THE LATEST NEWS & RESULTS
FEATURE
FROM AUSTRALIA AND AROUND THE GLOBE
RALSTON'S WR480F
GEAR
GALLERY
THE HOTTEST NEW PRODUCTS
OUR KILLER YZ250 SHREDS
DYLAN LONG FEATURE
OZ MX WHIP KING
THE POWER SHOT
BEACH BLAST PHOTO ASHENHURST
Shane Booth does some excavating on the beach. Our project Yamaha YZ250 has been one of the most popular we’ve ever built and this was its very first ride. The full shoot is in this issue so backtrack and check it out!
MOTOR MOUTH
GEAR BAG
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1: 6D 1: THOR FUSE DAZZ RACEWEAR
2: ATS-1 HELMET
3: EVS VEX BLACK/HI VIZ BODY ARMOUR
Jersey - Fully vented mesh panels - Raglan sleeves offer optimal mobility - 100% polyester material wicks away sweat - No-fade sublimated graphics - RRP $79.95 Pants - Perforated & vented panels - Abrasion-tolerant materials - Durable construction & full-grain leather knee panels - Adjustable side clinches & ratchet-style closure - Pre-curved profile shape naturally fits with seated rider - RRP $289.95
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P atented omnidirectional suspension 3 K carbon-fibre shell lay-up A erodynamic CFD shell design 3 shell sizes 1 0-position shield adjustment E PS lined chin bar 5 exhaust vents E xceeds ECE & DOT standards 3 -year limited warranty A vailable at Steve Cramer Products
L ightweight, durable polycarbonate construction V entilated design for maximum breathability L ow-profile lightweight design F ull chest & spine coverage A djustable front & back panels N eck-brace-compatible design M edium: 35–65kg. Large: 65–90kg
MOTOR MOUTH
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4: TUFF JUG
6. ACERBIS ENDURANCE HANDGUARD
7. MICHELIN STARCROSS 5 RANGE
• Quick-dump dry-break cap • Fast flow rate with no spill • Heavy-duty, self-venting • Fluid flow stops automatically • 10-litre from $69.95; 20-litre from $89.95
- The Endurance handguard was developed and designed for the needs of an extreme rider. It is very strong and deflects brush, trees, roost and other riders - New black aluminium bar provides cutting-edge looks, while the curved design provides improved fit on the bike and enhanced ergonomics for the rider - Black X-Strong Universal mounting kit included; works on 7/8-inch, 11/8-inch and twin-wall handlebars - Replacement plastic shields available separately - PRICE — $149.95
- A ll-new motocross tyre range - A vailable in four versions (hard, medium, soft & sand) - D esigned for high performance on all ground conditions - F eatures a new lighter casing design with no loss of durability - F lexible casing allows maximum grip for steering & traction - D irectional intermediate & side tread blocks ensure good steering response from front tyre - C entral blocks are designed to enhance braking performance
5. AVADE LIGHTWEIGHT HEATED GARMENTS Engineered ultra light-weight heated garments supplying warmth at the push of a button. Made from synthetic fibre for strength and flexibility. Carbon-fibre heating zones balance and deliver heat on demand.
GRAHAM JARVIS EXTENDS WITH HUSQVARNA
MOTOR MOUTH
THE KING OF ENDURO HAS SIGNED ON FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS. By Hayden Gregory
The British rider has been in the form of his life, most recently securing a third at Erzberg and his fifth career Romaniacs title. Currently aged 41, Jarvis will remain with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Racing Extreme Enduro team through the 2017 and 2018 seasons. “It’s fantastic that I’m going to race with Husqvarna for another two years,” Jarvis exclaimed. “The new TE 300 is an amazing machine. I’ve been racing it for a few months and already I’ve earned two major wins on it – Erzberg and Romaniacs. Within Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing I feel like I’m part of a global team. My focus is on the big outdoor extreme enduro events, while I’ll also be trying to squeeze in as many other races as possible. I feel like I’m in the best place right now and I’m looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.” Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Team manger, Andreas Hölzl is excited with the new deal and the ability for Jarvis to continue competing at the most extreme events in the world. “We’re excited to renew our contract with Graham for another two seasons,” Hölzl said. “He will continue racing our team’s TE 300 in the biggest extreme enduro events worldwide. Carrying a huge amount of experience in extreme enduro racing, Graham is still very fast compared to many of the younger riders, which he proved that this year at both Erzberg and Romaniacs. With Graham age really is just a number. I think Graham has a lot more to give and will continue to surprise us with his performances in the future.” Jarvis will now focus on the Battle of Vikings enduro in Sweden before heading to the States for the 2016 Tennessee Knock Out extreme enduro event.
TIM GASJER JOINS MONSTER ENERGY THE MXGP LEADER WILL BE DECKED OUT BY THE BRAND FOR THE REMAINING FIVE ROUNDS. By Hayden Gregory
TThe 19 year old Slovenian is making waves in his rookie MXGP year, currently holding a 109 point lead in the championship. In wake of his success Gasjer has signed a deal with Monster Energy that will see him wear a branded helmet and use Monster branding on his Honda Gariboldi bike. “For sure this is really nice and it’s an honour to be part of Monster; you just have to look around MXGP and you can see it everywhere, it’s a really big deal in motocross,” said Gajser. “Motocross has really grown a lot in Slovenia in the last two years. It feels like it is in the newspapers or on the TV a lot and whenever I look I see ‘Tim Gajser’! It’s really nice for me and my family because we have been working for that and we wanted to get to the top and to be well known. It is great for me but also for the country and what we have seen around the tracks recently at Mantova [Lombardia] and also Loket [Czech Republic] is unbelievable; it is unusual to see so many supporters there just because of one rider. “Those guys spend their money and holiday time to travel and come to the races and not just from Slovenia but from all over Europe so I’m really thankful and appreciate everything.”
STRIJBOS AND ANSTIE TOP LOMMEL BOTH RIDERS SECURED THEIR MAIDEN VICTORIES FOR THE 2016 SEASON. WORDS HAYDEN GREGORY
MXGP MXGP Overall Top Ten: 1. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 40 points 2. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 39 points 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 37 points 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 32 points 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 31 points 6. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 31 points 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 29 points 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 29 points 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 26 points 10. Tanel Leok (EST, KTM), 22 points MXGP Championship Top Ten: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 607 points 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 504 points 3. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 490 points 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 464 points 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 445 points 6. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 417 points 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 292 points 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 277 points 9. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 273 points 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 264 points MX2 Overall Top Ten: 1. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 50 points 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 40 points 3. Petar Petrov (BUL, KAW), 37 points 4. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 34 points 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 34 points 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), 30points 7. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 23 points 8. Lars van Berkel (NED, HUS), 21 points 9. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 20 points 10. Alvin Östlund (SWE, YAM), 19 points MX2 Championship Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 597 points 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 510 points 3. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 403 points 4. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 393 points 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 378 points 6. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 366 points 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, YAM), 320 points 8. Petar Petrov (BUL, KAW), 319 points 9. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 294 points 10. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 280 points . Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 607 pointsMax Anstie (GB, HUS), 5points 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 40 points
Team Suzuki World MXGP’s Kevin Strijbos has sensationally ended a decade long drought to claim round honours in Belgium. A pair of third placings granted Strijbos victory in his hometown race. “This is good, so nice. I really don't have the words for my feelings at the moment," Strijbos said. "In the first moto I ran with Max but then had to drop my speed a bit, which I wasn't happy with, but found a rhythm again by the end. In the second moto I had to catch-up but I had some good lines and when I got to third I thought about the podium… and then tried not to think about it! All the crew were out of the pitbox on the last lap [saying] that I had won the GP. "This is a special moment and it has been a long time since I was last on top; nine years and many of the young guys here were not even in GPs then! I’m so stoked for the team because we have worked so hard and not had any results until now; it was tough for them too.” Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Max Nagl looked set to take his second consecutive round overall after winning the opening moto ahead of Shaun Simpson and Strijbos. The second moto didn’t go to plan however and Nagl came crashing down. Tim Gasjer got the points in moto two ahead of Antonio Cairoli and Strijbos. It was a good recovery for the Honda rider who struggled heavily in the first crossing the line in 15th place. “I’m really pleased and really disappointed at the same time, if I’m honest," Nagl said. "Pleased because I had a really great opening moto and disappointed because I know this could have been another overall MXGP win for me and the team. "I felt great in the first moto – I made a good start and was able to win by around 10 seconds. I struggled a little in my qualifying race so to be able to turn that around I was very confident going into the second moto. I got the holeshot, but then I was too cautious for the first three laps. Some riders passed me and then I found my speed.
Falling in the sand always loses a lot of time, and I dropped to seventh. Second overall, just one-point from the win, is a great result and I am still 100 per cent focused on my goal of trying to end the year second in the championship.” In MX2 racing, the omission of Jeffrey Herlings once again opened up the field with Max Anstie proving the best of the rest. The Husqvarna rider dominated both races showcasing his love for the Lommel track, a place he has tasted victory the past two years. “I wasn’t sure I could make it happen this weekend. Everyone was telling me I should win, I crashed in the qualifying race, and I didn’t sleep last night,” Anstie shared. “I do love it here, I was pushing hard and I’m glad to get this result for "my team.” His team is based right around the corner, literally, and his win marks the first ever for Husqvarna here in Lommel.” Team Suzuki World MX2’s Jeremy Seewer claimed a pair of runner up results to place second for the round. “I tried not to push too fast at the beginning of the first moto because I knew it would be a tough day," Seewer said. "My plan was to make the passes nearer the end because I was feeling really fit and was not using a lot of energy but then the rain started to come and I had to throw my goggles away and I couldn’t make my move or the plan happen. "I could still finish fourth and planned to attack in the second moto," Seewer continued, "I knew Max was behind me in that race and I just tried as hard as I could while in the lead for as long as I could. He made the pass with a couple of laps to go and then I didn't want to take any more risks, so I just tried to finish. It feels amazing to be on the podium again, especially here in the sand, and it has been a fantastic weekend for the team. A special day.” Kawasaki’s Petar Petrov rounded out the MX2 podium in third with a 6-3 scorecard. Tim Gasjer and Jeffrey Herlings continue to hold big point leads in their respective championship classes.
MOTOR MOUTH
Gibbs Strikes in Shepparton KIRK GIBBS HAS WON ROUND EIGHT OF THE MOTUL MX NATIONALS AND EXTENDED HIS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD. Thor MX1 round eight results 1) Kirk Gibbs – 65 points 2) Todd Waters – 65 points 3) Dean Ferris – 64 points 4) Kade Mosig – 56 points 5) Jesse Dobson – 51 points 6) Jacob Wright – 49 points 7) Daniel Banks – 46 points 8) Joel Green – 46 points 9) James Alen – 43 points 10) Kurt Gow – 42 points
Thor MX1 Championship Standings 1) Kirk Gibbs – 538 points 2) Dean Ferris – 529 points 3) Todd Waters – 522 points 4) Kade Mosig – 437 points 5) Matt Moss – 381 points 6) Dylan Long – 359 points 7) Jacob Wright – 340 points 8) Jay Wilson – 320 points 9) Michael Menchi– 301 points 10) Daniel Banks – 299 points
STORY HAYDEN GREGORY
The KTM rider started the day with strong intentions, qualifying fastest before winning his first GoPro Superpole of the year. As gates dropped in the first moto Gibbs was unable to take advantage of pole position with Kade Mosig capturing the holeshot. A few turns into the race and Dean Ferris had moved into the lead followed by Todd Waters and Gibbs. The leading trio would hold their positions for the majority of the race tailing each other’s every move. A small mistake by Dean Ferris on lap ten proved crucial as he dropped back into third, allowing Waters to take race control. In the closing stages Waters began to pull away and looked the certain race winner. A huge battle was taking place for second however with Ferris moving ever closer to Gibbs’ rear tyre. On the very last lap an aggressive Ferris got his man claiming second place for the moto, while Gibbs dropped back to third. Moto two got underway with a holeshot to Gibbs, just ahead of Ferris and Mosig. The leading trio were soon joined by Todd Waters with all riders battling for vital championship points. Ferris once again pressured Gibbs for the lead with the KTM rider unable to hold off his challenger. Ferris looked set for race victory before amazingly going down on the very last lap. In a mad rush, Gibbs shot to the lead with Ferris able to recover for second. Waters was also able to win the battle for third. In a very tight round, Gibbs was awarded victory on count back with a 3-1 scorecard. “It’s good to be up here. As everyone has said, the three of us are all riding very well, and it’s coming down to who can put it all together. Two solid motos, with no crashes and no mistakes,” Gibbs said. “In the final moto things worked out well for me. I got the holeshot and I could feel Dean (Ferris) right behind me the whole time, when he made the pass on me, he ended up making a mistake so I’m happy to take the win. “I’m just super happy to keep chipping away at this championship, and I’ll never give up, so I’m going to keep fighting until the end.” Todd Waters finished on equal points with Gibbs in second while Ferris was only one point adrift in third. With two rounds remaining, Gibbs holds a nine point lead in the championship with Ferris and Waters still very much in the title hunt.
JED BEATON HAS WON THE MX2 ROUND OVERALL IN SHEPPARTON.
Beaton Captures the Red Leader’s Plate
STORY HAYDEN GREGORY
As qualifying got underway it was Husqvarna’s Nathan Crawford clocking the fastest time ahead of Caleb Ward and Jayden Rykers. Riders were ready to fire in the first moto and it was Rykers who got the pick of the starts claiming the MXStore holeshot. DPH Motorsport’s Beaton needed only a few turns to move into the race lead closely followed by Wilson Todd and red plate holder Crawford. Caleb Ward was struggling from a bad start all the way back in tenth place. The leading riders began to pull away from the pack and Todd was showing serious speed. He soon moved into the lead leaving Beaton and Crawford to battle it out over the minor positions. With a championship on the line the pair engaged in an aggressive battle, banging bars for a number of laps before Crawford eventually made a pass stick. Todd would claim the first chequered flag of the day ahead of Crawford and Beaton before controversy soon followed. Crawford and Todd were handed 15 second penalties for jumping on a yellow flag handing Beaton race one victory. Race two kicked off with a holeshot to Beaton followed closely once again by Crawford. With a few laps in the bank Crawford fell into the clutches of Caleb Ward with the KTM rider passing into second place. Making amends for moto one, Ward then set his sights on Beaton eventually passing into the lead at the halfway point. The leading pair began to pull away from Crawford in third with Beaton giving his all in one final effort to recapture the lead. Unfortunately it was all a little too late with Ward taking the chequered flag ahead of Beaton and Crawford. A 1-2 scorecard provided Beaton his second consecutive round victory and the coveted red plate. “I’m really happy to finish with another round win here at Shepparton. The championship is coming down to the wire and we all want to win just as bad as each other now,” Beaton said. “When you’re that close to each other on the track, and there’s three of us going for a championship, then it’s going to get a bit heated now and then, but we’re all in it to win. “I had a slow start to the season but I feel as if everything is coming together now. I feel confident and I believe in myself more than ever before so I’m really looking forward to these last two rounds.” Caleb Ward finished the round in second place ahead of Crawford in third. With two rounds remaining in the series Beaton finds himself the new championship leader tied with Crawford on 507 points.
Motul MX2 round eight results 1) Jed Beaton – 67 points 2) Caleb Ward - 61 points 3) Nathan Crawford – 60 points 4) Wilson Todd – 58 points 5) Jayden Rykers – 56 points 6) Kale Makeham – 50 points 7) Dylan Wills – 47 points 8) Keiron Hall – 45 points 9) Hamish Harwood – 44 points 10) Joel Wightman – 42 points Motul MX2 Championship Standings 1) Jed Beaton – 507 points 2) Nathan Crawford– 507 points 3) Caleb Ward – 492 points 4) Jayden Rykers – 449 points 5) Wilson Todd – 412 points 6) Dylan Wills – 381 points 7) Hamish Harwood – 353 points 8) Joel Wightman – 341 points 9) Wade Hunter– 324 points 10) Kyle Webster – 296 points
MOTOR MOUTH
Evans Dominates MXD MITCH EVANS HAS SWEPT ROUND EIGHT OF THE MOTUL MX NATIONALS MOVING INTO THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD.
Pirelli MXD round eight results 1) Mitchell Evans – 70 points 2) Wade Kirkland – 62 points 3) Cooper Pozniak – 56 points 4) Connor Tierney – 54 points 5) Kaleb Barham – 50 points 6) Luke Abela – 50 points 7) Justin Hart – 48 points 8) Levi McManus – 47 points 9) Hugh McKay – 40 points 10) Jackson Coulson – 38 points
Pirelli MXD Championship Standings 1) Mitchell Evans – 416 points 2) Connor Tierney – 413 points 3) Wade Kirkland – 404 points 4) Cooper Pozniak – 394 points 5) Kaleb Barham – 350 points 6) Zak Small – 324 points 7) Jordan Hill – 322 points 8) Lochie Latimer – 303 points 9) Hugh McKay – 268 points 10) Levi McManus – 245 points
STORY HAYDEN GREGORY
The Yamalube Yamaha rider clocked the fastest time in qualifying ahead of Wade Kirkland and Lochie Latimer. In the opening moto KTM’s Luke Abela scored the MXStore holeshot with Connor Tierney finding the lead only a few laps in. This was shortlived however as a small mistake allowed Evans to move into the lead. With only three laps down, Evans had already amassed a 14 second lead and was looking dominant out in front. A long way behind, Zak Small moved into second place with Kirkland also passing Abela into third. As the chequered flag waved, the top three held their positions and Evans sensationally scored moto victory by 28 seconds. Race two got underway in similar circumstances with danger man Evans taking control of the race. Small and Kirkland found themselves battling for the minor positions again closely followed by Connor Tierney. Evans shut out the competition once again as he cruised to his second victory of the day. In the closing stages Tierney was able to charge through the field passing both Small and Kirkland into second place. In a dominant display, Evans claimed another undefeated round, moving into the championship lead three points ahead of Connor Tierney with two rounds left to race. “I’ve definitely got a lot more confidence after this round, going 1,1 gives you a lot of confidence and it’s good for the points chase so I couldn’t be happier,” Evans shared. “It was a bit of a slow start to the series for me, but now we’ve got the red plate and we’re back on track. Mike Ward, my mechanic has been helping me out heaps and getting me back training, so I’m feeling 100 per cent. “Now that I’ve got the red plate, and I’m heading back to my home state I couldn’t be more confident for the next two rounds.” Wade Kirkland was awarded second for the round with KTM’s Cooper Pozniak landing on the final step of the podium.
YZ250 WE BUILD THE ULTIMATE TWO STROKE
LEGENDS SPEAK LEISK, GALL, DACK, GRABHAM, ROBERTS, BALLARD, BYRNE, CARROL
TYE SIMMONDS TAKES FLIGHT!
MOSS BROS ABSENCE SPECULATION GROWS
FERRIS GOES BACK TO BACK THE CDR RIDER CLOSES IN ON GIBBS
MOTOR MOUTH
POWERED BY
Sanders Claims AORC Outright in Hedley DANIEL SANDERS DOMINATED THE E3 CLASS ON HIS WAY TO THE ROUND OVERALL.
Snodgrass Records Debut AORC Podium THE EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD HUSQVARNA SUPPORT RIDER EARNED TWO THIRD PLACINGS IN A CAREER BEST RESULT. By Hayden Gregory
By Hayden Gregory The KTM enduro rider made the most of the rain affected track leading his competitors for all four tests to score victory by a comfortable margin. Sanders time of 32:02.953 awarded him victory in the E3 class ahead of Lyndon Snodgrass and Active8 Yamaha’s Beau Ralston. Tye Simmonds scored second outright and first for the E2 class in Hedley. An injury to Josh Green opened up the field with Broc Grabham and Chris Hollis claiming second and third. In E1, Jack Simpson stood on the top box ahead of Glenn Kearney and Riley Graham. Simpson’s time placed him fourth for the round, behind Snodgrass in third. Jemma Wilson shone in the women’s class finishing in a time of 43:19.740 ahead of Emilie Karlson and Jessica Gardiner. Only four rounds remain in the 2016 Australian off Road Championships with rounds 9 and 10 set for August 13-14 at Monkerai, NSW.
Overall results: 1. Daniel Sanders 32:02.953 (E3) 2. Tye Simmonds 32:53.359 (E2) 3. Lyndon Snodgrass 33:17.569 (E3) 4. Jack Simpson 33:21.080 (E1) 5. Beau Ralston 33:29.553 (E3) 6. Broc Grabham 33:38.252 (E2) 7. Glenn Kearney 33:43.344 (E1) 8. Lachlan Stanford 33:50.008 (E3) 9. Riley Graham 34:06.797 (E1) 10. Scott Keegan 34:09.999 (E1)
Women’s Overall: 1. Jemma Wilson 43:19.740 2. Emelie Karlsson 43:32.683 3. Jessica Gardiner 45:03.166 4. Sophie Coldicutt 45:22.109 5. Tegan Hall 46:04.765 6. Kate Norman 1:00:06.325 7. Irene Vasilas 1:03:06.843 8. Angela Angela 1:09:25.743 9. Stacey Thompson 1:16:24.951
Until last weekend Lyndon Snodgrass had never finished top ten outright in the Australian Off Road Championships. In an outstanding effort, the youngster not only cracked the top ten but scored third outright in the testing Hedley conditions. The water logged event was won by Daniel Sanders, with Tye Simmonds in second. Third place provided a career highlight for Snodgrass in a weekend that will no doubt mark a huge rise in confidence. “That’s my best AORC finish by 10 positions, I’m pretty happy! I actually didn’t know where I was placed yesterday so it felt good when I figured out that I had finished third,” Snodgrass recalled. “I never expected an outright podium this weekend! The track suited me, but I just seemed to be having a lot of fun out there. The TE300 was awesome – we did that cross-country and it lasted through the sloppy mud and rain, and then finished out the sprints today! The confidence is rising in me, and I’m happy to be getting these results.” The Australian Off Road Champions will continue in NSW on August 13-14.
SANDERS
SNODGRASS SANDERS
MOTOR MOUTH
ALEX MARTIN COLLECTS 250 OVERALL MARTIN EARNED HIS SECOND WIN FOR THE 2016 SEASON.
TOMAC OUTCLASSES ROCZEN AT WASHOUGAL ELI TOMAC HAS WON HIS SECOND ROUND OF THE 2016 LUCAS OIL PRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP. By Hayden Gregory Fans were treated to a sensational battle between Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen at Washougal with the pair once again proving they’re the leading riders in the premier class. In moto one, Roczen hit the lead on the opening lap with Tomac starting back in sixth place. The Suzuki rider was able to press on from the rest of the field stretching a lead while Tomac was forced to play catch ups. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider slowly made his way through the pack as Musquin went down and Pourcel eventually gave in to Tomac’s relentless pressure. In the closing stages Roczen backed off the pace yet would hold out to take moto victory. Tomac impressed for second place while Musquin recovered for third. In moto two, Roczen once again found himself in the early lead with Tomac close behind. The pair began to build a gap on the field before outstanding line choice saw Tomac take control of the race. Once in front the Kawasaki rider began to turn it on. As the chequered flag waved, Tomac had mounted a 16 second lead over Roczen, while Musquin was unchallenged for third. A win in moto two handed Tomac round victory despite finishing on equal points with Roczen. Victory marked his second in three rounds as he aims to keep the championship margin honest. "I don't know [how to describe today]. The first moto was a little funky. I was a little off. I was tight in the first half and came around in the second half," said Tomac. "I got to the front pretty quick in the second moto and when I got to Kenny he kind of just gave it to me. I took it and laid it down after that. I was just in a good rhythm." Roczen holds a 55 point lead over Tomac in the 450 championship with Musquin nearly a 100 points further back in third. "I'm pretty happy with my day. This is not my favorite place for some reason," said Roczen. "It was tough in the second moto. It was the driest I've ever seen this track and it was difficult with all the sun and shadows [to see and ride a normal pace]. I still got two good starts today and won a moto, so I'm leaving happy. It was one of those days where I'm finished second and I'm ok with it. I'm glad it's over." Racing will now take its last break before the final three rounds begin on August 13th in New Berlin, New York.
The Yamalube Yamaha rider got 250 racing underway with his third consecutive holeshot ahead of Mitchell Harrison, Joey Savatgy and brother Jeremy. Harrison soon dropped off the pace leaving the top three to fight it out over the opening few laps. At the halfway stage Alex Martin and Savatgy had built a ten second lead on the rest of the field and the Kawasaki rider mounted numerous attacks on Martin. Unable to make a pass stick, Savatgy was forced to settle for second with Martin taking the moto in a start to finish effort. Cooper Webb managed to score third place after a determined ride saw him rise from a 12th place start. Moto two saw a much better start for Webb, scoring the holeshot ahead of Savatgy and rookie Austin Forkner. While tussling for position Webb and Savatgy came together, allowing Forkner to slip into the race lead. The pair would once again come together this time stalling their motorcycles and creating a bottleneck for a number of riders. Webb and Jeremy Martin went down while Martin Davalos took advantage to move into second ahead of Jessy Nelson in third. While mounting pressure on Forkner, Davalos hit the dirt giving some much needed breathing room to Forkner out front. The rookie would 250 Class go on to secure his maiden moto victory ahead of a hard charging Alex 1 Cooper W Martin and Nelson in third. Webb would recover for sixth place with 372 Savatgy never getting back in it at 11th. 2 Jeremy M A 1-2 scorecard handed Alex Martin comfortable victory in the overall, - 321 3 Joey Sav the second for his career. - 319 Austin Forkner secured a career best second overall with a 10-1 finish while Cooper Webb was able to rally for third (3-6). Webb continues to4 Alex Mar 5 Austin F lead the 250 Championship on 372 points.
- 257 6 Zach Osb - 253 7 Aaron Pl - 245 8 Arnaud T
450 Class Championship Standings
250 Class Championship Standings
1 Ken Roczen, Suzuki - 434 2 Eli Tomac, Kawasaki - 379 3 Marvin Musquin, KTM - 283 4 Justin Barcia, Yamaha - 244 5 Christophe Pourcel, Husqy - 217 6 Broc Tickle, Suzuki - 171 7 Andrew Short, KTM - 155 8 Justin Brayton KTM - 152 9 Cole Seely, Honda - 151 10 Benny Bloss, KTM - 151
1 Cooper Webb, Yamaha - 372 2 Jeremy Martin, Yamaha - 321 3 Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki - 319 4 Alex Martin, Yamaha - 317 5 Austin Forkner, Kawasaki - 257 6 Zach Osborne, Husqvarna - 253 7 Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha - 245 8 Arnaud Tonus, Kawasaki - 190 9 Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki - 179 10 Mitchell Oldenburg, KTM - 169
Roczen now holds a 53 point lead Roczen now holds a 53 point lead in the 450 championship. Tomac
FEATURE: RIDE RED
I D E R STORY SHANE BOOTH PHOTOGRAPHY MATT BERNARD
WE HIT THE TRACK ON DYLAN LO N G ’ S FA C TO R Y CRANKT PROTEIN HONDA CRF450R
RED
ALWAYS A PLEASURE
THE SETUP
Any opportunity to ride a factory race bike is always welcomed with open arms, and it’s always a pleasure to throw a leg over a bike that has had the time and effort put into it that come with a professional race team. I was really keen to ride this simply for the reason it had been a couple of years since I’d ridden a Honda race team bike. The team this year is making a fresh run at racing with some changes in house and the young-gun lineup of Jay Wilson and Dylan Long, both very talented and capable young racers who bring a youthful style to the team. The bike was wheeled out and after some static shots were taken it was handed over. Here’s what I thought.
Hondas have a pretty compact feel to them and this one was no different. In fact, Dylan runs his handlebars rolled quite a long way back, which made the bike feel even more compact — something I struggled with for a lap or two, but it’s amazing how quickly you can adapt to something and a few laps in I felt comfortable. Dylan also runs a very low front brake and clutch lever position, much lower than any other race bike I’d ever ridden. It was actually a little refreshing and if his handlebars were rolled forward a few degrees I think the low lever position would be something I’d be more than happy with.
But the combination of the low levers and rolled-back bars definitely took some getting used to. But that’s what I really enjoy about riding pros' bikes — you get an insight into what they like and all the little setup intricacies each individual racer favours. Dylan also has his rear brake setup lower than usual and when I asked if there was any reason for it, the answer was just to avoid dragging it unnecessarily. The seat cover is a nice addition to help keep you in the right position under acceleration and the Renthal grips are on the money as far as comfort and feel go.
ENGINE The stock CRF450 engine is a very smooth powerplant, a characteristic carried through to this race bike. The first thing I noticed is that there is no arm-tearing power hit going on here. An inexperienced rider might initially think this bike is lacking in power but they’d be very wrong. There’s no doubt the delivery is very smooth but there’s a torque monster in there that will allow you to roll the throttle on earlier and smoother than usual. Third gear is no problem on this bike — you can use it through any corner and it will pull out of there with authority. The torque and the progressive delivery of this bike’s power are its biggest weapons; it just takes a few laps to work that out. The Arrow exhaust is a work of art: titanium and carbon fibre, built to the finest level of engineering. It’s also a very quiet system and that can lead people to think the bike isn’t fast. But let me assure you, just because it doesn’t make your ears bleed doesn’t mean it’s not quick. I was interested in seeing how the bike felt for a race
start given the smooth characteristic of the power delivery. I locked the start button on and selected the Vortex ignition launch mode, a mode that caps the rev limit for the start so you can just hold the throttle wide and worry about the clutch control. The surface was super grippy and the bike launched in second gear as well as anything I’ve ever ridden. It instantly picked the front wheel up off the ground into a hover until I shifted third gear. I’ve always been unsure of the launch control maps but this one seemed to work well. I think the surface lent itself to the aggressive launch that comes with a controlled rev limit. I tried starts with and without it activated and I definitely had to work harder to control the wheelie without it. I think it depends on the surface to determine whether it’s ideal or not but I liked the high traction. All in all, it’s a fast engine that packs a sneaky punch, does it relatively quietly and in a way that a rider can hang onto it. Probably all you can ask for.
DYLAN LONG’S 2016 CRANKT PROTEIN HONDA CRF 450R Handlebars: Renthal Twin Wall Grips: Renthal medium half-waffle Triple clamps: X-Trig Hubs: Talon Rims: Excel Chain: RK Front tyre: Pirelli MX 32 Rear tyre: Pirelli MX 32 Sprocket: RK Exhaust: Arrow titanium & carbon system Ignition: Vortex Front brake disc: Moto Master Rear brake disc: Moto Master Spark plug: NGK Front brake lever: Zeta Clutch lever: Zeta
HANDLING This is the most comfortable I’ve felt on the current generation of CRF450s. The bike didn’t have any feeling of being low in the front end as I’d felt in the past on the Honda 450. It felt really balanced and sat nicely in turns, especially ruts. Probably the best part of the handling for me was the way it held traction on the exit of turns. It hooked up extremely well without lifting the front wheel. The bottoming resistance was up to the standard you’d expect from a bike of this calibre — no metal-to-metal feel no matter how long you went. I was just really impressed with how balanced it felt. I know I mentioned it earlier but this characteristic allowed me to build confidence in turns really quickly. It never tried to stand me up in a rut; I could just flow in
and out really effortlessly, which was great, and allow the speed to creep up. As far as firmness goes it was a firmer setup than the average rider would probably like — but not the hardest race bike I’ve ever ridden, that’s for sure.
THE WRAP Some race bikes I’ve ridden have been absolute beasts — no good for anyone other than the riders they were developed for. This wasn’t like that. It was a very fast and strong engine that you could ride and use and the handling package instantly promoted confidence. It felt like a well-rounded bike that would deceive you at first but then, the more laps you did, the more you realised you were actually riding something pretty damn impressive.
FEATURE: BIG BLUE
BIG B LU E ST ORY S HAN E B O OT H P H O T O G R A P H Y DAM I E N ASHENHURST
We get to take Beau Ralston’s brand spankin’ new Active8 Yamaha WR480F race bike for some laps at the team’s HQ
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t’s not that often that the capacity of a bike is changed these days. The manufacturers do a pretty damn good job of testing and milking the most out of a specific capacity; they also figure that via testing they come up with the best engine capacity for the majority of riders. From its beginnings as a 400cc bike, the YZF increased its capacity over the period of five or so years to 426cc and then the industry more or less settled on 450cc as the best option. Over the years, the way a 450cc engine delivers power has improved out of sight. Compared to the earliest versions, 450s are much more rideable and the power delivery silky smooth but they’re still a handful for many. So when the offer came to ride a WR480F, I was excited. Sometimes the best way to make a bike more rideable is to add more power — sounds weird, but it can work to smooth things out if torque is increased and set up to be delivered well. So we jumped a flight up north to the team's HQ to find out for ourselves what a big-bore WR was like to ride.
BEAUTY OR BEAST? This thing has the potential to be an arm-tearing monster. Adding 30cc to an engine already renowned for a pretty intense power delivery could be a mistake — but, luckily, it wasn’t. Actually, luck probably has nothing to do with it — the crew at Active8 Yamaha knew exactly what they were doing. They worked with Serco to come up with the best way to increase the capacity and found a solid and reliable solution. When you ride this bike, the additional capacity has really just increased the torque; you can ride in third gear in places where you couldn’t on a 450. It means that riding in a gear higher also smooths out the power delivery — you can roll the throttle on earlier without the need to assist it with clutch slip. There are also follow-on benefits from the tractable power: the bike hooks up better off turns and also handles acceleration bumps more efficiently. If you can pick the throttle up earlier in
turns, the bike settles sooner and that’s what makes things just that little bit easier for the rider. Not saying you can’t pick up throttle early on a 450; sure you can, but you may need a gear lower in some situations, which makes for a more aggressive power delivery. Or, if you try a gear higher, you may need to use a heap of clutch to help it along. This thing’s extra capacity means that most of the time you can get away with just a smooth roll-on of the throttle. In the tight stuff the engine’s still well and truly manageable — the additional torque helps here, too — but not as much as in the open. I hit some pretty technical trail with a few log hops and some solid off-camber sections where it didn’t feel as if there was anything negative about the additional capacity. When the track opens up and you wind it out it’s strong, no doubt about it, but probably not nightand-day faster than a 450. The major difference is the torque and what that allows you to do.
BEAU RALSTON’S ACTIVE8 YAMAHA WR480F Handlebars: Domino Grips: Domino Triple clamps: Std Front tyre: Michelin Star Cross Rear tyre: Michelin Star Cross Exhaust: GYTR Front disc guard: Acerbis Chain guide: GYTR Case saver: GYTR Bash plate: GYTR Handguards: GYTR Link: Ride Eng. Radiator braces: GYTR Graphics: Uber Graphics Clutch cover: GYTR
THE RIDE The engine aside, this is a great bike to ride. Beau is tall so I felt right at home with his setup; it’s probably the firmest off-road bike I’ve ridden and I liked it. I really changed nothing except to slow the rebound on the forks a few clicks; that was it. The team does a great job of coming up with a setup that works well on small stuff but holds up on big impacts; so many off-road bikes are great over the little stuff and then just blow through on anything sizable. I think the type of racing that happens now with sprint and cross-country-style events — generally higher speeds and plenty of grass-track sections — is reflected in this setup. The ergos were spot on for me. The ’bars felt good, along with lever position; nothing quirky going on there. I was lucky enough to be the first to ride this bike, so it was nice and fresh and the controls, seat and general feel reflected that. The team runs Fast Way footpegs and I did notice the difference. They definitely feel a little wider and
they bite into your boot better than stock — enough that you have to get used to how you move your feet on them, but in a positive way. This is a bike I could easily line up on for a race. Half an hour on it and I felt right at home. WHAT’S THE DOWNSIDE? Well, there really isn’t a big one. Not too much has to change on the bike for the increase in capacity but it’s just enough to feel a little more mass underneath you in fast changes of direction. I don’t think it comes close to outweighing the positive effect of greater capacity but some riders don’t like that feel and it may turn them off. There’s one other downside and that’s the cost of doing this. It’s not a readymade kit; the team has developed it and while the parts are available to the public via all the usual avenues the team couldn’t really put a figure on what it would cost to do it for a single bike from scratch. If we were to guess, though, you’d want to be happy to part with something around the $2000 mark, give or take a few hundred.
FEATURE:
THE PERFECT STORM
T H E P E R F E C T
STORM WE COMBINE OUR YZ250 WITH SOME EPIC SAND DUNES FOR A DAY OF RIDING THAT WON’T BE FORGOTTEN FOR A LONG TIME STORY SHANE BOOTH PICS DAMIEN ASHENHURST
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his bike has gained a following all by itself. There’s something that just puts people back in a period of the sport that was epic. There seemed to be something about the late 90s and early 2000s that was exciting and the sport had some great personalities through that time. It was also an era when the moto video
rose to prominence, as did footage of riders out in the sand dunes. That was our motivation to hit the dunes on this bike for a shoot and bring back some of those epic sand shots that were so popular. Damo nailed it from behind the lens and I hope I did it some justice. If nothing else I know I had the most fun on a bike that I’ve had in a long time. Enjoy.
PARTING SHOT
TIME TRAVELLER PHOTO DAMIEN ASHENHURST
Kade Mosig on a Kawasaki in 2013 at Raymond Terrace. Check out the photo special in this issue to see him back on green and killing it on the mighty KX450F.
YZ250 WE BUILD THE ULTIMATE TWO STROKE
LEGENDS SPEAK LEISK, GALL, DACK, GRABHAM, ROBERTS, BALLARD, BYRNE, CARROL
TYE SIMMONDS TAKES FLIGHT!
MOSS BROS ABSENCE SPECULATION GROWS
FERRIS GOES BACK TO BACK THE CDR RIDER CLOSES IN ON GIBBS