by Davey Coombs
Racerhead #31
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PrintWelcome to Racerhead. The 2012 Red Bull AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships are still going on down at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, but I had to bail a day early. After working at the ranch since last Wednesday, I was ready to come home—especially after spider or fire ant attack on my right leg sent me to the doctor for some antibiotics. Plus, Southwick and the return of pro motocross looms large in the headlights, and school starts for the kids next week.
Every year, going back to 1982, you can count on Loretta Lynn's to deliver some remarkable amateur motocross moments. This time was no different, though there were so many standout performances that it's hard to go into them and not include all of them. For instance, Kawasaki Team Green's Adam Cianciarulo was as fast as promised, winning all four of the motos I saw him ride—including two holeshots from the far outside!
But there was another fast kid who caught me by surprise. Jeff Emig told me that Justin Hoeft, the son of a former SoCal pro, was going to the next big thing in 85cc racing, and the Yamaha support rider was a revelation at Loretta Lynn's. His is a name you want to remember, just like Jordon Smith, who hammered out big wins in the 125cc Schoolboy class.
One of Adam Cianciarulo's caught-outside holeshots.
DC photo
And speaking of time, there was Ricky Carmichael, the best professional motocross racer of all time, returning to race the Junior +25 class. RC wanted his kids to see him race a motorcycle “and know why we have a big house and all this stuff.” He was admittedly nervous before he went out there, and he even gave up the first-moto holeshot to the very game Andrew Matusek, who then stole the podium show with a heartfelt speech about what racing again meant to him after once suffering a coma-inducing concussion.
Once RC went by, he showed flashes of his old speed and his deep desire to win, and the crowd—a Lucas Oil National-sized crowd—lapped up every second of RC's return. They were even treated to a 1-2 by Carmichael and Robbie Reynard, as if it were Unadilla back in the day! RC was to race his last moto of the year tonight as the last moto of the evening, so check out the live timing and scoring here ... if it doesn't crash! The ranch server can only fit 3,500 people viewing at a time, and it crashed in each of RC's first two outings.
RC and one his competitors, Brent Duffe, hang out at the beer tent.
DC photo
I was also really stoked by the overall numbers of the whole event. If the American motorcycle industry is looking for a sign that things are turning around for the better, it could look to Loretta Lynn's. The overall Red Bull AMA Amateur National Championship program was up 18 percent across the board, including Areas and Regionals, and the kids are going very, very fast. There were also record crowds each day for spectators, as Red Bull really put together a great media blitz for the local area. Carmichael's presence certainly helped, and he and his family got such a kick out of it that they will likely be back next year. (And no, no one had claimed RC's bike by the time I left, and he didn't really care, though he does think he wants to have an eBay auction for it to benefit Stone Edler, the fast kid who had to drop out of the race as he fights cancer—Stone was invited to ride a couple of intermission laps, which was very inspiring for everyone, and a big gear auction was held on his behalf. Good luck, Stone.)
Besides RC and Reynard, there were lots of old pros racing, including Gary Semics, who was going after the +50 Masters title; SoCal legend Doug Dubach, who was battling for the +40 and +45 titles; and his competitor Trampas Parker, the two-time world champion and all-around good-ole-boy. The 1972-1974 AMA 250 Motocross Champion Gary Jones was there with his son Justin, who was racing at Loretta's for the first time. I also spotted Mike Brown watching, along with Jeff Emig, Nathan Ramsey, Travis Preston, Matt Walker, Ronnie Tichenor, Casey Johnson, and more.
Jason Anderson was one of many current pros who showed up to watch.
DC photo
Coach Joe Gibbs came out with his sons to scout talent, and so did the KTM brass, including U.S. boss Jon-Erik Burleson. Tom White made his first visit, as did AMA VP Jeff Massey, who was there to visit with everyone and also cheer his coworker Kip Bigelow on. Kip holeshot the first Masters +50 moto, giving him some serious street cred in the halls of Pickerington, but then he crashed while dicing with Semics and Matt Tedder. Rick Zielfelder of GEICO Honda was there watching his latest find, Zach Bell, who will follow a long line of Loretta Lynn's graduates into the pro ranks for Ziggy's team: Canard, Justin Barcia, Blake Wharton, Eli Tomac, Justin Bogle.
Finally, while heading through the airport, I spotted Mitch Payton, who was getting ready to board a plane for Minnesota and a family vacation. Mitch has become a regular presence at Loretta Lynn's (as well as the Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross at Daytona) and was at the ranch for three days. We got to do some bench-racing at the ranch, but it was always around a lot of other folks and mostly included well-intended insults and jabs. But alone at the airport we decided to have a beer and talk shop: Team USA, the outdoors, Adam Cianciarulo, and RV-to-where? Mitch, the Team USA assistant manager to Roger DeCoster, thinks Roger needs to see whether Villopoto wants to race before naming a final lineup, since RV is back on the bike in Florida and, according to Mitch and a few other folks, going very fast already.
Mitch Payton and friend at the Nashville Airport.
DC photo
I tried to pry Mitch for some info on Villopoto's contract situation, and all I can say is that he prefers that Ryan stay on green and thinks that's what will happen, but he wasn't at liberty to say much more.
As for Cianciarulo, I would not be surprised to see the soon-to-be-16-year-old turn pro at some point in 2013. Mitch says he loves 250Fs and that he already thinks a 125 just isn't fast enough. And both of us were blown away by the level of execution and commitment AC92 showed in grabbing two holeshots from the far outside after terrible gate picks—he drew something like 38 and 41 for his two classes. I would now rank that kid as one of the top mini riders I have seen at Loretta Lynn's, along with Brian Swink, Buddy Antunez, Damon Bradshaw, RC, and James Stewart.
Okay, I have a bunch more, but I need to stop here and turn it over to Jason Weigandt and the rest of the gang. To see all of the results, just click here.
Shane McElrath was the most surprisingly fast intermediate.
DC photo
Okay, here's Weege:
Good thing Red Bull now backs the AMA Amateur National Championship at Loretta's, because after five straight days, I need someone or something to give me wings. It's sunup to sundown and then well beyond that working here at the Ranch. Motos start at 7:30 sharp every morning and don't stop until 7 p.m., and I'm here in the tower announcing every one of them alongside DMXS Radio's Kevin Kelly and Rodney Tomblin. Then it's on to our MotorcycleUSA.com MX Sports Center web show and whatever Racer X duties I can handle here. I've said a million times that this is the hardest and most fun week of the year, and the song stays the same. You can check out all of the MX Sports Centers right here, beginning with yesterday's show.
When you're down here, you know Loretta's and nothing but Loretta's. I have not a clue what's happening in the Olympics, elections, or any other news. I couldn't even tell you what's happening on the pro side of this sport this week. But for those on the outside looking in, I'll tell you what you need to know.
Zach Bell will be next in the GEICO Honda amateur-to-pro machine.
DC photo
Who is the one to watch? This event was supposed to showcase the next two big things, GEICO Honda's Zach Bell and Star/Valli Yamaha's Jeremy Martin, but Martin hurt his shoulder a few days before the race and couldn't go. His debut at Southwick is now in doubt, too; we'll see what happens next weekend. As for Bell, he has lived up to the hype, crushing this track with the fastest times of the week and a 1-1-1 championship sweep in his 250 A class. But crashes ended his bid for the Open Pro Sport title (where he is racing a 250F against 450s). Bell's speed is legit, but can he keep it off the ground at the next level? That will be the question. I've also heard great stories of his speed in sand, which is the terrain he will debut in next weekend at Moto-X 338.
Who is next? The B classes have provided the best battles of the week. Star/Valli's Cooper Webb dug out one title after a 20-minute duel to the death with Shane McElrath. You've got JGR Yamaha's Anthony Rodriguez battling McElrath for a title, too, and the other Factory Connection/GEICO Honda rider, Matt Bisceglia, is working on a championship of his own. These guys are all making the case for being "next" in the A classes next year. However, you can't forget that Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Adam Cianciarulo will probably be in the A class at this time next year. With the way AC is crushing Supermini, I can't see him being in the B class for long—if at all, after seeing what DC had to say above.
What's the vibe? We all know there are some deterrents to the growth of moto at the moment. The economy has done us no favors, we're always dealing with legislative and land-use issues, the lead law was a big scare for a bit, and the sport seems to be getting more expensive all the time. But there's no less enthusiasm here in the younger ranks. The 50cc classes are fun to watch, and these parents and kids are serious about chasing the motocross dream. And that's really what fuels events like this. Not everyone will make it, but the hope and the desire to give it a shot fuels this event. And it's still there.
Minnesota's Jesse Wentland is 1-1 in Open Pro Sport so far.
DC photo
Beyond that, the event itself has received a huge boost via Red Bull, which is doing much more than you'd ever know to promote the race. At the track, you'll see structures and buildings and events thanks to Red Bull, but away from it, the company is providing huge marketing and PR for the event. We had live cuts on the Nashville news stations, a massive boost in social networking, and, best of all, coverage will air on NBC in November. This is a win not just for amateur motocross or this race, but the entire sport. Proof, to me, came when Trey Canard showed up here on Wednesday and said he was blown away with how cool and professional this event looks in comparison to the last time he rode here in 2007. But in 2007, we thought this was as awesome as any event could ever be! Hard to believe it keeps getting better and better, but it does. And that's good for everyone.
Okay, over to Steve Matthes...
It’s been a busy week for everyone at Racer X down at the ranch. But here in Las Vegas? Not so much. The two weekends off in the motocross series allow a guy like me to relax a bit and work on some things around the house and spend some quality time with Bassett Hounds.
Seeing as how I’m such a dork about all things moto, though, I’ve been watching some old races and was marveling at how good Mike Kiedrowski was. First as a factory Honda rider and then on factory Kawasaki, the MX Kied won four outdoor championships, rode the MXDN four times, and when he retired was fifth on the all-time career MX wins list. I started digging through stats (seriously, I know I’ve said it before, but the Racer X Vault could quite possibly rank in my top three things I love the most in my life, with my wife and my Tim Ferry jersey collection, and please don’t ask me in which order) and was amazed that Mike Kiedrowski doesn’t get more credit for his career among us bench racers.
There were more than 100 gate drops this week at Loretta Lynn's.
DC photo
So with me having some down time, I decided that honoring Mike for his career whether he liked it or not was going to happen. First an essay on how good he was, then a podcast with Mike himself, and finally some of his peers (and Weege) on his career as a racer. Yeah, I know, I have a serious sickness when I pound out two thousand words on a guy who retired seven years ago, but what are you gonna do?
A couple of silly season notes: I spoke with someone at Honda who told me that they’re working on keeping Justin Brayton on the team, but nothing’s set there yet. There were a few nationals where Justin wasn’t being Justin, but overall, counting supercross, Brayton’s been a good fit for the Red Riders. They’ve got Justin Barcia and Trey Canard locked in and it’s a matter of finding the money to keep a third guy on the team. It didn’t sound super positive that it was going to happen but I wouldn’t rule it out. I believe there’s a spot for Brayton back on the JGR Yamaha team if he can’t stay red next year.
The Christophe Pourcel-to-Jeff Ward Racing rumor has been going around for a month or so and there have definitely been talks. Pourcel’s put the feelers out that he wants to come back and has spoken with Hart & Huntington and JGR as well. Just like the first time around, though, the teams feel that his asking price is a little high, and I know JGR and H&H have bowed out. So what about JWR? Officially no one is saying right now, but my sources in Europe say he’s going to stay there next year unless he wins the world title, which would then give him some bargaining power with the teams here. JWR does have Josh Grant for another year but they’re not sure if he’s going to stick around or not. Sometimes in our sport, signed contracts don’t really matter if a rider wants out or a team wants out. Trust me, it’s happened a lot before and will always happen.
Remember the name Ryder DiFrancesco.
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Thanks for checking out PulpMX. We’ve got some cool stuff over there. Appreciate the support.
The PulpMX Show is off this coming Monday but we’ll be back Monday after Southwick with new shows.
And now over to Ping:
I wish I lived in the Northeast right now. The 125 Two-Stroke event being put on sounds like a blast and I wish someone on this side of the country would follow suit. Hopefully this event does well and there will be more to follow.
Speaking of two-strokes, I got to chat with longtime Suzuki man Pat Alexander this week about the chances of Yellow Magic bringing back some bikes that require premix. Sadly, there is no chance. According to Pat, Suzuki management talked about it and even suggested it to Suzuki in Japan but the idea was shot down ultimately. That’s a bummer.
The new 2013 RM-Z450.
Matty Fran photo
We got to test ride the 2013 RM-Z450 this week at the Suzuki SX test track. I have never heard of a bike intro being held at the brand’s test track so kudos to Suzuki for coming up with something fun. The track was mellowed out, of course, so the media types didn’t kill themselves. But it was still fun riding on the tacky clay and being able to throw the big Rain Bird sprinklers on whenever we wanted. The new Suzuki looks very similar to last year’s bike but there is a long list of changes to the new model.
In the engine the piston, piston pin, and connecting rod are developed with use of Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis, which is a MotoGP technology. The piston is 13 percent lighter (without compromising the strength and rigidity). The piston pin has Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) surface treatment for less friction and increased durability. The crankcase reed valve is made thinner for more efficient lubrication and the oil strainer has a stronger magnet to catch more sludge in engine oil. The Intake cam has more lift to improve midrange. The transmission has been redesigned with a reshaped shift cam, stopper spring and drive shaft that should result in more solid shifter feel. Some complained of missed shifts in years past but the new three-dog system should improve that. There are also new gears in 2-5.
The 2013 RM-Z450 uses the newest version of the Showa Separate Function forks (SFF) with separate spring and damping tasks. The idea is to decrease friction and weight and improve absorption. There is a long list of other, subtle changes made to the new bike. For a closer look at it and more of the details be sure to check out the video that Matty Fran put together over at Racer X Films.
Both Robert and Robbie Reynard race this year!
DC photo
One more thing regarding Suzuki: We were informed that Suzuki will be bringing back their contingency program for professional racing in 2013. Suzuki has long been a big supporter of contingency in amateur racing but had dropped their pro support in years past. The return of the contingency dollars is great news for pros wanting to ride yellow next year.
That's it from Ping.
Speaking of Mike Kiedrowski, he's one of those few kids of the last twenty-five or so years who never really set the world on fire in the amateur ranks but did enough to catch the eye of Roger DeCoster when The Man was at Team Honda back in 1988-'89, just like he did in 2006 with Suzuki and a kid named Ryan Dungey. I remember Kiedrowski being a decent Team Green rider, but ultimately overshadowed by the likes of Damon Bradshaw and Jeff Emig. But then he went right out and beat Bradshaw for the '89 AMA 125cc National Motocross title and added more over the years. Like Broc Glover, the MX Kied could not pull off a supercross title, but he still must rank as one of the sport's all-time fast outdoor riders. As a reporter for Cycle News back during Mike's rise, I can tell you he was also great to talk to, very polite, and also very professional with the way he went about the business of being a racer.
Wherever RC went he attracted a crowd.
Red Bull KTM rider Ken Roczen did an interview back home in Germany, where he's enjoying the break before the last four Lucas Oil Nationals at Southwick, Unadilla, Steel City, and Lake Elsinore. He mentioned the adjustments he must make due to all the travel, the length of the schedule, PR commitments, etc. David Vuillemin, who moved here from France after the '99 season, offered this on the Vital MX message board:
"All of us Euros had to deal with all of that. Not really news but difficult to adjust for sure. I had a tough time at the end of the Nationals (in 250cc 2 strokes) the first season I was here even if I won Hangtown and High Point. The last 4-5 races, I was on surviving mode and physically and mentally drenched after 16 SX and 12 MX races... As for Ken, it will get even more difficult when he'll race in the big class and for 29 races. U.S. racing is no joke even if the euro fans think so..."
We received this email from our good friend Paul Buckley earlier this week about an upcoming NESC race this Sunday (which Ping was referencing):
“It the 2nd Annual National Invitational and First Annual 125cc 2-Stroke showdown this Sunday, August 5. NESC sanctioned, one day cards available, transponder scoring. There's a $4,800.00 purse for the pro classes and it's $600 to win a moto. The 2-Stroke race has a 100% payback +$2,000.00 purse and it's open to A and B riders. Classes for 50cc kids to 50+ year old vets. It's at Crow Hill MX park in Baldwinville, MA. Lots of prizes for holeshots and raffles. The race is sponsored by Fox, Shift, Spectro and Factory Connection.”
And finally, here’s the LL program cover.
That's it for this week. Check out the live timing and scoring through tomorrow afternoon to see all of the 2012 Red Bull AMA Amateur National Motocross Champions. Thanks for reading Racerhead, see you at the races!
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two more pic's of RC instead of some Real amatuer who could use and would LOVE to have their pic on here.
Get over it Bill- RC is still a star in this sport.
Great read in this week's RACERHEAD - thanks, RacerX. I know I will be bidding for RC4's Suzuki on ebay. I'm anticipating it will command a hefty price tag, though. I would guess at least $15K... or more. Would be a great addition to the collection!
Leave to BillC, to find something to whine about. Too bad it wasnt a picture of Stewart, Bill C would have gotten a boner and loved it then. He never was much of a RC fan, always claimed Stewart was faster..
While FEA may be used in MotoGP, it is NOT a "MotoGP technology"...in other words, it wasn't developed there. It has been used for decades now in a multitude of industries and is quite common - it can be ran on a laptop nowadays. I would say that if Suzuki is just now starting to use it on their dirt bikes, they're a good 15 years or so behind.
Awesome Racerhead...wish more read like this one. Not at all saying any are bad, just some better than others.....but this is the first one in a long time I've read all the way to the end.
muhamed. i agree. GREAT RACERHEAD!
Hey BillC, blame Matthes. It's a website, not a magazine. They could put as many pictures here as they want. And yes, MustardDog, RC IS still a star in our sport, and rightly so. Amazing how much he dominated! I love seeing him back on a bike.
@323mx - good question and one that warrants an answer. Not sure any of us know without a current LL rulebook in hand as I'm sure it changes each year. Maybe DC will read your comment at some point and respond. Would agree that a current, active pro should not be allowed to racer at an "amateur" event.
I applaud Suzuki for re-instating their contingency programs. After their rounds of corporate downsizing and even deleting some positions altogether, it appears cooler heads are finally prevailing. I know tonewall is Suzuki's unofficial manfriend and is routinely bothered by my over-critical commentary in regards to their corporate decision making, so please refer to my opening sentence.
It is nice to hear about signs of life from the MX industry @ LL's and beyond.
Josh Grant not sticking around? Maybe rethink that one Josh, just sayin'.
Pourcel's dillemna is easy to figure out. One year, bonus heavy (performance-based) contract and reneg after the moto community sees he's not the guy that pissed everyone off last summer. He had better move fast 'cause Tomac & the rest are coming. He will be "Mr. Irrelevant" by next year. I have a suspicion that he is still a part of the "RV deal" equasion though at this point which, still gives him (a degree of) leverage.
Kawi should hard-line Villopoto and move along. Honda is out of the bidding. Honda couldn't come to terms with GOAT after a knee injury for heavens sake, what makes anyone think they will offer RV anything he would entertain after an ACL? Especially after already having Barcia & Canard signed..........I know, I should've been an agent.
The age classes at Loretta Lynn's allow former pros, not current national or SX competitors. However, there was a mix-up in the interpretation between the AMA rules and Loretta Lynn's supplemental rules meant to allow riders who have less than 25 points in professional competition to race in the Pro Sport classes, but the way it was written it made those age classes open too. Only Sleeter and Destry were effected by it -- they rode outdoor nationals under the old rule last year -- and after realizing the confusion of the way the rule was written, we could not make it retroactive (Sleeter qualified for Pala last year but scored no points; don't recall which Destry rode). The rule will read differently next year, as will the one that allowed riders who appealed directly to the AMA at the district level to drop back to Vet B/C caused some real confusion. Both MX Sports and the AMA are trying to narrow down the eligibility concerns for this event.
DC
MX Sports
And sorry, I think I meant "affected" and not effected...
DC
I feel it's totally cool with RC racing again at LL's. He's the most popular person there and I'm sure many people got a chance to meet and hangout with him, unlike standing in line an hour just to get an autograph back in his heyday. When I raced +25 back in 88 at the Ranch, Mark Barnett was on the line but I did'nt care, I felt I had a chance to maybe beat him and bathe in the glory. Of course I did'nt, neither did anyone else in that rainsoaked week, but I did'nt mind him there. He was/is a cool person and a man I looked up to. I'm sure a lot of RC's competitors feel the same way.
Great final LL +25 race. Reynard somehow passed RC and RC then wicked it up to a 1:54 lap time (in the final moto) and passed Reynard back and pulled out a 9 second gap. RC still has amazing speed... and wish I was there to race (or watch).
@Davey Coombs - thanks for the response. And yes... the correct word is "affected".
Davey - Who the "F" is Brent Duffe - That's Justin Kelly from Illinois with Carmichael.
Josh Grant needs to stay at JWR.It's probably his last decent ride.
didn't reynard BEAT rc at unadilla (98). he was posessed that day. And if euro fans think american racing is a joke, why haven't they had much luck beating american racers?
allthetruth, I thought it was #38 off the start because that's what I think he told RC: I was #38 right here on the start photo, and he's with my friends from Iowa... But Illinois works too, my bad if I got the wrong guy. It was still a pretty cool moment, that guy and RC bench-racing in the beer tent. Not quite Stefan Everts and RC, but the vibe and the enthusiasm and the camaraderie and love of moto seemed the same.
DC
Ping, Finite Element Analisys is only one keystroke away when modeling things in Solidworks, the defacto 3D design environment. Even a dork like me can do a FEM on a part, so I would imagine FEM is as common to a piston or rod designer as mouthwash to a dentist. You, my man, have been punked by a Suzuki PR man. Cmon - get your geek on, buddy!
@ BigUglyManiac, don't blame Ping, he's just the messenger parroting what the press intro is. Suzuki's PR hacks are new hire. Where they came from is anybody's guess (mine is outside of the motorsport industry, in some intern pool).
I suppose FEA is the new BNG.
Nowadays, every manufacturer is going to get every mile out of the "four-year design cycle" for their bikes due to economic restrictions so, throwing FEA out there is probably code for "welcome to year four".
If we give Suzuki a mulligan for the 2008's that had the case failures and barely saw the light of day, this will be the end of the cycle and we "should" see a fresh model from 'Zook for the 2014 run. Manufacturers don't talk about that sort of thing because it's not good for sales.
Yamaha had to go the full term, in spite of terrible PR for their current 450, because they knew they had to drop the whole "Reverse Revolution" and clean slate an entirely new model. BUT..........I think they will go the route of MX-ifying the new WR450 which, is essentially a YZ250F frame with a 450 motor stuffed in. That would disperse the cost over two model lines and get them back to having their off-road model closely resembling the MX specific model, further spreading the costs and merging R&D, another money saving move.................which leads me to..........JGR should start modding a WR to get a jump on the R&D process. Maybe they already are.
@BillC If you have such an issue with former pros racing amateur events then why don't you bust Dubach's and Reynard's huevos. RC is the greatest MX rider of all time. 99% of the folks at Loretta's are glad he is there. Get over it.
@carsbad.....If we (the consumer) did'nt give a mulligan to all manufactures...your KTM included , for some of the crap they've given us even before 250 Elsinores (that were actually quite breakable and horrible handling..their reputation being WAY .., WAY better than the bike was) the starting line would be empty. ... I like Yamahas and there durability ..but its about time for a good one....I also happen to like the Suzuki RMZ450 alot ...mostly for the reason I would have never bought one...then I rode one and was blown away at how good and 'forgiving' lol ....it was. I like bikes that turn first and foremost..(ps i have NEVER seen the "case failure"??.)..I don't really care who makes them....just like If people ever actually rode a Gas Gas 2 stroke there would be ALOT less KTM 's but most folks bad mouth them without ever riding one..there fantastic.....just like the RMZ........Yamaha has ALWAYS dumped there left over YZ stuff as WR's...nothing new there...as for L.L.'s If I was a kid learning to race and I got to watch the best rider ever ( believe it) I would be very VERY glad.....
RC did not take the change out of a hobo's cup or something by racing 25+. I have no problem with it. There were less than 10 ex pro's there that I could see in the results.
Destry Abbot only qualified for ONE national.
Amazing they are saying Pourcel is still "asking for too much $" in 2012. Like mentioned earlier - and I say ALL contracts today should do this - make a performance based salary. In the stick/ball sports just about every contract's terms are released, why not in MX??? interesting to see what everybody is making comparatively.
Josh Grant - PLEASE please continue on that KX!! One of the few that can really wring out a 450 these days!!
When will we start realizing that having California as the "home" of MX/SX is horrible for the sport and especially the riders. Requiring young people to spend large amounts of time in a complete morally corrupt shit-hole f'n sucks. Josh Grant is just the latest nimrod, more worried about his next tattoo than the next race, and Dean Wilson will be the next if he does not get out. When was the last 450 champion that lived and trained full time in California - "the state everyone hates"? Modern-day MX/SX takes too much actual "work" to take place in California. The days of McGrath and Emig drinking beer at the Lake every weekend are over. The sport has moved beyond the candy-coated reality that California offers, and now requires the work ethic of a true American. The only reason the top guys go to Cali. is because all the headquarters and test tracks are there.
Albert Einstein: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Liberals want free Government hand-outs, I just want freedom from the Government.
Thats not Brent Duffe with RC in that photo that is Justin Kelly from Illinois.
thank you pizzacorner!!
Weedge it's "the song remains the same" not the song stays the same. Come on bro,get your Led Zep on.
I think a retract/typo/apology is due to the F.B.I. (FAST BOYS from ILLINOIS).
Give credit where credit is due.
Thanks for Racerhead!
@pizzacorner.....well said. I am native Californian, and only go there to visit cousins and other relitives (occasionally). Once RR left the govenors office, the liberals swooped in...........
Oopes, sorry, getting too political for most posters here.
Why do some posters on here have issues with the GOAT racing for fun? Just his presence alone adds value to any racer / race track owner event. The GOAT is intelligent enough not to race in a class that will "take away from" somebody who is up and coming within the sport. Give the Greatest Of All Time some credit. He has earned it.
I'll bet there are very few that would not want to be doing what RC is able to do right now with his family. Don't hate on him just because you can't do it. (or so it appears)
The GOAT worked very hard and deserves his rewards!
@pizzacorner....California and Oregon suck...its just terrible here ...PLEASE don't move here there's nothing to do ,no where to go, ugly women and the weather is bad.....i'll just call you and tell you whats happening so in five years you and your state can do it....
@ tonewall, without this becoming an argument, I'd like to clarify what I've posted. I'm hard on the manufacturers that don't come up to snuff but, I have a symbiotic relationship with them in that, I need them as much as they need me. Without me and consumers like me continuing to buy their bikes, they would be focusing on weed whackers and outboard motors.
I feel my posts regarding Suzuki & Yamaha are with merrit because of their current state of affairs. Some examples.......
1) If Yamaha would not have released the Bass-ackwards 450, they would still have James Stewart and (arguably) another SX championship which, a lot of people feel is a valid statement. You yourself have made a statement alluding to this. Why is it wrong when I say it but not you? That confuses me.
Yamaha did what they did and there has been a mass exodus from that brand in the (pro) 450 class.....literally. I have never said that the YZF450 is unreliable, has the worst build quality (I say that about Suzuki) or would be a bad choice for a casual rider. I do say that they have an incurable handling flaw at the pro level, pro racers have an aversion to them, public perception is almost unanimously against them and they are very lucky to have JGR sticking around.
2) Suzuki is broke and they are making terrible business decisions. Not keeping DeCoster was an all-time stupid move, it cost them Ryan Dungey as well. As a fan of KTM, I should be applauding them 'cause they literally gave KTM the keys to success but, more accurately, the situation is Suzuki lost them by default. These are things any casual fan can see. What may be not so apparent is, the company wide blood letting that has cost many, many people their careers. Not only were the lower-tier "cogs in the machine" types released but, the "best and brightest" were sacked as well. Suzuki was SOOO lucky to have had Yoshimura in place to defer their "Factory" team to that the casual fan has no idea how close they were to not seeing a factory Suzuki on the 'nats which, we're not seeing anyways because of continued corporate stupidity.....but like you, I think the RMZ450 is a very good bike.
I would say the quickest way to turn the tables for Yamaha and Suzuki would be for Suzuki to put Metcalf's bike under Alessi and for Yamaha to homologate the WR for 2013 SX / MX and JGR start preparing one for R&D. I haven't seen these things happen and therfore, I still hold the belief that they are behaving in an incompetent manner........and I say so.
Tell me what KTM (or any OEM for that matter) is doing wrong and I will intently listen......
As far as Elsinores go, they were a "runaway sales success", obsoleted many of the competitors current machines and established the company firmly in the consumer's psyche. I don't think they will be saying that about the 2010-2013 YZF450.
The '08 RMZ450's had case failures and to limit liability, Suzuki recalled them all. Now, you may not have seen or heard about said failures but, you haven't seen the bottom of the ocean either, does that make it not exist as well?
As always, with the utmost respect and in good fun.
@cbad .....when i ride my rmz i don't care about any of that stuff...it works...and as for failures no more than the KTMs I fix daily. the 10-13yz450f isn't the only bike Yamaha ever built i believe...the 09 is fantastic...and they HAVE $$$ they will build more GOOD ones..that Whibley guy seems to ride his ok....ridden any good two stroke KTM SX models that they made forever and never got right ...NO.....there is no real argument here because I could care less about the companys internal affairs or who they do or don't fire and i don't worship at the altar of Decoster...i like him ,have met him..really nice guy.....i just ride the bike I like as I'm sure you do also....could absolutely care less what KTM does right or wrong as long as they keep paying my rent....no disrespect meant or taken ...i enjoy your point of view even though I may not agree ..... I am TRYING my best to not even communicate with some of the complete morons,stalkers and liars on here...
@chosen1 being born and bred in Cal...i still love the place ...there is nowhere like it on earth...got to grow up surfing and playing in the dez or snow on the same day...the heyday of motocross..USGP's ,hopetown, Elsinore GP blah blah ..theres ALOT of Cali above Santa barb...visit Montana De Oro sometime....and I live in Oregon because of its beauty and riding...i was being sarcastic...shocker.
they keep talking about no more 2 strokes for the japanese... Why are you Japs against 2 strokes??
If you research direct injection 2 strokes, they are cleaner and outperform 4 strokes in almost every area!!! Including TORQUE!!!! Its not new technology , its been around for awhile.. Every outboard motor manufacturer makes booth...Snowmobiles too...
Auto makers are testing it, don't know if its in any vehicles yet..
I bet KTM will have one eventually!!! FOR racing IT will be the AMA rules that keeps them non competitive by making unfair rules against the 2 strokes...someone is getting their palm greased!!!
@tonewall
1.) You can say what ever you want, and think you are cool as shit. The truth is, you are being anally rapped by your local and state Governments. But hey, you might have the latest trendy shirt before me.........but I will survive.
2.) California faces a $15.7 billion deficit that has grown almost 70 percent since January. State is nothing but a burden on the rest of this country due to all the stupidity.
3.) Can you show me were I mentioned Oregon (even though it is a Liberal cesspool)? Not very bright I have come to realize, really not worth a response but there you go hot-shot.
http://twostrokemotocross.com/2010/09/two-stroke-fuel-injection-is-here-now/
aftermarket fuel injection for a 2 sroke....better than a carb but not as good as direct injection!! This fuel injected two stroke has rave reviews by "DIRT WHEELS MAGAZINE".
now imagine what direct injection could do!!!
@pizzacorner heres some raid ..please kill that GIANT bug up your a&s..
Excuse me for interrupting the whatever, but when is Stewy going to return?
And the affect/effect confusion was hilarious ....
Well said pizzacorner. The last thing we need are more nipple rings, those dumb stupid ass whoops in the ears roczen wears, and tattoos like grant and millsaps. Clean cut brayton, and canard are the real icons. We can thank team Honda and jeff stanton for the proper image in motocross. Look at golfers.. always clean cut and dressed well. This is why when the general public sees a guy like Grant, they dont take the sport serious. If our pros were to truly have a professional image, it would help the sport along with sponsors.
I really hate replying to pissants, but when have I EVER "admitted I was a road guy".
I race off-road 18-20 times a year...idiot.
hi, choosen1,,yamaha already has direct injection technology on 2 stroke outboards. THey have decades of developing 2 strokes so how hard would it be to aply their already aquired direct injection to their 2 strokes....
It would make a superior bike that makes more cleaner power with a lighter and cheaper to make engine......Mabey it's all the politics involved that stops progress!!!
They would make more money selling more bikes!! BUt i see what you mean..,,Yamaha likes to be diferent so maybe they will be the first company to do it !!!
It would seem that fans could more accurately determine whether or not RC is still the fastest if/when he raced professional (not amateur) motocross.
KTM has developed a D.I. two-stroke. Eventually when they bring them out, they will be snapped up and customers will be happy. When this happens, I will enjoy watching their sales success and the lame-o excuses the J-brands will exercise for selling their souls to government control.
The racing bikes are not regulated, as "closed-course" eschews this CARB compliance claptrap.
I've been entertaining the thought of restoring a '78 DT400 (the last two-stroke street legal bike marketed) just to ride a two stroke around on the streets.............I think I might've talked myself into it. I already have a '87 YSR50 but, it's basically for giggles, the occasional neice / nephew ride and easy road transport when on camping trips.
It's a drag hearing all the negativity about California / So. Cal and knowing there's no decent argument. If nothing else, we are a cautionary tale.
carlsbad; the DT400 was not the last two-stroke street-legal bike; Yamaha brought out the RZ350 in the early '80s. they then stripped the engine of the counterbalancer, then stuffed it into an ATV called it a Banshee.
the RZ350s are high-coveted and if you want to ride a full-size two-stroke bike on the street, they're the only bike to consider.
BigUgly; (way off topic, guys - sorry)
while i'm glad to see you are aware of FEA and 3D CAD, SolidWorks is not the "defacto" engineering package. SW is great for "designers" and entry-level people, but when it comes to hardcore engineering, other packages are used. no, i'm not saying that SW is a bad program, but having been in the engineering discipline for twenty years (and used Inventor, SW, Solid Edge, and Pro/E), i can tell you that SW, while extremely popular and easy to use, is not the gold standard.
I love hearing east coast guys telling us how f'ed up cal is......good ..stay there ....and we'll be fine....... isn't there a fu^%$ing trillion 2 stroke scooters everywhere...? or am i just fixing one over and over..........
I love all of the RV silly season talk, mostly because i know it ruins Carlsbad's day, he is such a hater. RV will go green, unless a Honda team can find some major doe.
Your right, we shouldnt pick on Cal. Its the ridiculous image riders try to emulate that drives me crazy. Rj was from cal, and he was clean cut.
I am just saying motocross racers dont need to look like Tommy Lee from motley crue to be cool. Just be yourself.. dungey, midwest, perfect.
It would really suck to be as unhappy and angry at life all the time like pizzacorner.. Man, his life must really suck to be so unhappy all the time.. Just full of hate and anger, well my life is pretty sweet, dont really hate anything that much.. It must really suck in pizzacorners Moms basement..
@ ungarata, my mistake. I thought I put "off road / enduro model" in the description. I believe you are right though, regarding the RD / RZ lines. There is a local (street bike) club around here that I see on Palomar mountain occasionally. They have several RZ350's and at least one RZ500 in their ranks and they are formidable on the hill.......and sound great too.
@ tonewall, I believe there's a 50cc ceiling that allows two strokes to continue to be registered on CA streets but, I'd take 400cc & 35 years old versus the trickest 2013 50cc scooter out there for the same reasons that keep me from riding my YSR50 around everywhere. Dignity and tourqe.
@ persona, good one. Next time, check your spelling and you might even be taken seriously, scrub.