More Dirty Deeds: Marc Marquez Dirtbike Video

A couple weeks ago, we caught a video of MotoGP road racing legend Valentino Rossi spinning a few laps on a flat track motorcycle. Not to be outdone, reigning MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez has been spotted practicing his Honda CRF450R motocrosser on the WHIP Facebook page.

If nothing else, it shows just how elementary dirtbike riding is for motorcycle enthusiasts the world over. After all, a lot of us got our start in the dirt. Some of us move on while others never leave, but there’s also that happy middle ground for a lot of motorcyclists who find a way to divide their time between the dirt and pavement disciplines.

Besides being fun, dirtbike riding, and more specifically motocross riding, is one of the best tools for teaching balance and coordination on a motorcycle while encountering a wide variety of often-changing terrain conditions, a far cry from asphalt. Show us anyone who has mastered the intricacies of riding a dirtbike, and we’ll show you someone who is instantly competent on a streetbike.

The 24-year-old Marquez is clearly competent at both. He has been a dominant force in the MotoGP since making his debut in the class in 2013, and he has since gone on to win three MotoGP titles. Nicknamed the “Ant of Cervera,” he is one of four riders to have won world championship titles in three different categories, an accolade he shares with Rossi and road racing legends Mike Hailwood and Phil Read. When Marquez won the 2013 MotoGP Championship, he became the first rider since American motorcycle racing icon Kenny Roberts (1978) to land the premier road racing title in the world as a rookie. En route to winning his He defended his title, Marquez won ten races in a row. He is also the all-time reord holder for Grand Prix pole positions.

Oh, by the way, Marquez is also the reigning Superprestigio Dirt Track Champion.