Professional Freestyle Motocross Riders
Make no mistake about it. Freestyle Motocross riding is a tough gig. Apart from
the obvious danger in riding a 250lb motorcycle off 40-ft ramps and floating
up to 80 feet in the air while hanging precariously off the machine, the stunts
and tricks take a long time to master and require an enormous level of skill.
However, professional freestylers revel in the opportunity to showcase
their talents as well as being able to indulge in their greatest
passion i.e. riding motorcycles.
Professional Freestyle Motocross riders continually strive push the limits of their
machine and physical ability, aiming to go bigger and higher with each event
while coming up with spectacular new tricks never before attempted. Below are
some of the better known riders who have blazed a trail for others with their
amazing feats.
Carey Hart Hart became renowned for being the first rider to perform a
back-flip on a 250cc motorcycle, a feat he achieved at the 2000 Gravity
Games. Hart also pioneered another move that would become known
as the "Hart Attack".
Travis Pastrana Pastrana has invented many innovative freestyle motocross tricks while also
being the first rider to complete a double backflip which he performed
in his film Nitro Circus 3 and also at the 2006 X Games 12 in Los Angeles
where he won the Moto X Best Trick Gold Medal.
In addition, Pastrana has tallied several championships and X Games gold medals
and is, in fact, the youngest rider to win an X Games gold medal, having done so at only 15.
Mike Metzger After winning the Freestyle and Big Air events in the 2002 X-Games, Metzger
stunned the crowds at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, as well as viewers of ESPN, by completing
a backflip over the fountains and breaking the distance record by landing
125 feet away from the ramp.
Brian Deegan Deegan lays claim to being the first person to perform a 360, also known
as an off-axis backflip, in competition, dubbing the stunt the "Mulisha Twist".
Over his career, Deegan has notched up to ten medals and is the only rider
to date to have competed in each event in every X Games.
Nate Adams After winning several motocross races as a youngster, Adams was enthralled
by the sport of freestyle motocross and before long would win the World Freestyle
Motocross Championship as a pro in 2002. Gold medals at the 2003 Gravity Games and 2004
X Games would follow. Adams has also invented several freestyling tricks including
a no-handed landing after performing a backflip.
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