Most successful European Riders racing AMA

Darrin Willis
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Red Deer County, AB CA

Who has won AMA titles.Regionals don't count.  Bayle.Karsmakers? Did Karsmakers win a title?Im old and drawing a blank. European only . No South Africans Or guys born in a pouch. 

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Wisco322
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98
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10/3/2012
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Coon Valley, WI US
Fantasy
8/24/2025 12:11pm

Ken Roczen

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8/24/2025 12:22pm

Roczen Ferrandis Bayle Karsmakers Wilson? 

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Spoonguy
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Mc Kean, PA US
8/24/2025 12:25pm

Karsmakers even had the AMA change rules because of his wins. Weinert bought a house next to him.

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8/24/2025 12:35pm

Since I’ve been a participant and fan, Bayle, hands down.  
He’s one of the most talented riders ever.  Quit racing motocross because he was bored of winning everything.  Moved straight into GP racing and scored points in MotoGP.

9

The Shop

8/24/2025 1:35pm
crusty_xx wrote:

Roczen Ferrandis Bayle Karsmakers Wilson? 

Ferrandis results in USA are no joke...

2019: 250SX champion / 250MX vice-champion

2020: 250SX champion / 250MX champion

2021: 450MX champion

2023: 450MX vice-champion

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Darrin Willis
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8/24/2025 2:20pm

Jesus My memory is bad! Does 94 have a better ama career then Bayle? 2 titles vs 3. for bayke. But way .ore wins 

971_Fan
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8/24/2025 2:31pm

In my opinion, Jean-Michel Bayle.  He only raced here a short time (90, 91, 92), but cleaned up on 3 major titles (250 sx, 250 and 500 outdoors) in one season and then left. I'm not sure how much he would have had for McGrath in 93, but I think his failure too defend his titles in 92 was because mentally he had already checked out.  The American fans and his teammates treated him poorly, and all the guy wanted to do was race the best riders in the world (which at that time were the Americans)

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Zoom
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8/24/2025 3:03pm

Deano is the only other Euro to win an AMA National Championship not mentioned above. Out of all those, I would definitely say JMB was the most successful. 

ohh_454
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8/24/2025 9:34pm
crusty_xx wrote:

Roczen Ferrandis Bayle Karsmakers Wilson? 

Ferrandis results in USA are no joke...

2019: 250SX champion / 250MX vice-champion

2020: 250SX champion / 250MX champion

2021: 450MX champion

2023: 450MX vice-champion

No one in the US of A cares or knows what the hell a vice champ is. That’s first loser big dawg. 

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8/24/2025 10:23pm
ohh_454 wrote:

No one in the US of A cares or knows what the hell a vice champ is. That’s first loser big dawg. 

Glad you learned something by reading my comment, dude...

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SRF2DRT
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San Clemente, CA US
8/24/2025 10:25pm

I’m gonna go with Ken Roczen over Jean-Michel Bayle for a couple of reasons:

1. Ken’s career is going on 16 years racing at an incredibly high level. Hell, Ken is now 31 years old and still grabs podiums on the regular. Whereas, JMB’s career (if you could call it one) in the States was all of but 3 years.

2. In the early 90s a lot of winning could be credited to the bike you rode. Arguably, JMB and the other Honda riders were riding far superior equipment to everyone else. These days, all of the major manufacturers (except for the outdated Suzuki) are a lot closer to one another.

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7
8/24/2025 10:45pm

The Lawrence’s? 
I mean they graduated from MXGP.

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Sully
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8/24/2025 10:50pm
SRF2DRT wrote:
I’m gonna go with Ken Roczen over Jean-Michel Bayle for a couple of reasons:1. Ken’s career is going on 16 years racing at an incredibly high...

I’m gonna go with Ken Roczen over Jean-Michel Bayle for a couple of reasons:

1. Ken’s career is going on 16 years racing at an incredibly high level. Hell, Ken is now 31 years old and still grabs podiums on the regular. Whereas, JMB’s career (if you could call it one) in the States was all of but 3 years.

2. In the early 90s a lot of winning could be credited to the bike you rode. Arguably, JMB and the other Honda riders were riding far superior equipment to everyone else. These days, all of the major manufacturers (except for the outdated Suzuki) are a lot closer to one another.

The biggest reason JMB's career in the US was only 3 years was because, like 971 said, the fans and his teammates treated him like shit. Had he been treated better all around, I think he would have defended his titles in '92, and in my opinion, he probably would have delayed MC's reign by a year. 

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8/24/2025 11:07pm Edited Date/Time 8/25/2025 12:03am

Bayle for me, hes the only euro to win the premier championship. (250/450s SX)

 

edited, I mean the Supercross title, 

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Sully
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8/24/2025 11:50pm
scott_nz wrote:

Bayle for me, hes the only euro to win the premier championship. (250/450s SX)

 

edited, I mean the Supercross title, 

Kenny has two of them.

jaun
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MX
8/25/2025 2:25am
SRF2DRT wrote:
I’m gonna go with Ken Roczen over Jean-Michel Bayle for a couple of reasons:1. Ken’s career is going on 16 years racing at an incredibly high...

I’m gonna go with Ken Roczen over Jean-Michel Bayle for a couple of reasons:

1. Ken’s career is going on 16 years racing at an incredibly high level. Hell, Ken is now 31 years old and still grabs podiums on the regular. Whereas, JMB’s career (if you could call it one) in the States was all of but 3 years.

2. In the early 90s a lot of winning could be credited to the bike you rode. Arguably, JMB and the other Honda riders were riding far superior equipment to everyone else. These days, all of the major manufacturers (except for the outdated Suzuki) are a lot closer to one another.

And Kawasaki's..... apparently 

DeStouwer
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BE
8/25/2025 2:42am

Pichon has 2 SX titles in 125cc.

8/25/2025 2:53am
crusty_xx wrote:

Roczen Ferrandis Bayle Karsmakers Wilson? 

Ferrandis results in USA are no joke...

2019: 250SX champion / 250MX vice-champion

2020: 250SX champion / 250MX champion

2021: 450MX champion

2023: 450MX vice-champion

I still can’t believe he lost his factory ride after that season and that was just that.  I don’t know if I missed something but I remember his interview at Ironman where he was also shocked that there wasnt an offer from any factory teams.  

jaun
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4/27/2021
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MX
8/25/2025 3:04am
crusty_xx wrote:

Roczen Ferrandis Bayle Karsmakers Wilson? 

Ferrandis results in USA are no joke...

2019: 250SX champion / 250MX vice-champion

2020: 250SX champion / 250MX champion

2021: 450MX champion

2023: 450MX vice-champion

I still can’t believe he lost his factory ride after that season and that was just that.  I don’t know if I missed something but I...

I still can’t believe he lost his factory ride after that season and that was just that.  I don’t know if I missed something but I remember his interview at Ironman where he was also shocked that there wasnt an offer from any factory teams.  

Except Yamaha and he wanted off that bike

2
steveloyer
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Palmer, AK US
8/25/2025 3:10am Edited Date/Time 8/25/2025 3:11am
scott_nz wrote:

Bayle for me, hes the only euro to win the premier championship. (250/450s SX)

 

edited, I mean the Supercross title, 

Sully wrote:

Kenny has two of them.

I think because of Germany's history people forget its dead center Europe. Like people think they are some random nation floating around and not right next to France.

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Sully
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8/25/2025 4:13am
scott_nz wrote:

Bayle for me, hes the only euro to win the premier championship. (250/450s SX)

 

edited, I mean the Supercross title, 

Sully wrote:

Kenny has two of them.

steveloyer wrote:
I think because of Germany's history people forget its dead center Europe. Like people think they are some random nation floating around and not right next...

I think because of Germany's history people forget its dead center Europe. Like people think they are some random nation floating around and not right next to France.

In Scott’s defense, he did clarify he meant SX, which is correct. 

1
8/25/2025 5:12am

Ferrandis results in USA are no joke...

2019: 250SX champion / 250MX vice-champion

2020: 250SX champion / 250MX champion

2021: 450MX champion

2023: 450MX vice-champion

I still can’t believe he lost his factory ride after that season and that was just that.  I don’t know if I missed something but I...

I still can’t believe he lost his factory ride after that season and that was just that.  I don’t know if I missed something but I remember his interview at Ironman where he was also shocked that there wasnt an offer from any factory teams.  

jaun wrote:

Except Yamaha and he wanted off that bike

I didn’t know that he left by choice! I watched an interview with weege at Ironman that year and was under the assumption that they hadn’t offered an extension.


In that case, sounds like that’s on him

Nairb#70
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Ivoryton, CT US
8/25/2025 5:27am

Everyone forgot all about Christophe Pourcel, he has two SX regional titles.

ATKpilot99
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Lake Geneva, WI US
8/25/2025 6:14am
Nairb#70 wrote:

Everyone forgot all about Christophe Pourcel, he has two SX regional titles.

Not counting regionals per the OP 

MauriceR
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Location
CA
8/25/2025 6:25am

Jeff Ward won a few titles

 

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8/25/2025 6:30am
MauriceR wrote:

Jeff Ward won a few titles

 

Surprised it took nearly two pages for someone to mention Wardy.

ratonmacias
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Guadalajara MX
8/25/2025 6:33am

If You count Ward as a Euro. Ward is the man. If not Bayle over Rockzen.

Nairb#70
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Ivoryton, CT US
8/25/2025 11:31am
Nairb#70 wrote:

Everyone forgot all about Christophe Pourcel, he has two SX regional titles.

ATKpilot99 wrote:

Not counting regionals per the OP 

Who cares, he has nothing but downvotes.

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NicNak
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Palm Desert, CA US
8/25/2025 6:17pm

Herlings is undefeated 

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