All this time Wandell was actually Tyler!
Damn. Who knew?
Look for the color on the camera above the intake.
I have to look for the helmet color, Hamilton's is yellow but other than that and the yellow marking on the intake and camera I cant tell them apart on the track.
Hondaline gear went away from being in house in 1983 and rebranded Sinisalo from 84 thru 88 and then Answer and AXO 89-90 also called TX-10 then starting in 91 there was no hondaline issue mx gear.
Oh you mean the beginner class? I don’t watch that..
Yeah, I know, just making a comparison.
Still, if you can't see the helmet, number, or the camera pod, they look identical.
Dunno bout the fox hear and AXO boots tho. The Bell moto-6 MC replica with the Smith Warped goggles, nice.
250 holeshot pics from a couple years ago, 4-5 star bikes out front every single race that year. You definitely knew who Ferrandis was cuz of the chest protector, but other than their number you couldn't tell. Sorry for the second pictures quality, I know it's horrendous haha.
I absolutely hated when PC would run one kit pretty much all year
Awesome Pic, legends there!
Post a reply to: The team look versus individuality back in the day