Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i Transworld Motocross

“THE HOUSE OF FAME IS BUILT ON MELTING ICE, NOT STEEL.”—ANYA SETON This month’s cover shoot is one that I will remember for a very long time. In case you’ve never noticed, we very rarely use a photograph that we captured at an event for the cover of our magazine, and we will certainly never use an outtake for a team poster photo shoot that is supplied to us. Instead, we pride ourselves on going the extra distance, whatever it may be, to shoot something that will be unique to TransWorld Motocross. Among the favorites I’ve shot in recent years were Jessy Nelson in the snow, Malcolm Stewart blasting a berm made of colored chalk dust, and Christian Craig scrubbing over a jump that we doused in gasoline and set…

THE BIKE Adam Jones has been a fixture on the freestyle motocross circuit for years, and the unreal extension he gets when performing tricks earned him the nickname “Gumby.” The pinnacle of Jones’ career came in 2007 when he won gold at the Summer X Games and was named the TransWorld Motocross FMX Rider of the Year, but he remains one of the big names in the sport a decade later, as he is still a top contender at every contest he enters. “It’s just the standard freestyle dork bike,” Jones said jokingly when we asked him about his machine. “It’s a 2016 Yamaha YZ250 that I have modified for freestyle use.” Follow Jones on Instagram @adamjones760 THE MODEL Kimberley Ann is a professional photographer and internationally published model based…

Whether you’re hopping on a brand-new machine straight from your local dealership or just acquired an older two-stroke that’s been sitting stored away somewhere, there’s no feeling like something “new” in the garage. During those first laps on the new bike, there’s a feeling of rejuvenation. But with that said, one downside to getting a new ride is taking time to get familiarized with it, like the sometimes-painstaking process of dialing in your suspension and motor settings. Regardless of how hard or easy it is, this is an absolutely necessary step when shaking down a new steed. “The most important thing is believing in and having confidence in your new ride. Without that, you’re going to struggle,” Monster Energy/Knich/Yamaha Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb said about the learning process with the…

Much like the music he writes and listens to, Justin Hill doesn’t fit into a neat category that can be summed up with a few simple words. Rather, he is a unique individual, both in his career and in life, who just so happens to be seriously talented on a dirt bike. Through finding balance in life, chasing passions, and keeping a level head despite his victories, Hill has achieved success as the defending 2017 Monster Energy Supercross 250 West Coast champion. In order to stay on the path that delivered him success, Hill made big moves during the offseason. Not only did he make the switch to the all-new Autotrader/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing 250 effort that has sprung to life at the JGRMX facility, he went a step further and…

Trials riders are some of the best motorcycle riders on the planet. Don’t believe us? Search some YouTube videos of Toni Bou riding and try to remain a skeptic. The skill level of the top riders is astronomically high, with an incredible blend of finesse, guts, explosiveness, precision, and agility. Some of the things they can achieve on a motorcycle are sometimes incomprehensible. Much of the focus is concentrated on throttle control, clutch modulation, finding traction, timing, balance, and spatial awareness of what your tires are hitting. It teaches you about working with the motorcycle rather than the motorcycle dictating what you are doing. Yet, the sport and its athletes are virtually unknown in the United States. It’s a shame. We were excited to take delivery of a 2017 Beta…

It’s no secret that his motocross-racing career took a toll on 29-year-old Ryan Villopoto. The Poulsbo, Washington, native has seen more success than most could ever dream of, but his record-book career didn’t come without a lifetime of commitment and pressure to win. When it came time to officially retire in 2015, he was quick to fly under the radar and collect his thoughts, spending much needed (and well-deserved) rest and relaxation with his wife and brand-new twin boys. Just two short years later, its great to see a refreshed RV2 getting back into the sport that he was a defining force in. We sat down with him to catch up on creating new opportunities for himself and carving out his next chapter on two wheels after spending the day…

GT Grade Carbon Expert Price: $2,499 Frame: Carbon Fork: Grade full carbon Brakes: Shimano BR-M365 hydraulic disc Drivetrain: Shimano 105 2x11 Wheels: 700 x 30c gtbicycles.com This month, a different type of bicycle showed up at our offices for testing. Gravel bikes are basically beefed-up road bikes that are designed to tackle some off-road terrain, while remaining quick and efficient on pavement. The GT Grade Carbon Expert is an affordable adventure bike that features a carbon fiber frame for lightweight and comfort, as well as strong wheels that are wrapped in wide tires designed for multi-surface riding. Disc brakes grace both ends of the bike, ensuring that slowing down is not a problem. To be honest, we were skeptical about testing a gravel bike because we love the fat tires…

HONDA CRF250R VS. HUSQVARNA FC 250 VS. KAWASAKI KX250F VS. KTM 250 SX-F VS. SUZUKI RM-Z250 VS. YAMAHA YZ250F 6 SUZUKI RM-Z250 Wrapped in cool new blue graphics, the Suzuki RM-Z250 returns completely unchanged for the third year in a row. Motocross legend and Suzuki ambassador Ricky Carmichael once told us, “Do what you’ve always done, and you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” Sadly, this rings painfully true for the little yellow motorcycle. Though it is blessed with spectacular handling traits and a very good suspension package, the RM-Z250 is hands-down the slowest and least powerful bike in the 250 class. The bike comes with two optional ignition map couplers—one leaner and one richer than standard—and installing the leaner plug helps bring the powerband to life a bit with a…

The 2018 Honda CRF450R is a great machine, right off the showroom floor. Subtle refinements in the bike’s second year of production catapulted it to the top of our annual shootout, where it tied for the win with the two machines from Austria. Always anxious to make a good thing better, we sent our fresh test bike off to see Jamie Ellis and the Twisted Development crew in search of even more power. Ellis is best known as the former engine builder for the Rockstar Energy Suzuki team, but his accomplishments and reputation go far beyond that. Most recently, Justin Barcia relied on Ellis to help him build his privateer Honda CRF450R for the recent Monster Energy Cup, knowing well that Twisted Development could provide him with the power he…

On long off-road rides, it’s rare for a rider to make a quick trip back to the pit area in case of a crash or mechanical malfunction. In certain instances, a rider could be miles away from their toolbox and collection of spares with a bike that has no chance of making the trek back. That’s why every adventure should include a well-stocked pack of parts and tools that could remedy almost any issue that one might encounter while out in the wilderness. What was the inspiration for our pack? During a long ride last summer we caught a glimpse of the bag that Andrew Short, the former professional Supercross and motocross racer turned rally racing ace, carries during every long ride. Inside the backpack was something that a crafty…

Kaeden Amerine Age: 15 Hometown: Great Bend, Kansas Classes Raced: Supermini 1, Supermini 2 Sponsors: Rides Unlimited, Seven MX, Scott, Ethika, Gaerne, Bell, EBR Performance, FMF, AnkleSavers, Dunlop Tires, Renthal Kaeden Amerine is not a TWMX Race Series regular, but he really caught our eye at the 2017 Mini Major, presented by Seven MX. In addition to traveling nearly 1,500 miles from his home in Kansas to compete in the rapidly growing championship event, Amerine ran near the front of the pack in every moto he lined up for aboard his KTM Supermini. Even more impressive than his speed, however, was Amerine’s upbeat attitude and likable personality. For a 15-year-old who’s homeschooled, Amerine is remarkably well-rounded and well-spoken. “I used to play baseball and basketball when I was still I…

SHOEI VFX-EVO Price: Starting at $539 in matte colors What It Is Rotational impacts and the brain injuries that can result have been the hottest topic in helmet safety for the past several years, and the Shoei VFX-Evo is the Japanese premium helmet manufacturer’s latest and greatest motocross helmet with technology evolved to try to prevent such injuries. An all-new shell design gives the Evo a distinctive new look while maintaining the classic lines of the VFX line. At the heart of the new helmet is its Motion Energy Distribution System (M.E.D.S.), which is comprised of a dual-layer multi-density EPS liner, with a unique crown portion that rotates upon impact to disperse energy from a crash. The rotating portion of the EPS liner is anchored in the center and features…

In my youth, I can remember reading through the pages of Motocross Action Magazine about the special off-season Supercross races in far-away lands that my heroes David Bailey, Johnny O’Mara, Rick Johnson, and Ron Lechien would compete in. Though the Tokyo and Fukuoka Supercross races in Japan were always first on my bucket list, the Paris Supercross in France was a close second. As luck would have it, my career as a motocross journalist afforded me the opportunity to attend the last Tokyo Supercross during Jeremy McGrath’s reign on Hondas, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me that I will remember forever. This year, I finally checked the Paris Supercross off my bucket list. The event has changed locations multiple times since its inception in 1984 when it was…

AARON PLESSINGER hails from a state that is that is very much cloaked in forest. So much so that 8.1 million acres, or roughly 31 percent of this entire state, are covered with trees. It rains a lot in this state too, nearly 40-plus inches a year. Factor in streams, swamps, and wind-blown silt over weathered bedrock, and you have the state of Ohio. This flown-over state is a nirvana for off-road motorcycle competitors. It’s also the state in which Plessinger learned to not only ride, but to deftly maneuver a motocross bike through the same ruts, trails, and wooded sections traversed by his father, Scott Plessinger. As a talented and accomplished racer, the elder Plessinger blitzed the woods and all else that goes with off-road racing to win two…

Hometown: Poulsbo, Washington Years Wrenching: 5 Rider: Ryan Villopoto Past Riders: Ken Roczen Tanner Ellingsen’s path to wrenching within the motocross industry is far from standard, and the 24-year-old from the Pacific Northwest has already seen and done more than many twice his age. His story began in Poulsbo, Washington, with a background in drag racing. Tanner reflected on his roots, “I grew up drag racing, so from when I was eight years old on I raced junior drag cars and built race cars with my dad. I always had a wrenching background. My dad also owned a construction company, so I had experience running big equipment.” Being close friends with Ryan Villopoto would be the catalyst to an eventual short-term career in wrenching, and it was more about the…