Who Is The Best Motocross Racer Of All-Time

When talking about the best motocross riders of all time, it becomes really hard creating a list. Motocross riders like Ricky Carmichael and Stefan Everts, have left an indelible mark on the sport. There has been so much talent within the sport across the world. If you look at the AMA series, MXGP and all of the smaller series there has been so many accomplishment over time.

1. Ricky Carmichael

Ricky Carmichael is the greatest racer to ever put a leg over a bike. He has so many achievements in motocross and supercross such as:

• 7-time AMA Pro Motocross Championships MX Champion (2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000)
• 5-time Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championships SX Champion (2006, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001)
• 3-time AMA Pro Motocross Championships 125MX Champion (1999, 1998, 1997)
• 76 career AMA Pro Motocross Championship MX Wins
• 48 career Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship SX Wins
• 1st on the all-time 450 wins list
• 1st on the all-time 250SX East wins list
• 31 & 30 win streak in the AMA motocross championship

Ricky Carmichael’s achievements also includes three undefeated seasons in AMA Motocross, highlighting his dominance in the sport. The American Motorcyclist Association recognizes his unparalleled success.

He also didn’t stop at dominating in America as Carmichael won 3 MXON titles which is why I have put him on top of the list. Ricky Carmichael deserved to be here as a successful motocross racer, beating all of the greatest racers of his time with an 80% winning percentage. He revolutionised the way people started training. He took the sport from this party scene, where people would party all week to training 6 days a week and racing the other day. going to gym, doing strict diets, and just putting 100% effort into it.

2. Stefan Everts

Stefan Everts is one of the most accomplished MXGP riders in history. He holds the most world championships won in the MXGP series with 10 titles, winning 9 of them consecutively between 1995 – 2006 across multiple classes:

• 1x 125cc (1991)
• 4x 250cc (1995, 1996, 1997, 2003)
• 2x 500cc (2001, 2002)
• 3x MX1 (2004, 2005, 2006)

Stefan Everts also had 101 MX victories in the MXGP. This record was only beaten in the end of 2023. The reason he is second is because as he did these major achievements he just didn’t have as big of an impact on the sport as Ricky Carmichael did.

3. James Stewart

James Stewart was not a racer that had major achievements such as Ricky and Stefan but his pure speed and his mindset set him apart from others. Although he did attain:

• 2008 AMA Pro Motocross Championship MX Champion
• 2-time Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championships SX Champion (2009, 2007)
• 50 career Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship 450SX Win
• 24 MX win streak

but these achievements just don’t show how good he really was. James Stewart is often mentioned among the greatest motocross racers for his exceptional speed and innovative techniques. There has been an interview of Ricky Carmichael admitting that he hated racing James Stewart due to how far he pushed the limits. James Stewart was also the creator of the “bubba scrub” which he had mastered and gave him an edge on the rest of the field. James Stewart is one of a few riders that you either knew was going to win, or he was going to crash for pushing too hard. This debate often includes him as a contender for the fastest motocross rider of all time.

4. Antonio Cairoli

Antonio Cairoli did amazing things in the MXGP. He has obtained:

• 94 MX Wins (70-450, 24-250cc)
• 9 Tittles (2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017)

The crazy thing about Cairoli doing all of these is that he managed to win the majority of his races on a KTM SXF 350 racing against 450cc motorbikes which is incredible and proves his legitimacy. His strong suit throughout his career was always his consistency to the podium a total of 179 times and having a 53% winning percentage.

5. Jeffery Herlings

Jeffery Herlings, also known as the “Bullet,” is one of the fastest riders in the world, reaching speeds only a very few have managed. Often considered one of the best motocross riders, Jeffery Herlings has:

• 103 MX wins
• 5 Titles (2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021)
• Won several MXON
• 2 AMA MX wins

Jeffery Herlings won his first MX2 at the age of 15, setting him up for a very successful career. Although he has been very injury-prone throughout his career, not allowing him to reach his full potential, he has the same mindset towards racing as James Stewart did; he was either going to win or crash. Jeffery Herlings also went over to America for a single race in the AMA series and he cleaned swept both moto’s, beating riders such as Eli Tomac and Marvin Musquin. As his career is not over and just coming back from another injury, it’ll be exciting to see what else he will be able to accomplish.

Honourable Mentions

These riders have all made significant contributions to the sport, but when it comes to the greatest rider of all time, names like Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, Jeffery Herlings, Antonio Cairoli and Stefan Everts often come up due to their unmatched achievements and lasting legacy in motocross.