Transworld Motocross March 2016

“THE LANGUAGE OF FRIENDSHIP IS NOT WORDS BUT MEANINGS.” —HENRY DAVID THOREAU In addition to an unbelievable career, one of the best things that motocross has given me is a lot of great friendships. Motocrossers are a special breed, and that usually means the sport consumes you. Most of the guys I know ride on Saturday, race on Sunday, work on their bikes on Monday and Tuesday, and somehow find a way to sneak away for a midweek moto, too. If you’re a real moto dude, everything else that you do revolves around riding or racing, including your other hobbies. One of my favorite guys to ride and race with is Masa Shirotani, or “Video Masa” as he’s known best. I first met Masa years ago in Japan while attending…

ALEX MARTIN The news that Alex Martin signed to Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha came both early and unexpected, since it was announced even before the halfway point of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship in June. “It even surprised me!” Martin exclaims in typical Minnesota-nice guy fashion. “The results were good in Supercross with a few podiums, and then we came into the outdoors where the first three races went really well for me. That was enough to seal the deal,” says the 25-year-old, somehow downplaying one of the most important moments of his professional career. Despite his best intentions, there’s far more to his deal with what has become one of the most powerful teams in the 250 class than he’s letting on, but the most important detail is this: Alex…

Nick Wey Sponsors: Roy’s Cyclery, Giant Bicycles CRANK BROTHERS CANDY 11 PEDALS $450 Crank Brothers is famous for producing the lightest cross-country mountain bike racing pedals on the market, but the Candy 11 pedals are designed with a little more support and durability in mind. Featuring all titanium and aluminum construction with stainless-steel springs, the Candy 11 pedals possess a ribbed platform around the clip mechanism to provide added support and traction when you’re not clipped in. High-quality double-sealed bearings help keep the pedals spinning smoothly, and they also come with a pair of highquality brass shoe cleats. crankbrothers.com ALPINE STARS HURRICANE FUNCTIONAL JACKET $89.95 When is a jacket not any old jacket? When you’re mountain biking of course! In the saddle you need a jacket that will protect you…

SIDI CROSSFIRE 2 SR Price: $575 Sizes: 7.5–13 Colors: 13 color combinations (Cairoli Signature Series shown here) What It Is The Sidi Crossfire 2 SR boot is a premium motocross boot that’s infinitely adjustable and re-buildable. Utilizing a hinged-ankle design intended to limit foot and ankle hyperextension and a unique bolt-together design, virtually every piece of the boot is replaceable including the sole. Hits • The Crossfire 2 SR is extremely comfortable and requires no break-in. • Thanks to the adjustable shin plate, the Crossfire 2 SR can accommodate even the most massive calves and knee braces. • The heat-resistant pad on the inner calf area offers great traction against the bike. • The toe box is sleek and streamlined and less likely to snag in ruts. • Impact protection…

We’ve all been there: It’s your first time riding a track, you’ve arrived with the sole purpose of crushing it, you’re sure that you’ll be the fastest of all your buddies, and then you see a jump that makes your tail go straight between your legs, immediately deflating your ego. Motocross can be scary, and that’s part of why we do it—it’s a rush to overcome that fear of a big booter. This is something every rider young and old has encountered at some point, and there’s nothing quite like launching a good-sized jump for the first time or claiming bragging rights of a big huck. Enter Josh Hill, the tutor for this month’s Skills section. Josh enjoyed a career that many kids dream of that had both highs and…

YOU KNOW THE TYPE: tough as nails and as determined as all hell to get his way. Cooper Webb is a racer through and through, and what he may lack in natural talent, he more than makes up for with raw aggression and a never-say-die attitude that’s carried him to multiple race wins and one major championship thus far in his professional career. Some mistake his confidence for cockiness because he’s never been one to mask his distaste for defeat or downplay his intentions of winning, but Webb doesn’t have time to worry about such formalities—he’s too busy trying to figure out how to get better at his craft, and that craft is racing. You spent a lot of time during this off-season on the 450, which is great for…