What was the coolest/most badass moment for you in Moto?

Stew wall jump Daytona ‘11

Gotta remember Baggett and the Texas 12 pack at Freestone too, lest we forget! Dude was gluing his hand to the grip at one point after the thumb injury, that’s pretty badass 

Yamaha wall jump, Suzuki wall jump.. guess who

Finishing on the podium in the 2020 World Vet Team Cup race and spraying champagne with the likes of Doug Dubach, Mike Brown and Sean Lipanovich. Nothing in moto will ever top that for me. My two Polish homies and I managed to put Poland on the box that year (and yeah, all three of us were actually born in Poland). I think that moment gives me more joy and pride than any other athletic, academic or professional achievement. 

Millville 1997.  Emig.  #1 plate on his works Kawasaki.  Shift gear.  I’ve seen a lot of the greats in person but Emig on that day was a perfect alignment of bike setup, confidence, and poise.  He just looked amazing.  He was in total command.  I remember his bike literally barking through the whoops.  BRAP, BARK, BRAP, BARK.  It was definitely the peak of his career.

For me it was watching Chad Reed get up after the 'Chad-apult'.

That or Kenny passing half the pack in one lap at Millville.

Edit: Dungey air-shifting was pretty fuckin badass too.

JH84 Iron man 2017 doing what he did. No prep, new track, borrowed bike, 3 digit number and hungry AF 

Prado becoming 2026 Outdoor Champ

I tend to think motocross only if you’re talking badass, but there’s been so many moments in the nationals, supercross, MXGP and MXdN. However the first ones to spring to mind were: 

Reedy rising from the dead after the chadapult, stabbing the kick starter, banging the clutch lever, and then casually clearing the uphill double and racing for another 30 minutes.
Roczen blazing through the field at Millville. 
Baggett ripping around the outside of Tomac at Thunder Valley.

Good one! I was there for that! 

In moto? Shae Bentley realizing he won the title ranks up there for me. Was only a year or so after meeting him and riding with him at my own track. Theres just so many of these over 30 years. 

For me personally? Jumping loraccos leap was cool. Making Lorettas 26 years ago. Jumping the elevator at gatorback in 02 after watching the alessi types do it the few years prior. Watching my daughter race Daytona on a jr 50 (or her first ever race on a pw. Knew I'd come full circle). Honorable mention, winning a vet class (the washedup hardly get to ride vet class anyhow) at rcsx ranks up there.

Pro Racing:

High Point 2007, when Carmichael flat landed the last jump on the old Bradshaw Blvd to jump over James, the "THUD" from the landing I felt in my chest it was so harsh...it's like Ricky was possessed to not let James beat him that day. I was standing right near that jump when he hit the ground, it was epic

Myself:

First win on the 500 at Ohio International Raceway, it led to many more but that first one was memorable like I can recall every corner, rut, jump...pretty cool in my mind. Also making Loretta's through High Point and Binghamton, those were good memories for my personal race history.

Jeremy Martin winning his final moto of his career at his home track kind of out of no where was pretty epic. 

I'm going to go with Dallas SX 1995. Doug Henry's firs win, biblical rain and mud and he was hucking both triples every lap.

I've posted this before, but Stewart coming from out of no where and blowing around the outside of Jessemen after the ski jump in Washougal 2002 was unreal to see in person. Go to 40:18.

Multiple James and Chad battles at the peak of their SX rivalry.

Idk why, but nearly every race I’ve went to I’ve ran into Big James somewhere on or around the track. Literally walked into him at one of the Denver SX races when they were coming out of the tunnel after Malcom’s qualifying run and he gave me a nice bro hug. He has no idea who I am, but it’s been cool to feel a connection to the sport in a way other than riding every time I’ve went to watch.
My mom also ran into Canard one time when we were walking track and just said “hey, Trey” in passing, and he turned to say hi and gave her a hug. Literally do not know these people at all other than through media and fandom. Moments like that are what moto is about.

Reedy trying to push his cooked bike over the line at Seattle was badass..

Muting RC in every broadcast...

Shoug 01 and 06. Epic battles. 

In local vet series, broke my collarbone 3rd race, missed the 4th round used as a drop, raced the 5th nursed it along and got solid points. Went into the final race down just a few points with my buddy for 1st for the year. Had to beat him both motos, and I did. We finished wheel to wheel second moto. It was cool it went down to the very end and it was cool to execute the start on the line, it was nothing like the pros but we both clearly really wanted it and it was cool to nail the starts and not bobble during the races!

          Watching JoJo win the Expert class at Pepperell on an IT400. 

I have two that are almost tied.

First one is being able to go to the most historic track in the world (Namur) in my opinion in 1985/86. Watching the works factory 500 2 strokes and riders like Thorpe, Malherbe, Jobe, Geboers, Carlqvist, Chandler, Nicoll, etc. rip around that track was amazing.

Thorpe

Malherbe

Carlqvist

Jobe

Nicoll

Magoo

Geboers

Second is 1980 Carlsbad 500GP. One by Marty Moats. The first American to do so and as a privateer no less. I have never screamed so much at a race in my life as I did that 105 degree day. Waving my little American flag (which I still have).

Marty leading as he did all day.

The Chadapult remount or James' wall jump at Daytona. 

I beat Pastrana in a mud race at Unadilla in Jr Mini. Whooped his ass, haha.

Brad's victory party, Hanging out with David Bailey in Vegas, Johnny O giving me his gators at A1.  Lots of good times.

Watching Ron Lechien win the 1985 Gothenburg ”supercross”.

Watching my hero Magoo on the KTM at the 1985 Västerås 500cc world championship event.

2005 MXdN

2007 MXdN

Sorry, I’ve already responded to this once but doing so again.

There simply wasn’t anything cooler than watching mechanics wrench on full on 1985 and before works bikes in the Rochester, MN Holiday Inn parking lot, in prep for the Millville National.  You could get right up next to those bikes and mechanics and shoot the shit with them.  It was just amazing.  Days that will never be repeated.

Part of my heart died when the 1986 production rule was put in place and the other part died once 4-strokes became the norm.

There simply wasn’t anything better than a full gate of 125, 250, and 500 2-stroke machines.