Motocross – Honda’s Comeback

Motocross – Honda’s Comeback

The Japanese are gradually returning GP racing.

The biggest Japanese manufacturer, Honda, was the company that stepped away most from direct involvement in world championship motocross most but now it seems they are slowly but surely coming back to the sport they once dominated.

In the 80s Honda dominated in the World championship and the American championships similar to KTM now and maybe even more so. Through the 90s Honda continued to pump money into the American series (due to high bike sales and the exposure from supercross) but HRC interest and investment began to wane in the GPs. They began supporting private teams instead of running full factory bikes themselves.

By 2001 when Gordon Crockard was challenging Pichon for the 250cc world title on Honda, the machine was essentially a privateer effort run by CAS with help from Honda Europe. Honda Japan just kept a watching brief.

Ten years later and Honda dipped their toe back into GP racing and began in the less expensive but more prestigious MX1 class (now MXGP). The Martin Honda team began a much closer working relationship with the Japanese and they hired the proven GP winner German Max Nagl and the rising potential of Russian Evgeny Bobreyshev.

The ideal plan of challenging KTM for World titles have not exactly materialised and Bobby, despite a very promising first year, has been ravaged by injuries as has latest recruit Max Nagl. But both riders on their day are capable of pushing for podiums, even wins and have begun (albeit slowly) to put Honda back on the world motocross map.

However MX2 has been a different story, their last small bike world title came way back in 1995 and was won by Alex Puzar but he wasn’t on an in house full factory 125 even then.

While the US Honda teams have went from strength to strength with championship winning team Geico Honda and support act TLD Honda, the MX2 GP teams have received no support whatsoever and against KTM have not even had a chance of hiring top riders, never mind get top results.

And even when their riders have had success (like Musquin in 2009 or Tonkov this year) they have got snapped up by factory teams.

But in 2014, things might be about to change.

For the first time in 25 years, Honda Japan are having direct involvement in MX2 GPs.

Tim Gasjer, the ultra talented Slovenian teenage talent, has been hired to be Gariboldi Honda’s main factory rider and will have Japan’s MX2 national champion Kei Yamamoto as his teammate. Yamamoto may not be on the level of Gasjer but he will undoubtedly have experience of testing the bikes and the combination could be a good duo for HRC’s initial foray in MX2.

Gasjer has the talent to be in the top five and eventually Honda will be hoping that he can land the team on the podium. It will be a big step for Gasjer to come off KTMs and develop a new factory bike but if Honda can provide him with the right package and a competitive engine, the kid could be a revelation in the next year or two.

Gasjer can produce the results Honda wants but it is up to the Garidboldi team and HRC to gel and provide him with the machine to go with his talent. If Honda can prove their machine is competitive with Gasjer then it will open the door to get more riders in their stable and ultimately give more riders competitive machinery.

It is in everyone’s interest to see Honda back in MX2. Hopefully they get some success and that will encourage HRC to invest even more in the GP series which only mean more competitive racing for the fans and put more riders on an equal playing field, especially in MX2.

Encouragingly Suzuki are also actively seeking more MX2 success after Sylvain Geboers recently announced he is bringing the Suzuki MX2 team back in house. Geboers hopes to make the bike more competitive in 2014 for their three riders; Glenn Coldenhoff, Jeremy Seewer and Julian Lieber.

With Kawasaki also having a strong line up with Arnaud Tonus, Dylan Ferrandis and Alex Lupino, Yamaha having Max Anstie and Christophe Charlier, the Japanese seem to be trying to mount a challenge to KTM dominance.

Now Honda has finally joined the party with a top rider and, with HRC investment, the rest of the teams might start looking over their shoulders in a couple of years as the old dominator seeks to be KTM’ newest challenger.

It’s exciting times in MX2!

Article by Jonathan McCready - mxdose.com

Kurt Caselli Honored At Glen Helen

Cycle News

By Kit Palmer | 12/6/2013 5:19 PM

Riders head out for the Kurt Caselli Parade Lap at Glen Helen. Photography by Kit Palmer

Thousands of family, friends and fans of Kurt Caselli nearly filled Glen Helen Raceway to capacity for the Kurt Caselli Memorial Ride Day, Thursday, December 6.

According to track officials, an estimated 2000-plus people attended the event to honor the off-road star and legend. “Actually we stopped counting after about 2000,” one official said. The line of cars and trucks extended all the way to the nearby freeway, and anyone who has ever been to Glen Helen Raceway knows how far that is – it’s a long ways!

Many stars and celebrities of the motorcycle industry came out to Glen Helen to pay tribute and honor the FMF/KTM Team rider who lost his life while competing in the Baja 1000 nearly three weeks ago. Many of them included some of the stars of the off-road racing world, including Caselli’s fellow KTM teammates Ivan Ramirez, Mike Brown, Charlie Mullins, Kailub Russell and Mike Lafferty. Also on hand were former Trials champ Cody Webb, eight-time National Enduro Champion Dick Burleson, Taylor Robert, Kyle Redmond, Ty Davis, Destry Abbott, Danny LaPorte and the legendary Malcolm Smith. The list actually goes on and on. A few motocross stars were on hand, as well, including Blake Baggett, Zach Osborne, Justin Hill and Cole Seely, to name a few. Los Angele police chief Charlie Beck showed up and suited up, as well.

Those who brought their bikes got a chance to take the Kurt Caselli Parade Lap and most of them did. The jaw-dropping number of riders pretty much filled the entire length of the track, three to four bikes wide all the way around. It was a sight to behold. The motocross track was open for riding most of the day, and trail loops were set up, as well, including a designated “easy” loop and the “Kurt Caselli Trail,” recommended for advanced riders only.

There was a silent auction with proceeds going to the Caselli family. Some of the items up for bid included a James Stewart helmet and a golf bag donated by golf star Ricky Fowler.

A mid-day ceremony and prayer took place on the track’s start straightaway, where Kurt’s fiancé, Sarah, spoke to the massive crowd. Caselli’s mother and sister were also present.

“I have never in my life shed tears on a motorcycle until today,” said Jon-Erik Burleson, president of KTM North America. “That was the most amazing lap around any track I’ve ever experienced. It was such a huge group of people; it was an amazing day. I’m really proud of Kurt, it just shows you what an amazing person he was. My only thing is, I wish he was here.”

Destry Abbott - KX500 at Speed!

Remember when 500cc two strokes ruled the desert...here's a look at why they did.

Pro Circuit Kawasaki - The Other Factory Team

Kawasaki asked tuning expert Pro Circuit to form a feeder team. But according to Team Manager Mitch Payton, what they do is mass produce Champions!

Pro Circuit boss Mitch Payton:
known for his tough coaching style.

At the top of the pyramid you had AMA Supercross/Motocross multi-class champion Jeff Ward; at the base was Team Green, the amateur rider education program. To follow up on their sweep of the motocross world in the 1980s, the next strategy Kawasaki wanted to implement was a feeder team structure that would fill in the middle ground between the two.
After an extremely brief preparation period, Pro Circuit Kawasaki made its debut at the 1993 supercross season opener. The role of the 2-stroke 125cc specialist team was to polish the skills of rookie racers who showed potential, grooming them for the factory team. This base concept is the same today as it was back then. But to Team Manager Mitch Payton, the idea of being a second-string team did not sit well.
"Factory support team? Semi-factory team? I don't know what they consider us, but as far as I'm concerned we are the best team in the pits, factory teams included. As you know we've dominated the 125 2-stroke/250 4-stroke class with many championships. If we had a 450 team, I can't imagine why we couldn't win that class too. I'm not scared of any of them."
These are more than mere words from the tough coach. Looking at his long record of producing champions, few would dispute his claims. Jimmy Gaddis, Ricky Carmichael, Mickael Pichon, Shae Bentley, Nathan Ramsey, Mike Brown, Ryan Villopoto, Grant Langston, Ivan Tedesco, Ben Townley, Christophe Pourcel… their championship-winning machines are displayed with the Number 1 plates they earned under his watchful eye. Pro Circuit Kawasaki's astonishing win ratio in the AMA Supercross/Motocross's small-displacement class (125 2-stroke/250 4-stroke) is a legend that started in the team's first year and continues today.

A collection of KX125/KX250F motocrossers sporting Number 1 plates lined up in a corner of the Pro Circuit office.

At the heart of the team is Pro Circuit, the engine and suspension tuning company based in the Los Angeles suburb of Corona. At the height of the 2-stroke era, Pro Circuit was highly regarded, especially for their exhaust chambers, earning them a large share of the aftermarket. Serious race involvement started in 1991, initially with Honda, then exclusively with Kawasaki from 1993, but the Pro Circuit shop still supplies tuning services to all the manufacturers.
Owner/President of Pro Circuit, Payton is a craftsman, with intimate knowledge of the entire exhaust chamber building process. The personal know-how he pursued was accumulated through building and testing countless headers, divergent and convergent cones, belly sections and stingers, and piecing them all together until the tuned expansion chamber was perfect. Once he had mastered exhaust tuning, he immersed himself in the art of cylinder porting and polishing. Pro Circuit became renowned for their 2-stroke tuning expertise, but motocross engines were moving in the direction of 4-strokes.
"4-strokes were an unknown area for us, so when we heard we were going to have a 4-stroke, we knew we had a lot of learning to do. But I didn't want it to take us like two years to be as good as I thought we needed to be – I wanted to do it within a month. I wanted to be competitive the first year out. So what I decided to do was invite a 4-stroke tuning specialist. I went and talked to Drino Miller, who used to be in charge of Toyota Racing Development and wasn't doing anything after he left there, about coming to work for us."
In 2004, Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ivan Tedesco captured the AMA Supercross 125 West Championship. It was the debut year for the KX250F, but the win earned it the reputation of top 4-stroke machine. Then in 2005 and again in 2007, the team dominated East and West Supercross and Outdoor Motocross, taking all three titles. The tight working relationship between Kawasaki and the team helped develop not only the rookie riders' abilities but also the potential of the KX250F.

"I like Kawasaki. They give us everything they have and we exchange knowledge and information. To win races you need a solid relationship like this. Kawasaki is a great company to deal with. Even though it's a really large corporation, they run it as though it's a small company. So everyone, including the guys at the top level in Japan, is more approachable than at some of the other factories. I can't thank them enough for their support all these years."

Ryan Villopoto: from Team Green,
to Pro Circuit Kawasaki, to works rider.

A quick survey of the world of American motocross will reveal that the number of teams that manage to keep connections with the same manufacturer or sponsor year after year are limited. Pro Circuit Kawasaki is one of the rare exceptions. Although they have become much too strong to be labelled a simple farm team, they are fulfilling their mission of training riders. Ryan Villopoto, who joined Pro Circuit Kawasaki from Team Green, then moved on to the factory team this season, is a perfeect example of a successful outcome of the project Kawasaki envisioned.
"We tell our riders that we expect them to win. We have a history of winning. If they want to be here, they have to take on that responsibility. We've got the best bike in the world and all the little bits and pieces it takes to win. We don't coddle our riders – we help them, but we push them really hard. They'll probably tell you that I am strict coach."

Kawasaki Dirt Chronicles

SYLVAIN GEBOERS Talks About 2014 GP's

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World Motocross Team Principle Sylvain Geboers talks about preparations for the 2014 MXGP series, plus his new plans and involvement with the MX2 team.

Preparation for 2014 hasn’t been going so smoothly. Testing became a nightmare after Clement’s injury at the Motocross of Nations. The news that he required surgery and would need a long recovery time meant we could only push ahead with Kevin. We were able to fill his wishes when it came to a few modifications for engine character, based on the 2013 unit, and found a good direction. It is important to give the rider something that he feels happy with for all kinds of riding conditions and for that the test worked out pretty well. Kevin also chose to start using the Air system for the front forks. We had made some try-outs during the season but normally reverted back to the conventional spring. On this occasion at the test we had time to assure him about the performance and reliability of the equipment and he was in a good position to be able to decide for himself.

For Clement there will be no tests before the end of January but this is no reason to panic. He was already very happy with the setting and feeling of the 2013 bike. Minor changes can and will be included but knowing Clement – and we are into our fifth season together now – he will never use something for a race that he hasn’t already tested fully.

Both riders, along with the MX2 guys, will travel to Portugal again next month for the annual training camp and will be doing their physical work between December 9-22. The championship again starts early and to have the bikes in Qatar for the first Grand Prix means they need to be packed and ready to go by February 18th. This obviously limits the amount of work we can do. Even though this is the second year that the calendar opens at the beginning of March we are still not dialled-in to the time frame. I don’t think it is a major problem for a race bike that will require only minor modifications, like ours, but if there were radical new components and items to work on then it would be not possible to be set for the first Grand Prix. We would not be able to ship the amount of parts that we need and there would be just too much risk involved for the flyaways.

Clement is rehabbing well and according to the doctor and the therapist all is going OK. Of course he wants it to go quicker! He has gained enough experience in recovering from shoulder injuries so I have complete confidence that he knows how to work and what to do to be in the best shape. Clement will also go to Portugal and take part. He does not have full movement and there will be some limitations but he should be able to swim and take some benefit from the sessions.

So with Clement and Kevin onboard the team again for 2014 we are keeping a good and efficient roster together. For Clement, if he hadn’t suffered this injury then I would confidently say that we would be pushing for the title next year. Now it is a bit different. I am sure he will come back to his best but I think it is too much to ask that he will be on the same level that he ended 2013 by the time of the first round at Losail. If he can reach the level of performance that we saw in the last six-seven Grands Prix this year then he is a clear rival for Cairoli. Let’s just hope that is sooner rather than later.

As for Kevin I really believe he will be even better in 2014 and we will see him more often going for podium positions. He picked up a lot of confidence during the year. In the first half of the season he was a bit ‘up and down’ but in the second half his confidence stayed up there as we improved the bike for him. Seeing his physical level now and the way he is preparing I have great expectations.

As many will people will know, our team will be part of the new ‘MXGP’ category in 2014 but there are some changes for us in-house. Just recently I made the decision that I will take full control over the technical contribution to the MX2 team. Why? I want that the MX2 operation becomes a copy of what we currently have in MX1 where we function well, have good staff and everything runs almost to routine. Jens [Johansson] held the position for us before but I think by taking on the reins myself then I will be able to command respect and some extra response from our partners. We already have some fantastic collaborations in order to go racing and to be one of the top teams every year and I hope we can push harder and bring the MX2 up to a similar level. There are people sharing responsibilities across the teams when it comes to suspension, fuel injection and data logging and Luc Piccart will take a very hands-on role. Luc is someone we know very well and used to mechanic for Strijbos, De Dycker and also Clement. He is used to ‘the house’.

We know some people have been critical of the RM-Z250 from the set of results in 2013 and that is something I need to work on right away. We are trying very hard to get the bike ready for the start of the season and we will do our best. We have a great machine with the RM-Z450 and the objective is to work even closer with the same people and same systems to make the 250 equally impressive. Like I said we have been working with Clement for four seasons now and Kevin has many years with us in different intervals. Both have experience when it comes to set-up and development and we know them well. In MX2 we don’t have that experience and we need to learn and respond to the requests we receive. The riders are also younger with less experience and that makes it complicated. It will take more time.

Thomas Ramsbacher will continue to head the MX2 set-up as Team Manager and my contribution is to make sure everything is in place for the right job to be done. Even though MX2 is a Suzuki International Europe project I want to create more interest for MX2 in Japan; that is the goal.

A question that has popped up so far is ‘why take on the extra work?’ I know I am not getting any younger but only a couple of days ago I found myself thinking ‘I really like this’. I want the challenge of fighting again, to improve again and really take the MX2 team up. I know I cannot go on forever. For the last two years I have been taking a motorhome to more Grands Prix and that has been a big help. It means getting a bit of time off between the races and my wife accepted to come along and accompany me, which was important otherwise it would have been ‘end of story’! I need to work on finding a solution for the long-term future of the team but I love doing this job and I am fit to do this job and I will try to stay so.

Source: Team Suzuki Press Office

Motocross International – 1956

Our sport has come a long way since 1956. Here is a link to a video that will give you a look at what the origins of MX looked like. The video is about 20 minutes long but gives you a good look into the past. Take note of the spectators, their dress, demeanor and closeness to the track. It helps if you speak German but the film alone shows the great changes in MX.

http://youtu.be/Arz9PEpYJY4

Video courtesy of MX Large

Happy Thanksgiving To All

We hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday with family and friends. If the weather is good where you live you might also get in a days riding.

RacerTV.com Streams 20 Hours of Live Coverage of Winter Olympics

By Press Release | 11/23/2013 4:40 PM

The following is from RacerTV.com…

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (November 20, 2013) - RacerTV.com is pleased to announce its broadcast schedule to include 20 hours of live racing coverage from the 42nd Annual Thor Winter Olympics, presented by Pro Circuit. Taking place at Gatorback Cycle Park in Gainesville Fla. during the week of Thanksgiving, live race coverage will be broadcast on RacerTV.com from Tuesday, November 26 - Saturday, November 30.

RacerTV.com host Rodney Tomblin, longtime Loretta Lynn's Amateur Motocross, Pro Motocross and Grand National Cross Country Series announcer, will provide play-by-play commentary of the amateur supercross and motocross racing action all week long. Tomblin will be joined in the booth by special guest commentator Sean Hackley, who will provide unique insight as a professional motocross/supercross racer. RacerTV.com pit reporter Jen Kenyon will also be on hand to capture the action taking place in the pits and off the racetrack.

Companies supporting this year's RacerTV.com broadcast at the Thor Winter Olympics include MotoSport.com as the Official Holeshot sponsor of the show, Farren Racing's Top Ten Leaderboard, the WMR/Nihilo Concepts Podium Interviews, OnTrack School's Moto Hero Award and Twitter contests and giveaways presented by Lazydays RV and Racer X Illustrated.

"To have live racing coverage from the Thor Winter Olympics on RacerTV.com is a big deal for our amateur racers, their families and the sponsors," said Wyn Kern, President of Unlimited Sports MX. "We're looking forward to bringing this unprecedented coverage for many years to come."

As one of the most historic races on the amateur motocross circuit, the Thor Winter Olympics is now a part of the American Motocross Championship Majors, an alliance made up of an elite group of race organizers that host premier amateur and professional motocross events in America. This prestigious weeklong event hosts supercross-style racing for the first three days on the newly re-designed SX track, before switching gears to motocross-style competition on Gatorback Cycle Park's naturally elevated motocross track for the final three days.

The broadcast schedule is as follows:

Tuesday        2 p.m. - 5 p.m.       SX Mains

Wednesday   8 a.m. - 11 a.m.     SX Mains

Thursday       1 p.m. - 5 p.m.       MX Moto 1

Friday            10 a.m. - 2 p.m.     MX Moto 1

Saturday        10 a.m. - 4 p.m.     MX Moto 2

*Subject to change based on the actual race schedule

The 2013 Winter Olympics begins Monday, November 25 with supercross practice and racing. For more information on the Winter Olympics, please visit www.unlimitedsports.com.

For more information on RacerTV, please visit www.racertv.com.

Kurt Caselli RIP

SCORE International confirms tragic racing accident claims 

life of American desert racing star Kurt Caselli

ENSENADA, Mexico—SCORE International, a desert racing sanctioning body based in Reno, Nev., has confirmed that American motorcycle star Kurt Caselli tragically lost his life Friday as a result of injuries sustained during a late-race accident at the SCORE Baja 1000 being held in Mexico’s Baja California.

     One of the best-liked and respected personalities in American desert racing, Caselli, 30, of Palmdale, Calif., died of serious trauma incurred when he apparently lost control of his KTM motorcycle in a sandy, high-speed section at approximate race-mile 792 while his team was leading in the late stages of the 883.1-mile international desert race.

     The accident occurred at 4:30 p.m. PT Friday.

     “Our desert racing family has lost a very special person in Kurt,” commented SCORE President Roger Norman. “Kurt was a superb racer and this is a tragedy that affects us all. We extend our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to the Caselli family. Their loss is immeasurable and we grieve with them.”

     A multi-time AMA National Hare & Hound Champion, WORCS Champion and many-time ISDE gold medalist, Caselli was a developing international rally racer as well. In June of this year he won the Desafio Ruta 40 Rally in Argentina – in what was only his second international rally since making his debut in the Dakar Rally at the end of 2012. Caselli won two stages of the Dakar Rally this past January.

     Caselli and his factory-backed KTM racing team won last year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 and finished second and third in the other two SCORE Baja races this season.

Bart Kellogg still master of motocross circuit at 70

Nothing like a little write up in the home town paper to make you feel good even for a geezer! This story was published in The Coloradoan.

If not for Fort Collins’ lack of an ice rink 44 years ago, Bart Kellogg might never have become a champion motocross rider.

In 1969, Kellogg and his wife, Deborah — a couple of native New Yorkers — moved to Fort Collins to start a farm and a family. A hockey player, Kellogg wanted to skate, but there was no ice rink. He joined a committee to help promote a rink, but EPIC wouldn’t be built until some 20 years later. By that time, Kellogg had already helped found the Valley Dirt Riders club and was well on his way to becoming one of the best motocross riders in the state.

And today, Kellogg, 70, is still riding.

“It’s kind of a funny way I got into the sport. I just met some people enjoying dirt biking when we moved here, and the sport just clicked with me,” said Kellogg, who won the MTA World Vet Motocross Championships Nov. 3 at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, Calif.

Kellogg has raced at the World Vet Motocross Championships since his 50s, but this was the first year he’s won a title, capping off a banner season in which he also won the International Old Timers Motocross Association race series championship.

Kellogg won five of the eight races he participated in to win the series, and with some veteran racing skills, beat American Motorcyclist Association Motorcycle Hall of Famer Lars Larsson to win the 70 Master’s Class championship.

“It’s been a good year, it’s been fun. In order to win something like that, you have to have good results without getting hurt, and I’ve been fortunate,” Kellogg said. “Everything has to come together. At the World Championships, you don’t know until you get there who you’re racing against. So, there’s a lot of apprehension. .”

Kellogg won the first moto at Glen Helen Raceway and Larsson finished second, setting up a duel for the championship in the second moto.The Swedish-born Larsson showed his world-class skills by passing Kellogg up the steep, 150-yard hill, but Kellogg had some tricks, too, passing Larsson in the air on a big jump to end the first lap. He’d keep the lead for four more laps.

“I knew he was going to give me trouble, so I rode as hard I could. Lars, he was on the world Grand Prix circuit and after emigrating to the U.S., raced in California his whole life, so I was really pleased to beat him,” Kellogg said. “It was great to see his Grand Prix talent.”

In preparation for this season, Kellogg enlisted the help of longtime Fort Collins Club trainer Mike Rickett. With Rickett’s personalized training plan, Kellogg focused on strengthening his back, legs and forearms — all vital for a motocross rider.

The mix of physical strength and endurance and the speed and power of the motorcycle is what attracted Kellogg to the sport 44 years ago. At 70, Kellogg has been relatively unscathed over the years, suffering only an anterior cruciate ligament injury, ankle injury and a separated shoulder in his years of riding.

Kellogg doesn’t take any maintenance or prescription medicines, he said, and is proud of the shape he is in. He, Deborah and their four kids — Melissa, Josh, Vicki and Meagan — will run the RBC Fort Collins Thanksgiving Day Run together, a tradition they do every other year.

“You have to take good care of your body. You don’t want to have any bad habits that you do to excess because that’s going to detract from your health and your focus,” Kellogg said. “It’s obvious I’ve been pretty focused on doing this in practice and training. I do believe that from time to time, God shows me how to deal with things that are bothering me. Or, lead me to someone who can help me.”

A grandfather of eight, Kellogg said it’s now time to park the motorcycle in the garage for a while and take a break. He said he’s committed to taking 2014 off from racing so he can take the grandchildren fishing.

Perhaps now is the time to start what he set out to do when first moving to Fort Collins.

“I am thinking about starting to skate again. It’s been a really long time,” Kellogg said. “I’m in good condition, so I’m pretty sure I can pick it up.”

Stephen Meyers

Coloradoan - 11/15/2013