There has been a lot of comparisons with Jett Lawrence to other legendary riders in the America but the biggest comparison surely has to be to Stefan Everts!
There is no other rider that Jett rides as closely too in terms of style, technique and smoothness. They both ride with the balls of their feet on the pegs and standing up as much as they possibly can and, if anything, Everts somehow makes it look a little better with his elbows up all the time. And don’t forget, Everts could ride supercross with top ten speed in 1992 as a teenager in the premier class for his AMA debut against Bayle, Bradshaw, Stanton and the rest.
Both are a joy to watch and ride a bike the correct way, low revs, momentum and flow, on the pegs with the body very still, with amazing balance, it’s technical perfection – and both had Harry Everts coaching them! They almost look deceptively slow, because they don’t look to be putting in much effort and don’t move too much on the bike, it looks like a Sunday cruise but it’s all momentum based on perfect technique and the speed flows.
The basic style and technique Jett is using to win in this era, is the same Everts has been using since the early 90s, it’s nothing new. America are just seeing Everts style via Jett all these years later and all the deserved compliments Jett is getting for the beautiful way he rides a bike is what Stefan might feel he should have got during his 10 world title and 101 GP win career, but back then, especially in the 90s, GPs weren’t really on the US radar like they are today.
See the eerily similar comparisons below with Everts as a 18 year on a 125 Suzuki right until the end of his career beating James Stewart, Everts and Lawrence show you how to ride a bike!
Everts in 1991
See a teenage Everts take on the AMA supercross stars as the reigning 125 world champ as part of his preparation to race the 250 GP – and Everts didn’t get much prep as he had to do some Army training before he could fly to the States.
Everts talks about his supercross experience here: