Old School Suspension Testing

                                                                                    

KTM on Herlings Return

Jeffrey Herlings has recovered sufficiently from a broken right collarbone to return to MXGP action this weekend in the deep sand of Lommel.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider steered his KTM 450 SX-F through a training session in the Netherlands yesterday (Thursday) and felt fit and happy enough to confirm his attendance this weekend in Limburg, Belgium.

The 30-year-old Dutchman won in Lommel in 2024 and his ability and speed in the sand is world renowned. Herlings was victorious in Germany and Latvia this season (from the nine rounds he has contested) before missing events in Finland and Czechia due to the collarbone injury sustained while training and has been almost a full month in a natural recovery and rehab process.

Joel Smets, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Jeffrey went riding today and felt good and strong enough to enter the GP this weekend in Lommel. We’re happy to have him back but we have to be realistic about what to expect. Jeffrey is the sandmaster but has still missed two races and will have to build-up his feeling again. The team have had some fantastic results recently and we’re focused on both MXGP and MX2 titles. With the #84 also in the gate then we know we can continue to set the pace.”

Tony Cairoli All Things Racing!

Combined SMX points lead ‘definitely motivating’ Cooper

Premier class contender has posted a strong 2025 season to date.

Image: Octopi Media.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper sits atop the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) points tally after posting a consistently fast season of racing, indicating that it’s ‘definitely motivating’ to lead the premier class standings.

Cooper has been solid this season, having made all 17 Monster Energy Supercross races, while also competing in the eight Pro Motocross events contested so far. Six podiums across the board highlight his speed, with a P2 finish at the Indianapolis Supercross his season-high result.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, however, with the 27-year-old experiencing a violent fall during qualifying at the Spring Creek National, charging on to a hard-fought 10th-place finish. Taking the week off before Washougal, Cooper would again grit his teeth for a P6 overall result leading into the two-week break.

“I took the week off, I was definitely sore from Millville,” commented Cooper. “I kind of landed on my left side and head, so the trauma from slamming the ground at that speed is what has got me right now, but I taped up the shoulder and just tried to reset [at Washougal], and go into it like a normal day. I would say it was a solid day considering what we were dealt, but I’m looking for more after the break.”

Keeping Cooper on the line has been his position in the SMX standings, as the number 32 overtook absent teammate and 450SX Supercross champion Cooper Webb after the seventh round in Millville at the top of the points table with three regular season races remaining.

“It’s special,” Cooper continued. “It’s definitely motivating me, and probably why I am racing on. We have three more rounds before SMX starts up, and I’m looking to get back to form and finish this series out strong – we still have a shot at P3 in the outdoor championship, so we’ll rest up and come out strong for Ironman.”

Cooper now holds a 45-point advantage over Webb in SMX, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton is third and a further 31 markers down. In addition, he currently sits P4 in the Pro Motocross standings, eight points from teammate Eli Tomac in third place.

Three rounds remain in the American outdoor campaign for 2025, before the high-profile SMX post-season officially commences at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, from September 7.

ROGER DECOSTER STEPS DOWN AS TEAM USA MOTOCROSS DES NATIONS TEAM MANAGER

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, five-time 500 World Champion Roger DeCoster has retired as the manager of the U.S. Roger DeCoster Retires as Motocross of Nations Team USA Managerteam, capping a 44-year career during which he guided U.S. riders to 25 titles at the annual FIM World Championship event.

“Roger De Coster’s impact on Motocross in America is indelible and without compare,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “On behalf of the AMA Board of Directors, AMA staff and AMA members everywhere, I extend our heartfelt gratitude for the decades of leadership, guidance and numerous FIM World Championships. Roger, we couldn’t have done it without you.”

The MXDN is the premier motocross race in the world. In 2024, three-rider teams from 36 countries converged on Matterley Basin in Winchester, U.K., to battle for the FIM Chamberlain Cup. This year’s event is at Ironman Raceway USA in Crawfordsville, Ind., Oct. 3-5.

Roger celebrated his 81st birthday 4 days ago, but he is in amazing shape.

Roger DeCoster has managed the American Motocross des Nations 36 times, four of those included the Trophee des Nations race that prior to 1984 featured 250cc motorcycles. With DeCoster at the helm, Team USA has won the MXDN 21 times and the Trophee des Nations four times. IT should be noted that we didn’t sned a Team USA in 1979, 1980, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2020, and 2021

“I always wanted our sport to become bigger, more important and more respected around the world,” said, Roger De Coster, “This is why I raced in many places around the world besides the GPs — Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Australia — and ended up in the United States for good. For me, the Motocross des Nations became the single biggest race of the year, and I am very thankful to the U.S. riders and all the people who supported this event with their best efforts and gave me the support to fulfill a lot of my dreams. Thank you, all.”

Starting this year, in alignment with the approach of most FIM National Federations, the AMA Director of Racing will lead the team, working closely with the individual riders’ team managers to prepare the riders, develop strategy and take responsibility for key decisions.

Roger DeCoster remains active in the sport as the Motorsports Director for KTM North America. Previously, he was the team manager for Team Honda and Team Suzuki before taking the helm of the KTM factory team in both AMA Supercross and Motocross.

Prado very honest about his situation on the Kawasaki

As someone who was saw Jorge Prado riding every year in person since he was on an 85, it is pretty clear the real Jorge Prado has not shown up in the USA yet. And as Eli Tomac showed and admitted at Millville, even he can look unlike his real self when he is not comfortable on his Yamaha, a bike he has won motos on this year.

Prado is yet to find a setting that allows his to show his MXGP level, but he is not doubting himself and just waiting for bike improvements to show his real level.

In a very, very honest interview with Lewis Phillips Jorge said: “I didn’t really feel good in Millville, and we tried to make some small improvements for second moto, and I wasn’t feeling good, but at least I could kind of roll the track. Yeah. So, that’s it.”

“I know what I do. And I know what I’m capable of. That’s it. Good is if I win, right? And in Southwick, it wasn’t good. I never felt good. I’ve been racing sand forever. So for me, then I can compensate a lot just because of my riding. And that’s it. I mean, even Redbud, when I was leading, I felt like I was racing in slow motion. I don’t even know how I made it 15 minutes first when I was just cruising around the track. So, yeah, just trying to get out of cruise mode.

“So one thing, it’s clear and it’s that I didn’t win two years in a row the MXGP world title because I was lucky. I know my level, I know what I can do if I feel good. So I’m not stressing. It’s just a matter of time to figure things out and hopefully we can make improvements and go in a better direction. The team is trying to doing their best. And I’m doing my best. So like I said, it’s just a matter of time.”

Watch the full, captivating interview below from 7 minutes 45 seconds in as Prado compares struggling on his GasGas in 2022 except “Power was not an issue” back then and this time there are “multiple issues.” Prado even talks about if he will ride for team Spain at the MXoN…

Chase Back on the Box

Returning 450MX champion details Spring Creek podium.

In his second race back from injury, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton returned to the 450MX podium at Spring Creek with a third-place overall, building momentum after missing time earlier in the season. Check In with Sexton as he reflects on Millville and the build toward the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs.

Image: Octopi Media.

Chase, I think you’re 30 or 40 seconds back. You have a front row seat to the pace that [Jett and Hunter Lawrence] are running. What do you need to do to be better?

Go faster down the hills. I was losing a lot of time and after about 15 minutes said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to get to the next race and not try and kill myself down these things.’ For me, they felt really, really sketchy and the track was very fast. I was just a little bit uncomfortable, but also they kept the same pace the whole time and just pulled away – they were riding really well and looked like they were really comfortable. So yeah, we lived to fight for another weekend and I just want to get better and better. I feel like my early laps were better today, but yeah, just really slow. I think I got to walk down the hill faster than I was going.

Coming back obviously from injury, these last two rounds – a P5 at RedBud and P3 here – is this right around the range of your expectations? Then, what do you take from these two top five overalls into Washougal and the rest of the outdoor season?

Yeah, I didn’t really have too high of expectations coming in. For whatever reason, I felt like I was a rookie again at Red Bud. I don’t know why. I felt super like out of place and I was able to ride pretty well second moto but I still had a ways to go. And even today, I got a little bit better speed-wise at the beginning. But just like I said, we got a lot of work to do with the bike with myself and it’s just an ongoing battle. But I think next week in Washougal, I really like and from here on out the tracks, I really enjoy so we’ll see. Just try and get better and try and battle with these two. They’ve been crushing it.

We’re going into the third year of the SMX Championship and we’ve seen how this plays out. You’ve missed some time this year, and several of your competitors dropped out this week as well. After taking time off, what’s the dynamic like – trying to race all season, keep yourself healthy, or take a break when you know you need it, then come in for that final push?

Yeah, I hadn’t missed a race in a while so it was nice to have some time off, but I wanted to come back obviously to get a good enough point seed for the first race. I came in leading last year’s and it didn’t work out very well. I only think I finished the second moto at the last round, so just trying to come in and get a good seed, and then also just try to get some momentum back on my side and start to fire in those last three outdoors.

International Vet MX

Wild Rumor!

RUMOUR: Jeffrey Herlings bound for Honda HRC in 2026?

 

Image: Ray Archer

When it comes to legends of the sport, Jeffrey Herlings needs little introduction. The Dutchman is one of the greatest to ever throw a leg over a motocross bike with five world titles and a staggering 109 GP overall wins to his name – and counting. It’s often said that if not for injuries, Herlings’ trophy cabinet would have been even more jaw-dropping.

Since bursting onto the GP scene back in 2010, Herlings has been synonymous with Factory KTM machinery. That iconic partnership has now spanned 15 years – a rarity in modern motorsport and one of the most successful rider-manufacturer collaborations in motocross history.

However, things look set to change. We understand that Herlings is poised to make a switch for the 2026 season – to none other than Honda HRC, the factory effort run by Giacomo Gariboldi. If confirmed, this would mark the end of an era and the start of a new chapter for both Herlings and Honda.

As previously reported by us and other sources, Tom Vialle is also heavily linked with a move to the HRC setup. That would give Honda a completely revamped and formidable MXGP rider line-up for 2026 as they push to get back to the very top of the sport.

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In a further shake-up, Herlings is expected to make the switch to Fox Racing gear – Herlings has been with Alpinestars gear for many years due to his association with KTM.

While details around contract length are still unclear, fingers crossed for a two-year deal because truthfully, the longer Herlings remains in the GP paddock, the better it is for the sport. We also understand that he held discussions with Ducati earlier in the year and even had an offer on the table to contest the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in 2026. However, those options didn’t materialize and now a move to Honda to take on the MXGP World Championship is looking the most likely.

At the moment, Herlings is currently recovering from a broken collarbone but hopefully he can recover soon so he can end his KTM career on a high note.

The Herlings-to-Honda story adds another layer of intrigue to what’s already shaping up to be a wild silly season. 2026 is going to be very, very interesting.

Vialle to miss Washougal

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Tom Vialle has been sidelined ahead of Saturday’s Pro Motocross Championship round at Washougal, unable to ride this week following a hard impact at the Spring Creek National that left him with soreness in his knee and shoulder.

Equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Vialle raced to a sixth-place finish in the first 250MX moto at Millville, before an unfortunate fall entering the sand whoops on the opening lap of Moto 2 saw the current 250SX East title-holder retire from the race.

As a result, Vialle together with the full support of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, has made the decision to withdraw from this weekend’s race in Washington, before taking advantage of the two-week break that is scheduled prior to Round 9 at Ironman Raceway on August 9th.

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “It’s definitely unfortunate to announce that Tom Vialle will be sitting out this weekend’s race. It’s a long and demanding season for our riders, and we’ve been extremely fortunate up to this point to have had a full roster through the majority of Supercross and Pro Motocross. Of course, we love seeing our entire team out on the track representing the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing program, but our riders’ health and safety always come first. We fully support Tom’s decision to take the weekend off so he can focus on finishing the season strong and continuing to fight for podiums.”

Vialle is currently positioned fifth in this year’s 250MX standings following 7 of 11 rounds, with a pair of P2 overall results at both High Point and Southwick marking his best results of the outdoor season to date. He is also currently positioned third in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) points.