MotoFactory

Editor Mark Tilley goes over the new features on the 6D ATR-3 and compares it to its predecessor. Is it worth the money? How do you make this helmet last you 10 years? What are the differences? How does it feel on the track? Mark answers those questions and more in this video we shot at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California  The post 6D ATR-3 HELMET TESTING FEEDBACK : IS IT TIME TO UPGRADE? appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

On this week’s 2-Stroke Tuesday we give you an exclusive look at our newest project for the mini rippers. This 2024 Yamaha YZ65 build was all about keeping it simple with some style. We work with companies like Dubach Racing Development, Maxima, VP Racing Fuels, ODI, GYTR, Backyard Designs and Dunlop. Jared at Backyard designs made a custom kit that made our YZ65 pop. Our test rider preferred the no waffle design ODI soft white standard grips. Dunlop MX34 tires were used on both ends. The only internal engine modification was the installation of a Rekluse Auto Clutch. GYTR makes a variety of dress up items for the YZ65. DR.D silencer extreme close up! More GYTR bling with a little function. Here is a look at the brand new complete DR.D Exhaust system. They have two-stroke exhaust available for a variety of models now. This is step one in our Yamaha YZ65 build stay tuned for more! The post 2024 YAMAHA YZ65 PROJECT WITH DR.D : 2-STROKE TUESDAY appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

This is the next chapter. Electric motorcycles are no longer a novelty. The Arctic Leopard Cheetah E-XE880 is a perfect example of an off-road bike that isn’t defined by its power source. It’s a legitimate motorcycle that just happens to have a battery instead of a gas tank. To back up a little, Arctic Leopard is a newish company from mainland China just getting a toehold in the U.S. market. It has no relationship to the Arctic Cat ATV/snowmobile brand. So far, the company offers a handful of electric motorcycles. The bike we have here is the Cheetah, which is the company’s most technologically sophisticated product so far. It comes in two different variations: the 800 and the 880, which refers to max output in Newton meters. For rough comparison, 800 N/m is said to be equivalent to 37 horsepower; 880 is supposed to be about 51. We rode both versions, but spent most of our time on the 880. Can you blame us? The Arctic Leopard Chetah E-XE880 has the biggest battery we’ve yet seen in an electric off-road bike. it sell for $11,000 and is incredibly fast. THE TECH Setting the powertrain aside, the Cheetah isn’t that far removed from a conventional dirt bike. The frame is aluminum with a perimeter design. The suspension is from a company by the name of ZL. The wheels are by KKE, and the brakes are Braktec—and yes, it does have a foot-operated rear brake. Tires are Maxxis, and the bodywork has a distinct Honda flavor. This model is clearly equipped with dual-sport certification in mind; it has controls for blinkers and a horn, even if those items aren’t currently in place. Once you get past all that, the Cheetah is wildly different from virtually anything we’ve tested in the past. It all starts with the battery. The 880 has a 90-volt/75 amp-hour battery, which works out to 6750 watt-hours of capacity. On paper, that’s larger than the battery for the Surron Storm Bee (5700 Wh) or the Stark Varg (6500 Wh), but considerably smaller than full-size street bikes like the Zero DSR (15,600 Wh). Weight, of course, is the limiting factor for a dirt bike. The advertised weight of the Zero is 534 pounds, whereas the Cheetah 880 is 248 pounds (on our scale). Now, for the real questions: how far will it go and how fast is it? To provide the most simplified answers possible, during our test, it lasted over an hour on a motocross course. And, it’s insanely fast. If you want to dumb it down, you can easily double the range. Company specs say the range is 133 miles if you’re willing to go 15 mph the whole time. We’ll trust them on that number. The real story here is the adjustability of the power delivery. On the handlebar, the Cheetah has controls that let you shift into any one of five different riding modes: Novice, Trail, Enduro, Rally and MX. Within each of those five levels, you can choose three levels of output. If that’s not enough, the Cheetah connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and provides you with a bewildering number of options. You can customize any of the modes by altering speed, power output, power burst and traction control. It’s enough to quickly send any self-respecting test rider into option overload. In full-power configuration, the Cheetah 880 can hang with a 450cc off-road competition bike. There’s more. On the left side of the handlebar there’s a little lever where the clutch usually is. It has multiple functions. It can be an auxiliary rear brake, a battery regeneration brake or an electronic clutch. That last feature isn’t yet available, but will be in the next update of the smartphone app. During our test we used it in battery regeneration mode, but we soon learned there are options within options. You can alter how strong the regenerative braking force is. If it’s too strong, it just locks up the rear wheel. BUT HOW IS IT? Our advice is to set all the options into default, put it in Trail mode on level two and have a good time. That’s where the Cheetah is at its best. It makes an exceptional trail bike because it allows you to ride as slowly as you like, but it has a wild side when you want it. When the options are all turned up, it can be difficult to ride because it has so much power and is so responsive. Unlike a conventional bike with a clutch and gearbox, the only real control you have is throttle position, so riding the Cheetah at full strength becomes a lesson in throttle control. You get used to it, but it takes time. At level two (medium output), the 880 is plenty powerful and effective. You know all that stuff we say about how “electric” the power delivery of a good two-stroke can be? It turns out, there’s nothing as electric as the real thing. When you get in a tight, difficult situation, the Cheetah can be gentle and patient while you gather your wits and work on your balance. Then, when it’s time to go, you have acceleration that’s comparable to a good, 250cc, off-road four-stroke. There are two versions of the Arctic Leopard Cheetah. The 800 (pictured here) has less output and shorter suspension travel, but sells for $1600 less than the 880. If you like lots of options, you’ll love the VTB smartphone app. When you get into deep sand or go hill-climbing on level three, MX mode is perfectly appropriate. That’s where the power is comparable to a 450 off-road bike. Interestingly enough, we wouldn’t choose the default configuration of the MX mode if we were to ride motocross. The response is far too sensitive in middle-level throttle openings. Within the app, you can actually access a graph depicting throttle opening on one axis and output on the other—and you can draw a whole new curve with your finger! The possibilities are endless. MOTORCYCLE PARTS The biggest weaknesses of the Arctic Leopard turn out to be the easiest things to fix. It’s as if the final testing phase of development were rushed. The standard suspension settings are rough, and the bike’s overall balance gives you a front-end high feel. The rear spring is much softer than the fork springs, and the rear shock is overtaxed. The seat is rock hard, the chassis is very stiff and some of the detailing needs attention. The rear brake pedal is far too vulnerable, the shrouds interfere with the steering and the kickstand can be extended by your heel. The price of the Arctic Leopard Cheetah 880 is $10,999. All that stuff is fairly minor in the big picture, and we have to remind ourselves where Arctic Leopard is in its own evolution. When Honda was only a few years old, they had issues of their own. The fact remains that this company is forging ahead into uncharted territory. The Cheetah 880 is at the very forefront of e-moto technology and has set the bar for electric bikes to come. Now, let’s see what happens. KKE wheels, Maxxis tires and Braktec brakes are standard equipment. The post ARCTIC LEOPARD ELECTRIC E-XE880: FULL TEST appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I have two young sons, and we’re in the early stages of riding dirt bikes. My boys love watching SX and MX, and in their minds, I’m sure they believe they are Hunter and Jett. I want to teach them proper skills and fundamentals, and I was thinking riding off-road first would be the best way to do this. If they can learn to handle sand, hardpack and rocks, as well as technical uphill and downhills, then the MX track will come much easier. What are your thoughts? Bill Bledsoe via mrknowitall@hi-torque.com Well, Billy boy, you’ll have some crazed Little League minidads claiming that you’re daft, but the reality is that, for the majority, you have hit the proverbial finishing nail with a sledgehammer. Riding a dirt bike is problem-solving, and what better lesson than embracing off-road? There’s far less pressure, and you and your brood can let the passion for the sport blossom. When your fenced monkeys get comfortable with all the evolving obstacles of off-road and really learn how their motorcycles behave, then mastering double jumps will be much easier to tame. SAGGY AND CONFUSED Dear Mr. Know-It-All, Everyone preaches the importance of suspension setup, but the amount of advice for dialing in the rear shock is flat confusing. What’s more important: free sag or dialed-in rider sag? What’s the difference, and why is it so critical? Jimmy Trifiro via mrknowitall@hi-torque.com Great query, Mr. Trifiro. I forwarded this to Dick Wilk from Dicks Racing, a friend and an incredible suspension specialist. Here’s his sage advice: “Static sag is the most important and should be set first (25–35mm). After that, you can check rider sag, but this is really more of a test to see if you’re using the correct spring. If the sag with the rider aboard is between 100–110mm, then you’re good to go. If the machine sags less than 100mm, your rear spring is too stiff; if the droop is more than 110mm, your spring is too soft. Let’s say you weigh 220 pounds plus gear (15 pounds), and you set the rider sag on your new bike to 105mm, because that’s what ‘they’ say it should be. At that point, there is an entire culture of people who think it’s good to go. The problem is that your machine’s static sag will be near 0, meaning there is too much preload on the spring. The issue here is that with a 235-pound rider, the machine requires a stiffer rear coil. Knowing the static sag first will show you whether the rear spring is proper for the pilot’s size once you follow up with a ‘rider sag’ measurement. Here’s how you measure static sag: With the bike on a stand, make a mark on the side of the rear fender straight up from the axle. Measure from axle to the mark. Take that same measurement with the bike off the stand sitting on its own weight. The difference should be 25–35mm depending on the bike and what characteristics you’re looking for—25mm for better turning, 35mm for more stability.” WEEPING SILVERWARE Dear Mr. Know-It-All, While my machine was simply sitting in the garage minding its own business, the forks decided to start leaking. It ruined my weekend when I couldn’t go to the track. I’ve heard of quick hacks that can fix this; can you clue me in? “Larry the Leaker” via mrknowitall@hi-torque.com Well, Mr. Leaker, there is usually a stimulant to an inanimate object that simply starts vomiting its blood. The lower fork tube is directly in the path of roost (from machines you are chasing) and your own front tire’s roost (that gets flipped forward from the front wheel as it rotates). The best quick fix is the Seal Mate (available at www.motionpro.com). Pop off the seal cover, insert the Seal Mate under the fork seal, and with contact cleaner (or any suitable pressurized lubricant), blast the gap between the seal and the lower tube. Rotate and shoot the aerosol a full 360 degrees. Then, clean the fork tube, refit the seal cover, and there’s a decent chance that it was a rogue chunk of dirt or sand that ignited the leakage. One other bit of advice here: get some lower fork guards that wrap around the back of the fork tube. Front-tire roost can easily ding the fork tube and start the fork-seal floodgates. The boys at N2Dirt offer an excellent product in the ProTech fork guard (www.n2dirt.com). email: mrknowitall@hi-torque.com | mail: Dirt Bike Mr. Know-It-All 25233 Anza Dr. Valencia, CA 91355 The post TEACHING MOTOKIDS: MR KNOW-IT-ALL appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

Finally! We have a Triumph TF250X test bike. It’s been six months since we were invited to Florida for the introduction of this bike. Triumph made a big splash at the time; all the magazines (all three of them), all the websites (maybe a half dozen), all the social media influencers (about a zillion) and even some podcast media were invited for two days of riding. From that, about a dozen ziggabytes of content was generated for the new bike, all favorable. For most of those outlets, that was all they wanted. We wanted more time on the bike, but delays across the supply chain forced us to wait until now. Pete Murray raced the TF250X at Glen Helen this week. He liked it ! Our initial impression was favorable too, and we make no apologies for that. We thought the power and suspension were in the hunt, that it was light and cornered well. But without other 250s for direct comparison, it was hard to be sure. First thing we did when we got a test bike of our own was weigh it. On our digital scale, it’s 221 pounds without fuel. For comparison, the 2025 Honda is 219 and the 2025 KTM 250SX-F is 225. We thought it felt light and it is; so far so good. Then we dropped it off at Pro Circuit for a dyno test. They reported that the Triumph was lackluster down low and average on top compared to other bikes in the class. But, they also felt it would get better with time. Our bike was brand new at the time, so we decided not to publish those numbers yet. We’ll try again in a couple of weeks. Since then we have about 10 hours on the TF250X and it is, indeed, getting better with every ride. We still feel that low-end and mid-range power is its biggest weakness. The Honda and KTM 250s we have had along for comparison are both far stronger until you really get the Triumph singing. On top, the TF250X is a little stronger than the Honda, but the KTM is the horsepower champ so far. On the handlebar you have four buttons; launch assist, two maps, traction control and Quickshift. Everyone preferred map two (light on). There were no real defenders of traction control. Most people like Quickshift, but the shifting on our test bike is very, very stiff. Hopefully, that will break in as well. We still love the overall handling. It seemed best with the rear end set up higher than we usually like. For most riders, we ended up at around 100mm of sag. The bike is still very stable. Overall, the suspension is definitely on the soft side. It’s plush, but faster riders can go through the travel easily. We aren’t crazy about the Pirelli tires or the stock gearing, either. It turns out that KTM rear sprockets are a perfect fit, so our next move is to add two teeth to the rear and see if that will bring it to life. We also noted in the original review that the gearbox was very gappy; especially 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to fourth. Lower gearing should help that. Obviously, we still have a lot of testing to do. But we still feel the TF250X is in the hunt. It’s amazing to us that Triumph could land their first ever motocross bike so close to the top of the class. We still haven’t ruled it out as the 250F of the year, but we know the whole class is going to be tighter and tougher than ever. Stay tuned. GLEN HELEN NEWS Mike Alessi at the 2009 Glen Helen National MX. Is there going to be a National MX at Glen Helen ever again? No one knows, but this episode of the Gypsy Tales podcast with Bud Feldcamp and Lori Wilson will give you a little more insight on the reasons we are where we are. Give it a listen. IN THE NEXT ISSUE Mike Leib testing the Highland in 2009. In the October, 2024 print edition of Dirt Bike there are a few stories that are worth waiting for. One is written by none other than Gunnar Lindstrom. Little-known fact: Gunnar was once the editor of Dirt Bike Magazine. In this story he recounts the tragic tale of America’s last great dirt bike, the Highland. The ATK that never was. THE GREATEST GENERATION Who is the greatest motocrosser of your generation? Lately, there’s been some talk of generational talent in motocross; who is and who isn’t. In the October issue, Tom Webb lays the issue to rest with the list authoritative list of 10 10 generations of real talent. Do you know who this man is? Generation Mac. Generation Mikkola Generation Bayle Generation Bradshaw See you next week –Ron Lawson The post FINALLY! TRIUMPH TF250X TEST BIKE: THE WRAP appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

Last year KTM introduced a redesigned 50cc and 65cc SX model, for 2025 they are introducing a redesigned 85cc SX model featuring a new frame, subframe, airbox, rear shock, and all new styling. See the official photos and information directly from KTM USA below. Filling the gap between the KTM 65 SX and the KTM 125 SX, the 2025 KTM 85 SX provides young racers the ideal platform to launch into full-size motocross competition, ready to pick up the baton and continue its domination in the 85 cc class. The 2025 KTM 85 SX is developed to be as close to a scaled-down version of a full-size KTM Motocross machine as possible, with international testing in Europe, North America, and Australia. This has resulted in an 85 cc screamer that not only looks like it’s bigger siblings but behaves like them, sharing the same high levels of quality and attention to detail. For 2025, the KTM 85 SX has been updated significantly to enhance handling characteristics, boost rider confidence, and improve engine performance in the low to mid-rpm range. A completely new frame, subframe, and swingarm provide the basis for the update over the previous generation. Based on the full-sized KTM SX frame concept, the high-strength chromium molybdenum steel frame integrates carefully calculated longitudinal flex and torsional rigidity parameters for unmatched rider feedback, energy absorption, and straight-line stability. This is mated to a 1-piece polyamide glass fiber reinforced aluminum subframe, reducing overall weight and providing a platform to integrate the electronics. Manufactured using a gravity die-cast process, the one-piece aluminum swingarm offers exceptional strength with minimal weight. The topology has been optimized for maximum rigidity, and an improved casting process reduces the weight by 300 grams. Additionally, a 20 mm rear axle has been fitted to optimize and match the chassis flex characteristics. The new frame also allowed for a new riding experience with a steering head at 26.5° —half a degree flatter than the previous generation—and moved rearwards by 6 mm. This has aided in cornering stability and a more planted feel in high-speed acceleration, further supported by a wider steering angle of 35°, which has improved the steering angle by 2° over its predecessor. The engine position has also been tweaked, with a 3° rotation upwards to maintain a more direct connection point with the swingarm. This has allowed for the most effective weight distribution when hitting jumps. Regarding suspension updates, the 2025 KTM 85 SX benefits from an all-new, fully-adjustable WP XACT monoshock, mirroring the latest technology found in the full-size Motocross range. Linked directly to the swingarm with a PDS (Progressive Damping System) format, the WP XACT monoshock has a different mounting point to the previous generation, allowing for a more compact rear shock design with a shorter stroke. This provides improved rider feedback and stability over larger jumps and rough tracks. A notable update over the previous generation is a lower suspension travel of 289 mm compared to 305 mm on the previous model. This has aided dramatically in controlling rebound and compression in the rear shock, with a more planted feel, better traction, and overall improved handling. Up front, the 2025 KTM 85 SX maintains the championship-proven and lightweight 43 mm WP XACT USD AER fork. Compared to the previous generation, the air pressure is tuned to 4.8 bar from the previous 5.0 bar for a smoother ride and suspension compliance. An updated engine has improved power in the low and mid-rpm range and increased torque and performance. This is made possible by a new cylinder head and spark plug, ignition, exhaust, shift drum, and updated carburetor settings. Changes on the new generation KTM 85 SX have also extended to the overall looks, with all-new slimmer bodywork mimicking that of the full-sized KTM SX range. This new look is also functional, allowing for better contact with young riders’ boots when standing up. New footpegs, a larger radiator, and improved triple clamps round out the changes. The 2025 KTM 85 SX is another example of KTM’s dedication to mini-cross, with the same amount of energy and attention going to the development of grassroots racing as it imparts at a Supercross level. The new 2025 KTM 85 SX will be rolling off the Austria production line in July and will be available at authorized KTM dealers from August onward. The post 2025 KTM 85SX ANNOUNCED : ALL NEW AND IMPROVED appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

On this week’s 2-Stroke Tuesday we take a closer look at test rider Carson Brown’s Twisted Development custom built Suzuki RM300cc race machine. This is one of the most unique machines that has ever been raced at the 2-Stroke World Championship, if you want to see it in action check out our YouTube for the complete live race coverage or scroll to the bottom on this post. Surprisingly this build is really close to a stock RMZ250 four stroke, as a matter a fact the entire chassis besides the engine mount or cradle mods is OEM Suzuki . When Suzuki last updated the RMZ250 the frame was changed towards the front of the bike making the “Y” section come up higher allowing it to accommodate a two-stroke exhaust easier. Carson mentioned this was one of the best two-strokes he has ever had a chance to ride when it comes to an overall package. No you can’t buy this exhaust for your two-stroke. This is a completely custom one-off system made specifically for this build. We love the way it looks but as of right now Pro Circuit has no plans to offer it to the general public. (That could change though) The RMZ engine mounts were replaced with completely custom versions that placed the new 300cc KTM engine in the correct position. The crew at Guts Racing made a gripper seat cover to compliment the chrome finished Backyard Design custom graphics. Carson Brown used the new Dunlop MX34 tires mounted on stock Suzuki RMZ wheels. The KTM 300cc engine looks right at home in the RMZ250 four-stroke chassis. It’s interesting how little frame modification was needed to accomplish this engine swap. Extreme close up of the Keihin carb that feeds the Twisted Development tuned KTM 300 engine. Look for a complete story in the July printed edition of Dirt Bike Magazine on this Twisted Development RM300 and see it in action below. The post CARSON BROWNS TWISTED DEVELOPMENT RM300 RACE BIKE: 2-STROKE TUESDAY appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

We got a little throttle happy with our 2023 KTM 300XC-W test bike. To our surprise, we managed to log almost 200 hours (191 to be exact) of trail time on the completely stock unit in about a seven-month timespan. We still can’t believe it, but all those missed deadlines make sense now. We teamed up with AEO Powersports, REP Suspension, Race Winning Brands, Bulletproof Designs and a host of other industry-leading companies to completely rebuild this 2023 KTM 300XC-W. Ray Rodden from Kinetic Ride Company was the man behind the wrenches on this project. Usually, when we start a build, the bike is torn apart, assessed, and then the decisions are made on what stays and what goes. With this build, because of the sheer amount of time already on the bike, pretty much all the moving and wear parts were replaced except for the actual transmission gears. ENGINE With 191 hours running time on the engine without any major maintenance, we were a little scared to see what everything looked like internally. The bike was running and working well when we decided to do this project, but that’s a lot of time on an engine regardless. Much to our surprise, everything inside was in working order, and a lot of items naturally were out of the manufacturer’s recommended wear specifications. But, it was all still working like it was designed to and could have probably lasted way longer. With the engine completely taken apart by Brad at Parapros, the cases headed to Sano Metal Finishing to get cleaned up and some specialty coating applied. The seals and bearings were replaced internally using kits from ProX, we used a Pro-Lite piston kit from Wiseco, and Andrew Langston with Langston Performance rebuilt the crankshaft. We went with a full Rekluse Core Manual clutch that features their TorqDrive technology instead of the full-auto version, because we liked the OEM clutch action but wanted a little more adjustability and positive traction to the rear wheel. Parapros sealed up the engine using Cometic gaskets and an entirely new Nickel Wurks hardware kit from Specbolt that added some additional bling factor. Kickstands are a must on trail bikes, and the Fastway/Pro Moto Billet kickstand is one of the best on the market. ICW straightened and braced up our stock radiators, making them off-road-ready. Increased fuel storage with an IMS oversized tank means more trail riding, and that makes everyone happy. We left all the ECU/electrical settings OEM KTM, but we did add a complete Scalvini exhaust system from the crew at Motoman Distributing for a little extra power just in case it was needed. We aren’t going to lie, the cool cone-pipe look was one of the deciding factors in choosing the Scalvini system. Jay Clark from “Dirt Bike TV” was a huge help putting all the puzzle pieces together during the parts sourcing of our engine rebuild process. CHASSIS Although an engine rebuild is a big undertaking, the chassis on this build is where most of our time was spent. The one thing unanimously agreed upon was that the orange frame color had to go, and our Instagram followers chose the new black color that we went with, thanks to the crew at San Diego Powder Coating. We kept the swingarm the natural raw aluminum color, but had to file down some deep scratches, sand out some smaller imperfections, and then send it off to be polished up to bring back that showroom shine. Our stock suspension was in need of some major TLC, so you could imagine with almost 200 hours of service how dirty the oil was. Mark Johnson and his entire crew at Research Engineering Performance (REP) handled bringing our suspension back to life. Even with almost 200 hours, we again were surprised how the overall condition wasn’t too bad when everything was torn apart. Yes, it was worn out, but we expected way worse. REP makes the suspension process pretty simple, with most of the process being done on a computer or smartphone. Online appointment booking, rider sheets, cost estimators, and the best part is, if you don’t understand anything, their customer service consultant, Chelsey is available on the phone and will walk you through the entire process. On this project we stayed conservative and didn’t take the WP Pro Components leap, but did get the REP royal treatment with a complete internal rebuild, re-valve, and spring setup all designed specifically for the type of tight technical riding we planned on doing. The Scalvini exhaust is easy on the eyes and provides noticeable performance gains. When building any off-road bike, protection is always a key factor, and this KTM 300XC-W is no exception. Bulletproof Designs offers a wide variety of items available in that department. We installed their billet-aluminum radiator guards, chain adjusters, rear chainguide swingarm mount guard and an upgraded set of wheels that replaced the used-up stock units. We wrapped the new wheels with Maxxis off-road tires featuring Nitromousse foam inserts to eliminate the possibility of getting a flat on the trail. Another company big in the protection game is TM Designworks, using a full-coverage skid plate, front fork-lug protectors, rear brake-caliper protection, rear rotor protection, rear chainguide and chain sliders on this build, and they all work flawlessly! Other chassis bolt-on items included are the ProTaper handlebars and grips, Seat Concepts gripper seat cover, Fastway pegs, Pro Moto Billet kickstand, Luxon Gen 3 triple clamps, P3 Carbon frame guards, FCP engine mounts, and an IMS Products 3.1-gallon oversized tank and coolant recovery system. The engine was freshened up by Parapros using Wiseco and ProX parts with a rebuilt crank from Langston Performance. END RESULT This 2023 KTM 300XC-W project has us scratching our heads now just like it did when we realized that somehow we had managed to put 191 hours on it without any major maintenance. Naturally, in the beginning, we figured it would be bad, but throughout the process we kept catching ourselves saying, “Well, it could have been way worse” or “It’s not that bad” over and over again. Once Ray at Kinetic finished the build, we quickly moved on to how it should look better than it did brand new. Now, after being able to throw a leg over the finished product, the entire Dirt Bike Magazine staff is in awe that our 200-hour KTM 300XCW project outperforms the stock model (that we thought couldn’t get much better) in every aspect. It hands down looks better, thanks to a complete RTech plastics kit, Backyard Designs custom graphics kit and a matching Seat Concepts gripper seat. Every inch of the bike is covered in protection, the IMS tank increases ride time, Nitromousse eliminates the flat possibilities, REP Suspension specs have to be experienced to be appreciated, and the engine assembled by Brad at Parapros is like new again. How did we make a bike with almost 200 hours on it better than brand new? We still aren’t exactly sure, but we are positive the next 200 hours will be more fun than the first 200 hours! The post KTM 300 TPI PROJECT: BACK FROM THE DEAD! appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship returned to the West Coast for its annual visit to Washougal MX Park. The MotoSport.com Washougal National Presented by Peterson CAT also served as the series’ Military Appreciation Race, which provided an enhanced atmosphere of passion and excitement around the action on the track, which saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton dominate with his third straight 1-1 effort to capture his fourth 450 Class victory of the season and add to his championship points lead. In the 250 Class, points leader Haiden Deegan edged out Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle via tiebreaker for the fifth win of the season for the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider. 450 Class Moto 1 The opening moto of the afternoon got underway with a massive MotoSport.com Holeshot for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger, who had a lead of several bike lengths exiting the first turn with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine of Justin Cooper in second and Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence in third. Sexton started outside the top 10 but made quick passes to slot himself into sixth by the completion of the opening lap. Back up front, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson made the pass on Lawrence for third. As the moto progressed through its midway point the field settled in, but Sexton was mounting a charge. After a pass on Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis for fifth, Sexton began to lay down the fastest laps of the moto, which allowed him to close in on the lead group. He caught and passed Anderson for fourth with ease and then set his sights on Lawrence and Cooper, who were in a battle for second. Lawrence made the move on Cooper to take second, then Sexton followed through into third with a little more than 10 minutes to go. While he looked to keep Sexton at bay, Lawrence went down, which caused him to lose three positions and remount in fifth. Sexton inherited second and looked to erase a near five-second deficit to his teammate with just under 10 minutes remaining. Cooper moved into third, with Anderson fifth. With two minutes to go Sexton had cut the deficit in half, but Plessinger responded with his quickest laps of the moto. Sexton didn’t relent and continued to increase his pace to inch closer to Plessinger. With three laps to go less than a second separated the teammates. Plessinger then stalled his KTM briefly, which allowed Sexton to get alongside as Plessinger restarted. The momentum allowed Sexton to slip past and pull away from Plessinger. The championship leader stayed solid through the final laps to capture his sixth straight moto win by 5.3 seconds over Plessinger. Cooper followed in a distant third, with Anderson fourth and Lawrence fifth. Chase Sexton captured his third straight 1-1 sweep for his fourth win of the summer. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. Moto 2 The deciding moto started with Cooper leading the field to the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but he gave way to Lawrence briefly until Anderson made a charge to go from third to first in just a few hundred feet. Sexton followed in fourth, while Plessinger started fifth. While Anderson looked to sprint out to a lead, Lawrence strengthened his hold of second as Sexton made his way around Cooper for third. Five minutes into the moto, Anderson had established a 3.3 second lead on the field, while Lawrence, Sexton, and Plessinger settled into their respective positions. Cooper, meanwhile, encountered misfortune and dropped outside the top 10. As the opening 10 minutes passed, Sexton started to apply pressure on Lawrence for second. The championship rivals battled briefly, but Sexton made the pass stick and set his sights on Anderson, who sat 4.6 seconds ahead. Lawrence then faced pressure from Plessinger in fourth, as the KTM rider was eventually able to make his move into the top three. As the second half of the moto unfolded, Sexton was able to chip away at Anderson’s advantage, running the fastest laps on the track. With a little more than 10 minutes to go, Sexton closed to within 1.2 seconds of the lead. An outside line opened the door for Sexton to attempt a pass, as he edged ahead on the exit to secure the lead with a little more than eight minutes remaining. Anderson kept Sexton honest for several laps, but the KTM rider pulled away at the end to cap off another perfect afternoon by 13 seconds over Anderson, who wrapped up his best moto result of the season. Plessinger finished solidly in third. Aaron Plessinger equaled his career-best result with a runner-up effort. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. Overall Sexton’s third consecutive 1-1 performance, and his fourth of the season, resulted in a milestone 10th career win. Plessinger equaled his career-best result in second (2-3) to complete KTM’s second 1-2 sweep in three races. Anderson’s strong second moto landed him on the overall podium for the first time this season in third (4-2). With seven straight moto wins in tow, Sexton has built a 28-point lead in the 450 Class standings over Lawrence, who finished fourth (5-4) and missed the podium for the first time in his premier class career. Cooper, who finished fifth (3-7), sits third, 76 points behind Sexton. Jason Anderson earned his first podium result of the season in third. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. 1st: Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-1) “It feels nice [to get another 1-1 win]. I wanted to get another win before the break [in the schedule] to get some momentum. I haven’t been feeling the greatest the past few days, so it’s time for a rest. I was able to find a flow today and ride my own lines and it worked out well, even though I wasn’t feeling my best.” 2nd: Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (2-3) “I just got out there [in Moto 2] and knew I had to get by JCoop [Cooper]. I saw him go down and hope he’s ok. I got to Hunter [Lawrence] and had to make a move because I knew he’d come on strong at the end. Chase [Sexton] and Jason [Anderson] were on another level. I’m achieving the goals I’ve set for myself this season and it feels amazing.” 3rd: Jason Anderson, Monster Energy Kawasaki (4-2) “It feels nice. I’ve just been outside the podium so many times this season, so to be up here coming off a good moto feels good. I’ve been putting in the work and it’s paid off.” 450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points) Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM (1-1 // 50) Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (2-3 // 42) Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (4-2 // 40) Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (5-4 // 35) Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (3-7 // 35) Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda (6-5 // 33) Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna (10-6 // 28) Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Kawasaki (8-8 // 28) Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna (7-12 // 25) Marshal Weltin, Ubly, Mich., Yamaha (11-9 // 24) 450 Class Championship Standings (Round 8 of 11) Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM – 360 Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 332 Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 284 Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 281 Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 261 Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda – 237 Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 213 Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 210 Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna – 161 Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS – 148 250 CLASS Moto 1 The first 250 Class moto began with Vialle and Deegan side-by-side, with Vialle narrowly earning the MotoSport.com Holeshot. The rivals remained alongside one another until Vialle gained a slight edge going up Horsepower Hill to secure the lead. Behind them, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco slotted into third. The leaders settled in until Deegan tipped over and gave up second to DiFrancesco. Despite the miscue, Deegan remounted in third. The point leader bided his time and reclaimed the position from DiFrancesco on the following lap. Deegan’s deficit to Vialle was four seconds with 23 minutes to go. The lead pair mirrored times through the heart of the moto, which saw the lead stabilize at about 3.5 seconds. Behind them, DiFrancesco continued to run third but was forced to fend off Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith, who made the pass briefly before crashing, and then Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda, who applied pressure in the closing minutes and successfully made the pass for third. Back up front, Deegan attempted to make a late charge, but Vialle responded and effectively ended any threat. The Frenchman raced to just his second moto win of the season, his first since Round 2, by a margin of 11.3 seconds over Deegan. Shimoda finished in third, followed by a career-best moto result for DiFrancesco in fourth, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Max Anstie rounding out the top five. Haiden Deegan made his return to the top of the podium with his fifth win. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. Moto 2 The final moto of the afternoon saw Vialle keep the momentum going with a sweep of the MotoSport.com Holeshots as Deegan got another run alongside to try and take the lead in what was a mirror image of the start of Moto 1. Once again, the KTM rider got a better run up Horsepower Hill to fend off Deegan and maintain his hold of the top spot. Behind them, DiFrancesco got another stellar start in third while hometown hero Levi Kitchen was able to make his way into fourth aboard his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki. Despite the opening lap flurry, Vialle was able to move out to a lead of more than a second over Deegan. A torrid opening 10 minutes saw several passes unfold, but soon the top five settled with Vialle and Deegan inching away from DiFrancesco as Shimoda made the pass on Kitchen for fourth. Deegan then decided to go on the attack and seemingly caught Vialle off guard. The points leader used an alternate line to get alongside Vialle and completed the pass at the next corner. Behind them, Shimoda made the pass on DiFrancesco for third. The top three remained unchanged over the second half of the moto as Deegan continued to build his lead into the double digits. He easily secured his seventh moto victory of the season, which also ended a run of six winless motos, by a margin of 14 seconds over Vialle, who went unchallenged in second. Shimoda finished in a distant third. A second moto tiebreaker forced Tom Vialle to settle for a runner-up finish. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. Overall After two rounds without a victory, Deegan (2-1) returned to the top step of the podium with identical moto scores to Vialle (1-2), as the second moto tiebreaker gave the second-generation racer his fifth overall win of the season and the seventh of his young career. It also signified Vialle’s first podium result in two rounds and equaled his season-best effort. Shimoda (3-3) captured his third podium result in the past four races. Deegan’s lead in the championship standings grew to 53 points over Vialle, who moved from third to second, while Kitchen sits third, 70 points behind Deegan. Jo Shimoda finished on the podium for the third time in four races. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. 1st: Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (2-1) “We made a little different bike setup [for Moto 2] and it made a world of difference. Got a good start, made the pass, and just rode my own race. It’s nice to keep the Washougal [win] streak going [after last year] and put it back on top of the box.” 2nd: Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-2) “It was a good day. P1 in qualifying and we won the first moto. The track was really tough in the second moto, and I did my best, but Haiden was just faster. We’re going to try hard for the final three races.” 3rd: Jo Shimoda, Team Honda HRC (3-3) “Those two in the front [Deegand and Vialle] are going pretty quick right now. It’s not just one thing I need to work on. It’s a little bit of everything, but we’ll keep trying our best.” 250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points) Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-1 // 47) Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (1-2 // 47) Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (3-3 // 40) Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS (4-6 // 34) Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (6-5 // 33) Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (12-4 // 28) Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Triumph (9-7 // 28) Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph (7-9 // 28) Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (8-12 // 24) Jett Reynolds, Bakersfield, Calif., Yamaha (13-10 // 21) 250 Class Championship Standings (Round 8 of 11) Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 361 Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 307 Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 291 Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 275 Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 271 Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki – 233 Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS – 195 Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph – 187 Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS – 181 Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha – 165 The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship will observe a late summer break of two off weekends before a return to action for its stretch run of the final three rounds, which will begin on Saturday, August 10, from the hallowed grounds of Central New York’s Unadilla MX. The ELF Unadilla National will serve as Round 9 of the season with comprehensive live streaming coverage exclusively on Peacock, starting with Race Day Live Presented by MotoSport.com starting at 7:00 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET, followed by uninterrupted moto coverage starting at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. The post 2024 WASHOUGAL NATIONAL MX, RESULTS & HIGHLIGHTS appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

The 2025 models are arriving almost daily. We picked up our 2025 Husqvarna FC450 test bike two weeks ago, but we didn’t have our first chance to ride it until Thursday. This bike has few surprises, even though it’s very different from last year’s version. We already tested the 2025 KTM 450SX-F, which has the same frame and motor. Both bikes have the frame updates that we first saw on the Factory Edition and Rockstar edition a few months ago. Mark Tilley on the 2025 Husky FC450 The biggest bullet point is that the frame is more compliant than last year’s version. Husqvarna took away material around the top shock mount and the steering head. If you remember, both KTM and Husqvarna took some heat in 2023 when a completely new frame arrived. It turned out to have a very rigid feel. The Supercross influence was obvious, although the factory riders on both teams struggled to get it right, even for stadium races. All was not lost. It turned out to have an easy fix, at least for amateurs: Time. The frame took more than 10 hours to break in. Now the 2025 model is here and it’s already broken in. From the word go, it’s much more compliant and comfortable than last year’s standard edition. But, if you’re waiting for the return of the old chassis, keep on waiting. The 2022 chassis was far more flexy. At the time, we liked it, but now, when we ride one of those older Husqvarnas or KTMs, it feels like a big, flexy spring with wheels and handlebars attached. It turns out that riding styles and expectations move on along with motorcycle technology. We still love the Husqvarna motor. It makes a ton of power, but in a friendly way. It’s easy to control when you want to go fast and easy to reign in when you don’t or can’t. The Husky still has a slightly milder power delivery than the KTM 450SX-F, although it’s hard to say why. We have historically pointed at the airbox and figured that it was more restrictive. This year you get a vented airbox cover in the box. It makes a difference, but it still has a slightly different character than the KTM, with or without its vented cover. The Husky has two maps available on a handlebar switch as well as traction control and Quickshift. Both maps have their good points, but in the big picture, don’t change enough to generate passion in either direction. As far as traction control, we know some people swear by it–but not us. It seems to make the power delivery inconsistent and less predictable. The Husky weighs 229 pounds on our scale and has a suggested retail price of $11,399. The test will appear in the October 2024 print edition of Dirt Bike. 30 YEARS AGO IN OKLAHOMA It turns out that it’s been 30 years since the ISDE came to America. At the time, there was a storm of controversy around the event–as well as the threat of a real storm. It was held at the privately owned John Zink Ranch in Tulsa, Oklahoma because of the political problems that might arise from using public land. In the end, the Europeans were unhappy because their access to the course was very limited. Liability issues were a very real problem and insurance for such an event was hard to obtain. In Europe, teams often have chase riders for each Trophy Team member, but the Tulsa club put an end to that. We thought we might win; we has a great trophy Team with Randy Hawkins, Guy Cooper, Jeff Russell, Scott Summers, Rodney Smith and Ty Davis. We didn’t. Here’s the entire story from the January, 1995 issue of Dirt Bike. In honor of the 30th Anniversary of the 1994 ISDE, the Tulsa Trail Riders will be hosting a special event. Here’s what they say: The Tulsa Trail Riders are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated “94 Six Days EnduroFest” taking place on September 20-22, 2024. This event marks a remarkable milestone as it celebrates the 30th anniversary of the 1994 International Six Days Enduro (ISDE). The action-packed weekend will kick off on Friday morning, September 20, with an exciting 20 mile loop on the iconic 94 Six Day trail. Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their skills through various terrain tests and grass tracks, including acceleration and braking challenges, followed by a thrilling lap around the grass motocross track. Continuing the EnduroFest on Saturday, September 21, riders will embark on another exhilarating 20 mile loop across the scenic Zink Ranch. As the day progresses, participants can look forward to a thrilling grass track Motocross event in the afternoon, adding an extra element of excitement to the festivities. To commemorate this momentous occasion, a special Banquet will be held on Friday night, September 20. The banquet promises to be a night of celebration, camaraderie, and recognition of the incredible achievements made in the world of Enduro racing. The event will feature a variety of classes to ensure a fair and competitive environment for riders of all backgrounds. Whether you are a Six Days Vet, a Non-vet, a rider of Modern Bikes, Post Vintage bikes, or Vintage Bikes, there will be a class suitable for you. But that’s not all! As the “94 Six Days EnduroFest” unfolds, the National Enduro Promotions Group (NEPG) will be hosting their Kids Race on Saturday afternoon, September 21. This exciting event will be followed by the highly anticipated NEPG National Enduro on Sunday, September 22, providing riders and spectators with a thrilling weekend of racing action. “We invite all enthusiasts and fans of Enduro racing to join us for a fun-filled weekend of riding and celebration,” said Steve Travis, Club President, at The Zink Ranch. “The ’94 Six Days EnduroFest’ is a unique opportunity to relive the spirit of the 1994 ISDE while creating new memories and connections within the Enduro community.” Don’t miss out on this incredible event! Mark your calendars for September 20-22, 2024, and be part of the “94 Six Days Enduro Fest” at The Zink Ranch. For more information and registration details, visit at www.tulsatrailriders.com or follow us on “Tulsa Trail Riders” on Facebook. 94 SIX DAY ENDUROFEST SCHEDULE Friday: (Start times TBD) Two- 20 mile Enduro loops, grass track test, terrain track test, two individual bike games and a timed loop around Motocross track 94 Six Day Endurofest Banquet Saturday: (Start times TBD) One – 20 mile Enduro loop, grass track test, terrain track test and final motocross race 11AM: NEPG Youth Challenge for classes 1 & 2 1pm NEPG Youth Challenge for classes 3-6. Sunday: 9am: NEPG National Enduro Contact info: Steve Travis – 918-633-9216 or atvllc@live.com See you next week! –Ron Lawson The post RIDING THE 2025 HUSKY FC450 & REMEMBERING THE 1994 ISDE: THE WRAP appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

Dirt Bike Magazine tests the 2025 Honda CRF450R in Indiana at Ironman Raceway. The 2025 model has a host of new features including new linkage and a more rigid frame. Honda was hoping to get a more balance motorcycle and more linear powerband. Did the changes they made add up to a winner? Sit back and see what editor Mark Tilley had to say on day 1 of riding this new bike.  The post 2025 HONDA CRF450R FIRST IMPRESSION VIDEO TEST: WE DID NOT EXPECT THIS! appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

We are the first ones to admit that sometimes we go a little overboard on project bike builds. On this week’s 2-Stroke Tuesday we give you a quick look at our latest KTM125 Off-Road project. For this years 3-Bros 10 Hour Endurance Race held at Glen Helen Raceway we decided to take a different approach. We teamed up with Bob Tryon from Stoney Sock Co. to build a real world 125cc two-stroke for his son Carson Tryon and his buddies to race. Right after someone mentions participating in any sort of endurance team race the very next comment is always “Yeah let’s do it, but who’s bike are we going to ride?” That is always followed by “NOT MINE!” So when this exact scenario played out we had the perfect solution, buy a used bike just for this event, throw some new tires on it and go racing. What could go wrong ? Ok so thats not exactly how it all went down but here are some of the details. The IMS oversize tank and quick dump system is an endurance race game changer. The engine was rebuilt by Ty Renshaw using OEM KTM parts, it ran flawless during the entire 10 hour event. The Dunlop MX34 and Nitro Mousse combination kept the team rolling along without any issues Cycra rebound hand guards took some major punishment. Precision Concepts took care of all the teams suspension needs. Up front the a spring conversion was used with X-Trig clamps and a Precision Racing Products steering stabilizer. Stay tuned for more in the September 2024 print issue of Dirt Bike Magazine. The post 10 HOUR KTM125 OFF-ROAD PROJECT: 2-STROKE TUESDAY appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

The Wiseco Two-Stroke World Championship presented by Fasthouse at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California has grown into a destination event for a huge amount of the two-stroke faithful crowd, almost like a yearly pilgrimage. In 2023, the Dirt Bike Magazine staff was fortunate enough to be a part of the first-ever “Live Feed” on YouTube in bringing a professionally filmed event to the world. Carson Brown was the Open Pro winner on a Yamaha YZ300 built by Twisted Development and backed by Fasthouse. For the 2024 event, Carson had a few different two-stroke project bikes to choose from. After multiple days of testing, Carson made the final decision to race a Suzuki RM300. Yes, you read that correctly. Carson Brown dominated moto one, but had to settle for second in moto two and second overall at the 2024 event. However, he will be back in 2025; we just don’t know what he will be racing yet. Debbi Tamietti caught Carson Brown on the gas during moto one. The custom chrome graphics sporting the big #1 by Backyard Designs made the Twisted Development RM300 eye-catching. THE BUILD You are also correct in thinking that Suzuki hasn’t produced a competition two-stroke motorcycle in almost two decades now, and the last time we asked, they said they had no plans in firing up production. Twisted Development decided to show Suzuki’s engineers what a modern-day RM two-stroke should be, and then let defending Two-Stroke World champion and Dirt Bike Magazine test rider Carson Brown showed the world exactly what it can do. We first laid eyes on this Twisted Development creation at last year’s event. The project had just been completed, but without the opportunity for major testing, the machine was not raced in the Premier class and was put on the back-burner. This build started because Twisted Development frontman Jamie Ellis is a mad scientist and is always thinking outside the box trying to create something new. Twisted Development is a big part of multiple factory Suzuki-supported professional teams in recent years with riders like Ken Roczen, Shane McElrath and the entire BarX Suzuki 250cc effort. These teams also have facilities within walking distance of Twisted Development’s SoCal location, so as you can imagine, rolling RM-Z chassis are readily available for test fitting of different two-stroke engine platforms. Come to find out, due to the frame changes that Suzuki made back around 2017, the last-generation KTM 300SX carbureted engine fits into the current Suzuki RM-Z250 four-stroke chassis really well with some repositioning of engine mounts, of course. Okay, we might be making that sound a lot easier than it actually is. But, unlike other manufacturers that people are retrofitting two-stroke engines into the RM-Z conversion, the 300SX doesn’t require fabrication of an entirely new lower engine cradle that moves the Y-section in order for the two-stroke exhaust to fit. As you can see from the images, completely new front and lower engine mounts were fabricated, and an upper head-stay mounting bracket was also custom-fabricated. The most important measurement or angle to correctly calculate is that of the countershaft and swingarm pivot; if this is not done correctly, the entire build is destined for failure. With all the frame modifications complete, it was time to bolt in the KTM 300SX engine. Now, remember this is not your average stock 300cc engine. The crew at Twisted Development went all out on this one, getting every last ounce of horsepower available. We were not able to share actual dyno numbers, but let’s just say they are well into the built 450cc four-stroke realm. Mitch Payton from Pro Circuit (PC) even got into the action on this build, authorizing the production of a custom exhaust system that featured some modifications to an existing PC Works-style expansion chamber and the first-ever PC Ti-2 Shorty that resembles their four-stroke-style exhaust canisters. Craig Monte from SDI dialed in a set of A-Kit suspension that was borrowed from one of the factory teams. Carson went to work customizing the RM300 with his personal sponsors like MotoSport, Devol Racing, Maxima, Renthal, Dunlop, Guts Racing, Kelly Farms and BBR Motorsports. Jared Hicks and the crew at Backyard Designs USA topped the build off with a completely custom chrome graphics kit that really made the bike pop. CARSON’S THOUGHTS “The smoothest and most consistent 300cc engine for me has been KTM’s carbureted 300SX, especially after Jamie from Twisted Development worked his magic on it! That paired with one of the bestknown handling chassis (Suzuki’s RM-Z), it ended up being an amazing combination. The bike had a good base for us to start with for how little time we had to get ready for the race. I had so much fun slicing and dicing around Glen Helen racing this bike. The best part is that the bike still has tons of room for improvement in the future.” The Twisted Development KTM 300SX puts out some impressive horsepower numbers, and everything is available to the public. The crew at Pro Circuit provided a custom exhaust for the RM300 build, featuring the first-ever Ti-2 Shorty resembling their four-stroke-style exhaust canisters. THE FINAL WORD The industry needs companies like Twisted Development pushing the limitations of what is possible. Unfortunately, the RM300 project doesn’t have that fairy-tale ending with Carson Brown dominating both motos of the 2024 Two-Stroke World Championship and riding off into the sunset, but it was close. If it wasn’t for a flawless ride by Justin Hoeft on his Twisted Development-built and Fasthouse-backed YZ300 in moto two, the fairy tale would have been complete. If given the opportunity, Carson Brown would definitely be on board with giving the RM300 another shot at winning the Two-Stroke World Championship, and that is a very likely possibility in the future. We are fortunate enough to work with Jamie and the entire crew at Twisted Development on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, we have just taken delivery of the only 2024 GasGas 150SX fuel-injected bike in the world built by them, so stay tuned for more info on it! The post CARSON BROWN’S SUZUKI/KTM HYBRID PROJECT appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

2023 hit everyone with a historic amount of rainfall. Factory riders showing up to do battle with the J Day crew got a first-hand look at how quickly the weather can change from Moto 1 to Moto 2. The difference this year was that the flash thunderstorms would wash away the entire track within a single 30-minute moto. The J Day crew took on the exhausting task of keeping the races moving forward, providing the racers with the best tracks possible during these unprecedented weather conditions that were relentless week after week. Executive Producer: Ethan Broatch Director/DP: Billy Freeman Produced by: Surge Unlimited Drone Footage: Ian Howes The post J DAY OFF-ROAD CHRONICLES EPISODE #3 : FLASH FLOODS AND THUNDERSTORMS appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

They say that Jett Lawrence is so good, he’s the worst thing to happen to pro motocross in years. We’ll stay out of that debate, but we know this: the Honda CRF450RWE is one of the best things to happen to amateur motocross. The “WE” in the suffix stands for “Works Edition,” meaning that the bike is a replica of—or, more precisely, a tribute to—Jett Lawrence’s factory bike. There are, of course, several layers to any bike being presented as a factory replica. At the most fundamental level, the WE is like Jett’s bike. Since 1986, AMA Pro Racing has had a production rule requiring that all race bikes must be homologated and available to the public. Homologation means that at least 400 bikes are imported by June of the current racing season. In that sense, virtually all of the current 450 motocross bikes sold today are works editions. But, the WE takes that concept farther than anyone else. Jarred Hicks is all over our 2024 Honda CRF450RWE test bike. That isn’t just a clutch cover for show. The WE really does have a Hinson clutch basket inside. THE RULEBOOK SAYS… Here are some bits from the AMA rulebook: “Material and OEM castings of cylinders, cylinder heads and crankcases must be the same as an originally approved model. The main frame must be the same as an originally homologated model. Gussets or tubes may be added, but none may be removed. The manufacturer’s original concept of forks and shocks must be maintained. “So, if all that stuff is the same, what’s the big deal about a real works bike? Everything else. The suspension might be the same “concept,” but it doesn’t have to be the same size, material or even manufacturer. The frame might have to start off the same, but it can have completely different flex characteristics because of gusseting and motor-mount material. It can even have a different steering-head angle through the use of offset races. Beyond that, a works bike is prepared to the highest standards by the best mechanics on earth. The intimate details of Jett Lawrence’s race bike aren’t public knowledge and certainly aren’t going to be revealed on a bike sold to the general public, but the Honda WE is what you might call a “good faith” replica. It goes far beyond graphics. The suggested retail price for the CRF450RWE is $12,499. That’s $2800 more than the standard model. Here’s the short list of items that separate the WE from the standard CRF450R: Full Yoshimura titanium exhaust system Hinson clutch basket and cover Ported cylinder head WE mapping Ti-nitride-coated lower fork tubes WE fork valving Ti-nitride-coated 18mm shock WE shock valving Twin Air filter Throttle Jockey seat cover HRC graphics Red cylinder head cover D.I.D DirtStar LT-X rims Gold RK chain Black-anodized triple clamps Renthal grips This is a much longer list than any other race replica currently available. The YZ450F 50th Anniversary Edition replaces the Monster Energy Edition in Yamaha’s lineup this year, but it’s kind of a throwback replica to the Damon Bradshaw era and consists only of cosmetics. Same goes for the Kawasaki 50th Anniversary Edition. KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas have more substantive race replicas, but those models are less about performance upgrades and more about the company’s new Bluetooth connectivity. As a side note, all three of those bikes have an update for the frame this year, which puts them in a different category. They all had to be re-homologated for the 2024 race season, whereas the Honda RWE did not. The standard 2024 CRF450R is a low-end monster. The WE has all that and more on top. TRACK TIME First things first: a little review of recent Honda 450s is in order. Back in 2021 and 2022, the bike was a brute that few riders could handle. That forced Honda to detune the 2023 model. The intake ports were reshaped, the throttle body was downsized from 46mm to 44mm, and the cam profile was redesigned. Honda also remapped the EFI system in all three modes. The result was one of the best Honda 450 motors in recent memory. Yes, it lost power on top, but it was much, much easier to ride for novices and intermediates, thanks to its smooth, rich, low-end power. The 450RWE has those same easy-riding manners, but recaptures a little of the lost power on top. Now, it has a motor that anyone can love. It still has the overall character of the standard model. It’s a torquer, not a revver. The dyno shows that from the very bottom all the way to 7500 rpm, it’s stronger than any production 450 on the track. Above that, the Yamaha and the Austrian bikes catch up, but the WE still outpowers the Kawasaki, Suzuki and Beta. You have three mapping options available on the handlebar. All three are viable, but the standard is most popular, followed by the aggressive one. Traction control remains an acquired taste. There are three levels there, as well as three levels of launch assist. Honda still doesn’t offer any smartphone tuning capabilities, but you still have all the options you need right on the handlebar. The one area where the Honda draws controversy is overall handling. It’s very Supercross-oriented, which means quick, responsive and agile. Most test riders get off the WE and marvel at how light it is. In truth, it’s right in the middle of the pack, weight-wise. At 233 pounds without fuel, it’s slightly heavier than the Yamaha, KTM, Husky and GasGas, but lighter than the others. You would swear it’s 20 pounds lighter than any of them. The flip side is a little nervousness. It’s not scary, but if you let your guard down, it can grab your attention suddenly and violently. You can calm the Honda down with a little suspension work, but it seems to need different measures for different riders. The WE has stiffer valving than the standard model, but it almost works out the same because the titanium-nitride coatings are so much more slippery. Riders often find that a little more preload in the rear makes the rear suspension work better. You would think that would make the steering even quicker, but that’s not always the case. Jared Hicks, Justin Jones and his dad, Gary Jones, have all arrived at very different setups, but all feel they have found the magic cure by going a little stiffer in the rear. The bottom line is that you have to do what feels right for you. We love all the details. Honda is still very good when it comes to making a bike feel right. The hydraulic clutch, the brakes and all the controls are excellent. The fact that the CRF450RWE is a challenge for suspension tuners isn’t a surprise. For years, it’s been that way. Now, at least, we have learned that when you get it right, nothing is better. That goes for riders at all levels. The post 2024 HONDA CRF450RWE, FULL TEST appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

The second half of the 2024 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, officially got underway on Saturday with the series’ annual visit to the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” and the dynamic layout of legendary Spring Creek MX Park. The FXR Spring Creek National Presented by Frescados Tortillas signified Round 7 of the summer campaign, where high humidity and temperatures in the mid-80’s gave way to late thunderstorms to present arguably the most challenging race conditions of the season. In the 450 Class, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton further asserted his ascension to the top of the division with a second straight sweep of the motos, one week after he moved atop the championship standings. In the 250 Class, a season already filled with memorable performances added another as Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen broke through for his first career Pro Motocross victory following a 1-1 effort. 450 Class Moto 1 The opening moto of the afternoon saw the field emerge from the longest start straight on the schedule with the Team Honda HRC of Hunter Lawrence at the head of the pack ahead of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Aaron Plessinger and Sexton, with the Monster Energy Kawasaki of Jason Anderson in fourth. From there the top four settled into their respective positions through the opening 10 minutes. After biding his time for the opening period of the moto, Sexton started to pick up his intensity and was able to make a pass on Plessinger for second, which put the points leader just a few bike lengths behind Lawrence. The championship rivals traded momentum, showing strength at different points on the track, which allowed Lawrence to manage a lead hovering around one second. Their battle heated up at the halfway point, but Lawrence kept Sexton at bay. However, the KTM rider persisted and was able to get a run going up the 500-foot Mount Martin that allowed him to make the pass. Lawrence battled back, but Sexton completed the pass on the downside of the hill. Once out front, Sexton was able to build a comfortable gap over Lawrence and the rest of the field, eventually surpassing 10 seconds. He brought home his sixth moto win of the season, and his fourth in a row, by 10.1 seconds over Lawrence. Plessinger finished solidly in third, while Anderson and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper rounded out the top five. Chase Sexton asserted himself once more with a sweep of the motos. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. Moto 2 The second and deciding moto got underway with the Yamaha of Cooper out front ahead of Lawrence and Anderson, while Sexton narrowly avoided going down and found himself outside the top five. Cooper withstood early pressure from Lawrence to establish his hold of the lead and led to the top three settling in. Meanwhile, Sexton bided his time in fifth after Plessinger went down in front of his teammate. Sexton then took fourth from Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis. As the first 10 minutes of the moto wound down, Lawrence began to push the pace and apply pressure on the lead. Behind them, Sexton made the pass on Anderson for third and was the fastest rider on the track. Soon enough the battle for the lead became a three-rider affair as Sexton joined Lawrence and Cooper. Lawrence sensed the moment and muscled his way by Cooper to take the lead right at the halfway point of the moto. Sexton then went to work for second and made the pass on Cooper to set the stage for another head-to-head battle with Lawrence. The pace of the leaders increased dramatically, which allowed them to sprint away from the field. Sexton was patient and made his move count, seizing control of the moto with 10 minutes to go. Once in the lead, Sexton sprinted out to a three-second advantage that he continued to build on. As Sexton distanced himself from the field Lawrence found himself in a battle for second with Cooper. Heavy rains came on the final lap, but the championship leader put the finishing touches on a sweep of the motos by 12.9 seconds over Lawrence, who withstood Cooper’s late charge. Hunter Lawrence continued his incredible consistency with a runner-up finish. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. Overall Sexton’s second straight 1-1 outing secured his third win of the season and the ninth victory of his career. Lawrence’s 2-2 performance placed him in the runner-up spot and continued the unblemished podium streak to open his 450 Class career, which now stands at seven. Cooper’s strong second moto landed him on the overall podium for the second time in the premier division in third (5-3), earning a tiebreaker over Plessinger. Sexton’s back-to-back sweeps have now placed him 13 points ahead of Lawrence in the championship standings with four rounds remaining. Cooper remains third, 61 points behind Sexton. Justin Cooper (32) parlayed a holeshot in Moto 2 into a podium result in third. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. 1st: Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-1) “These last two races I’ve been wanting to capitalize on. I’ve been sluggish in the middle of the season [previously] so I’ve been focusing on turning that around. I got a decent start [in Moto 2] and the track was in better shape, and that allowed me to get a really good flow. It’s been fun and I want to keep this going.” 2nd: Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC (2-2) “I was [tired] and Chase [Sexton] has been riding unreal all day today. I tried to make it tough on him, but he was like a freight train. It’s been a tough day today and we’re working through it. It’s my job to give 100% and that’s what I did today.” 3rd: Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (5-3) “We put on a paddle tire for Moto 2 and that made the difference [on the start]. I sprinted as hard as I could through halfway, but those guys got me. I settled down a bit and made another run at the end and was able to get close to Hunter [Lawrence]. We’ll take the podium and move forward.” 450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points) Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM (1-1 // 50) Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-2 // 44) Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (5-3 // 37) Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (3-5 // 37) Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (4-4 // 36) Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda (6-6 // 32) Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna (7-7 // 30) Phil Nicoletti, Cochecton, N.Y., Yamaha (9-8 // 27) Harri Kullas, Tallinn, Estonia, KTM (10-12 // 22) Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna (8-15 // 21) 450 Class Championship Standings (Round 7 of 11) Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM – 310 Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 297 Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 249 Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 239 Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 221 Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 210 Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda – 204 Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 185 Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS – 148 Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna – 136 250 Class Moto 1 The first moto saw point leader and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider Haiden Deegan edge out Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rookie Casey Cochran for the MotoSport.com Holeshot. The prime track position allowed Deegan to assert his hold on the early lead while Cochran lost multiple positions to Kitchen, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle and the Team Honda HRC duo of Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas. Deegan enjoyed a firm grasp of the lead through the opening minutes of the moto but lost traction in a rut and tipped over, which allowed both Kitchen and Vialle to move into first and second, respectively, while Deegan remounted in third. Out front, the clear track allowed Kitchen to establish a multi-second advantage over Vialle, but as the moto surpassed the halfway mark Kitchen had a quick tip over, which allowed Vialle to close onto the rear fender of the Kawasaki. Meanwhile, Shimoda was able to pass Deegan for third. Shimoda soon became the fastest rider on the track and it allowed him to make an easy pass on Vialle through the sand whoops and set his sights on Kitchen, who had reestablished his advantage. The Honda rider inched closer and closer to Kitchen inside the final 10 minutes and soon a battle unfolded for the moto win, which also allowed Vialle to close in from third. As the lead duo encountered heavy lapped traffic it allowed Kitchen to gain some breathing room. With two minutes to go the top four all increased their pace, as a push from Deegan in fourth saw the lead group tighten up once again. Vialle surged with two laps to go and made the pass on Shimoda for second, which brought the top three within two seconds of one another. Deegan then caught Shimoda off guard with a pass for third, but Shimoda battled back to reclaim the position. Deegan moved into third once more as they took the white flag. Back out front, Kitchen captured his first moto win of the season, and the fourth of his career, by 1.5 seconds over Vialle, with Deegan a close third. Shimoda settled for fourth, with Hymas a distant fifth. Levi Kitchen broke through for his maiden victory in Pro Motocross competition. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. Moto 2 The final moto was delayed briefly for weather, but once the gate dropped it was Deegan who led the field into the first turn. Unfortunately, contact with Hymas took the point leader down along with several other riders, including Shimoda. Out front, Cochran grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Daxton Bennick and Vialle. Kitchen also positioned himself in the lead group, but misfortune early caused him to drop outside the top five. Further back, Deegan resumed deep in the field with exhaust damage to his Yamaha, but was able to move forward and break into the top 20 within the first handful of minutes. As a result of the incident, Hymas was forced to retire from the moto, while Shimoda needed his motorcycle tended to in the mechanics area and was ultimately unable to finish.. Out front, Cochran took full advantage of the clear track and opened a lead of more than five seconds on the field. Vialle looked to move forward and attempt a pass on Bennick, but lost control of his motorcycle and went down, ultimately remounting in eighth. He was later forced to come into the mechanics area for new goggles and made another stop deeper in the moto in need of attention for his KTM. Kitchen, meanwhile, continued to rebound from his early trouble and found himself third, closing in on Bennick for second. The Kawasaki rider made the pass a little more than 10 minutes into the moto. Bennick continued to lose positions, as Toyota Redlands/BarX Suzuki’s Dilan Schwartz moved into third briefly before giving way to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Max Anstie. Back up front, Kitchen erased the deficit to Cochran and started to apply pressure with a little more than 10 minutes to go. The rookie fended off several pass attempts by Kitchen, but the Moto 1 winner moved into the top spot with a little more than 5 minutes remaining. As Kitchen appeared to have the moto in hand, the attention shifted to Deegan and an impressive come-from-behind effort riding a compromised Yamaha. The point leader kept his head down and continued to gain positions, breaking into the top five as time ran out on the moto. He then made a pass on Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco for fourth. Back up front, Kitchen finished strong to wrap up his first-ever sweep of the motos, taking the checkered flag 21.7 seconds ahead of Cochran, who completed the single best moto of his young career in second. Anstie finished third, just ahead of a hard-charging Deegan in fourth. Haiden Deegan once again showed his resiliency in a runner-up effort. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. Overall Kitchen’s first career Pro Motocross victory came in emphatic fashion with a 1-1 performance and makes him the 94th different rider in history to capture a 250 Class victory. He’s also the third different rider to achieve that feat this season alone. Deegan’s resiliency paid off with a runner-up finish (3-4), while Cochran became the newest face on the overall podium in third (9-2). Deegan’s ability to fend off what could have been a difficult afternoon in the points chase allowed him to see his championship advantage grow further, now 51 points clear of Kitchen, who made a huge move from fifth to second in the standings with the win. Vialle, who finished seventh (2-17), remains third, 54 points out of the lead. Rookie Casey Cochran emerged with the first podium result of his career. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. 1st: Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (1-1) “It’s been a bit of a struggle [to start the season] and people quickly forget when you’re not up there [battling for wins]. I’ve been working really hard and trying to get back to where I belong. The last moto was fun because you could really ride around on the track and just had to be patient. It feels great to get this done.” 2nd: Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-4) “Chance [Hymas] came down and tried to get the edge off the start, next thing I know I flipped over and had to kick my exhaust back into place. This was the time to show I got that dog in me. I sent that all the way to the end. P2 and I’m pretty stoked about that.” 3rd: Casey Cochran, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (9-2) “I can’t explain the feelings right now. I got a great holeshot [in Moto 2] and got a good lead. I’m just shocked. I crossed the finish in second and I’m stoked that I got third overall. It’s just an unreal feeling.” 250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points) Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (1-1 // 50) Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (3-4 // 38) Casey Cochran, Portsmouth, Va., Husqvarna (9-2 // 35) Max Anstie, Newbury, England, Yamaha (7-3 // 35) Dilan Schwartz, El Cajon, Calif., Suzuki (10-6 // 28) Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS (12-5 // 27) Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (2-17 // 27) Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki (8-10 // 26) Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (6-13 // 25) Julien Baumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (15-8 // 21) 250 Class Championship Standings (Round 7 of 11) Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 314 Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 263 Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 260 Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 251 Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 231 Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki – 214 Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS – 162 Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph – 159 Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha – 149 Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS – 147 The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, July 20, with a return to the West Coast and the scenic Pacific Northwest. Washington’s famed Washougal MX Park will host a Military Appreciation Race at the MotoSport.com Washougal National Presented by Peterson CAT for Round 8 of the season, which will feature a one-hour network showcase of 450 Class Moto 1 on NBC at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET. Additionally, Peacock will carry live streaming coverage of the event from start to finish, beginning with Race Day Live Presented by MotoSport.com at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET, followed by uninterrupted moto coverage starting at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET. The post 2024 MILLVILLE NATIONAL MX: RESULTS & HIGHLIGHTS appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

This week we’ve been riding the 2024 KTM 350SX-F out in the California heat. Needless to say, this is one of our favorite motocross bikes–it’s one of everyone’s favorite motocross bikes. With temperatures around 100 degrees, the 350 is a welcome change from the 450s we have in the shop. Back in 2010, we actually thought the 350SX-F might spell the end of the 450 motocross bike. Tony Cairoli came to America for the USGP and positively waxed everyone on the new KTM 350SX-F. Then he won five consecutive World Championships on the bike. So what happened? All the 450s got better, that’s what. across the board, the 450s from KTM as well as from Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha improved so much that they actually became easier to ride than anyone thought possible. Eventually, Cairoli had to switch to a 450 to remain competitive. Nowadays the KTM 350SX-F has been relegated to the vet class and amateur racing. Pete Murray spreads a random pile of bark that someone foolishly left unguarded. But the 2025 KTM 350SX-F has come a very long way since 2010. The 350 motor got its last big redesign for the 2023 model year. The engine became more compact, it was repositioned in the frame to lower the countershaft sprocket and it received a boost in compression ratio. That year all the KTMs got a heavier, stiffer frame, presumably to improve its performance on supercross-style tracks. For 2025, KTM has walked that back a few steps. The frame was updated on all the motocross models with less material around the top shock mount and steering head. The geometry is unchanged, but the bodywork was updated. The MSRP for the 2025 KTM 350SX-F is $11,099. The 350 remains the universally appealing size. Yes, as we pointed out up front, today’s 450s have come a long way and effectively nullified the argument that they are too much for any normal rider to handle, but the KTM 350SX-F still is far easier to handle than any 450. It has nothing to do with weight, although riders will insist that it’s far lighter than the KTM 450SX-F. It has to do with the energy that it lends the rider. When you ride the 350, you’re a little more brave and strong. In terms of power output, the most important thing to remember about the 350 is to wring it out. If you come off a 450, you will have a tendency to upshift early just so you can hang on. You don’t ride the 350 like that. Instead, you stretch the effective powerband in the other direction; let it sing. Peak output is around 51 horsepower, which is in the same ballpark as the 2024 Honda CRF450R and even the Kawasaki KX450. The difference is that the 450s hit their stride around 9500 rpm whereas the 350 waits until over 11,000 rpm. You might think that means the 350 has a narrower powerband, but it’s actually the opposite. You can ride it at even lower revs than a 450 because there’s very little risk of stalling. True, you don’t have much acceleration on tap down there, but it does have enough to deal with low-traction situations. Then, when you have good traction and some place to go, you can clutch it to bring the revs up. After that, just keep on screaming. There are some tracks where the 350 can make a full lap entirely in third gear. Last year’s 350SX-F seemed to generate fewer complaints about chassis stiffness than the 450SX-F. Still we have to say that this year’s 350 is a more comfortable bike. It’s almost like it comes pre-broken-in with 10 hours on the frame. It makes the suspension feel more compliant, too. The improvement in the Xact air fork has been undeniable since its introduction. There used to be a large number of staunch opponents of air forks. Now, it is barely mentioned. We are going to ride the Bijesus out of the 350 in the summer months and have the test in the September print edition of Dirt Bike. MIKE HEALEY Mike Healey at DeAnza Cycle Park in 1991. Photo by Ron Lawson The motocross community was deeply saddened by the announcement last week of Mike Healey’s passing. Healey 55, passed away peacefully at his home on July 4th 2024. Mike Healey’s career in motocross spanned several decades, during which he earned a reputation as one of the sport’s most talented and dedicated riders. Known for his fierce competitiveness and charismatic personality, Healey also nicknamed “Stray Cat” made an indelible mark on the motocross world. Mike is survived by his daughter Mika Jayne, mother Sue and brother Pat Healey. Beyond motocross, Mike’s true love was his daughter. She was his North Star, guiding him through life’s twists and turns. He reveled in her laughter, celebrated her milestones, and cherished their moments together. Mike’s legacy isn’t just about trophies; it’s about the love he poured into her life. A celebration of Mike Healey’s life and career will be held at Harbor Lawn Mortuary in Costa Mesa on Thursday July 25, 2024 at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Mike’s Road 2 Recovery Cause Page to help pay funeral expenses that the family is unable to handle. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and support from friends, fans, and the motocross community. https://www.road2recovery.com/athlete-causes/mike-healey/ For media inquiries, please contact: Road 2 Recovery Foundation Anita Button anita@road2recovery.com About Road 2 Recovery: The Road 2 Recovery Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000 to help AMA-licensed motocross and supercross professionals and action sports athletes with financial assistance after sustaining career-ending injuries as well as providing motivational, emotional, and spiritual support to these individuals and their families. 6D ATR-3 HELMET RELEASE We got a sneak preview of the new 6D ATR-3 helmet this week at Glen Helen Raceway. We have long been believers in the technology that 6D introduced to the motocross world and feel that these guys have done much to make our sport a safer one. Key Features: • ODS 5 improves impact force mitigation at low, mid, and high velocity for both linear and angular accelerations • Replaceable EPS inner liner for low-cost reconditioning • 120g weight reduction with a new lower center of gravity • Enhanced Ventilation: Radically improved Air-Gap ventilation system with Ram Air Direct-to-Brow Cooling. • Optimized, durable 3K Carbon Composite Shell • Improved ventilation • Eject compatible • Drink tube compatible • Recessed shear-away visor screws • Removable roost guard • Cervical Protection Zone • Removable, washable comfort liner featuring Dri-Lex® anti-bacterial fabric • Emergency quick-release cheek pads • Mud Visor Extension Prices range from $760 to $795 Go to 6Dhelmets.com SPRING CREEK THIS WEEKEND See you next week! –Ron Lawson The post RIDING THE 2025 KTM 350SX-F: THE WRAP appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

Yamaha just revealed its 2025 line of of motocross, cross-country, off-road and dual-sport bikes for model year 2025. The most dramatically new machine is the YZ250FX cross-country racer, which received the same updates that its motocross sibling did in 2024. Here’s what Yamaha has to say from their official press release: 2025 Yamaha YZ250X two-stroke Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA is introducing its new lineup of 2025 off-road motorcycles with thrilling options for enthusiasts ranging from young beginning riders to seasoned professionals. The spotlight for 2025 falls on the exciting and ultra-capable new YZ250FX and WR250F. Based closely on Yamaha’s class-dominating YZ250F motocrosser, the new YZ250FX and WR250F are both designed to be slim, light and agile off-road weapons, ready for competition straight out of the box. The YZ250FX includes specific suspension and engine tuning suited to the extreme conditions of cross country racing, while the WR250F is prepped for enduro with unique engine and suspension tuning, an H4 headlight, LED taillight, shortened muffler with spark arrestor and other specific enduro features. New 2025 Yamaha YZ250FX Fresh off claiming last year’s XC2 GNCC title, the new 2025 YZ250FX features an extensive list of enhancements designed to further boost its class-leading performance and capability. With a revamped chassis, updated suspension tune, and reconsidered ergonomics, the new FX is lighter, sharper and more agile, with a better handling feel. Perfect for carving up tight cross country courses. Updates to the 2025 model begin with a completely redesigned aluminum bilateral beam frame. Based on the competition-proven YZ250F, the new frame provides just the right amount of strength and flex for the perfect balance of stability and cornering performance. The redesign also includes model-specific engine mounts and lightweight subframe. The result is a better handling machine with lightweight feel and increased front wheel traction, allowing the rider to enter corners with greater confidence and more line choices. Complementing the revised frame, the YZ250FX’s class-leading, fully adjustable KYB® suspension is 10mm shorter and includes updated settings to deliver exceptional balance between handling and bump absorption, along with less pitch on corner entry/exit. The revised frame and suspension settings also result in a lower center of gravity for improved maneuverability in tight, technical terrain and an easier reach to the ground. Additionally, the front fork now includes a new hand-adjustable knob for easy, toolless compression adjustments. Ergonomics are also enhanced, with a slimmer, flatter, more compact body lending a razor-thin feel and effortless body movement when shifting weight forward and back. The rider triangle is more generous as well with more space between the seat and foot pegs. Other notable changes for 2025 include a completely redesigned intake system along with optimized ECU settings for better control on the low-end and even more mid- to high-end power. The new FX also receives the next generation of Yamaha’s industry leading Power Tuner App, now even simpler to use with a quick-adjust slide bar for easy engine tuning, and more functionality including new four-level Traction Control. Best of all, it’s still free-of-charge. 2025 YZ250FX Features & Benefits • The new YZ250FX is lighter, sharper and more agile than ever, the perfect weapon for dominating cross country competition • Completely redesigned aluminum bilateral beam frame based on the renowned YZ250F motocrosser provides the perfect balance of straight-line stability and agile cornering performance • Revised, fully adjustable KYB® coil spring-type fork with speed-sensitive damping now includes hand-adjustable knob for toolless compression adjustment • Linkage-type rear suspension features a fully adjustable KYB® shock with revised settings for enhanced performance • Lower center of gravity for enhanced maneuverability and easier reach to the ground in tight, tricky conditions • A flatter, more narrow body design eases rider movement and updated ergonomics offer increased legroom and more comfort • Advanced 250cc four-stroke engine features a high-spec piston, aggressive cam profiles and forward positioned intake cylinder head layout for a broad, useable powerband • More efficient down-draft intake path further boosts mid- to high-rpm engine performance • Innovative wrap-around exhaust design improves mass centralization and power characteristics • Ultra-compact 44mm Mikuni® throttle body ensures optimum fuel atomization while saving weight and improving mass-centralization • Revised Yamaha Power Tuner App is even more user-friendly with intuitive new “Simple Tuning” slide bar, helpful new engine and suspension tuning guides, and additional new features • New four-level selectable Traction Control System controlled through the Power Tuner App maintains ideal rear wheel traction • Two-mode adjustable engine mapping allows on-the-fly selection between two maps via new handlebar-mounted push-button switchgear • Wide-ratio six-speed transmission • Large 270mm front brake disc and 240mm rear disc are coupled with a Nissin caliper to provide exceptional stopping power and control • Durable, large-diameter 15-plate cable actuated clutch withstands the high demands of cross country racing • Lightweight, tapered 1-1/8-inch aluminum handlebars secure to four-position adjustable handlebar mounts • Wide 55mm foot pegs • Compact, lightweight push-button electric start provides quick and effortless restarts • Larger 2.1-gallon fuel capacity (compared to YZ250F) with low-fuel indicator • Advanced computer-aided wheel design shaves weight without sacrificing durability • Three-cross-spoke pattern 18-inch rear wheel for improved impact absorption and rider feel • Race-developed Dunlop® Geomax MX33 tires • Wired for accessory radiator fan • Sealed O-ring chain • Aluminum side stand • Composite engine guard • Premium embedded graphics provide excellent durability and scratch resistance The new 2025 YZ250FX is offered in Team Yamaha Blue and will be available from dealers this October for $9,099 MSRP. New 2025 Yamaha WR250F Aimed at setting a new benchmark for 250cc enduro performance, the new 2025 WR250F is lighter and slimmer with a lower center of gravity, quicker handling through tight turns, and more confidence inspiring with a host of significant enhancements. The end result is an enduro weapon that’s easy to ride fast, extremely capable in technical situations and more versatile than ever. Updates for 2025 are also based on the YZ250F motocrosser, starting with a new bilateral beam frame with precisely tuned flex characteristics and unique engine mounts to ensure excellent stability, turning and bump absorption. The WR250F’s class-leading suspension has been revised and lowered 10mm, contributing to the lower center of gravity for a planted feel and increased ability in tight turns. Fully adjustable KYB® fork with speed-sensitive damping delivers championship-winning performance, and now includes a hand-adjustable knob for easy compression adjustments. Linkage-type rear suspension features a KYB® shock with settings optimized to provide less pitch on corner entry/exit for improved stability. The seat is now flatter, slimmer, with a more rounded profile, radiator shrouds are two inches narrower, and the fuel tank is slimmer. The new riding position provides more legroom between the seat and pegs, while the bars are moved forward. Altogether, ergonomic enhancements allow for better movement front to rear, easier leg extension, improved seating to standing transitions and a greater feeling of control. The 2025 WR250F uses the same revolutionary front-intake, rear-exhaust, liquid-cooled, four-stroke power plant as the YZ250F, but tuned for enduro conditions along with an added wide-ratio six-speed transmission for versatility. A new intake design draws air from under the side covers and seat allowing for a more compact body. The more efficient path also boosts mid- to high-rpm engine performance. There is also new four-level Traction Control tuning, lap timer and helpful tuning guides enabled through Yamaha’s groundbreaking next-generation Power Tuner App. 2025 Yamaha WR450F 2025 WR250F Features & Benefits • Lighter, slimmer and sharper with a lower center of gravity, the new 2025 WR250F is built for attacking tight enduro courses • Completely redesigned aluminum bilateral beam frame based on the YZ250F motocrosser provides the perfect balance of straight-line stability and agile cornering performance • Revised, fully adjustable KYB® coil spring-type fork with speed-sensitive damping now includes hand-adjustable knob for toolless compression adjustment • Linkage-type rear suspension features a fully adjustable KYB® shock with revised settings for enhanced performance • Lower center of gravity for enhanced maneuverability and easier reach to the ground in tight, tricky conditions • A flatter, more narrow body design eases rider movement and updated ergonomics offer increased legroom and more comfort • Advanced 250cc four-stroke engine features a high-spec piston, aggressive cam profiles and forward positioned intake cylinder head layout for a broad, useable powerband • More efficient intake path further boosts mid- to high-rpm engine performance • Innovative wrap-around exhaust design improves mass centralization and power characteristics • Ultra-compact 44mm Mikuni® throttle body ensures optimum fuel atomization while saving weight and improving mass-centralization • Revised Yamaha Power Tuner App is even more user-friendly with helpful new tuning guides, and additional new features • New four-level selectable Traction Control System controlled through the Power Tuner App maintains ideal rear wheel traction • Wide-ratio six-speed transmission • Large 270mm front brake disc and 240mm rear disc are coupled with a Nissin caliper to provide exceptional stopping power and control • Durable, large-diameter 15-plate cable actuated clutch withstands the high demands of enduro racing • Lightweight, tapered 1-1/8-inch aluminum handlebars secure to four-position adjustable handlebar mounts • Wide 55mm foot pegs • Compact, lightweight push-button electric start provides quick and effortless restarts • Larger 2.0-gallon fuel capacity (compared to YZ250F) with low-fuel indicator • Advanced computer-aided wheel design shaves weight without sacrificing durability • Rear wheel comes laced in a three-cross-spoke pattern for improved impact absorption and rider feel • Race-developed Dunlop® Geomax MX33 tires • Radiator fan • Sealed O-ring chain • Aluminum side stand • Composite engine guard • Premium embedded graphics provide excellent durability and scratch resistance • Enduro-specific features including unique engine and suspension tuning, an H4 headlight, LED taillight, shortened, quieter muffler with spark arrestor The new 2025 WR250F is offered in Team Yamaha Blue and will be available from dealers this October for $9,099 MSRP. Updated 2025 YZ250F Recognized as the premier motorcycle in the ultra-competitive four-stroke 250cc class and the current points leader in the 250cc Pro Motocross Championship series, Yamaha’s renowned YZ250F returns for 2025 with a handful of key updates for enhanced performance, comfort and convenience. New features include: • Revised suspension includes updated rear linkage, new settings front and rear, along with a lighter spring rate on rear shock and new delta-shaped piston shims in the fork for enhanced stability, traction and a more planted front-end feel • New handlebar switchbox incorporates an updated ribbed design for more practicality and a better look • New throttle tube increases the spacing between the throttle grip and throttle housing assembly • New foot peg bracket design is lighter with a revised shape to enhance rider ergonomics The new 2025 YZ250F is offered in Team Yamaha Blue and will be available from dealers this August for $8,899 MSRP. 2025 Yamaha YZ450F Updated 2025 YZ450F The new 2025 YZ450F continues to be the most complete, well-balanced and capable bike in the 450 class. Yamaha’s flagship open-class YZ returns with a handful of key updates for enhanced performance, comfort and convenience. New features include: • Revised suspension includes updated rear linkage, new settings front and rear, along with a lighter spring rate on rear shock and new delta-shaped piston shims in the fork for enhanced stability, traction and a more planted front-end feel • Revised engine mounts complement suspension updates, improving chassis compliance and enhancing stability • New clutch design increases lubrication and enhances cooling efficiency • New handlebar switchbox incorporates an updated ribbed design for easier operation and a better look • New throttle tube increases the spacing between the throttle grip and throttle housing assembly • New foot peg bracket design is lighter with a revised shape to enhance rider ergonomics The new 2025 YZ450F is offered in Team Yamaha Blue and will be available from dealers this August for $9,999 MSRP. 2025 Yamaha YZ250F 2025 Yamaha YZ450F Monster Energy Edition New 2025 Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ125, YZ250, YZ250F & YZ450F Yamaha brings the look of a full factory ride back for 2025 with the return of the popular Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ125, Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ250, Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ250F and Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ450F. With a sharp, new race-inspired color and graphics package, riders can stand out from the crowd with the livery of Yamaha’s championship-winning Supercross and Motocross teams. 2025 Yamaha YZ125 The new 2025 Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ125 will be available from dealers this October for $7,299; the new 2025 Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ250 will be available from dealers this November for $8,199; the new 2025 Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ250F will be available from dealers this September for $9,099; and the new 2025 Monster Energy® Yamaha Racing Edition YZ450F will be available from dealers this September for $10,199. Returning 2025 Yamaha YZ Motocross & Cross Country Lineup The remainder of Yamaha’s 2025 Motocross and Cross Country lineup are available in Team Yamaha Blue with a new YZ graphics package. In addition, the 2025 YZ125, YZ250, YZ125X and YZ250X two-strokes also receive new toolless fork clickers for quick, easy suspension adjustments, an updated radiator shape and a new handlebar pad. The 2025 YZ450FX and WR450F Cross Country models return with a new single-layer seat skin. The 2025 YZ65 will be available from dealers this month for $4,499;the 2025 YZ85 will be available from dealers this month for $4,999; the 2025 YZ85LW will be available from dealers this month for $5,199; the 2025 YZ125 will be available from dealers this August for $7,099; the 2025 YZ250 will be available from dealers this October for $7,999; the 2025 YZ125X will be available from dealers this September for $7,199; the 2025 YZ250X will be available from dealers this September for $8,099; the 2025 YZ450FX will be available from dealers this month for $10,199; and the 2025 WR450F will be available from dealers this August for $10,199. 2025 Yamaha TTR230 2025 Yamaha Trail Lineup Yamaha’s capable and fun lineup of rider-friendly Trail models return for 2025 in Team Yamaha Blue with a new YZ-inspired graphics package. The 2025 PW50 will be available from dealers this month for $1,849; the 2025 TT-R50E will be available from dealers this August for $1,899; the 2025 TT-R110E will be available from dealers this August for $2,449; the 2025 TT-R125LE will be available from dealers this August for $3,599; and the 2025 TT-R230 will be available from dealers this month for $4,699. 2025 Yamaha XT250 2025 Yamaha Dual Sport Lineup Yamaha’s world-renowned duo of rock-solid reliable, do-it-all Dual Sport models return unchanged for 2025. The 2025 TW200 is offered in Gallant Gray and will be available from dealers this month for $4,999; and the 2025 XT250 is offered in Radical Gray and will be available from dealers this month for $5,499. 2025 Yamaha TW200 The post FIRST LOOK: YAMAHA MX & OFF-ROAD BIKES FOR 2025 appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

We recently got a chance to take the Yamaha T7 into the Rockies for a few days with Ryan Villopoto. The coolest part was watchin RV as he developed a genuine love for ADV riding. Naturally, he was great at it from the word go. check out what he had to say. The post RIDING ADVENTURE BIKES WITH RYAN VILLOPOTO appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

Dirt Bike Magazine heads out to the pine trees and tests the BMW 900 Adventure bike and Honda XR150LE. Two completely different bikes on different spectrums of the motorcycle industry. Mark Tilley, Travis Fant, and a special guest give you a behind the scenes look as we test these bikes and create content for our website, social, youtube channel. Follow along with us for the day and see what Dirt Bike Magazine has been up to! We will have full test videos of these motorcycles soon. Enjoy  The post DIRT BIKE VLOG #16 : BMW 900 ADV & HONDA XR150LE TESTING appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

AMA Pro Racing, reached its halfway point with the annual Independence Day tradition from legendary RedBud MX for Round 6 of the summer campaign. The first race following the recent news that defending champion Jett Lawrence will miss the rest of the season with injury, the Bob The Cooler Co. RedBud National featured near-perfect weather conditions, where one of the biggest crowds in RedBud history was on hand to cheer on hometown racer Chase Sexton to victory. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider swept the motos for his second win of the season, and the first at the track where he grew up racing, which also allowed him to take control of the 450 Class points lead. In the 250 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas kept his breakout season going with the first victory of his professional career. 450 Class Moto 1 The first premier class race of the afternoon saw the red plate of entering point leader Hunter Lawrence lead the field through the first turn aboard his Team Honda HRC machine for the MotoSport.com Holeshot. Early on, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger pressured from second with teammate Sexton starting third. Lawrence fended off an initial attack from Plessinger and soon the top three settled into their respective positions. The lead trio remained unchanged through the first 10 minutes of the moto, but Sexton picked up the pace and was able to make the pass on Plessinger for second. At that point just a couple seconds separated Lawrence from Sexton as the moto reached the halfway point. Sexton bided his time behind Lawrence and did get close enough at point to attempt a pass, but Lawrence held him off and stretched the lead back out entering the final 10 minutes. Behind them, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper was able to catch and pass Plessinger for third. As they approached the final five minutes of the moto Sexton had once again reeled Lawrence back in, partially aided by heavy lapped traffic. The lead stabilized once more as Sexton made slight contact passing slower riders, which slowed his momentum, but then lappers became a factor again in the final two minutes, which allowed Sexton to close onto the rear fender of the Honda. Less than a second sat between the leaders entering the final two laps. As they navigated one of the track’s slow, bumpy downhills, Lawrence’s bike went sideways and caused him to lose grip of the motorcycle, which then slammed him into the ground. Sexton inherited the lead while Lawrence was able to remount in second, just ahead of Cooper in third. Sexton cruised to his fourth moto win of the season, 15.5 seconds ahead of Lawrence, who recovered to minimize the damage and finish second. Cooper followed in third, with Plessinger fourth and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson fifth. Moto 2 The final moto of the day saw Anderson emerge with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, only to be passed by Fire Power Honda’s Michael Webster. Anderson battled back to reclaim the lead while Sexton made a charge on Webster from third. Lawrence started the moto just outside the top five in seventh. Sensing the moment, Sexton went on the attack in the opening laps. He made the pass on Webster for second and then set his sights on Anderson out front. Sexton closed in, awaited his opportunity, and made the pass to seize control of the moto inside the opening 10 minutes. Further back, Lawrence ran sixth and looked to challenge Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart for fifth. The point leader closed in and made the pass. Back up front, Sexton’s lead stabilized at around seven seconds, but it was Plessinger who gave pursuit from second after he made the pass on Anderson. A couple positions behind, Lawrence was able to pass Webster to move into fourth place. Sexton remained in firm control during the second half of the moto and extended his lead to more than 20 seconds in the end, as he completed the sweep of the motos with the largest margin of victory of the season, 21.1 seconds over Plessinger, with Anderson in third. Lawrence missed out on a moto podium for just the second time this season in fourth. Overall Sexton’s most dominant outing of the season gave him the fourth 1-1 sweep of his career and his eighth victory in the premier class. Plessinger’s strong second moto and season-best runner-up finish (4-2) capped off a 1-2 outing for Red Bull KTM, while Lawrence extended his six-round podium streak in third (2-4). The win vaulted Sexton to the top of the championship standings, as the third different rider to carry the red plate this season. He sits seven points ahead of Lawrence, who entered the day with a three-point lead. With Jett Lawrence sidelined, Cooper moved into third following a fifth-place effort (3-6) and sits 48 points out of the lead. 1st: Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-1) “It feels so good [to win at RedBud]. I don’t even know what to say. This is something special. I had so much fun in that second moto. I had such a good flow. The track was amazing. This is unreal.” 2nd: Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (4-2) “This is crazy. I’ve never seen [RedBud] look like this in my life. I got a great start [in Moto 2], got by Anderson and then put it on cruise control a bit. They [Anderson and Lawrence] closed in a bit, so I picked it back up to hold onto second. The bike was working awesome today. I’m so pumped.” 3rd: Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC (2-4) “I’m thankful to not be hurt after the first moto. I struggled a bit in the second moto. I think I maybe hit my head a bit harder than I thought and struggled with my vision a bit. I felt like I had a rev limiter on. I just couldn’t really go any faster than I did.” 450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points) Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM (1-1 // 50) Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-2 // 40) Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-4 // 40) Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (5-3 // 37) Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (3-6 // 36) Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna (6-7 // 31) Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (7-8 // 29) Kyle Webster, Korumburra, Vic., Australia, Honda (10-9 // 25) Harri Kullas, Tallinn, Estonia, KTM (9-12 // 23) Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna (8-13 // 23) 450 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11) Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM – 260 Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 253 Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 212 Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 210 Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 202 Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda – 152 Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 185 Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 164 Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS – 148 Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna – 106 250 Class Moto 1 The first moto of the afternoon began with the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki of Ty Masterpool inching ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but it was the Frenchman who moved into the early lead while Masterpool dropped to third following a pass by Hymas for second. Behind them, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider and point leader Haiden Deegan started fourth, with Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen fifth. Hymas was aggressive on the opening lap and after his pass on Masterpool he went after Vialle, successfully making a pass for the lead. From there, Hymas put the hammer down to establish a lead of 2.5 seconds on the field, while Vialle and Masterpool settled into second and third, respectively. Hymas continued to build on his lead, which grew to nearly six seconds 10 minutes into the moto. As Vialle gave pursuit he went down and lost his hold of second. Masterpool assumed the position while Deegan followed in third. Vialle remounted in fourth. As the moto reached the halfway point Masterpool was able to carve into Hymas’ lead and closed to within two seconds. Deegan also gained ground and lurked in third. Entering the final 10 minutes of the moto, just three seconds separated the top three. Masterpool went on the attack and the pair went side-by-side across the finish line jump, after which Masterpool completed the pass for the lead. He then pulled away as Deegan began to pressure Hymas. Deegan was relentless and made the pass, then set his sights on Masterpool. As they came to take the white flag Masterpool and Deegan were separated by mere bike lengths. Over the final circuit they took different lines, with Deegan searching for enough momentum to attempt a pass. They raced side-by-side across the sand rollers, but Masterpool inched ahead enough to take Deegan’s line and carry on to the moto win by 0.3 over the Yamaha rider. Vialle was able to make a late pass on Hymas to capture third, while Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda rounded out the top five. Moto 2 The second and deciding moto saw Hymas lead the field through the first turn for the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Pierce Brown and Shimoda. A little further back, Masterpool started deep in the top 10, just ahead of Vialle, while Deegan found himself outside the top 10. Hymas mirrored his leading effort from Moto 1 to open a comfortable margin over Shimoda, who passed DiFrancesco for second. Kitchen then moved into the top three after a pass around DiFrancesco. Behind the leaders, Masterpool was able to move into the top four, while Vialle and Deegan looked to climb through the pack together at the tail end of the top 10. As the opening 10 minutes of the moto passed, Hymas had moved out to a lead of more than seven seconds on Shimoda, who looked to hold off a hard-charging Masterpool, who made the pass on Kitchen for third. Meanwhile, both Vialle and Deegan stalled out in their forward progression and ran sixth and eighth, respectively. While the Honda teammates continued to pull away from the field the attention shifted to Masterpool, who was in control of the overall classification, as he started to lose ground to his teammate Kitchen. With less than five minutes to go Kitchen reclaimed third. Shortly thereafter, Masterpool lost fourth to Vialle and settled into fifth, one position ahead of Deegan. The battle for the overall remained in flux over the final two laps as Shimoda closed in on Hymas to set up a head-to-head showdown for the moto win with his teammate. A total of 1.2 seconds separated the Honda duo as they took the white flag. A lapped rider worked in Hymas’ favor and allowed him to inch away over the second half of the racetrack. Hymas secured his second career moto win by three seconds over Shimoda, with Kitchen a distant third. Vialle battled back for fourth, with Masterpool holding on for fifth. Deegan went down after he was caught up in a crash by another rider, but held on for sixth. Overall Hymas’ moto victory, combined with Masterpool’s late fade, allowed the Honda rider to emerge with his first career win in professional competition (4-1) and become the 93rd different winner in 250 Class history. Masterpool earned his second career podium result with a runner-up effort (1-5), while Shimoda parlayed another strong outing in Moto 2 to secure the final spot on the podium in third (5-2). Hymas’ victory, and points gain in the championship standings, was negated by a penalty that was assessed to him in Moto 1 for jumping on a red cross flag (Rule 1.6.14, Section F, Item 4). The punishment for the violation was a deduction of five championship points (Penalty Section 3.1.8, Item E.2). With Hymas’ penalty assessed, Deegan, who missed the overall podium for the first time this season in fifth (2-6), maintained his 42-point lead over Hymas at the halfway point of the season. Vialle, who finished in a tie with Deegan for fourth (3-4) but earned the Moto 2 tiebreaker, remains one additional point back, 43 behind the championship lead. 1st: Chance Hymas, Team Honda HRC (4-1) “It’s about time. To do it on America’s birthday is incredible. I’m so glad I finally put it together. None of this would be possible without the support of everyone around me, from my team, to my teammates, to my parents. This is the first of many, but I’m proud to do it here (at RedBud).” 2nd: Ty Masterpool, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (1-5) “That first 20 minutes of Moto 2 I felt good. I got a bad start but was able to make some passes. Then I just hit a wall. I didn’t get to train before the season [due to injury] and it caught up to me there. I’m still so happy with the moto win and another podium finish.” 3rd: Jo Shimoda, Team Honda HRC (5-2) “I had a good start and Chance [Hymas] and I were up front. The last couple laps you’re tired, but you try to push through it. I tried, but it didn’t work out. I’m really proud of my teammate to get his first win.” 250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points) Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (4-1 // 43) Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki (1-5 // 42) Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (5-2 // 39) Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (3-4 // 38) Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-6 // 38) Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (6-3 // 36) Casey Cochran, Portsmouth, Va., Husqvarna (7-9 // 28) Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS (13-7 // 24) Max Anstie, Newbury, England, Yamaha (9-13 // 22) Mark Fineis, Westfield, Ind., Yamaha (11-12 // 21) 250 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11) Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 276 Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 234 Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 233 Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 213 Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 213 Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki – 188 Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS – 145 Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph – 138 Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha – 124 Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS – 120 The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, July 13, with its annual visit to the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” and Minnesota’s Spring Creek MX Park. The FXR Spring Creek National Presented by Frescados Tortillas The post 2024 RED BUD NATIONAL MX RESULTS & HIGHLIGHTS appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

Let’s go back to 1998, when two-strokes ruled professional motocross, four-strokes were something new, exotic and off-beat and there was still an Open class at most local tracks. The Yamaha YZ400F was brand-new at the time and a flash point for controversy. It was declared legal for the 250 class in AMA Pro racing. Most local tracks, however, said it was an Open classer. In our April, 1998 issue, we wanted to see how it stacked up against the final generation of true Open bikes: the Honda CR500R, Kawasaki KX500 and KTM 380MXC. Here’s what we said: Even though most Open-classers ignore the manufacturers’ intended purpose for these machines, we can’t. If you read our shootout between the KX250 and the YZ400F, you know that the 400 is an unfair advantage in the 250 class. At most tracks, the 400 will have to run in the Open class. So be it. Can the 400 smoke the 380 KTM and the 500s? To find out, we assembled Pit Pro’s Russ Wageman (former speedway and MX pro), Shane Trittler, Ron Lawson and Lumpster to do laps on the four Open motocross bikes at Lemon Grove Cycle Park (a hilly, fast track with SX obstacles). Conditions were primo. Each bike was set up for each rider. After each rider had ridden all four bikes, they (the bikes) were ranked, and the votes were tallied. Here’s how the chips fell: Shane Trittler on the 1998 Kawasaki KX500. Third place (Tie): Kawasaki KX500 & Honda CR500R. Power and comfort were the KX500’s two strongest points, and they go together pretty well on outdoor tracks. The KX proved smooth and extremely fast, and the front end came up gracefully whenever we wicked it out of turns. The soft, wide seat held the rider on the bike, and the low bars kept us forward for carving. The KX would blubber because of a rich pilot jet and ping in the midrange, but it was as friendly as it was fast. Power was never an issue, and we could venture into the deep mud with confidence that the KX would plow right through it. The KX came out of corners well, but it was hard to force the bike into turns because of the gyro effect of the massive crank. Between that and a tendency to follow ruts, it was a bit harder to go fast on the KX500 than the others. It also tended to wallow because of the super-soft suspension. In voting, the KX tied the Honda for third. The 1998 Honda CR500R. Gotta love that LBZ gear! Without a powervalve, the Honda 500 was the most primitive Open-classer, but it had the right kind of power for motocross. It hit hard in the midrange but signed off quicker than the KX. Our forearms also signed off quicker on the CR, and Wageman complained of blisters after riding it. Between the brutal power delivery and vibration at higher revs, the CR demanded that the rider pay a price for going fast. The CR wanted the revs chopped before it would lean for turns, just like the KX, but it had stiffer suspension and better turning manners. The thinner, flatter, harder seat also made it easier to slide around on the bike, so it was more fun to jump than the KX. Brakes were the best in the field (surprise, surprise), but the CR had a clutch pull that would humble Popeye. Explosive power and a hard clutch pull just don’t mix, so all testers preferred the 380 and 400 to either 500 for MX. Pete Murray and the KTM. Second place: KTM 380MXC. Powerwise, the KTM 380 ran much like the CR500, but there was less power to deal with, so riders could do more laps on the Katoom than any other two-stroke. They also liked the MXC’s fairly stiff suspension settings and thin, rigid feel. It was fun to jump and throw into turns because of its lighter crank. Wageman complained of the front end wanting to tuck in turns, and Trittler complained about too-stiff of a shock and a lack of straight-line traction. Clearly, KTM aimed the MXC at larger, older riders. Lump complained about stalling, as the flywheel was a little too light and the brakes too touchy for his tastes. Everyone but Trittler rated the 380 second (Shane rated it fourth). Spud Walters and the YZ400F. De Winner: Yamaha YZ400F. Even though the YZF outweighed the two-strokes by 14 to 17 pounds, it felt lighter on the track, Surprisingly, the heaviest bike in this comparison is the most fun on a motocross track, and it is, by far, the fastest through turns. The YZF is the open bike that handles like a 250 and delivers power more smoothly. All testers could go faster, longer on the Yamaha. It made the least peak power of the bunch, but what it did make was so smooth that nobody complained about the engine. It also had the widest spread of power and rarely needed to be clutched out of turns. The Yamaha also hooked up the best and could carry the most cornering speed. We could get on the throttle much sooner in turns, without worry of looping out or slewing sideways. It required less shifts per lap and less energy to hang on than the two-strokes, too. With the thinnest midsection, the F was the most fun to jump. It cornered best and didn’t do anything weird or unexpected. Wageman hadn’t ridden a bike in a year, and he instantly went fast on the YZF. We had a hard time getting him off of it. It pegged his fun meter, so Wageman ordered one immediately after the test. The YZF had another convert for its four-stroke crusade. Prices 1998 Honda CR500R: $5549 1998 Kawasaki KX500: $4999 1998 KTM 380MXC: $5998 1998 Yamaha YZ400F: $5799 Weight (without fuel) 1998 Honda CR500R: 233 lb. 1998 Kawasaki KX500: 233 lb. 1998 KTM 380MXC: 236lb. 1998 Yamaha YZ400F: 250 lb. We also rated the bikes in two different off-road settings: trails and dunes. Here’s how they did: DUNES First place: Yamaha YZ400F Second place: KTM 380MXC Third place: Honda CR500R Fourth place: Kawasaki KX500 The rationale was that riding in the dunes was all about jumping (Remember the Crusty Demons era?) We said the YZ400F was easiest to jump because it was so smooth and predictable. TRAILS First place: KTM 380MXC Second place: Yamaha YZ400F Third place: Kawasaki KX500 Fourth place: Honda CR500R The KTM had more fuel range, a wider ration gearbox and more flywheel than the others. The Kawasaki, however, was the king in the desert. See you next week! –Ron Lawson The post 1998 OPEN CLASS SHOOTOUT–2-STROKES VS. THE YZ400F: THE WRAP appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

We just received the following press release from HRC Honda: Jett Lawrence Jett Lawrence to Miss Remainder of AMA Pro Motocross With Thumb Injury Torn UCL incurred in a practice crash this week Lawrence to undergo a procedure on Thursday Goal is to return for SuperMotocross title defense DADE CITY, Florida (July 3, 2024) – Having injured his thumb in a small practice crash Tuesday, Team Honda HRC rider Jett Lawrence will undergo a procedure this week, which will result in him sitting out the remainder of the AMA Pro Motocross series. The fall took place on Tuesday, July 2, at the “Dog Pound” (the Lawrence family’s private training facility in Florida). Later the same day, Jett underwent X-ray and MRI scans, and it was determined that he had a torn ulnar collateral ligament, or UCL. [Technical diagnosis: proximal thumb avulsion fracture at the insertion of the UCL, a sprain of that same ligament, and an avulsive ligamentous tear of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) volar plate from its metacarpal attachment.] Jett is scheduled to undergo a procedure on Thursday, July 4, at the Steadman Clinic in Colorado, after which he will focus on making a return in time for the SuperMotocross opener on September 7 in Concord, North Carolina. “It’s obviously a bummer, but it’s part of our sport,” Lawrence said. “It was honestly a pretty small crash, but it is what it is. I’ve been pretty lucky with injuries in my career so far, so I guess it’s just my turn. I was happy with the progress we’ve made in the championship since my setback at Hangtown, and I was excited to try and keep my championship. That obviously won’t happen now, but I have a good team around me and will focus on getting healthy again and coming back at 100 percent. I look forward to cheering on Hunter and doing whatever I can to help him the rest of the series.” Earlier this year, Jett earned the AMA Supercross 450 Championship, which was the seventh professional AMA crown of his young career. Having scored four of five overall wins so far in his AMA Pro Motocross 450 title defense, he currently sits a close second in the points standings to brother and teammate Hunter Lawrence. “We’re fully behind Jett and will support him through his recovery,” said Lars Lindstrom, Manager for Team Honda HRC. “It’s pretty crazy that three of the championship’s top riders have now been sidelined with the same injury, especially one that’s typically pretty rare. Of course it’s disappointing, but even though Jett has won the last seven championships he’s competed in, he’s still so young and has a lot of success ahead of him. Physically he’s a freak of nature and a specimen, so to keep it that way, allowing him to heal to 100 percent is the goal. With Hunter currently leading the points chase, I like our chances of keeping the AMA Pro Motocross 450 Championship with Honda, and we look forward to working on that this weekend at RedBud. In the meantime, everyone on the team and at Honda sends their love Jett’s way; we’ll miss having him on the line!” The post JETT LAWRENCE INJURED; OUT FOR REMAINDER OF AMA NATIONAL MX SERIES! appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine. Просмотреть полный текст статьи

Пока в мире мотостроя и интересных кастомов затишье подъехала годнота из мира кино, новый трейлер фильма Байкеры с Томом Харди в главной роли. В прокат фильм должен выйти 21 июня.

Компания Ducati представила новую модель, это мощный одноцилиндровый Hypermotard Mono который выдает приличные 77.5 лс при объеме двигателя 698cc