MXGP Champions

French World Champions

Heading into this weekend MXGP of France, set for the undulating circuit of Villas sous Ecot, it isn’t hard to look back at the history of the French motocross riders and feel they have done their share in making the FIM Motocross World Championship a better championship.

Eight Frenchman have tasted victory at the end of a GP season and been crowned FIM Motocross World Champion. The French have picked up 13 titles in total as many of their world champs scored more than one championship in their careers.

Back in 1986 Jacky Vimond became the first ever French rider to win a FIM Motocross World Championship. He did so in the 250cc class, and while Vimond was the pioneer of success for French riders it was Jean Michele Bayle who won 125cc and 250cc titles in 1988 and 1989 and started a frenzy of interest and success for the tri-colors riders.

Bayle who moved to America soon after his GP success in 1988 did still compete in Europe in the winter at the annual Bercy Supercross. Beating the big name American riders, and making a long list of young French kids in attendance wish they could be like the good looking and very marketable Bayle.

It didn’t come straight away though, and while names like David Vuillemin, Stephane Roncada and Mickael Pichon looked to become the next J.M.Bayle it wasn’t until the summer of 1996 that another amazingly talented Frenchman stole the hearts of the motocross world.

When a 16 year old Sebastien Tortelli picked up the 125cc world championship ahead of British rider Paul Malin a new era in French motocross was born. Tortelli added the 250 title in 1998 after a season long battle with Stefan Everts and this opened the flood-gates for French success.

Soon to follow came world titles for Frederic Bolley in the 250cc class in 1999 and 2000, Mickael Pichon also in the 250cc class in 2001 and 2002, Mickael Maschio in MX2 in 2002, and Marvin Musquin and Jordi Tixier in the MX2 class in 2009 and 2010 and 2014.

The French have also won the Motocross of Nations on two occasions, in 2001 at the famous Namur circuit and again at Kegums MXoN in 2014.

Now in 2015 the French have several riders capable of winning GP’s races and taking overall victories. Gautier Paulin, Romain Febvre, Dylan Ferrandis, Jordi Tixier, Steven Frossard, Christophe Charlier, Xavier Boog and Benoit Paturel have all scored well in recent years and all hold a special place in the hearts of the French public.

You can be sure when the Grand Prix of France fires up on Saturday morning the always large crowd will be standing as close as possible to the circuit to cheer on their local heroes, and you can be sure names like Paulin, Tixier and Febvre will be wanting more than anything to repay their countrymen with victory come Sunday night.

 

Geoff Meyer

German MX Legends

The legend of German motocross stars

Germany has a great history with the FIM World Motocross Championships. Riders such as Paul Friedrichs, Adolf Weil, Pit Beirer, Max Nagl and Ken Roczen have made Germany one of the proudest nations in our sport.

Way back in 1957 a guy named Fritz Betzelbacher won the European 250cc championship, unfortunately for Betzelbacher the 250 class was not classified as a world championship until 1962, but that European Championship victory was the first signs of things to come from the German riders.

In 1965 East German rider Paul Friedrichs finished second to British legend Jeff Smith in the 500cc World Championship and many were looking at the young German as the next rider to challenge the might of the Swedish and British riders.

Sure enough a year later in 1966 Friedrichs would win his first world title, adding titles in 1967 and 1968. Friedrichs was a very consistent performer and finished top three in 1969 (third), and 1972 (second).

Just as Friedrichs was losing his power in the 500cc class two other young German riders started making waves. Adolf Weil and Willy Bauer finish second in the 250cc and 500cc World Championships in 1973 and when Weil moved to the 500cc class in 1974 he added a third place in that very same season, and then also finished third in 1976. Hans Maisch added a third place in the 250cc class in 1978.

Germany had to wait nearly 20 years when in 1997 Pit Beirer scored third place in the 250cc championship. Beirer backed that third place spot with another top three finish (third) again in 1998, then scored a close second in 1999. Beirer had looked likely to win the 1999 title and only bad luck and problems at the GP of Germany saw him lose a grip on the points lead held by Frenchman Frederic Bolley. Beirer who was a tough and determined racer also scored third places in 2000 and 2002.

With the new era arriving Max Nagl scored second place in the 2009 MX1 class and Ken Roczen followed that up with his own second place in the 2010 MX2 class. Roczen would be crowned MX2 World Champion in 2011 and become the first German Motocross World Champion since Friedrichs way back in 1968.

With four motocross world championship titles (three to East Germany’s Friedrichs and one to Roczen) Germany is among the most successful nations in the sport of Motocross.

They also won the 2013 Motocross of Nations at the Lommel circuit and their former MX2 world champion Roczen is currently leading the American Motocross Championships.

Now onto the Grand Prix of Germany this weekend where Max Nagl will make his return from injury and try and continue the strong presence of this proud nation.

Geoff Meyer

Febvre, the Island & a special Motocross film

What happens when you take one of the best motocross riders in the world to one of the most mysterious and famous beach-set shipwrecks? Watch former MXGP World Champion and Monster Energy Yamaha rider Romain Febvre in his most adventurous ride yet as the Frenchman takes on Navagio Beach on the Greek island of Zakynthos

Merry Christmas to Riders Everywhere!!!

Merry Christmas to all from the MX43 team.

Art(43x)               Eric (#33)

   Doug (21J)               Joe (Computer guy)

Living the Dream | Enduro Short Video

Having lots of fun in British Colombia. Kevin Dick, from Victoria, British Columbia is an enduro film maker and put together this edit of his local trails to make us all jealous.

A Look Back At TwoTwo Motosports

Rewind: Era of TwoTwo Motorsports

 

Regulars Post: Adam Spence

Reflecting upon Reed's privately-run team between 2011 and 2015.

Australia’s Chad Reed has done it all. The guy is always making moves and leaving his own unique mark on the sport each year. For 2018 Reed has indicated he is reverting to a personal program, Team CR22, aboard Husqvarna equipment and at a much smaller scale than his previous TwoTwo Motorsports multi-million dollar program.

So for this latest edition of Rewind, MotoOnline.com.au will take a look back at Reed’s impressive 2011-2015 run with his own private team and look at some of the most memorable moments throughout this time.

Following an already long and successful career as a full-time factory racer in America, Australia’s Reed found himself in a unique situation heading into the 2011 US racing season. Creating TwoTwo Motorsports from scratch, Reed built a world-class private team in order to go racing and also enlisted the services of some of the most highly-rated technicians in the sport.

Aboard a Honda CRF450R with support from Pro Circuit, the former multi-time champion rode to a super impressive second-place finish in the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship behind Ryan Villopoto. Reed was right there just four points behind the factory Kawasaki rider as he claimed victory in a nail-biting final main event of the year – it was an amazing effort from both Reed and his all-new team.

Image: Simon Cudby.

The 2011 Pro Motocross season saw the Aussie continue his strong form as he led the premier class points chase by 16 points over Villopoto at Millville’s seventh round of the series. Unfortunately everyone remembers that event clearly as the 2009 series champion was seen flying through the air in spectacular fashion as he led the field aboard his now factory-supported Honda.

This was a defining moment for Reed’s 2011 motocross campaign as he never quite recovered from the scary incident. With the incident being dubbed the ‘Chadapult’, Reed had stunned much of the public with his crash and somehow walked away without any serious injuries. This moment, although an unfortunate one, was certainly one of the most memorable from Reed’s time at the helm of TwoTwo Motorsports.

The following season all eyes were on Reed as he entered his second year with TwoTwo Motorsports – he was ready to take home that supercross title and many believed he had a strong chance following his impressive debut in 2011. Unfortunately it would all go wrong at the Dallas round when he was ejected from the bike while sitting second in points to arch-rival Villopoto.

Reed sustained multiple injuries in the crash and saw his title run come to a screeching halt with two broken ribs, a broken T6, a torn ACL and fractured tibia and fibula making up the long injury list. It was an unfortunate way to see the in-form Aussie go out, but it was clear that he wasn’t done yet and would be back for more in the coming seasons.

Fast-forward to 2014 and Reed revealed an all-new look for TwoTwo Motorsports as he made the switch to Kawasaki following a challenging 2013 season with a new Honda CRF450R model. This supercross season proved magical for Reed and his entire crew as he rode to one of the most emotional main event victories of his career inside Anaheim’s Angel Stadium in California.

A fan in the stands that very night, the vibe was electric inside the stadium as Reed rode his Kawasaki KX450F through the field in impressive fashion to claim victory to the delight of the crowd. Reed sliced through the field passing the best in the sport to capture the main event victory, it was something truly special to witness and one of those moments when the Australian was absolutely unbeatable.

Image: Simon Cudby.

Reed then went on to capture a wire-to-wire main event victory again at Anaheim 3, this time keeping Ken Roczen behind him for the entire 20-lap main event. Reed was on fire aboard his new Kawasaki and looking very sharp, but that all came to an end once again at San Diego when he hit the back of Roczen’s KTM in the whoops and suffered a broken scapula, collarbone and T1.

It was a devastating blow for Reed and yet another season that would slip away for the veteran of the sport due to injury. But as always, Reed was determined to bounce back and he returned in 2015 for what would end up being TwoTwo Motorsports’ final season as a team touring the American racing circuit.

Reed returned in 2015, again Kawasaki-mounted, and although it wasn’t an entirely successful supercross series, he captured an impressive main event win inside the Georgia Dome. Reed’s flag-to-flag victory meant he had recorded at least one main event victory each year in the past 11 seasons. That’s one impressive statistic!

Following the 2015 season, Reed would announce that TwoTwo Motorsports was shutting its doors and he returned to factory Yamaha in 2016. What Reed had created and achieved with TwoTwo Motorsports from 2011-2015 was incredibly impressive and something many of us would be able to understand from a distance.

Building the team from nothing, taking on a selection of the best technicians in the sport, capturing multiple victories both in and outdoors and gaining factory support along the way – that’s really something else. He even brought in second riders to the team such as Dean Wilson and Josh Grant, there wasn’t much that Reed didn’t do in his time at TwoTwo Motorsports.

Although Reed is returning with his own smaller program in 2018, we expect to see special things continuing to come out of the TwoTwo’s corner – it may be at a smaller scale, but the guy never fails to impress.

Always5 Teaser

Ryan Dungey will no doubt go down in Supercross and motocross history as one of the all-time greats. He will also be remembered as a champion with one of the best stories of rising to success that the sport has seen. From his humble beginnings in Minnesota to his audition with Roger Decoster and factory Suzuki to the first-time successes he brought KTM and all of the iconic races in-between, Fox Racing took a look back at it all. Through firsthand accounts from friends, family, industry personnel, competitors, and of course, Ryan himself, ALWAY5 will go in-depth to cover Dungey’s career.

The official release date is December 12th, 2017, so be sure to stay tuned over the next week and get ready to take a look back on Ryan Dungey’s historic career.

From Fox Racing…

“My career has been way better than anything I could’ve dreamed of. When I was a kid, I just wanted to race dirt bikes.” – Ryan Dungey

Yamaha Prepares for 2018 Dakar

Yamaha head into next year’s Dakar Rally with a strong four-rider team aiming to fight for a podium result in South America.

The Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team of Adrien Van Beveren, Xavier de Soultrait, Franco Caimi and Rodney Faggotter are all-set for the most demanding challenge on the annual rally calendar — the 2018 Dakar Rally held this year in Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. 

In what's expected to be the toughest Dakar in recent years, the Yamaha Racing quartet will be proudly carrying a special Ténéré 700 World Raid livery on their WR450F Rally machines.

Under the guidance of team director Alexandre Kowalski, team manager José Leloir and highly-experienced sport manager Jordi Arcarons, the quartet of Yamaha riders head to South America looking to improve on last year's highly positive performances. 

Their ultimate goal is to challenge for the podium and successfully complete the hugely demanding event.

 

 

Following a stellar performance in 2017, which saw him end his Dakar Rally adventure fourth and less than one-minute behind a potential podium result, Adrien Van Beveren is looking to finish even higher in 2018. 

Building his speed following injury early on during the 2017 season, the Frenchman is now at the top of his game and ready to do battle in South America.

Making a strong statement throughout 2017 following his Merzouga Rally victory and top three result at the Desafio Ruta 40, Xavier de Soultrait has demonstrated he has what it takes to battle on equal terms with the rally elite. 

Completing more than 20,000km of racing during the 2017 season, the Frenchman will be a strong asset for the Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team at the upcoming Dakar.

Demonstrating impressive speed in his first event aboard the WR450F Rally, team rookie Franco Caimi wrapped up the 2017 Merzouga Rally with an impressive third place overall result. 

Winning stages and continuing to improve during the season, the young Argentinean will be pushing for stage victories at the 2018 Dakar Rally while gaining further rally racing experience.

 

 

The Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team is completed by Rodney Faggoter. Entering his second Dakar Rally aboard WR450F Rally machinery, the Australian is looking to make the most of his experience and mechanical aptitude to assist the team and get as close to the top five as possible.

Honouring the imminent return of one of the most successful motorcycles ever, the team's four WR450F Rally machines will be proudly wearing the Ténéré 700 World Raid name and graphics throughout the 2018 Dakar Rally.

Yamaha Italy supported Alessandro Botturi and highly experienced racer Camelia Liparoti will further strengthen the brand's presence at the 2018 Dakar Rally. 

With Botturi entering his seventh Dakar Rally next January, Liparoti will make a debut appearance in the SSV class in Yamaha's YXZ1000R side-by-side machine.

Including seven 100% off-piste stages and five stages at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, this 40th edition of the Dakar Rally is expected to be one of the most demanding in recent history. 

Kicking off in Lima, Peru on January 6, 2018, competitors will have to contest 4,500km of timed special plus another 4,500km of liaison sections on their way towards the finish line. 

The big finish of the 2018 Dakar Rally will take place in Córdoba, Argentina on January 20.

Red Bull Rampage...Always Insane!

Why A 2 Stroke...Ricky Shows Why!

Ricky Carmichael rips his 2005 RM250 two stroke through the sand and woods. This bike is the last 2 stroke to win an AMA professional title. A huge thank you to Ricky, JH, the Berg family, and everyone who made this possible!!