MXA RETRO TEST: WE RIDE JUSTIN BARCIA’S 2012 GEICO HONDA CRF250
Justin Barcia’s Geico 2012 Honda CRF250 ripped, the brakes were sensitive and the suspension was set up for a 144-pound man-child.
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Justin Barcia’s Geico 2012 Honda CRF250 ripped, the brakes were sensitive and the suspension was set up for a 144-pound man-child.
When short-shifted, kept in the meat of the powerband and kept off the rev limiter, the RM-Z450 has a very usable, pleasant and effective 450cc powerband.
You may not think they are comparable, but the AMA rulebook says they are. Which one is better?
The 2023 KTM 350SXF runs great. It delivers the best of both worlds. It picks up quickly down low, pulls steady through the middle and revs to an amazing 13,400-rpm rev limiter
The KTM and Husqvarna are all-new for 2023 and the Kawasaki KX250 received a hefty list of engine changes, but Yamaha, GasGas, Honda and Suzuki are unchanged from 2022. Our test riders had their work cut out for them, comparing the updated bikes with the unchanged ones
Mama mia, that’s some spicy MXer!
MXA’s “Versus Series” answers the question that you want an answer to. This episode pits the 2023 KTM 300SX fuel-injected, electric start motocross model against the 2023 Husqvarna TC250 fuel-injected, electric start motocross model
Many 450cc Supercross-spec bikes have super-stiff forks, loads of bottom-end power, a massive front brake and a lowered subframe. Surprisingly, Anderson’s FC450 wasn’t your standard Supercross machine
When Mitch asked if we were interested in testing Pro Circuit’s 2013 Kawasaki KX250F he let us choose which rider’s bike—we chose Adam Cianciarulo
With the 2023 Supercross series just a couple days away, we have to asked, do you remember when Lance Smail, Tom Moen and KTM 540SX made Supercross history
MXA races the Suzuki RM-Z450 that took Ken Roczen to the AMA National Championship — can lightning strike again in 2023
For the first time since KTM took over the Spanish brand, the GasGas MC450F is not “platform shared” with the KTM 450SXF— you might think that is bad, but we think it’s good!
The 2022 Suzuki RM-Z450 is not the best bike on the race track, but it offers a ridable, raceable and enjoyable bike for someone who wants to get in on the motocross experience without having to file for bankruptcy. As it sits, it is still the best bargain in dirt bikes
Corporate marketing among the three Austrian brands demands a more responsive KTM, broader Husqvarna and mellower GasGas. How did they do it? More air for the KTM, less air for the Husky and no air for the GasGas
How David O’Connor built the ultimate race bike from a salvaged 2019 frame, borrowed suspension and an Irish passport
KTM first introduced the Freeride in 2012 but never made any serious attempts to sell it in the USA, but with new electric bikes showing up every week, KTM wanted to show that they had been the voltage business for 11 years.
The king of high-rpm 250 four-stroke horsepower throw its old engine away and builds a totally new engine and puts it into a super exotic chromoly steel frame
It might seem odd that Honda would ask another company to build its first electric Pee-Wee, but each manufacturer has to partner with someone, Honda took the path of least resistance.
We like testing Windham’s race bikes just as much as we like him. Why? Kevin has a real world racing setup that doesn’t take a Greek god to ride
The 2023 GasGas setup is designed to suit the needs of the vast majority of riders, especially Novices, Vets and play riders.
Every test rider who raced the 2023 CRF450 raved about how easy the power was to use. At low rpm, the throttle worked like a rheostat. The rider could dial in how much power he wanted. No more hyper-60-horsepower craziness.
We stuck two Pro-level test riders on Tony Cairoli’s bike, and they both claimed the nine-time World Champ’s bike had the best engine they had ever ridden. On the other hand, the shock was only okay, but the forks were insanely stiff
After the dreadfully long break-in period, the 2023 KTM 250SXF handles great. The straight-line stability and suspension action under braking at corner entrance are vastly improved
Overall, even with a stronger midrange, the FC250 engine is still a high-rpm screamer
It is rare that the best hop-up tip for a brand-new bike is more break-in time. Too little and you’ll pay for it, but we haven’t found the too much limit yet
In 2004 Kawasaki had just launched its all-new KX250F. The team offered the four-stroke to James, and he tried it during the pre-season. He decided to stay with the KX125 two-stroke instead
GasGas didn’t want to add weight, complexity, cost or lack of tuneability to its proven 125cc machine. We applaud them for listening to what two-stroke riders want and don’t want…and you should also.
The ’99 CR125 powerband is on the short side. This would not be a crime if it weren’t for the YZ125’s broadness. As is, the KTM 125 is a better example of what the Honda should have been
You read that engine size right! In 2001 KTM experimented with a lighter bike and smaller engine to go up against the big bikes on a tighter track
The 2010 Husaberg FX450 was too heavy, too slow and too weird to be taken seriously by hardcore racers. On the other hand, it is like no other machine on the planet—and because of that, it deserves some attention as it fades into obscurity