Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
It's the rider Moran. You should've known
Not this rider ...
No.
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Free shipping: VITALMX
No
10% bike, 90% rider?
that means a rider would be 90% as fast without any bike at all.
Maybe Endurocross
Depends on the rider
Hey Bear! 🐻
Yes, it does.
Years ago when I watched Tevin Tapia at Washougal on a 125 destroy the field of local pro’s that all were on 4 strokes I realized that the bike isn’t as big deal as I previously thought….if the rider is comfortable on the bike. At the top elite pro level that 10% can probably be the difference between 1st and “just” top 10.
For mortals, its 99.9999% rider, .0001% bike.
Yup. I never miss an opportunity to point out a guy on a 125 smoking a field of 450s at local vet class races.
I race a 250 2 stroke and I still get the question several times a year, "when are you getting a 450?". Been there, done that, made no difference except long starts. Oh, and destroying my ACL.
Carson Brown seems to be fast on anything, never hear him complaining about setup 😂
My 04 cr125 DBP sets the Tone with the quicker than lighting hit & the hyper rush mid pull to 12k. I just get into a standing attack position & the bike does the rest. Engine forces ya to ride hard. I can ride any bike but won’t be any where near as fast. It jumps & corners perfectly, 100% comfortable. More so than walking . The rider is for the strategy during the race. It’s simple really if you don’t sprint correctly & get hung up in turn 1. The leaders get away . A quick bike beats perfect body position every time.
100% You can only ride as fast as YOU can ride. It doesn't really matter how fast the bike is until you are slicing up those last few tenths every lap.
The few 10ths of a second. That’s the rider getting on top of the sand & in corners too. Not buring the bike in a berm. Jumping sand whoops in& out of corners or skim them. Or manual them on the back wheel . Need a stiff fork though.
I mean in the 250 class a star bike is a blatent hand up. So its horses for courses. Before 2014 the PC bike took that place.
450s doesnt matter so much, except the pile of shit Kawi
I wonder how much of that is true about the Star bikes still. No doubt they are fast. But I wonder what they are compared to Kawi and Honda. If Deegan was on a Honda or Kawi 250 with a setup he liked I think he is still the class of the field by about the same margin he is now.
Pit Row
Its a cascading confidence system where the star bike has more everywhere all the time, especially at Lorrettas / high altitude races when it counts the most. There is no way in Hell that danger bed bug would have the confidence he has now if he was on a crf his entire big bike career
Lots of projection here.
I dont know what you are talking about. The PC bike used to perform the exact same role. Riders knew if they were on that bike it was a sure thing.
Jesus chill back dude all I said is I wonder how big the gap is now.
Everyone keeps trying to couch deegans ability, it’s the bike, it’s the field, Bobby loves him the most he gets the good parts.
I think he’d probably win on any factory team.
Jett on a stock CRF450. Where does he finish at a US Outdoor National? (he's allowed vender suspension set up for weight) otherwise stock.
He's Top 5. So yeh - bike 10% isn't wrong
I think Deegan could win right now on an RMZ250, however he couldnt have got his current confidence on any bike except the star bike
Win
It's not as black and white as this. Yes every rider has a ceiling for they're potential/speed but not every bike is going to get them there or be as easy to stay there. Put me on a 125 and I will be lucky to clear all the jumps but on my new 450 I podiumed the Pro class this past weekend as a +35 vet. To add further nuance to the argument is every rider has a different riding style, bike setup preference and feel just like every bike has different handling characteristics, power delivery and feel so even the percentage of bike vs rider would vary greatly depending on the rider or bike.
I dunno how that equates. But I agree he could win on nearly anything.
He didn’t dominate from the jump so I think it was more confidence with in himself and his riding ability then the bike.
What I mean is he was going to get where he is at now regardless
Bring back the old IROC (international race of champions) that they used to have for pro auto racers, but make it for MX and SX. One manufacturer supplier, bone stock bikes, racers are allowed to have their mechanics help setup. Two motos, racers swap bikes between motos.
Million dollar purse to give a little extra incentive.
Deegan wins just as much on any color bike.
Star bikes 3 yrs ago were Way faster than anything. The bike had alot to do with his results. Then he is in better shape than anyone , so he can let it fly the last 10 min instead of ride to survive. Racing is Way more fun than just riding . The rider becomes more important than the bike. Practice is different it’s let’s see what the bike can do. And let the bike do all the work. In a race you,ll ride way harder &’put it on the edge. Try to passs & not to crash, that’s more rider than bike. Running down 250f & 450,s on a 125 it’s a few things. Wo where they brake , corner faster & try to beat them coming out . Straight away. Passes don’t happen . I try to shift at the strongest part of the torque & ride the bike to its limit . And race riders it’s ovr so fast . Too soft of suspension or a bad handling bike , the rider is making up for the bike.
Post a reply to: Its the bike