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2002 outdoor champion
2003 dominated the races he was in but missed the beginning of the season due to his Las Vegas SX crash.
2004 dominated a field of 250f’s on a KX125.
That’s three seasons.
That said, I agree with you. I’m tired of these comparison threads and expectation threads (I.e., who will be the next GOAT). Why can’t we just enjoy the racers for who they are without premature comparisons?
The Shop
What you saw with James was this spectacular talent with a program. Ricky was first-to-market having a program. Ac has been in a program since 14. He's been institutionalised from that time.
This is the unpopular opinion part. Jett is as good talent-wise as James. The difference being the disparity to the rest of the field. You're not seeing a dude that is allowed to win every moto. They're not letting Jett go go balls to the wall to go 1-1 every single weekend. No one ever said to James "Rein it in"
Every single rider in the top 15 has access to the same style of program. He's racing dudes on the same program.
The level of the sport has stopped these crazy anomalies (James).
I am sure that if Jett went as fast as he could he would win some races by a mile but watch more from a hospital bed. Both Jett and Hunter have a tendency to go into the first or second corner in 4th or 5th and come out in 8th or 9th. I don't know, but I would bet that James went into first or second corners in 4th or 5th and came out in 1st or 2nd. That's my impression.
Jett rides like Stefan Everts in terms of looking so deliberate, looking slow but circulating fast. Jmart rides more like James than anyone else.
Jett and Hunter are possibly the best thing to happen to the sport since the heightened involvement of social media and the proliferation of podcasts and pre-shows and post shows. They will be around for ten to fifteen years and will raise the profile of motocross exponentially.
Riders like Sten Lundin, Jeff Smith, Joel Robert, DeCoster then the famous Americans like Smith, Hannah, Lackey to Everts, Ricky Carmichael and Cairoli can all lay claim to that title.
Bubba was lightening fast and fearless but if staying healthy and reliable while accumulating championships are a part of talented... well.
Jett is just a joey at the moment but his game is already pretty rounded
Right now, Tom Vialle is pretty amazing too and I would say a similar level of talent and very smooth and precise like Jett but just doesn’t get the exposure Jett has had. Kay are Wolf just won a GP moto at 16 but does Gypsy even know about him? Jett is up there and is amazing but to say only Stewart had Jett’s level of talent is wrong. I don’t think he is above some of those guys I’ve mentioned, probably slightly below some of them.
Some Aussie bias I think!
Is Jett on the same level as James at the same age? That is not debatable in my opinion. James' stats are far superior.
Are the fields deeper today than in James' time. Can of worms, you can only race those on the gate at the time.
I have tried to explain to people how James rode a dirt bike. It is hard to articulate how amazing he was on any bike, especially a 125. How he saw a track and the lines and rhythms he did was unique to James, he set the benchmark. To me, he is the most creative and out-of-the-box racer I have ever seen.
Coming from OZ I was lucky enough to see him race in person quite a few times. I just shake my head at what he could do. His skill level was fascinating to me as I could not understand how he did it and what he did. The best I could come up with was that you had to go James speed to do James things. The faster he rode the more creative he was but it also heightened the risk-reward benefits.
If he was on track I never took my eyes off him.
Jett to me is a far more calculated rider, he seems to be a mix of Everts and Dungey, who wouldn't want to be compared to those dudes? Jett will develop his own identity as his career develops, James had already established his identity before he hit seniors. That to me separates to generational debate.
Just my 2 cents.
I will leave you to argue over this. Talking SX only. Was James to fastest I ever saw? No. James was the most creative and unique I have ever seen. I think the fastest I have ever seen anyone race SX was Roczen in 2017 prior to his injury. Might be worth a new thread so as not to ruin this one though.
Heck JS was smoking the 250f's with his 125.
Does anyone remember the year Yamaha kept Brett Metcalfe on a 125 to still promote that bike racing against the 4 strokes of the era. Nope, neither do I. But he did.
Had it been JS, it would've been another Championship year, however he moved up to the 250 that year.
Jett is a Phenomenal talent, a once every 8-10 year talent, but James and Ricky talent? Naw.
A 16 year old James would’ve thrashed that class, he wouldn’t have needed help to win the title, same goes for RC.
Jett is like a Glover, he can win on any given day, but he’s not dominating, Stewy and RC dominated.
Pit Row
He certainly isn't a drugs cheat. Unlike Stewart.
So I'd go with Jett on this one.
Yeah...many "Oh, Shit" moments.
Both of them stay ‘relevant’ with click bait.
Aren't you a negative little kid...?
Get off your mom's computer and go outside & play.
Post a reply to: Sorry Gypsy, but Jett not as talented as James Stewart