Does Cooper Webb = RJ in 1986?

TropicPilot
Look, I know we're only 3/4 of the way through a Supercross season, but Webb's season so far is reminding me of Rick Johnson's move to Honda.

In the early '80s, RJ was one of the top guys, but not "Thee Guy". He didn't really dominate until 1986, when he switched from Yamaha to the powerhouse team of the era, Honda. From that point on, he was the alpha dog until his wrist injury in 1989.

It's up to Webb to close out this championship, and to go on to win a ton of races and win more titles like RJ did, but his move to KTM has me thinking we might be seeing the first indications of a new era. Either way, it's going to be fun to watch.
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Drtbykr
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Drtbykr 3/31/2019 3:15pm
3/31/2019 3:15pm Edited Date/Time 3/31/2019 3:55pm
ATKpilot99 wrote:
Interesting parallel but RJ was more dominant.
RJ was taller, and EVERYWHERE in advertising.
He must have made some heavy sponsors dough.
He was stylish and out front, lot more “it” factor than Webb.

Bad man on a bike, especially Factory Honda.

Never liked either one of them, lol, they have that in common.
Attitudes are the same.
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Park Boys
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Park Boys 3/31/2019 3:23pm
3/31/2019 3:23pm
RJ was on another level than Webb. He won a title on a hunk of shit and bike problems cost him another one before Honda.
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TropicPilot 3/31/2019 3:28pm
3/31/2019 3:28pm
Park Boys wrote:
RJ was on another level than Webb. He won a title on a hunk of shit and bike problems cost him another one before Honda.
I hear you. RJ should have had that '82 championship in the 250 outdoors, as well. But let's not forget that Webb was a potential superstar when he came up from the 250 class.

What I find interesting here is a top rider's move to a dominant team, and the sudden improvement in results.

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Park Boys
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Park Boys 3/31/2019 3:41pm
3/31/2019 3:41pm
Park Boys wrote:
RJ was on another level than Webb. He won a title on a hunk of shit and bike problems cost him another one before Honda.
TropicPilot wrote:
I hear you. RJ should have had that '82 championship in the 250 outdoors, as well. But let's not forget that Webb was a potential superstar...
I hear you. RJ should have had that '82 championship in the 250 outdoors, as well. But let's not forget that Webb was a potential superstar when he came up from the 250 class.

What I find interesting here is a top rider's move to a dominant team, and the sudden improvement in results.
I just don’t see it as the same as RJ. The Honda and KTM thing I think is pretty damn close as you pointed out. Webb winning is more about guys throwing it away IMO. He is ablosuty in the right place(starts) and the right time and pushing to the end but I can only think of one race where he crushed everyone, usually guys with that many wins have some dominating performances or link up with another guy and blow everyone else away. To me this era will be about Roczens injuries and Tomacs inability to close out SX titles. Even this year it’s Marvin who is almost always faster but makes too many mistakes. You may be right though who knows, I do think Webb is better indoors than out though. Outside of a few motos in his 250 career I was never blown away thinking he was next level. I don’t see him running with Tomac or Musquin outdoors and maybe Bagget as well but I also didn’t see him winning 6 races so far and leading the championship.
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speed_racer
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speed_racer 3/31/2019 3:50pm
3/31/2019 3:50pm
" I don’t see him running with Tomac or Musquin outdoors and maybe Bagget as well but I also didn’t see him winning 6 races so far and leading the championship."

It will be fun to see how wrong you are. Cooper can take the outdoor title also. The kid is 23.
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TropicPilot 3/31/2019 3:52pm
3/31/2019 3:52pm
Park Boys wrote:
RJ was on another level than Webb. He won a title on a hunk of shit and bike problems cost him another one before Honda.
TropicPilot wrote:
I hear you. RJ should have had that '82 championship in the 250 outdoors, as well. But let's not forget that Webb was a potential superstar...
I hear you. RJ should have had that '82 championship in the 250 outdoors, as well. But let's not forget that Webb was a potential superstar when he came up from the 250 class.

What I find interesting here is a top rider's move to a dominant team, and the sudden improvement in results.
Park Boys wrote:
I just don’t see it as the same as RJ. The Honda and KTM thing I think is pretty damn close as you pointed out. Webb...
I just don’t see it as the same as RJ. The Honda and KTM thing I think is pretty damn close as you pointed out. Webb winning is more about guys throwing it away IMO. He is ablosuty in the right place(starts) and the right time and pushing to the end but I can only think of one race where he crushed everyone, usually guys with that many wins have some dominating performances or link up with another guy and blow everyone else away. To me this era will be about Roczens injuries and Tomacs inability to close out SX titles. Even this year it’s Marvin who is almost always faster but makes too many mistakes. You may be right though who knows, I do think Webb is better indoors than out though. Outside of a few motos in his 250 career I was never blown away thinking he was next level. I don’t see him running with Tomac or Musquin outdoors and maybe Bagget as well but I also didn’t see him winning 6 races so far and leading the championship.
Good points. After the move to Honda, RJ was simply faster than everyone else on most days. My favorite rider, David Bailey, challenged him, and beat him for the 500 title, but it seemed like RJ had a bit more raw speed in 1986.

Webb is taking a few wins away from guys who could have stepped up and won, but didn't deliver.
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TropicPilot 3/31/2019 4:08pm
3/31/2019 4:08pm
dickjackson170 wrote:
Haha. Cooper fanboys have lost their minds.
I am absolutely not a Webb fanboy. I'd actually like to see Marv win this title. But again, Webb's move to the current dominant team, and his sudden improvement, is an interesting comparison to RJ's move to Honda.

It's too early to tell, but we could look back at this season as a turning point. That's up to Cooper, though.
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sandman768
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sandman768 3/31/2019 5:13pm
3/31/2019 5:13pm
Webb going to have deliver a lot more to be in same conversation as RJ....and mature some more...but he sure did turn things around this year?
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omalley
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omalley 3/31/2019 8:18pm
3/31/2019 8:18pm
No current rider is even in the same league as the stars of the 80’s. We are still talking about RJ, Bailey, Lechien, Wardy, etc, and will be for some time.

30 years from now, no one will give two shits who Webb, Tomac, Roczen, or Musquin were.
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Sluggo77
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Sluggo77 3/31/2019 8:41pm
3/31/2019 8:41pm
Webb is or was very young, being a bit immature and cocky for a premier athlete is not unexpected right? The ones that win a ton seem to have a "if you like me that is fine, but if you don't I'm ok with that too, I just want to win." Webb has that and an immense talent to get around the track fast but also mistake free, mostly.
It is not hard to imagine him winning 3 or 4 more titles in SX as long as he stays healthy.
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Wandell
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Wandell 3/31/2019 8:59pm
3/31/2019 8:59pm
I don't think so. RJ was one of the top guys while at Yamaha and a championship winner/contender in the premier class .Mean while, Webb was a championship winner/contender in the 250 class but was being labeled a bust since moving up to the premier class. Gotta give it to Webb though, he's turned it around!
RandyS
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RandyS 3/31/2019 9:02pm
3/31/2019 9:02pm
Everyone makes such a big deal about Tomac winning 9 and 8 races in a season. Webb is at 7, against Tomac. I said at the beginning of the year that I didn't see Tomac or Roczen ever winning a SX title, that was before the new Webb showed up. With Webb and Marvin out there I think the odds are very very slim for either. I feel bad for Roczen, Tomac had it and couldn't close the deal. I think this is definitely a MC>Stanton RC>MC season, I would be shocked if there isn't a KTM on the top step in Vegas.
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ShipLap 3/31/2019 9:42pm
3/31/2019 9:42pm Edited Date/Time 3/31/2019 9:43pm
Webb at Redbud 2016 was awesome.
Also at first moto at Budds 2016.

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