China MXGP

Rain or Shine...Starts Matter!

Look down the line at Saturday's SMX and you'll see Works Connection Pro Launch everywhere, HRC, KTM, Yamaha all the heavy hitters use it. Why...because it works and starts matter! Get yours today at www.worksconnection.com

www.worksconnection.com

Idaho International Vet MX

John Penton A True Legend!

Motocross Mourns The Passing of John Penton

Penton, one of motorcycling's most influential figures, passed peacefully at 100 years old.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Sept. 8, 2025) — The American Motorcyclist Association mourns the passing of John Penton, one of motorcycling’s most influential and well-known figures. Penton passed peacefully at 100 years of age, having recently celebrated his 100th birthday.

Born on Aug. 19, 1925, Penton and his brothers learned to ride after reviving an old 1914 Harley-Davidson they found in their barn. But when World War II began, Penton shifted his emphasis to defense of the country, serving during the war as a Merchant Marine and in the Navy.

After the war he bought a used Harley-Davidson Knucklehead, heading with his brother Bill to Lansing, Michigan, to ride in the grueling Jack Pine 500-Mile Enduro in 1948. It was at that race that Penton realized that the days of larger bikes like Harleys and Indians were likely numbered in races like the Jack Pine when he saw a lighter, nimbler BSA beating the more powerful bikes.

Penton returned to the Jack Pine the next year on a B-33 BSA and finished second, which was the beginning of his mission to find a smaller, lighter and better-performing enduro motorcycle.

Penton went on to open a motorcycle dealership with his brothers while also continuing to race, winning the Ohio State Enduro Championship and many other enduros throughout the Midwest. In 1960 he won the AMA’s Most Popular Rider Award.

Later becoming a Husqvarna distributor after winning the Jack Pine aboard a Husky in 1966, Penton toured the Husqvarna factory in Europe in 1967 and tried to convince the manufacturer to begin building lightweight off-road machines, which Penton saw as the future of off-road riding and racing.

His idea was met with a lukewarm reception, so he went to visit the KTM factory in Austria, where his idea of a lightweight off-road bike was greeted with slightly more enthusiasm. He offered to put up $6,000 of his own money if KTM would build a handful of prototypes to his specifications, and KTM agreed.

In early 1968, Penton took delivery of six Penton 100cc prototypes, promptly entering them in races and putting other top riders on the bikes. Right from the start there was a big demand for the Pentons, which were lightweight and inexpensive, and in the first year over 400 were sold. More than a decade later, over 25,000 highly-competitive Penton motorcycles had been sold in America.

Penton’s innovations also included improving boots for off-road riders by working with Alpinestars of Italy to produce legendary Hi-Point boots.

For his innovation and contributions to the industry with Husqvarna, Penton, Hi-Point and in a many other ways, Penton was inducted int

Romain Febvre – Kawasaki’s only major title hope and $50k frames!

A few years ago, Kawasaki was living the dream with Eli Tomac winning in America, Romain Febvre challenging for an MXGP world title and Jonathan Rea winning in World Superbike.

Now, the landscape is very different and Kawasaki’s entire success at the highest level is rested solely on Romain Febvre shoulders. Febvre is carrying Kawasaki single-handedly, the WSB side isn’t enjoying the same success and Kawasaki USA couldn’t even field a single factory rider in SMX after a disastrous end to their 2025 season with Jason Anderson exiting during the season and Jorge Prado never feeling comfortable on the bike and now both sides mutually agreeing not to race SMX.

With a 26 point lead and two rounds to go, the pressure on Romain Febvre is huge, the Frenchman is an entire companies hope of some solace and glory in a season to forget outside of MXGP.

This, of course, has been a work in progress, Febvre came oh-so-close to a title in MXGP back in 2021 in that enthralling championship decider at Mantova, but it was Herlings and KTM who prevailed. Now Febvre has the best chance he might have for the rest of his career to get that second world title, this, after riding one-off frames up to 50k as he got comfortable on his factory Kawasaki.

Febvre and Kawaski have put so much into this, for both, they have ten days to make it all worthwhile in China and then Australia.

To underline the work that has went into this title assault, test rider for Kawasaki Takeshi Katsuya said in an interview with Swapmoto of Febvre and the development of the bike and the development that went into it:

“First year, Febvre ran the full factory frame and they are very expensive. So, in 2023 he ran the full factory frame, in 2024 he ran the production frame. So since that, everything is the production. So his frame, his swing arm is production. So it’s the same rule as the US, you know. But that’s what I wanted to do anyway, because the factory frame, I mean, that ended in 2023. He was winning a lot of races. But, you know, everybody goes, oh, because he has factory frame. And, okay, that factory frame was really good. But we came up with the production frame. It was close enough.”

Joel Smets Talks MXGP

FIM 6DAYS Italy Tops 2025

Deegan Cocky?

Deegan on his cocky attitude and going 450

Haiden Deegan spoke to Jason Weigandt on SMX Insider and he gave an insight into why he is so cocky at the races – because it works for him and makes him faster!

“I feel like the way I talk and act and this cocky, arrogant Haiden, is what really makes me better. And I feel like the stuff I say about how I’m going to the 450 class and all this and it’s like, any pressure, I mean, makes me better. And I’m going to be honest, I doubt any of these other guys, the way I talk and act, they could deal with the pressure that comes with it. I do have a lot of pressure that comes with, it is mentally the gnarliest pressure I put on myself.”

Deegan also gave his thoughts on the 450 class and how he feels he can go to another level on the 450

“Everyone’s like, oh, it’s going to be such a culture shock when he gets the 450 class. And I’m like, what? You know, like RJ’s getting on the podium. RJ’s top five, Justin Cooper is getting on the podium and even my rookie season, I was battling with Hunter. I don’t really get it, what people are trying to get at, they’re just trying to find something because I’m so dominant right now, which I mean, go for it, I guess!  But yeah, I mean, it’s definitely going to take some hard work and just really locking in these this next year and getting to that

level. I don’t know what that level is. Maybe it’s going to be easier than I thought. Maybe it’s going to be harder than I thought.

“The 450, when I hopped on it, I was like light years quicker on it. I’m like, I don’t think people understand, a 450, the power is insane, especially the start.  I got on it and I’m like, dude, this has double my 250, I can go way faster on this thing! And it really opened my eyes like the first time I’ve been on it because I’ve only ever ridden a stock 450.

“I got on that factory bike and I’m like, now I can see why these guys at the Pro Nationals can sometimes qualify two seconds faster than the 250 class. There’s so much more power, so much. But truly, the 450, I feel like I can go to another level. And I mean, we won’t know till I race. But personally, myself and my team, they could see it.”

Craig released from Star Racing Yamaha team

Now linked to World Supercross with Quad Lock Honda.

Christian Craig has revealed that he’s received a release from the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team just one year into a two-year contract, the former 250SX West champion now linked to Quad Lock Honda for the upcoming World Supercross Championship.

After two challenging seasons with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, Craig had made the switch back to his former team – where he collected his Supercross title in 2022 – for both 2025 and 2026 to contest 450SX.

A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus at the final SMX Playoff last year sidelined the 34-year-old for the opening Monster Energy Supercross rounds of this year, later posting a season-high result of 11th in both Denver and Salt Lake City.

“Just wanted to give everyone an update on what I am doing,” Craig announced. “I have asked and have been granted an early release from my two-year contract with Star Racing Yamaha. I’ve had a lot of great memories riding blue, including winning a 250SX championship together, and thanks to everyone for the support. I will update you on my future soon.”

It’s now anticipated that Craig will join Joey Savatgy at Quad Lock Honda for the world championship season in SX1 after the official WSX series website posted him as part of the 2025 team roster late last week, before removing the rider lists altogether.

Prado???