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Edited Date/Time
6/29/2012 7:37pm
Why are so many of the best MXers looking to transition to cars after their MX career is concluded.
Would not their skills, size, discipline and training ethic be a grounding to go to Superbike Racing? Is seems to me it would be sensible choice?
I would love to see Chad Reed or another world class MXer attempt to road race 2 wheels rather than 4. Is the transition that hard? Or is it just not desired?
Would not their skills, size, discipline and training ethic be a grounding to go to Superbike Racing? Is seems to me it would be sensible choice?
I would love to see Chad Reed or another world class MXer attempt to road race 2 wheels rather than 4. Is the transition that hard? Or is it just not desired?
plus, it's not easy. you can get killed in a heartbeat.
heck, one can only think of 2 guys that changed up and went racing, and won at it after mx.
Jeff Ward and Travis Pastrana.
Bayle did it, but did he win anything big on pavement?
Mike Hailwood made the transition from bikes to cars back in the day, but after those guys, who else
hasn't had the race beat out of them by motocross?
The Shop
Bayle was definitely the exception to the rule. He started late and somehow made it onto a couple different factory teams at the top of all motorcycle racing, MotoGP. He never did win or podium, but he had several top 5s. For that matter Jeff Ward never actually won anything in Indy Lites or the Indy 500. He came damn close and should have won at Indy, but he did have a slew of podiums. And I think what Travis has done with Rally in America is great, but the talent pool and list of drivers in the US series is pretty slim. I know he beat Colin McRae at X-Games in a sport pretty much created for it (Rallycross), but you put those 2 guys (if poor Colin was still alive, rest his soul) at Rally Acropolis or Rally Australia and poor Travis will get his ass whooped by over 10 minutes just like Ken Block has the last couple years.
I think he said he was gonna make a run at World Championship Trials after
winning the Motogp crown, making him a one of a kind in the motorcycle world.
But I think Shawn is right, it's just too specialized, each venue takes half a lifetime
to master. To the level it goes nowadays anyway.
That's why I'd like to see RV heal up, rent a flat in Belgium, and take the GP crown.
How many have done that?
I believe the previous poster was correct though, most riders are done with the risk involved with MX before they are done with the competition. Going to another two wheeled sport wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.
Jonathan Rea used to race in Irish MX championships, and made the transition at about 18/19. He's now sitting 2nd in the World Superbike Championship.
I don't know about the culture in the US, but in Europe it's quite common place for riders to switch.
And again I can't speak for the US, but there is A LOT MORE money in Superbikes and Moto GP. I'm pretty sure Casey Stoner or Valentino Rossi earn more than 98% of professional motocrossers.
and like others have said....it takes a life time of practice to master a certain kind of riding.
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