Gary Bailey is the first American rider to beat a European.
He was, however, beefed for getting less than the other European riders he beat.
This, however, launched his career.
He started getting enough support to continue his riding full time.
His story of working for some grocery lifting heavy loads also became a Cinderella story that everyone embraced.
He started teaching kids and they were listening to him all the while, winning competitions.
Eventually, he started building race tracks too.
Bailey is now a Motorcycle Hall of Famer.
Japan entered the market with Honda units.
Suzuki followed.
The key was the machines being sold was for commercial purpose and not for racing.
They were selling it for a lot less compared t he Harleys of this world.
This may have been bad for the European and American brand but this was definitely good for the popularity of the sport.
More people gained access to the machine.
A movie titled Wild One and Hell's Angel featured the sport.
In 1987, the American Motocross Team beat the European team raising the level of motocross as a serious sport.
Then President Regan invited them in the White House.
Americans now dominate the motocross.
They have unsurpassed record in winning the most number of championships.
This may be credited to the fact that more companies support them.
Being the biggest entertainment center in the world, all avenues of marketing are being explored.
The market is bigger, the opportunity is bigger.
As the craft is being tinseled, records are being broken, acts are becoming more death defying, the sport is becoming more exciting.
When the X-games was institutionalized, motorcycle exhibitions further gained traction.
Motocross is not beyond a man's game.
It has become like show business, an industry that both men dominates and women support.
More and more superstars are being produced as well.
MTV plays a big part in making the game more appealing to the young.
They have utilized the natural appeal of music and incorporated it to the road shows and coverage of the X-games.
There is no doubt that motocross is here to stay along with its other relatives - x-gaming and exhibition games.
I personally like the sport.
I ride too but not in the level that will launch me to stardom.
I know enough to say that beyond the marketing and the glamour, motorcycle riding is really about the feeling that you get when you are on your bike.
The feeling of the wind directly against your skin makes you feel free.
It's a nice feeling and as long as it is there, motorcycles are here to stay.