Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i Transworld Motocross

I was a little late joining the fourstroke revolution full-time, mostly because I was so in love with the Suzuki RM250. From its broad yet snappy power to its great suspension package and quick-handling character, I always felt completely in control on the yellow two-strokes. I finally made the switch to fourstrokes in 2006 when the secondyear Suzuki RM-Z450 proved to be much improved over the original ’05 model, but I still set out to build up our ’06 RM250 test bike into a highperformance race bike, just in case the RM-Z ended up throwing me on my head like almost every other big thumper did up until that point. In ’06, Rockstar Energy made its debut into pro motocross and signed on as title sponsor of the Bill’s Pipes…

MTB MADNESS Justin Brayton The 2017 season will mark the first time in his career that Australian Supercross Champion Justin Brayton will enjoy a Supercross-only contract, and he plans to put his summertime months to good use. “I’ve always been really passionate about training on my mountain bike,” says Brayton, who has for several years maintained sponsorship from Specialized. “I think that it is an incredible tool to build your fitness, while at the same time staying sharp with off-road riding techniques. I’ve also been very interested in mountain bike racing for a while now and compete every chance I get.” While the rest of the nation’s top motocross racers will chase the 11-round Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship across the country, Brayton plans to spend his time racing his…

Price: $219.95 Application: All bikes (tested here on 2017 Kawasaki KX450F) What It Is We’ve long been fans of the Cycra Powerflow Body Kits, as they not only include high-quality aftermarket replacement parts for every body panel on your machine, but are designed to offer superior performance, too. The front number plate, front fender, radiator shrouds, and rear fender all enjoy Cycra’s trademark designs, which are specifically engineered to improve airflow for cooling and—in the rear fender’s case—improved throttle response. Cycra finally added kits for the Kawasaki KXF line of motocross bikes to its catalog, and we were stoked to outfit our 2017 KX450F test bike. Hits Some aftermarket plastic pieces we’ve tested in the past required extra drilling or modifications to install. Not so with the Cycra parts, as…

MECHANIC: BRIAN KRANZ | RIDER: ELI TOMAC What separates a factory bike from the rest? The biggest difference between a factory bike and any other bike out there is the attention to detail we put into these things. There’s not one thing on this bike that gets overlooked week-to-week. We inspect every nut, bolt, crack, crevice, and crease—however you want to say it—with 100 percent detail every single week. What’s the trickest thing or your favorite piece on the motorcycle? One thing on our bike that I really like, honestly, it’s kind of funny: Our transponders are hardwired in. Every week you go through tech and get a transponder from the AMA—we don’t have to do that—ours are already hardwired into our electrical system. It’s behind the front number plate…

EVEN SWEETER THE SECOND TIME AROUND Four-strokes have taken over the world in motocross racing, but one has to wonder if the higher costs associated with maintaining and—heaven forbid—rebuilding a blown-up thumper have thwarted the growth of our sport. Two-strokes are cheaper to purchase, build up, maintain, and repair. Perhaps that’s why there’s been such resurgence in two-stroke popularity in recent years… One of the most interesting trends we’ve seen recently in our SoCal locale is the popularity of older two-stroke MX bikes. The classified ads are filled with old 125s and 250s, and picking one up for a song and rebuilding it into an affordable and fun play bike seems to be all the rage these days. We wanted in on the “retro” fun, and by chance, we were…

a highly desirable material that is hypothetical, scientifically impossible, extremely rare, costly, or fictional, or has some of these properties in combination. “What type of cabling are we talking about, steel, composite, unobtainium?” Titanium, aluminum, magnesium, carbon fiber, CNCmachined, billet, milled, ported, polished, electronic, programmable—pick a word and it’s fitting of any current factory race bike. Unobtanium is a common term thrown out when describing most parts of a true factory race bike, and for good reason. The next 14 pages are a curated look at what happens when a motorcycle manufacturer invests all available assets and collective knowledge into a race-ready machine. Forget “The Big Four” nomenclature of the past, it’s 2017 and all that have become “The Big Six” manufacturers leave no stone unturned on the following motorcycles.…

Price: $89.95 Although the crew at Works Connection is known best for producing the best aluminum accessories and guards for dirt bikes, it has expanded its line to include a new injection-molded plastic skid plate, dubbed the Titan. Lighter in weight than a comparable aluminum unit, the Titan installs easily with billet aluminum mounting brackets and protects the frame rails and delicate engine cases from rocks, roots, and more. The best thing about the Titan is that because of its durable plastic construction, it does not affect the flex characteristics of your motorcycle’s chassis. We’ve been smashing a Titan Skid Plate on the motocross tracks and trails on our 2017 KTM 450 SX-F test bike for months now, and it still looks good as new. worksconnection.com…

Price: $149.95 Remember when the only waterproof riding jackets available were of the bulky, stiff Gore- Tex variety? These days, advancements in fabric technology have allowed companies like MSR to create lightweight, fully waterproof jackets that do not hinder you while riding. The Rove Jacket is super light and compresses down and packs into a built-in pouch so that you can store it until it’s needed. Its light 100 denier nylon shell is coated with DRY-XC for waterproofing, yet it remains breathable so you won’t overheat. The hood can be stored inside the collar, and in extremely bad weather conditions, it is specially designed to be worn beneath your helmet to provide a seal against water that can run down your back. How cool is that? msracing.com…

Price: $1,049.99 Application: All four-strokes (tested here on 2017 KTM 450 SX-F) What It Is The Factory 4.1 RCT exhaust system is the top-of-the-line offering from the boys at FMF, and it boasts alltitanium construction, with a carbon fiber muffler end cap. The system is made in the United States and developed in Southern California. We bolted one onto our 2017 KTM 450 SX-F test bike, which boasts a massive hit down low and an arm-jerking punch in the mid-range, before flattening out up top and forcing the rider into an upshift. Hits Installation is a breeze and every part of the FMF system was a pleasure to install—completely opposite of the absurd process required to remove the OEM KTM system. The muffler of the Factory 4.1 system is tucked…

Price: $38.95 What It Is The 360 Grav Glove is a high-end staple in Fox Racing’s vast offering of handwear, but for 2017 it gets even better with the addition of its exclusive Trufeel technology in the inside of the thumb, index, and middle fingers. Developed originally in rubber gloves worn by surgeons, Trufeel technology is tiny, raised bumps inside the glove that are said to increase feel and sensitivity in your fingertips, which results in greater dexterity while operating levers or pulling tear-offs. The backside of the 360 Grav Glove features TPR padding that maintains the design of the matching Grav jersey and pant. Hits The 360 Grav Glove requires no break-in and is comfortable from the moment you slip them on. The TPR padding on the back of…

MECHANIC: OSCAR WIRDEMAN | RIDER: KEN ROCZEN What separates a factory bike from the rest? We have way more resources, a lot more money, and a lot more knowledge—that’s the biggest thing. I don’t think it’s necessarily spending a couple of thousand dollars on a part, but it’s the people designing it. You have a lot of knowledge there. What’s the trickest thing or your favorite piece on the motorcycle? I think the whole bike is badass as a package; I can’t pick just one piece! What’s the hardest thing to work on? I think it’s getting more and more electronic, which is changing, and that can become harder. There are more and more cables and stuff like that. It’s ever-evolving and everybody has to learn it. What’s the biggest…

MECHANIC: FRANKIE LATHAM | RIDER: MARVIN MUSQUIN What separates a factory bike from the rest? I would say the amount of parts you can use to maintain it. I think you can make any bike good, but the budgets are a lot bigger when you’re on a factory team versus a smaller team. What’s the trickest thing or your favorite piece on the motorcycle? The trickest thing on our bike? I really love our Akrapovic exhausts. I think their work is world class, they’re the cleanest, the fit is the best, and they’re just really nice. My favorite part of the bike, though, is the titanium Akrapovic stand. It’s the best stand you could work with. What’s the hardest thing to work on? Maybe the front brake for Marvin, because…

OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, Shane McElrath has established himself as one of the best riders in the 250 class. Like most things of high prestige, getting to this point has not been simple or swift, and the North Carolina native has chased the challenge with the full support of the Troy Lee Designs/GoPro/Red Bull/KTM race team. During the early weeks of 250 West Coast portion of the 2017 Monster Energy Supercross Series, McElrath stunned the competition with a win at the opening round and then reaffirmed his spot at the top with a second win, one week later. For some, this success was seen as sudden and unexpected, but for those who know “Moody,” an all-out alter ego that’s a play on McElrath’s middle name, it was just another…

Price: $139.95 (pant); $39.95 (jersey) Since it was first introduced over two decades ago, the Moose Racing Sahara line of vented riding gear has earned a reputation as the stuff you want to wear when the temperatures rise. The 2017 Sahara line, however, boasts not only exceptional venting, but the best cut and fit we’ve encountered from Moose, as well. With input from JGR Suzuki’s Phil Nicoletti, Moose has given the Sahara pant a more athletic cut and incorporated four-way stretch panels in key areas that make its latest offering exceptionally comfortable. Three waistline adjusters (Velcro cinch straps on each side and a ratchet closure) ensure a perfect fit, and leather panels in the inner knees offer great traction against the bike and also protect against headerpipe burns. Of course,…