worst factory rider ever

hartebreak
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hartebreak
Edited Date/Time 1/26/2012 11:20pm
Have seen numerous topics about best rider never to get a ride, best rider never to go pro etc. Has there been a post about the worst rider to score a factory ride? Seems like KTM had a few that didnt amount to much when they first started fielding a team. Andy Harrington comes to mind. Donovan Mitchell never got a chance due to his injury. I remember some people talking about how Suzuki was crazy for bringing relitively unkown Ryan Dungey on. Looks like he proved some wrong. What you guys got for factory duds?
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Adam43
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Adam43 9/16/2009 12:32pm
9/16/2009 12:32pm
Fair topic. Suzuki had a few guys earlier this decade that never really panned out, Ben Riddle, Matthieu Lalloz, Shane Bess.
Motodrew295
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Motodrew295 9/16/2009 12:53pm
9/16/2009 12:53pm
I like the guy and wish he could catch a break but broc hepler has got to be up there due to injuries alone. It's a bummer to think a guy with potential to win (possibly Championships) may never get the opportunity to ride at the factory level again. Its contract time and no one has mentioned him. So maybe not the worst rider but probably the biggest disappointment to his team(s).
wreckitrandy
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wreckitrandy 9/16/2009 1:16pm
9/16/2009 1:16pm
Fewest laps turned may be Townley. Who was the guy Kawi paid to stay home back in the early 80's?? Benolkin maybe??

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Shawn142
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Shawn142 9/16/2009 1:17pm
9/16/2009 1:17pm
Maybe Hepler is a mild disappointment because of injuries but the guy has won races and podiumed in the premier class, how is that one of the worst factory riders ever? The list is long and depressing on the amount of guys who had a factory ride coming into the pros and never cracked the top 10. This sport really eats people alive.
mxcrf34
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mxcrf34 9/16/2009 1:19pm
9/16/2009 1:19pm
Townley and Hepler deserved the rides. I remember when helper actually raced the outdoors a few years ago and won millville and like 2 other races.
newmann
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newmann 9/16/2009 1:23pm
9/16/2009 1:23pm Edited Date/Time 9/16/2009 1:27pm
wreckitrandy wrote:
Fewest laps turned may be Townley. Who was the guy Kawi paid to stay home back in the early 80's?? Benolkin maybe??
Wasn't Benolkin. Don't even bring Tom Benolkin into this thread. That dude is still a badass rider and could probably show a few of the current "stars" of the sport a few things. Tom was a factory rider back when there was no gerken jerkin allowed like there is today. Back then, one bad season, injury or illness and your ass was gone.
peelout719
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peelout719 9/16/2009 1:27pm
9/16/2009 1:27pm
no offense intended towards these riders but bobby bonds never made his PC ride work out.

and tommy hahn part of the factory honda squad was really lack luster. although as we've seen lately, maybe a non-factory ride is better for some guys. less pressure?
Rooster
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Rooster 9/16/2009 1:30pm
9/16/2009 1:30pm Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 2:12am
I'm pretty sure Mitch Payton would throw Bobby Bonds on that list. (dang peelout beat me to it)


Really though, a few guys might disappoint when they make the move to the factory teams but none of them could ever be considered remotely bad.


From the factory's perspective I would say the worst factory rider would have to have been David Pingree. The manufacturers really don't like seeing their bikes break in half much. He earned the spot as a rider, but damn it must have taken awhile to overcome the bad publicity from that crash.
JW381
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JW381 9/16/2009 1:40pm
9/16/2009 1:40pm
Rooster wrote:
I'm pretty sure Mitch Payton would throw Bobby Bonds on that list. (dang peelout beat me to it) Really though, a few guys might disappoint when...
I'm pretty sure Mitch Payton would throw Bobby Bonds on that list. (dang peelout beat me to it)


Really though, a few guys might disappoint when they make the move to the factory teams but none of them could ever be considered remotely bad.


From the factory's perspective I would say the worst factory rider would have to have been David Pingree. The manufacturers really don't like seeing their bikes break in half much. He earned the spot as a rider, but damn it must have taken awhile to overcome the bad publicity from that crash.
YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!
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lostboy819 9/16/2009 1:44pm
9/16/2009 1:44pm
wreckitrandy wrote:
Fewest laps turned may be Townley. Who was the guy Kawi paid to stay home back in the early 80's?? Benolkin maybe??
No, Benolkin was a hard riding hard charging rider you are thinking about larry Wosick, they paid him to stay home. They might have paid mike Craig to stay home also but dont remember for sure.
OW38B
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OW38B 9/16/2009 1:46pm
9/16/2009 1:46pm
wreckitrandy wrote:
Fewest laps turned may be Townley. Who was the guy Kawi paid to stay home back in the early 80's?? Benolkin maybe??
newmann wrote:
Wasn't Benolkin. Don't even bring Tom Benolkin into this thread. That dude is still a badass rider and could probably show a few of the current...
Wasn't Benolkin. Don't even bring Tom Benolkin into this thread. That dude is still a badass rider and could probably show a few of the current "stars" of the sport a few things. Tom was a factory rider back when there was no gerken jerkin allowed like there is today. Back then, one bad season, injury or illness and your ass was gone.
Larry Wosick was told to stay home for Kawi.
DirtyFilter75 9/16/2009 1:47pm
9/16/2009 1:47pm
Rooster wrote:
I'm pretty sure Mitch Payton would throw Bobby Bonds on that list. (dang peelout beat me to it) Really though, a few guys might disappoint when...
I'm pretty sure Mitch Payton would throw Bobby Bonds on that list. (dang peelout beat me to it)


Really though, a few guys might disappoint when they make the move to the factory teams but none of them could ever be considered remotely bad.


From the factory's perspective I would say the worst factory rider would have to have been David Pingree. The manufacturers really don't like seeing their bikes break in half much. He earned the spot as a rider, but damn it must have taken awhile to overcome the bad publicity from that crash.
and that was Ping's fault? Don't rip on him because the bike screwed up.
davis224
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davis224 9/16/2009 1:48pm
9/16/2009 1:48pm
definetely some of KTMs factory riders from a few years ago, it seemed more like a support team than factory with the riders they had...
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Cygnus 9/16/2009 1:48pm
9/16/2009 1:48pm Edited Date/Time 9/16/2009 2:21pm
peelout719 wrote:
no offense intended towards these riders but bobby bonds never made his PC ride work out. and tommy hahn part of the factory honda squad was...
no offense intended towards these riders but bobby bonds never made his PC ride work out.

and tommy hahn part of the factory honda squad was really lack luster. although as we've seen lately, maybe a non-factory ride is better for some guys. less pressure?
Bonds would have been great if that prick Langston didn't do the infamous brake check.
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englishman 9/16/2009 1:51pm
9/16/2009 1:51pm Edited Date/Time 9/16/2009 1:53pm
peelout719 wrote:
no offense intended towards these riders but bobby bonds never made his PC ride work out. and tommy hahn part of the factory honda squad was...
no offense intended towards these riders but bobby bonds never made his PC ride work out.

and tommy hahn part of the factory honda squad was really lack luster. although as we've seen lately, maybe a non-factory ride is better for some guys. less pressure?
Cygnus wrote:
Bonds would have been great if that prick Langston didn't do the infamous brake check.
Langston did do it and Bonds didn't become great so your comment is nonsensical jibber, jabber. Did you mean if Langston hadn't brake checked him?




Who was the dude who rode his works CanAm in to a swimming pool? I probably wouldn't keep a guy around who drowns his equipment.
roguemx
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roguemx 9/16/2009 1:52pm
9/16/2009 1:52pm
In bonds' defense... The kawi hit neutral at the test track breakin his elbow and limiting to about 60% mobility to this day. it wont go 20 degrees within straight... the 2nd yr after earning rookie of the year danny smith landed on him breaking his back, neck, scapula,tearing his esophagus, crushing his voice box, left him eating through a tube in his stomach till a month and a half before nationals...
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roguemx 9/16/2009 1:52pm
9/16/2009 1:52pm
oh broke some ribs and punctured his lung too

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OW38B
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OW38B 9/16/2009 1:55pm
9/16/2009 1:55pm
Richard Coon.

I know you're askin' yourself who the hell is Richard Coon? My point exactly.
englishman
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englishman 9/16/2009 1:56pm
9/16/2009 1:56pm
roguemx wrote:
In bonds' defense... The kawi hit neutral at the test track breakin his elbow and limiting to about 60% mobility to this day. it wont go...
In bonds' defense... The kawi hit neutral at the test track breakin his elbow and limiting to about 60% mobility to this day. it wont go 20 degrees within straight... the 2nd yr after earning rookie of the year danny smith landed on him breaking his back, neck, scapula,tearing his esophagus, crushing his voice box, left him eating through a tube in his stomach till a month and a half before nationals...
How do you get a breakfast burrito through a tube ????
roguemx
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roguemx 9/16/2009 1:56pm
9/16/2009 1:56pm
coon... isnt he from new york?
roguemx
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roguemx 9/16/2009 1:58pm
9/16/2009 1:58pm
roguemx wrote:
In bonds' defense... The kawi hit neutral at the test track breakin his elbow and limiting to about 60% mobility to this day. it wont go...
In bonds' defense... The kawi hit neutral at the test track breakin his elbow and limiting to about 60% mobility to this day. it wont go 20 degrees within straight... the 2nd yr after earning rookie of the year danny smith landed on him breaking his back, neck, scapula,tearing his esophagus, crushing his voice box, left him eating through a tube in his stomach till a month and a half before nationals...
englishman wrote:
How do you get a breakfast burrito through a tube ????
well we obviously know how to portray ignorance in a message board now don't we
mxbeeb
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mxbeeb 9/16/2009 2:02pm
9/16/2009 2:02pm
Rodrig Thain
Ryan Huffman
Steve Mertens
Joaquim Rodrigues
Jay Marmont
Shayne King

OW38B
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OW38B 9/16/2009 2:02pm
9/16/2009 2:02pm
roguemx wrote:
coon... isnt he from new york?
Well ya got that much. rode for big Team for a year.
peelout719
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peelout719 9/16/2009 2:03pm
9/16/2009 2:03pm
OW38B wrote:
Richard Coon.

I know you're askin' yourself who the hell is Richard Coon? My point exactly.
that seriously made me laugh out loud Smile
roguemx
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roguemx 9/16/2009 2:05pm
9/16/2009 2:05pm
i met his son when we all were stayin at goat breker's warehouse in riverside...
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roguemx 9/16/2009 2:08pm
9/16/2009 2:08pm
sorry didnt mean to side track from the topic
davis224
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davis224 9/16/2009 2:17pm
9/16/2009 2:17pm
mxbeeb wrote:
Rodrig Thain
Ryan Huffman
Steve Mertens
Joaquim Rodrigues
Jay Marmont
Shayne King

joaquim and jay had a few good rides... I don't think joaquim ever reached his potential off of the orange bikes
Snapper
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Snapper 9/16/2009 2:23pm
9/16/2009 2:23pm
I ddint realise Bobby Bons was so beat up, shame really. Whats the story with Langston brake checking him?
Adam43
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Adam43 9/16/2009 2:42pm
9/16/2009 2:42pm
Snapper wrote:
I ddint realise Bobby Bons was so beat up, shame really. Whats the story with Langston brake checking him?
Langston crossed over on him at Hangtown. Took Bobby out. He took awhile to come back.

It's easy to put the blame on Grant, but Bobby hurt himself quite a few times, and much more severely than that before he was out of MX a year or two later. He broke his back and tried to come back way too early in '02.

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