The Most Stylish MX Riders of All Time

The name Bob Kohl isn’t as recognized today as it once was, but he is clearly among the most stylish MX riders of all time. Though a tragic crash in 1995 landed him with injuries that slowed him down, Bob Kohl more or less invented the moto backflip. Having often preformed backflips on a BMX bike, he conquered it in the world of motocross in 1993 on a Honda Cr80, and started a revolution in the world of freestyle motocross in the process. “Children of a Metal God” and other motocross videos had hinted to the feasibility of the trick, but Kohl proved it was.It would be difficult not to include Travis Pastrana in a list of the most stylish riders. In 2010, Pastrana won Moto X Freestyle with a double backflip, having landed the first competition double backflip in 2006. His list of accomplishments is incredible, and even includes the highest ever run of Moto X Freestyle with 99 points. Even though he has never won a 250 cc race, he did win the 2000 AMA 125 cc National Championship and the 2001 125 cc East Coast Supercross Championship.Nate Adams is said to be Pastrana’s rival, and with good reason. He was the first rider to defeat Pastrana in a freestyle moto event, and is prized for his ability to innovate existing tricks. As early as 2002, he won a freestyle motocross championship, and he was only eighteen years old at the time. For instance, he was the first rider to do a no-hander landing off a backflip in competition. His innovations lead him to be named the AST Dew Tour Athlete of the Year in 2007.Mike Metzger is the first individual to have completed a backflip over the famous fountains of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. On top of this, he invented the McMetz, in which a rider places both feet over the handlebars while catching air and then sweeps them backwards while taking his hands off. The trick actually keeps him floating above his bike for a moment before he remounts it. Metzger is also sometimes said to be crazy. He learned to flip, for instance, by trying to work over an improvised take off and jumping into a sand dune. This method isn’t nearly as safe as the modern foam pit.