MXA WEEKEND NEWS ROUND-UP: ONE RACE DOES NOT A SEASON MAKE

On Jan 14, 2016 Last updated Jan 19, 2016

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FOREIGN RIDERS WHO MADE THE MAINS AT ANAHEIM

Bud Racing’s Maxime Desprey raced his first-ever AMA Supercross. He made the 250 West main, which is a big accomplishment in his first try, but had issues and finished 20th.

These are the top foreign riders who made the main events at Anaheim Stadium last Saturday. Although Australian Chad Reed is officially an American citizen, and Dean Wilson can’t make up his mind where he’s from (okay, his Motocross des Nations choice is Great Britain), the foreign rider acquitted themselves well. Australia had the most riders of any country other than the USA with 7 entrants and France was second with 5. In total there were 18 foreign riders at Anaheim 1.

TOP FOREIGN RIDERS IN THE 450 CLASS
Ken Roczen (Germany)………..5th
Chad Reed (Australia)………….6th
Dean Wilson (Scotland)………..9th
Marvin Musquin (France)……..14th
Christophe Pourcel (France)…18th
Lawson Bopping (Australia)…..21st

TOP FOREIGN RIDERS IN THE 250 WEST
Hayden Mellross (Australia)….11th
Fredrik Noren (Sweden)……….14th
Cole Thompson (Canada)…….18th
Maxime Desprey (France)…….20th

OTHER FOREIGN RIDERS AT A1
Joel Newton (Australia)
Jackson Richardson (Australia)
Geran Stapleton (Australia)
Dimitri Roland (France)
Thomas Do (France)
Nick Kouwenberg (Holland)
Andrea Winkler (Italy)
Phillip Klakow (Germany)

MXA PHOTO SEQUENCE OF THE WEEK

17-year-old Mark Worth got a 250 West ride on the Motorcycle Superstore Suzuki team. It lasted until the first practice at Anaheim 1. He hopes to be back later in the season. Photos: John Basher

ONE LAST TIME: WESTON PEICK’S SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE FIGHTS

2016 AMA SUPERCROSS TV SCHEDULE

SAN DIEGO 1 TRACK MAP & SEATING CHART: JANUARY 16, 2016

JEFFRO CAN EASILY LIFT 240 POUNDS

MXA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: PRO CIRCUIT DIGITAL AIR FORK PUMP

Press release: Pro Circuit’s new high-performance Air Fork Pump with a digital gauge is a must-have for any rider using pneumatic spring forks (PSF or TAC). The Air Fork Pump is a quick fit and the easy-to-read digital gauge provides accurate pressure readings which are crucial for the proper fork setup. By increasing or releasing the air pressure inside the fork chambers, the “spring rate” can be adjusted for rider weight, ability and track conditions.

Used exclusively by our Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki racing team, the new Pro Circuit Air Fork Pump is a great addition to your tool box. Replacement digital gauges are also available in case of wear or damage. Retail price: $209.95. For more info go to www.procircuit.com

LAST WEEK’S 250 WEST RUNNER-UP IFFY FOR SAN DIEGO

Jessy Nelson crashed in practice this week and is waiting for the doctor’s report about his ability to race San Diego.

2016 SUPERCROSS WINNERS AT A GLANCE

Jason Anderson won round one—16 to go.

Date Venue 450 250
Jan. 9…….Anaheim……………….Jason Anderson….Cooper Webb
Jan. 16……San Diego……………
Jan. 23……Anaheim………………
Jan. 30……Oakland……………….
Feb. 6…….Phoenix……………….
Feb. 13……San Diego……………
Feb. 20……Dallas…………………
Feb. 27……Atlanta………………..
March 5……Daytona……………..
March 12…Toronto………………..
March 19…Detroit…………………
April 2……..Santa Clara…………
April 9……..Indianapolis…………
April 16……St. Louis……………..
April 23……Boston………………..
April 30……New York…………….
May 7……..Las Vegas……………
450 Points leader...Jason Anderson (Hus)
250 West points leader…Cooper Webb (Yam)

JANUARY’S FASTEST GROWING MXA VIDEO: 194,700 VIEWS

DAKAR RALLY IN 10 SECONDS: ONE STAGE LEFT ON SATURDAY

2106 DAKAR RALLY SCHEDULE
Jan. 2: Buenos Aires prologue
Jan. 3: Buenos Aires to Villa Carlos Paz (Canceled)
Jan. 4: Villa Carlos Paz to Termas de Río Hondo
Jan. 5: Termas de Río Hondo to Jujuy
Jan. 6: Jujuy to Jujuy
Jan. 7: Jujuy to Uyuni
Jan. 8: Uyuni to Uyuni
Jan. 9: Uyuni to Salta
Jan. 10: Rest day in Salta
Jan. 11: Salta to Belén
Jan. 12: Belén to Belén
Jan. 13: Belén to La Rioja
Jan. 14: La Rioja to San Juan
Jan. 15: San Juan to Villa Carlos Paz
Jan. 16: Villa Carlos Paz to Rosario
Current leader: Toby Price (KTM)

THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAY BOYS: MARTIN DAVALOS IS 43

We are just kidding about Martin’s age, but based on how long he’s been in the 250 East/West it seems like he’s in his 40s. Actually, Martin will be 29 on Friday.

Jan. 15…Martin Davalos 1987
Jan. 15…Alessandro Lupino 1991
Jan. 15…Hakan Carlqvist 1954

Jan. 15…Austin Squires 1973
Jan. 16…Ryan Mills 1986

Jan. 17…Donny Schmit 1967
Jan. 17…Loic Larrieu 1991

Jan. 17…Dave Bickers 1938
Jan. 18…Mike LaRocco Sr.
Jan. 20…Chris Loschiavo

Jan. 21…Micky Dymond 1965

WHAT THE MXA WRECKING CREW IS UP TO THIS WEEK

The MXA wrecking crew is busy spending time on our 2016 KTM 450SXF Factory Edition. Our schedule calls for test sessions at LACR, Milestone and Glen Helen this week and then getting down to business next week with the KTM test department.

The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain—which has nothing to do with the MXA wrecking crew, but since the El Nino rains aren’t forecast for this weekend in SoCal, MXA’s project 2016 KX250F will finally get raced.

ENTRY LIST FOR FIRST MXGP IN QATAR RELEASED

Welcome to the beautiful Qatar GP and its massive crowds, majestic scenery and…oops wrong place.

Youthstream sent out the official entry list for the first Grand Prix of the season, which will be in Qatar on Saturday, February 27. Only 24 riders have signed up for the 450 class and 25 for the 250 class. If you are assuming that more riders will sign-up as the race date get closer, most likely you are wrong. In truth, it is more likely that the list will get smaller. Those small numbers are typical for Fly-Away GPs which are crushingly expensive for small teams.

JANUARY RACES AT A GLANCE: WHO, WHAT, WHY & WHERE

2016 REM MOTOCROSS
Jan. 16…………………………..Glen Helen
Jan. 23…………………………..Glen Helen
Jan. 30…………………………..Glen Helen

2016 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 16………………………….San Diego, CA
Jan. 23………………………….Anaheim, CA
Jan. 30……………………….….Oakland, CA

2016 KTM JUNIOR SUPERCROSS CHALLENGE
Jan. 16……………………………San Diego, CA
Jan. 23…………………………..Anaheim, CA

2016 AMSOIL ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 15-17……………………….Baltimore, MD
Jan. 22-24………………………Allentown, PA
Jan. 30-31………………………Greensboro, NC

2016 ITALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 31……………………………Alghero

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO MXA AND MAKE MONEY

If you had subscribed to MXA, the February 2016 issue would be on its way to your mailbox right now in the reliable hands of a uniformed agent of the U.S. Government. And you should want to subscribe so you could read all the details of the 2016 MXA 250 Shootout, peruse the test of the Service Honda CR500AF and find out what it’s like to a ride a 550cc KTM Factory Edition two-stroke. Or, you can wait for these tests to appear on the internet…in a couple months. Your choice.

Do you subscribe to MXA? You should. We know that you think that print magazines are dead and that the internet will fill the void, but most of the stuff in the current issue of MXA won’t appear on the web for several months, if at all. Luckily, you can get all of MXA on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or Android by going to the Apple Store, Amazon or Google play, but better yet get the Digital desktop version at https://hi-torque.com/product/motocross-action-digital-edition/ for $9.99 a year. The MXA test riders prefer the print version and not just because it is delivered by a uniformed employee of the U.S. Government, but because for only $15.99 you get 12 issues and a free $25 Gift Card from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. That means that there is a profit to be made in this deal for you. For the Print magazine go to: http://hi-torque.com/product/subscribe-to-motocross-action-magazine/

ASK THE MXPERTS: WHAT DO THE 2016 MOTOCROSS BIKES REALLY WEIGH?

If you are looking for the lightest bikes made in 2016, then orange is your color — by a big margin.

Dear MXA,
Can you tell me what the 2016 bikes really weight? I’ve read numbers all over the map.

Weighing motocross bikes requires diligence. MXA weighs its test bikes when they are new and in perfect condition. We do not use manufacturer’s supplied “curb weights.” Curb weight is the bike with a full tank of gas. MXA doesn’t use curb weight—largely because the majority of the time we go to the starting line with gas tanks that are half full. Thus, when we weigh a test bike, we drain the fuel tank of every drop of gasoline before lifting it up on the scale. This is how the AMA has tested Supercross and National bikes for decades. Weighing a bike with a full fuel tank just tells you how much gasoline weighs, not necessarily the weight of the bike as you ride it. A bike with a small 1.5 gallon gas tank will be lighter than a bike with a 2.0 gallon gas tank when it comes to fuel weight. At 6 pounds a gallon, a manufacturer who gives you a 1/2 gallon larger fuel capacity runs the risk of adding 3 pounds to his bike’s weight. We think that a larger fuel tank is a plus — a KTM has managed to give riders more fuel and still tip the scales way below the bikes with smaller fuel tanks. If KTM went of a 1.5 gallon gas tank, the 2016 450SXF would weigh 224 pounds (exactly the same as a Honda CRF250).

MXA weighs every bike we test on our own certified scale.

MXA’S 2016 BIKE WEIGHTS

HONDA
2016 Honda CRF450: 233 pounds
2016 Honda CRF250: 224 pounds

HUSQVARNA
2016 Husqvarna FC450: 229 pounds
2016 Husqvarna FC350: 228 pounds
2016 Husqvarna FC250: 223 pounds

KAWASAKI
2016 Kawasaki KX450F: 231 pounds
2016 Kawasaki KX250F: 226 pounds

KTM
2016 KTM 450SX-F: 227 pounds
2016 KTM 350SX-F: 226 pounds
2016 KTM 250SX-F: 221 pounds

SUZUKI
2016 Suzuki RM-Z450: 240 pounds
2016 Suzuki RM-Z250: 226 pounds

YAMAHA
2016 Yamaha YZ450F: 238 pounds
2016 Yamaha YZ250F: 221 pounds

MEMORIES OF THE WAY WE WERE

It’s hard to accept that there are people alive who never saw Roger ride. Those who did, will never forget it.

MXA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: DR.D YZ-F RADIATOR LOWERING KIT

Dubach Racing Development’s (DR.D) Yamaha YZ250/450F radiator lowering kit moves the radiators 24mm downwards, helping lower the bike’s center of gravity, which increases turning performance and makes the bike more maneuverable. The kit comes with all the necessary hardware, and can be installed in 30 minutes. This makes a noticeable improvement to Yamaha’s handling. DR.D Radiator lowering kits are available for YZ-F, KX-F and CRF models at www.dubachracing.com or (951) 808-1114.

ALL THE BIG RACES OF 2016: THEY START THIS WEEKEND

2016 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 9…………………….Anaheim, CA
Jan. 16………………….San Diego, CA
Jan. 23………………….Anaheim, CA
Jan. 30………………….Oakland, CA
Feb. 6……………………Glendale, AZ
Feb. 13………………….San Diego, CA
Feb. 20………………….Arlington, TX
Feb. 27………………….Atlanta, GA
March 5………………….Daytona, FL
March 12………………..Toronto, CAN
March 19………………..Detroit, MI
April 2………………..….Santa Clara, CA
April 9………………..….Indianapolis, IN
April 16………………….St. Louis, MO
April 23………………….Foxboro, MA
April 30………………….East Rutherford, NJ
May 7…………………….Las Vegas, NV

2016 AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 21……………………Hangtown, CA
May 28.…………………..Glen Helen, CA
June 4..…………………..Thunder Valley, CO
June 18..…………………Mt Morris, PA
June 25.………………….Muddy Creek, TN
July 2.…………………….Red Bud, MI
July 9..……………………Southwick, MA
July 16.…………………..Millville, MN
July 23.…………………..Washougal, WA
Aug. 13..………………….Unadilla, NY
Aug. 20..………………….Budds Creek, MD
Aug. 27.…………………..Crawfordsville, IN

2016 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Feb. 27……………………..Losail, Qatar (Saturday)
Mar. 06……………………..Suphan Buri, Thailand
Mar. 13……………………..Sepang, Malaysia (canceled)
Mar. 28……………………..Valkenswaard, Holland (Monday)
April 10……………………..Neuquen, Argentina
April 17……………………..Leon, Mexico
May 1……………………….Kegums, Latvia
May 8……………………….Teutschenthal, Germany
May 15……………………..Pietramurata, Italy
May 29……………………..Talavera de la Reina, Spain
June 5………………………St Jean d’Angely, France
June 19…………………….Matterly Basin, Great Britain
June 26…………………….Mantova, Italy
July 24………………………Loket, Czech Republic
July 31………………………Lommel, Belgium
Aug. 7……………………….Frauenfeld, Switzerland
Aug. 28……………………..Assen, Holland
Sept. 3………………………Charlotte, USA (Saturday)
Sept.11……………………..Glen Helen, USA

2016 AMSOIL ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 9-10………………….Cincinnati,OH
Jan. 15-17………………..Baltimore, MD
Jan. 22-24………………..Allentown, PA
Jan. 30-31………………..Greensboro, NC
Feb. 4-7…………………..Colorado Springs, CO
Feb. 13-14………………..Omaha, NB
Feb. 20-21………………..Tampa, FL
Feb. 27-28………………..Birmingham, AL
Mar. 12-13………………..Lafayette, LA
April 2-3…………………..Ontario, CA
April 9-10…………………Salinas, CA
April 16-17………………..Tacoma, WA.
April 22-24………………..Nampa, ID
May 6-8…………………..Las Vegas, NV

2016 GEICO ENDUROCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Aug. 27……………………..Atlanta, GA
Sept. 3………………………Sioux Falls, SD
Sept. 10…………………….Salt Lake City, UT
Sept. 24…………………….Phoenix, AZ
Oct. 1………………………..Denver, CO
Oct. 22………………………Everett, WA
Nov. 5………………………..Boise, ID
Nov. 19………………………Ontario, CA

2016 KTM JUNIOR SUPERCROSS CHALLENGE
Jan. 16……………………..San Diego, CA
Jan. 23……………………..Anaheim II, CA
Feb. 6……………………….Phoenix, AZ
Feb. 20……………………..Dallas, TX
Feb. 27……………………. Atlanta, GA
Mar. 12…………………….Toronto, CAN
Mar. 19…………………….Detroit, MI
April 9………………………Indianapolis, IN
April 16…………………….St. Louis, MO
May 7……………………….Las Vegas, NV

2016 CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
June 5…………………..Kamloops, BC
June 12………………….Nanaimo, BC
June 19………………….Calgary, Alb
June 26………………….Regina, Sask
July 10…………………..Courtland, ON
July 17…………………..Ulverton, NS
July 24……………….….Pleasant Valley, NS
July 31…………………..Moncton, NB
Aug. 7……………………Deschambault, QC
Aug. 14………………….Barrie, ON