The Rise & Fall of Freestyle Motocross

7/24/2026 11:18am
FMX has been terrible for the public perception of what MX and SX is.Not to mention it's filled with flatbilled douchebags with neck tattoos. And who can...

FMX has been terrible for the public perception of what MX and SX is.

Not to mention it's filled with flatbilled douchebags with neck tattoos. 

And who can forget Lips Deegan...

download lips 3
I was never into FMX. Just a clown show, if you ask me. There's a reason why failed MXers went on to success in FMX, never...
goodfellas-henry-hill.jpg?VersionId=kySpd7TRpImz6NizFNsQeb

I was never into FMX. Just a clown show, if you ask me. There's a reason why failed MXers went on to success in FMX, never the other way around. #briandeegan 

That says it all.  Pastrana being the exception. That boy is ... mental 🤣

I went to ONE FMX event in the Sports Arena in San Diego in the 90s, my buddy and I were both life-long riders and racers. After 15 minutes we looked at each other "OK what's next?"

We walked out. 

I can't figure out if the top FMX  riders are  insanely brave, or too stupid to imagine the consequences if a stunt goes wrong. 

In most cases it seems like Option 2 -- STOOPID. Listen to interviews with Lips Deegan, Twitch, Seth etc..... good on them for making money and not be a parasite off society, but MAN.... there's a damn good reason they're not out there doing brain surgery or launching rockets to Mars  🤣

In many cases, it's a case of extreme skill but scatterbrained and flaky. THE most skilled rider I've ever seen is Axell Hodges. 

Absolutely mind-boggling skills he has.... and he seems like a nice kid, fun to be around, a genuine nice guy.  But he's clearly not disciplined or goal-oriented like Carmichael or Tomac or Dungey or the Lawrences .... or even Sphincterboy Deegan, give credit where it's due. 🤣 

All in all, it's a spectacle for the great unwashed masses, like gladiators and chariot races in ancient times. 

Boring as fuck, after the third backflip you've seen it all. 

Hi Bob! 

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Brad460
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7/24/2026 11:26am Edited Date/Time 7/24/2026 11:33am
I would argue this forum is for motocross (the clue is in the name of the site) and the related discipline of SX. Both are forms...

I would argue this forum is for motocross (the clue is in the name of the site) and the related discipline of SX. Both are forms of motor racing. SMX is a pile of crap - not a motorsport. 

Curious- am I the only one who doesn’t read your replies but immediately hits the downvote? Ha

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1
7/24/2026 11:33am
I would argue this forum is for motocross (the clue is in the name of the site) and the related discipline of SX. Both are forms...

I would argue this forum is for motocross (the clue is in the name of the site) and the related discipline of SX. Both are forms of motor racing. SMX is a pile of crap - not a motorsport. 

Brad460 wrote:

Curious- am I the only one who doesn’t read your replies but immediately hits the downvote? Ha

No Sir, don’t feel like the Lone Ranger! 🤠

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Jkawi
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7/24/2026 11:59am

Never really got into freestyle, but freestyle was what originally got me into dirtbikes. My family was not a moto family. Never had a dirtbike growing up. When pastrana vs. deegan was in it's prime and X games was all over, I was super into it. Then I found Ricky Carmichael cause he had some crossover with those guys. Fell in love with the racing and watching James and Ricky and finally got my own bike. Haven't gone without since. Now that I am in my late(r) 30's I find myself getting into the hard enduro stuff a lot.

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The Shop

Jkawi
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7/24/2026 12:06pm
I would argue this forum is for motocross (the clue is in the name of the site) and the related discipline of SX. Both are forms...

I would argue this forum is for motocross (the clue is in the name of the site) and the related discipline of SX. Both are forms of motor racing. SMX is a pile of crap - not a motorsport. 

Brad460 wrote:

Curious- am I the only one who doesn’t read your replies but immediately hits the downvote? Ha

He has reached the statistical level, that you don't need to read any of his posts. I forgot he even exists here. 

1
The Wolf Man
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7/24/2026 3:21pm
I would argue this forum is for motocross (the clue is in the name of the site) and the related discipline of SX. Both are forms...

I would argue this forum is for motocross (the clue is in the name of the site) and the related discipline of SX. Both are forms of motor racing. SMX is a pile of crap - not a motorsport. 

Brad460 wrote:

Curious- am I the only one who doesn’t read your replies but immediately hits the downvote? Ha

Jkawi wrote:

He has reached the statistical level, that you don't need to read any of his posts. I forgot he even exists here. 

download %282%29 10
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dingaling
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7/24/2026 6:17pm
I was never into FMX. Just a clown show, if you ask me. There's a reason why failed MXers went on to success in FMX, never...

I was never into FMX. Just a clown show, if you ask me. There's a reason why failed MXers went on to success in FMX, never the other way around. #briandeegan 

As bad it sounds this is how felt in the early days and since have never really followed FMX. I see the odd clip and they're impressive but meh. I don't follow moto for tricks and clownery, hi 5s, big group hugs amongst "competitors" etc

Personally I prefer the grit, speed, commitment to training, technique, fitness, the competitiveness, the intensity. 

Any time you hear a FMX guy talk all they talk about partying, hardly ever training, joking around non stop, circus tour type stuff. Yeah na not for me 

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1
7/24/2026 6:26pm
FMX has been terrible for the public perception of what MX and SX is.Not to mention it's filled with flatbilled douchebags with neck tattoos. And who can...

FMX has been terrible for the public perception of what MX and SX is.

Not to mention it's filled with flatbilled douchebags with neck tattoos. 

And who can forget Lips Deegan...

download lips 3

Maybe tennis is more your thing

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The Wolf Man
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7/24/2026 6:58pm
FMX has been terrible for the public perception of what MX and SX is.Not to mention it's filled with flatbilled douchebags with neck tattoos. And who can...

FMX has been terrible for the public perception of what MX and SX is.

Not to mention it's filled with flatbilled douchebags with neck tattoos. 

And who can forget Lips Deegan...

download lips 3

Maybe tennis is more your thing

Even tennis is better than FMX

3
7
7/24/2026 7:04pm
FMX has been terrible for the public perception of what MX and SX is.Not to mention it's filled with flatbilled douchebags with neck tattoos. And who can...

FMX has been terrible for the public perception of what MX and SX is.

Not to mention it's filled with flatbilled douchebags with neck tattoos. 

And who can forget Lips Deegan...

download lips 3

Maybe tennis is more your thing

Even tennis is better than FMX

Oh cmon, it’s a step above tennis and golf! 

1
h20
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1 day ago Edited Date/Time 1 day ago

I think your video was really good.  Honestly I put it off for a few days thinking it would be the same redundant information.  But I was very impressed how you showed the DOWNFALL.  You did an excellent job showing how the promoters are a huge problem and don’t really care for FMX.  I feel Moto got linked into the Surf Skate Snow genre of “extreme sports” (I hate calling it Action Sports) isn’t that was “X” games stood for? Anyways it feels like Moto got pushed out of the surf skate snow and is treated more like a “motorsport”. Honestly the BMX and Skate courses cost a TON just designing them, let alone building those ramps.  FMX is the cheapest category for promoters overhead.  As you said most guys are willing to bring their own ramps and landings. I personally checked out on FMX around 2008 it was a fun decade, but I got too nervous watching with the double flips!  lol. Also it’s kind of crazy how the entire sport of Roller blading skating just disappeared. When I was in grade school IN LINE skating was so popular.  Disney even made a movie about it called BRINK.  It was very fun to supplement with skateboarding.  People under 30 probably won’t remember the K2 blades or people grinding rails, lol it was super fun. I hated getting hurt skateboarding and I grew up playing ice hockey so rollerblading came super natural.  I used to go to the skatepark and drop in on the half pipes, good times back when everyone got along. But yeah they deleted that sport from existence.  I’d like to see an FMX league or competition run by a former competitor like Twitch or someone that knows what they’re doing.  

wix
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1 day ago

Great premise but overrushed documentary. 

The rise and fall of FMX deserves time effort. Not hastily chopped up archival footage, a ChatGPT script and an AI voiceover. 

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Ob917
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1 day ago

Free ride mx got me back into moto in the 90s. Stoped riding moto before that to snowboard and skate nonstop. When videos with Metz and Seth free riding came out I got hooked and it got me back into moto. Freestyle lost me after backflip only runs. 

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Axlnut_KM3
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1 day ago

Great doc, and great thread to help populate the ignore list.

I don't know why I'm even trying, but to the usual suspects who posted gleefully that FMX "fell" because they don't like it, so therefore it's not popular - not at all, maybe actually try watching. 

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Axlnut_KM3
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1 day ago
Tyler D wrote:
pic related. 

pic related. 

Here's one. Two months ago a clip from Billy Corgan's podcast, The  Magnificent Others, was making the rounds, in which he claimed that pop  music is the genre that comes closest to

Pic EXTREMELY related. 

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Woodsguy
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1 day ago

I'd rather watch Women's EnduroCross.

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Paul333
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1 day ago

I have attended every professional MX/SX event I possibly could for decades. Not once did I ever even consider a freestyle event. To me it never seemed like a MX/SX event. They are more of a counterculture event, like skate boarding. Nobody I know you races or rides MX has ever attended on either. 

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Park Boys
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motokiwi wrote:

Whoever decided to have more than 1 summer X games per year killed it. 

It used to be a huge event, was turned into a series and no non cares anymore. 

shortty761
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1 day ago
h20 wrote:
I think your video was really good.  Honestly I put it off for a few days thinking it would be the same redundant information.  But I...

I think your video was really good.  Honestly I put it off for a few days thinking it would be the same redundant information.  But I was very impressed how you showed the DOWNFALL.  You did an excellent job showing how the promoters are a huge problem and don’t really care for FMX.  I feel Moto got linked into the Surf Skate Snow genre of “extreme sports” (I hate calling it Action Sports) isn’t that was “X” games stood for? Anyways it feels like Moto got pushed out of the surf skate snow and is treated more like a “motorsport”. Honestly the BMX and Skate courses cost a TON just designing them, let alone building those ramps.  FMX is the cheapest category for promoters overhead.  As you said most guys are willing to bring their own ramps and landings. I personally checked out on FMX around 2008 it was a fun decade, but I got too nervous watching with the double flips!  lol. Also it’s kind of crazy how the entire sport of Roller blading skating just disappeared. When I was in grade school IN LINE skating was so popular.  Disney even made a movie about it called BRINK.  It was very fun to supplement with skateboarding.  People under 30 probably won’t remember the K2 blades or people grinding rails, lol it was super fun. I hated getting hurt skateboarding and I grew up playing ice hockey so rollerblading came super natural.  I used to go to the skatepark and drop in on the half pipes, good times back when everyone got along. But yeah they deleted that sport from existence.  I’d like to see an FMX league or competition run by a former competitor like Twitch or someone that knows what they’re doing.  

30 year old here. Caught the tail end of the inline skating era. I remember seeing it on MTV, and there was a video game for XBOX that was called XXX Inline skate or something lol. Front cover was a guy grinding a rail

ShellyMX
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1 day ago

How many of you wore the hideous FMX baggy pants and will admit to it?

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