There’s always the argument, sometimes from highly respected moto industry folks, that four stroke dirt bikes ruined motocross and Supercross. How much basis is behind that claim, though?
Look, I am a proud owner of a 250cc two stroke and couldn’t be happier. But I’ve never lined up at a starting gate for a motocross race (that hurts to admit, actually…). I pay closer attention to events with two stroke categories such as Red Bull Straight Rhythm and the 125 All-Star Races [R.I.P. in 2020] because I fanboy over the sound and nostalgia of it. I grew up in the 90s watching Supercross on ESPN, listening to the crisp sound of Showtime’s CR250 echoing behind Art Eckman and David Bailey’s voices. It was all great, but was it better?
The 2020 Supercross series might have been the best week-after-week action I’ve ever watched. Yes, we had the Carmichael/Stewart/Reed battles in the mid-00s, which were incredible, but when have we had as many winners in the same year as 2020? When the 4/7/22 battles were going, no one else was even in the same universe. This year had riders battling for heat race wins and main event podiums that aren’t even on full Factory teams (equipment was close, but not actually on the premier team). The Elite guys settled for positions off the podium on nights where they didn’t have any particular issues other than lack of speed. It was amazing to tune in each week (sometimes twice each week, thanks ‘rona) with the legitimate notion that you have no idea who was going to win and who was going to have a piss-poor result.
Maybe this is a bit dramatic but I don’t know that anybody is complaining that guns ruined sword fights. * Checks Facebook, realizes no statement is cut-and-dry anymore. * Yes, four strokes have definitely changed everything about the sport from the ground up. Yes, it does appear to be more costly to race a four stroke. * Checks VitalMX forums, closes browser. * But at the pinnacle of dirt bike racing, I argue that we’re seeing the most entertaining racing since motocross began. Don’t @ me, bro.