Top 5 Dirt Bike Social Stars
By BeMoto
Once upon a time the Dirt Bike world was all about racing. Traditionally moto wins and podium finishes were all important. If you wanted to succeed in the game, results mattered and that was the end of it.
However, the advent of Freestyle Motocross in the 1990’s rocked the status quo. The pioneers of FMX started a movement that - for the first time in history - meant that talented Dirt Bike riders could earn a living (and a decent one at that) without ever having to win a race or line up behind the gates… and then came the social media revolution, changing the game once again.
In order to succeed and earn that dough the FMX legends of old would still have to compete in prestigious events, send next level tricks, and film parts in fairly big budget Dirt Bike DVD’s - such as Crusty Demons and Terra Firma.
The advent of Facebook, Instagram and YouTube has enabled some moto athletes to follow in the footsteps of Snow, Skate and Surf stars - making a living without needing to enter competitions or win races. In today’s world it is very possible for a Dirt Bike star to be just as successful as the best racers in the world simply by dominating YouTube or Instagram. Today a rider can earn worldwide recognition and attract big time sponsors by posting the sickest footage online and sharing an insight into their lives. All without needing to drop thousands and thousands of dollars on creating a full movie or having to raise the bar with the next death-defying trick or stunt.
The Social Go To People
We are going to give you the heads up on the Top Five Dirt Bike Social Media stars that you should be following. These are the guys that we think utilise the various online platforms in the best, most unique ways. Although there are many pro racers with big online followings, we have instead decided to focus on those riders that have been able build massive digital footprints without the benefit of receiving huge exposure from race coverage (although we haven’t totally ignored the racers).
There are a few honourable mentions that haven’t quite made the top five cut. But the likes of Josh Hill, Colby Raha, Billy Bolt and Graham Jarvis are all great follows and riders that post insane riding footage. These next five gentleman however have raised the metaphorical bar for what is possible for Dirt Bikers in the digital age…
5. Tyler Bereman
Instagram - @tylerbereman
Once upon a time Tyler Bereman was a racer chasing the Supercross dream. Somewhere along the way he found Free Riding and fell in love. Bereman struggled as a privateer racer, but since his transition to focus on Free Ride he has picked up some big-time support. They don’t just give out those Red Bull lids to anyone you know. Tyler is one of the most stylish riders around and he obviously has an untapped creative spark and a clear vision of where he could take the Free Ride discipline. After following TB you can expect to see big jumps, sick whips and next level projects such as his Red Bull ‘Imagination’ series.
4. Ken Roczen
Instagram - @kenroczen94
Although we said that we weren’t going to focus on racers, you just can’t ignore the power of Ken Roczen. The German superstar has been a dominant force on the racetrack since he burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old wonderkid back in 2009. He’s had some great battles over the years and has won plenty of silverware, but where he truly dominates is in the digital arena. K-Roc decimates the competition online. He tops pretty much all the social media ranking lists, and no other dirt bike racer – past or present, AMA or GP – comes near him in total number of fans and followers. Although Roczen hasn’t quite achieved the ultimate goal of becoming the AMA Supercross champ just yet, there’s no doubting that he is the biggest name in the sport right now.
If you choose to follow 'Ze German' you can expect brutally honest posts about life, racing and everything in between, mixed in with Ken’s signature personality. He’s a far cry from the corporate sponsor robots that many racers are said to have become in recent years.
3. Ronnie Mac
Instagram - @uncleronnie68
If there’s one example that exhibits what can truly be possible in the digital age of dirt bikes, it’s the Ronnie Mac story. Uncle Ron and his team have transformed a series of viral goon riding clips into a global Dirt Bike empire unlike anything else. The foul-mouthed, no holds barred character is about as non-PC as you can get…but his legions of fans adore him for it. Millions upon millions of views means that Ron is a merch selling machine and he has actually become a main event attraction for various Dirt Bike events around the world, from Australia to Weston-Super-Mare. It’s pretty incredible what the denim dungaree’s have been able to achieve.
In Ron’s own words, he’s ‘the baddest mother f#*%er on 2 wheels’.
2. Danger Boy Deegan / The Deegan Family
Instagram - @dangerboydeegan / @briandeegan38
Haiden Deegan is a teenage amateur motocross rider chasing the pro racer dream. But at just 15 years old ‘Danger Boy’ already has more Instagram followers than every single 450 rider competing in the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross championship other than Ken Roczen. This is thanks to the ‘Deegan Family’ brand that Haiden’s dad Brian has been building for the past 10 years. Brian Deegan himself has a massive social media following – he was one of the original pioneers of FMX back in the day – and as a family they have implemented a tactical plan to dominate social media. The family channel on YouTube is huge and individually they all have massive numbers on Instagram.
Even if Haiden doesn’t make it Pro – which he will – his social media might will be more than enough to bring him lucrative opportunities for years to come. We’ve never seen anything quite like the Deegan family empire in the Moto space before.
Following the Deegan clan will give you a real insight into the crazy lives of this adrenaline fuelled family.
1. Axell Hodges
Instagram - @axellhodges
Right now Axell Hodges is the undisputed king of social media in the dirt bike world. Otherwise known as ‘Slay’ Axell has become a true social media sensation. His brother might be the Dirt Shark and Jeremy McGrath might be a close family friend – which has obviously helped Axell reach these heights- but there is no doubting that Axell is one of the most naturally gifted riders in the world right now. Riders all over the globe try to emulate his effortless style and technique. Axell first dominated Instagram with his technical dirt bike trick shots and wheelie videos, but that eventually evolved and progressed to result in massive projects such as ‘Slayground 3’, which is his latest masterpiece.
Axell is undoubtably one of the biggest stars in the sport, and he’s never lined up for a professional race. Slay truly sets the bar for what is possible for a dirt bike ‘influencer’.
There you have it! The top social peeps to follow for some awesome content. If you're making content yourself, feel free to share it with us on Facebook.
In the meantime...
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