TWO-STROKE SPOTLIGHT: MAX GIERMAN’S 2007 YAMAHA YZ250
Max Gierman gave us all the details about the build: “The bike is a 2007 YZ250. Its kind of been a consistent project from around november of 2019. That’s around the time when we have to stop riding in Michigan. First off, I decided to send the suspension to Enzo Racing, I have their stuff on my 250F as well and it is unbelievable. I got a great deal on black friday from Pro Circuit for a full system. I also added a Hinson clutch this past summer. I decided I wanted to make a white and black YZ250 because I’ve only seen a couple of them with the new style plastic and aluminum frame so I thought that would be unique. I also had some friends that just started up a couple businesses. One being a Graphics company called Prizm Designs, as well as Tuscola’s Finest Powder coating. My wheels were a little beat up when I first started, so I had my friend Kodee at Tuscola’s Finest powder coat my hubs a cool copper color and I laced those to some DID STX black rims for a pretty cool look. I also added a GYTR flywheel weight because I had read that Jody and MXA recommend those so I figured I’d give it a try. I added full Acerbis Plastics. Last was the graphics from my friend Aaron at Prizm Designs and I think he knocked it out of the park. Overall, I’m super pleased with how the whole bike turned out. Next on my list of things to do is to get the triple clamps coated, a new clutch cover, as well as try out some linkages.”
EDITORS NOTE: Please keep those submissions coming. If you would like your bike to be featured in the “Two-Stroke Spotlight,” please email me at darylecklundmxa@gmail.com. All I ask is that you give a breakdown of your bike and a detailed description of the build. Please also send a few photos of your steed. By submitting your bike for the “Two-Stroke Spotlight,” you agree to release all ownership rights to the images and copy to MXA.
WANNA RACE IN SOCAL? NEED TO RENT A BIKE? FIND A PLACE TO STAY? NEED MOTOCROSS INSTRUCTION: JUST CALL STAPO
In his spare time, when he’s not testing with MXA, racing in a foreign country, going to Japan or helping many of his motocross buddies, MXA test rider Dennis Stapleton opens up his house, garage, bikes and mechanics to help riders who would like to come to SoCal on a motocross vacation. He offers full service to all of the Southern California tracks for racers or for play riders. Whether you want to rent a bike, move in for a week, race at Glen Helen or take motocross lessons—this is one-stop shopping. Just send them an email (Stapoknobbyshop@gmail.com). If you’d like to live the SoCal lifestyle for a day, a weekend, a week, a month or three months, visit Dennis Stapleton’s’ website at www.knobbyshopsouth.org for more details!
REDBUD // ROUND 5 OF THE 2022 PRO MOTOCROSS SERIES // by Ben Bridges
- Eli Tomac goes 1-1 for the overall win
- Tomac now has 29 450MX wins, 41 total MX wins and 85 career wins.
- Tomac is the 1st 2-time winner this season.
- August 25th of 2018 was the last time a Yamaha rider swept both motos in the 450 class. The rider was Justin Barcia.
- After Round 1 Tomac was 18 pts behind Sexton. After Round 5 he is only 7 point back.
- Tomac now has 5 moto wins, 2 overall wins, a 3 moto win streak and a 2.5 avg finish.
- Chase Sexton goes 2-2 for 2nd overall. He is the only rider to be on the podium all 5 rounds.
- Justin Barcia goes 8-3 for 3rd overall., his 1st podium of the season.
- Jason Anderson goes 7-4 for 4th. Anderson went down in the 1st turn of the 1st moto and fought back for 7th.
- Ken Roczen goes 4-7 for 5th overall and remains 3rd in the points.
- Ryan Dungey goes 6-5 for 7th overall and keeps 5th place in the points.
- Jo Shimoda goes 1-3 for 1st overall. It was Shimoda’s 1st career 250MX win and he’s the 1st Japanese rider to win a 250MX.
- The last time Team Pro-Circuit won a 250MX was July 20th 2019 at Millville when Adam Cianciarulo would win.
- Hunter Lawrence goes 2-2 for 2nd overall. He is now the only rider to be on the podium all 5 rounds and is the new points leader.
- Jett Lawrence had a mechanical issue and would finish 35th in moto 1, but came back to win moto 2. He took 9th overall and is 7 pts behind his brother.
- Ryder DiFrancesco went 14-12 for 13th overall and even pulled the 2nd moto holeshot in his debut.
MXA MOTO TRIVIA
TEAM TESTED // CORNER COACH REMOVABLE SEAT BUMP
The Corner Coach is an adjustable and removable seat bump. This foam wedge straps over your current seat cover and is simple to move around. It wasn’t made to permanently replace the traditional under-the-seat-cover bump, but rather to be a training tool to teach a rider to move forward or to test to see where a rider would want to install a more permanent bump.
VERDICT: As a training tool, it works great and is affordable! The Corner Coach allows a rider to work on moving forward or to try a seat bump for the first time. It will also work for riders who are too lazy to install a gripper seat cover.
MOTOCROSS TIP // GRIPPING THE BIKE
MOTO TIP: It’s all about using the right amount of energy at the right time. Your legs are the strongest part of your body, and they should always be used as the primary force while gripping the bike. Gripping with your knees, calves and feet helps relieve pressure in your arms and prevent arm pump. Fatigue and arm pump happen to every rider from time to time, but it happens much more often to riders who hold on too tight with their hands and not tight enough with their legs.
LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN // JAMES STEWART’S FACTORY SUZUKI RM-Z450
ASK THE MXPERTS: ODI LOCK-ON GRIP TECH
The Emig Pro V2 Lock-On Grips.
Dear MXperts,
I’m trying to decide between Emig V2 Pro Lock-On grips and ODI Emig glue-on grips. Can you tell me the pluses and minuses of each grip?
First of all, the Emig V2 Pro grip is only available in a lock-on version. If you want the unique Emig design, you only have two choices—the $28.95 Emig V2 Pro lock-on grip or the $26.95 Emig V2 half-waffle lock-on grip; however, ODI makes additional models of lock-on grips—the $25.95 MX V2 half-waffle medium grip, MX V2 Pro Soft half-waffle grip and the MX V2 no-waffle grips (with a diamond tread pattern). When it comes to traditional glue-on grips, ODI only makes two models—the $9.95 no-waffle grip (diamond pattern in a medium compound) or the $9.95 Pro Edition half-waffle grip (in a soft compound).
These are the original Emig V2 Lock-on grips and they’re still sold today and are priced slightly below the Emig Pro V2 grips.
The pluses of glue-on grips are that they are inexpensive and have double the thickness of rubber to cushion your hands in the whoops. The downsides are the need to mess with glue (and wait for it to dry), the needed safety precaution of safety wiring the grip on and the common problem of tearing the end off in a crash.
(1) Thanks to KTM and Husqvarna, previous riders’ fears of lock-on grips coming loose are unfounded. As a rule, lock-on grips stay put better than glue-on grips. (2) If you have tender hands, go with glue-on grips, as they have twice the rubber thickness of a lock-on grip (and Neken makes a grip and bar combo that doubles the amount of rubber cushion from a glue-on grip). (3) If you don’t want the top-of-the-line Emig V2 Pro grip because it comes in flashy two-tone color combinations, you can order the Emig V2 Pro in a blackout model that doesn’t look like an “Emig” billboard when your hands aren’t on them. It is the same grip, but it is black on black. (4) The price difference between the different models of ODI lock-on grips is so small (only $3 from top to bottom), you should always go with the Emig V2 Pro grip—in the blackout color combo. (5) The MXA wrecking crew always carries a set of lock-on grips in our toolbox in case we rip a grip off in a practice crash. That way we can slip a new grip on the bars without having to wait for glue to dry before our moto.
CLASSIC PHOTO
MXA MOTO TRIVIA ANSWER: Chuck “Feets” Minert with his BSA in the mud at Carlsbad Raceway.