Transworld Motocross June 2016

“ THE WORLD IS A BOOK AND THOSE WHO DO NOT TRAVEL RE AD ONLY ONE PAGE.” — ST. AUGUSTINE Thanks to my obsession with dirt bikes, I’ve been lucky to see much more of the world than I ever would have dreamed as a kid. Though travel is far less exciting to me after a quarter decade of doing it, I wouldn’t trade the memories I’ve got and the friends I’ve made for, well, the world. As I write this, I’m on a subway deep beneath the streets of Tokyo, traveling to have dinner with a friend I made while he was going to college in Southern California to learn how to run his family’s business back here in Japan. As the stations flash by and passengers funnel in…

JOSH GRANT It’s 8:30 in the morning, and Josh Grant is just pulling up to Hunny’s Cafe in Corona, California, with a smile on his face. Today is a good day because he’s heading off to an undisclosed location to do some Supercross testing for the rest of the season. Normally this would be just like any other day, but today is different. Before the start of the 2016 Monster Energy Supercross season, Grant had been left with no offers on the table for the first time since turning pro in 2004. It was a feeling that left him scratching his head, especially since he just came off a dominating performance at the MXGP of USA at Glen Helen Raceway only a couple short months earlier. Once the Supercross season…

Ryder DiFrancesco Age: 10 Hometown: Bakersfield, California Sponsors: Kawasaki Team Green, Pro Circuit, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, Traxxas, ThorMX, 6D Helmets, Dunlop, Scott, DC Shoes Classes Raced: 65cc (9-11 years old), 85cc (0-11 years old) Ryder DiFrancesco is one of the most popular mini-bike racers in the sport, and thanks to an abundance of talent and some great management— NASCAR champ Kevin Harvick’s Kevin Harvick Incorporated—he’s acquired quite a list of sponsors and enjoys a ton of media exposure both in and outside of the sport. The number-199 racer is always one to watch when he shows up at a TWMX Race Series event, and he’s one of the quickest 65cc pilots we’ve ever seen. Recently DiFrancesco started riding and racing aboard a larger Kawasaki KX85, and he already looks…

DUCATI INVITES US TO RIDE THEIR ALL-NEW HYPERMOTARD 939 Price: Starting at $12,695 Since TransWorld Motocross first opened its doors back in 2000, we’ve had the opportunity to ride a countless number of bikes, but it’s very rare to receive an invite from brands like the Italy-based manufacturer Ducati, which is best known for its highperformance motorcycles with largecapacity V-twin engines. Yeah, they don’t produce a line of dirt bikes, but most motocross riders are two-wheeled enthusiasts to the bone, and a passion for riding usually translates to all bikes, no matter the terrain. The bike they invited us to ride, however—their all-new Hypermotard 939—caught our interest immediately with its minimalist image and dirt bike–inspired look, but with the same innovative technology that’s led Ducati to a massive amount of…

Now in its fifth year, the TWMX Race Series continues to help grow the sport of motocross racing throughout the West Coast. With a smooth-running program, a two-track format, and the best racing experience around, it’s no wonder that ours has become the fastest-growing and best-attended motocross series in our locale. The El Dorado Nationals kicked off with a single round in late 2015 and reached completion with three additional rounds in the winter months of 2016. Sadly, adverse weather conditions forced the cancellation of the Glen Helen round of the series, but the events at Competitive Edge MX Park, Milestone MX Park, Los Angeles County Raceway, and Perris Raceway all enjoyed great turnouts and amazing action on the track. THE CHAMPS Pee Wee Beginner A – Blake Klebowski Pee…

ERICA NAGASHIMA THE GIRL Erica Nagashima is a SoCal-born-and-raised model whom you may recognize as one of the current Monster Energy girls. A classically trained singer, Erica has a YouTube channel packed with content, has recorded tracks in Japan (she’s half Japanese), and even sang the National Anthem at this year’s Anaheim I Supercross. “Modeling pays the bills,” says Erica, who this month makes her second appearance in TransWorld Motocross. “But all of my career aspirations lie in music.” You can follow her on Instagram @ericanagashima and on YouTube at youtube.com/user/ELNvoice. THE BIKE The 2016 Husqvarna FC 450 is—in our opinion— the best-looking bike in stock condition, and it also has a ton of untapped performance potential. We outfitted our test bike with a FMF Factory 4.1 Megabomb exhaust and,…