Track design - Then or Now?

4stks and more HP is what changed the tracks, go watch bar to bar 2005 and compare those tracks to what they build today.

I firmly believe the older tracks , even though being more technical , we're safer. Even on a 450 you couldn't go mach 5 every where on one of those tracks , which eqaul's slower speeds , and less impact when hitting the ground. It also separated the more skilled rider's from the lesser skilled rider's. I know I'll probably get flamed for saying this , but it's what I believe. And yeah , you can get hurt on an older style track too , but when you minus out all the high speed stuff , the chances a guy will get less injured goes way up.

I agree anything to slow it down and not get the guys as seriously injured is good

Everything changes and evolves, but people crashed then and people crash now. I remember more running room for the long starights with big jumps, but now the whoops are insane.

I think 15 less hp and bikes that are much harder to ride fast makes a bigger difference than track design.

I think they are trying to show "speed" with current track designs for the TV audience. Also the elite riders will complain if the track doesn't "flow", so don't think they will go back to old style (but would love it if they had some peaked doubles/tripples closer to the corners where everyone can't jump them if they don't get the corner right)

Maybe a combination of speed and having to time everything perfectly ? The speeds are higher outdoors yet it doesn't have the injury stigma SX has.

Mid 90's to eary 2000's are my favorite track designs. The speeds of the riders have def changed.

Awesome video.

The track reminds me a lot of what they turn the supercross futures tracks into. The guys now really do look to be going MUCH faster. Maybe that’s not the case but they don’t look like they’re carrying a ton of momentum back then.

Hay Bales!!!! I say bring those back!

One thing that’s not brought up is the size of the stadium floors has gotten smaller with most of the new stadiums (Glendale being an exception). The playing area is the same 150’x360’ but the sideline area has shrunk because the new stadiums all try to get their fans closer to the field with sideline and end zone suites that has made the buildlable track areas smaller making tracks tighter. The multi sport stadiums like the Astro Dome, Pontiac, Superdome, King Dome, Qualcomm, all had seats that could be moved and allow for more track area.

That in combination with the faster bikes makes the problem even more noticeable. The larger floor areas of Anaheim and Glendale seem to allow for better track designs.

2002-2009 were the best tracks we have ever seen.