MXA’S WEEKEND NEWS ROUND-UP: ONE MORE HOLIDAY & THE FIREWORKS REALLY START

• ODDBALL PHOTOS YOU LOOK AT AND THEN NEVER FORGET

It is either El Chucacabra or the Abdominal Snowman out testing. You’re guess is as good as ours.

 Not only does MXA always park in the exact same spot every week at the races, but it is valet parking.

And you thought electric bike stands were only for bikes and that girls didn’t know how to work on trucks.

You can find Motocross Action logos in the strangest places, but you never expect to see it at an air show on a Sbach 342 Thunderbolt aerobatic plane.

This kid has a lot of BMX trophies! He also has seven AMA Supercross Championships and the most Supercross wins of any rider in history.

Believe it or not, a Yamaha YZ250 will fit in small SUV if you take the front forks off. John Perry used this method to haul his bike from Durango, Colorado, to Glen Helen for the World Vet Championships.

There is no doubt that 1984 was not as politically correct as 2021, but it was more fun. This is a seven-bike 125 Two-Stroke Shootout.

This was Larry Brook’s first MXA cover photo. He would get 200 more, but he remembers this August 1983 one the most.

One of the many times that Husqvarna banned MXA. They always forgave us, but this was pretty unforgivable.

This 1983 MXA 250 Shootout photo was a technical challenge.

Gary Jones (left) and David Bailey (right) show off the differences in their respective AMA 250 National Championship machinery.

Obviously thing aren’t going right at Team Yamaha on this day. Chad Reed and mechanics Alan Olson and Bob Oliver can’t hide their concern.

Ricky Johnson loved racing the San Diego Supercross. Even after he retired from Supercross, Ricky came back to San Diego to wow the hometown with his high-flying off-road truck antics.

Brian Medeiros lets it all hang out, even through there is absolutely nothing left to keep him on the track.

Daryl Ecklund racing though Sweden.

• SOMETHING DIFFERENT! THE BENELLI 500 “LITTLE LION” TRAIL BIKE…SORT OF

Only in the Chinese marketing department of Benelli could this be considered a trail bike.

With neo-retro styling and an approachable price, the 2021 Benelli Leoncino is coming to America—part of the 100th-anniversary celebration of Italy’s Benelli motorcycles. Benelli started making motorcycle in 1911. The 2021 Benelli Leoncino features a 500cc, parallel-twin, DOHC powerplant fitted into a perimeter-style steel-tube frame. The fuel tank and seat provide a nostalgic touch, while the Leoncino features an inverted fork and a single cantilevered shock signaling modernity. The shock has adjustable spring-preload and rebound damping. In an appeal to newer riders, the height of the passenger-friendly seat is just below 31 inches. it comes standard with ABS brakes and Pirelli Angel ST tires. The Lion of Pesaro emblem is on the front fender, as Leoncino is Italian for “little lion.”

It’s been Italian since 1911, but now it is a product of Qianjiang, Geely and, in a strange way, Volvo.

However, the Leoncino is not made in Italy. It is made in China in one of those convoluted Chinese checker-style of business deals. Back in 2005 Qianjiang bought the Benelli motorcycle brand. Then, Chinese car manufacturer Geely bought Volvo and then bought a controlling interest in Qianjiang in 2018. Under Qianjiang ownership, Benelli has gone away from their high-powered past and is focusing on a cheaper low to mid-range segment for the European market ranging primarily from 125-600cc.

Although called the Leoncino trail bike, there is nothing trail worthy about about a 410-pound, twin-cylinder, Chinese-made, commuter bike with only 5 inches of fork travel. The retail price is $6199. However, Qianjiang also manufacturers the SSR line of pit and dirt bikes and SSR USA is the distributor for Benelli in America at www.ssrmotorsports.com.

• MXA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: LET PRO CIRCUIT KEEP YOUR HEAD WARM THIS WINTER

Three new headwear pieces have arrived at Pro Circuit headquarters and are bagged up ready to ship out to fans. Pro Circuit’s Charcoal beanie, Stinger beanie and Retro Snapback hat offer the perfect style solution to revamp anyone’s wardrobe. The Charcoal and Stinger beanies include a classic stripe look with a two-tone pom on the top of the Charcoal beanie. These beanies are here in time for the colder months ahead at the races. Lastly, our Retro snapback is a green corduroy cap inspired by Pro Circuit’s 1980s headwear. It features an iconic Pro Circuit racing logo embroidered on the front. All three items will tie in seamlessly with any motocross fans wardrobe. For more info or to order go to www.procircuit.com.Pro Circuit Charcoal beanie—$26.50

Pro Circuit Retro Snapback hat—$36.00

Pro Circuit Stinger beanie—$26.50

• KICK THE YEAR OFF RIGHT! REM GLEN HELEN ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 2021

REM will begin the 2021 season on January 2 and follow that up with races on Jan. 16, Jan. 23 and Jan. 24.  For more info go to www.remsatmx.com or Click Here for REM’s Facebook page.

• 2021 SUPERCROSS SCHEDULE: IT HASN’T CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS!

• MXA SHOOTOUT VIDEO: 2021 HONDA CRF450 VERSUS HUSQVARNA FC450

• 22ND ANNUAL TEXAS WINTER SERIES STARTS JAN.1-3

For more info go to www.freestonemx.com

• MXA PRODUCT SPOTLGHT: MOTOPROHQ EZ-CHOCKS

MotoProHQ a new company in the moto scene that has developed some cool new wheel chocks that enable users to pack more bikes in less space.  It is the first ever wall mounted E-track and L-track motorcycle chock system. The revolutionary hauling system is one of the easiest, fastest, slickest way to load bikes into a trailer, toy hauler or van. These Chocks mount in seconds. Riders rant about the angle mount…Loading bikes at an angle allows more room for gear and more bikes.

The EZ-Chock is offered in two wall mounting styles for E-track and L-track (Airline) type track.  The modular kit allows you to set up at 90°, 45° left, or 45° right. Black powder coating is standard with Orange and Red available for a small additional price. System includes: chock, track clip assembly, angle bracket, hardware, and two tie-down rings. Track not included. The E-track EZ-Chocks Sytem retals for $59.95, while the L-track EZ-Chock system retails for $69.95.

Plus, they offer the Nice Rack, designed to make loading bikes faster, easier and more secure than ever eliminating side to side sway, front wheel movement and eliminate unnecessary fork seal pressure.  The no-drill mounting system is easily removed with no permanent bolts or fixtures left in your truck. Just assemble, insert it into the truck’s stake pockets and anchor it to the bed of the truck with the provided turn buckles. The NiceRack Systems are available for full-size trucks, Toyota Tacomas, Compact trucks, utility trailers, enclosed trailers and Toy Haulers.

For more information go to www.motoprohq.com

• MXA WRECKING CREW CRF450 MEMORY BOOSTER

To make sure that every MXA test rider was on the same page, it became necessary to tape a crib sheet to the Honda CRF450’s crossbar pad to explain how all the buttons worked. Then, we needed a primer on what all the symbols on the duct tape actually meant.

• 2021 GLEN HELEN NEW YEAR’S GRAND PRIX ON JANUARY 3, 2021

To pre-enter for the 2021 New Year’s Grand Prix Click Here

• MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 GASGAS MC 450F

• HAVE YOU SEEN THE JANUARY 2021 ISSUE OF MXA YET?

What’s in the newest issue of MXA? How about full tests on the 2021 Husqvarna FC250, 2021 Honda CRF450,  2021 Yamaha YZ125, 2021 Kawasaki KX250 and Mike Alessi’s World Two-Stroke Championship winning ESR Yamaha YZ325.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO MXA SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS ANOTHER ISSUE, PLUS GET A $25 ROCKY MOUNTAIN GIFT CARD TO COVER YOUR COSTS

If you subscribe to MXA you can get the mag on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or Android by going to the Apple Store, Amazon or Google Play or in a digital version. Even better you can subscribe to Motocross Action and get the awesome print edition delivered to your house by a uniformed employee of the U.S. Government. Did we mention the $25 gift card for any part you want from Rocky Mountain ATV/MX? You can call (800) 767-0345 or Click Here (or on the box at the bottom of this page) to subscribe.

• MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 GASGAS MC 250F

• MXA TEAM TESTED: 2021 FLY RACING LITE ZIPPER-LESS GEAR

Originally, Fly Racing was considered an affordable motocross gear brand that sponsored a big chunk of the Supercross privateers, had simple designs and was well-liked. But, it was not considered to be on par with the high-end premium brands. My how times have changed. Fly Racing has boosted its reputation by offering high-quality gear at great prices. Its popular athletic-fit Fly Racing Lite gear has been redesigned for 2021. The pants have a zipper-less design that makes them the lightest pants around..

The new 2021 Fly Racing Lite pants truly live up to their “Lite” name, as they now weigh 7 ounces less than the previous 2020 Lite pants. How did they shave 30 percent off the weight? For the first time ever in motocross gear, Fly Racing created zipper-less pants. Say what? They replaced the old-school zipper and buckle closure by moving the ratcheting Boa system from the rear of the waistline to the front. Previously, the Boa system was used to offer micro waist-size adjustments; now it handles all the waist adjustments.

Besides the zipper-less design, the 2021 Fly Racing Lite pants have a new four-way stretch fabric used to create an ultra-simple, athletic-fit chassis that reduces weight, increases ventilation and enhances flexibility. As with the 2020 chassis, the inner liner is only used on the seat of the pants, and it is sewn down to increase durability. The pants also feature laser-cut holes for ventilation and ergonomically pre-shaped knees to accommodate knee braces and reduce the clumping of excess material while riding. The leather heat shields on the inner knees are 9 inches tall and 5 inches wide to protect against heat and abrasions.

The 2021 Fly Racing Lite jersey comes with multiple ventilation and stretch panels to ensure that it breathes well and moves without restriction. While the pants are all new for 2021, the only structural update on the jersey is the new, low-profile, streamlined, taped collar that continues to promote the minimalist theme of Fly Racing Lite gear. The jersey tail extends 2-1/2 inches at the rear to help it stay tucked into the pants, and it features laster-cut perforation holes to help dissipate heat.It takes some time to get comfortable with zipper-less motocross pants. Every MXA test rider was concerned about how the gear would perform on the track. Would the pants fall down? Could the Boa system hold the waistband in place? Would it feel awkward? Thankfully, the pants stayed in place, and we didn’t have any issues. The Lite gear was designed with an athletic fit; however, we noticed that the sizing of the pants and jersey was slightly bigger than in 2020. Yes, it is still tailored to fit closely to the body, but now it offers more give and less of the yoga-pants look of most athletic-fit motocross gear.

Compared to the 2020 pants, the new pants are considerably thinner, which decreases durability against roost and normal wear and tear. After assigning the Lite gear to our toughest test riders, we found holes in the front and back of the knees and also slight tears in the laser-cut holes on the front of the jersey. It isn’t the most durable gear, but that’s to be expected with gear that prioritizes light, flexible and stretchy attributes. If you want durability, buy one of the other three gear lines from Fly Racing.

The Fly Racing Lite gear comes in five different color options, and the jersey sizes range from small to double-extra large, while the pant sizes range from 28- to 38-inch waists.On the downside, putting the pants on and tucking in the jersey was more of a challenge with the new zipper-less design. The sizing was slightly off, which required our testers to go down a size. And, we wish that the material in the area previously used for the zipper was thicker—for discretionary purposes.

DIGITS? $49.95 (jersey), $179.95 (pants)— www.flyracing.com or (208) 319-3079.

MXA RATING: The 2021 Fly Racing Lite gear is the most innovative design since No Fear Attack pants, which mimic hockey gear. The pricing on the Fly Racing Lite gear is more affordable than almost all of its athletic-fit competition. By the way, if you want a zipper, you can still find it on the Fly Racing Evolution, Kinetic and F-16 gear lines.

• MXA SHOOTOUT VIDEO: 2021 KAWASAKI KX450 VERSUS YAMAHA YZ450F

• MXA AD OF THE WEEK: THE MELLOW GLEN HELEN NATIONAL POSTER

Wouldn’t you jump at a chance to ride an AMA National track the week after the Big Boys left town. Wouldn’t it be even more appealing if the promoter promised to “mellow” the track out. The catchy phrases in this race poster are “All The Thrills Without The Chills” and “A Chance To Race An AMA National Track Without The Required Talent.”

• KEEPING TRACK OF THE 2021 RACE SCHEDULES

The 17-round 2021 Supercross series is coming back, but it is only coming to  7 towns in 5 states.

2021 AMA KICKER ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 8…….Starkville, MS
Jan. 9…….Starkville, MS
Jan. 15…….Lubbock, TX
Jan. 16…….Lubbock, TV
Jan. 22…….Guthrie, OK
Jan. 23…….Guthrie, OK
Jan. 29…….Denver, CO
Jan. 30…….Denver, CO
Feb. 5…….Reno, NV
Feb. 6…….Reno, NV
Mar. 5…….Amarillo, TX
Mar. 6…….Amarillo, TX

REVISED 2021 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP (UPDATED)
Jan. 16 (Saturday)…Houston, TX
Jan. 19 (Tuesday)….Houston, TX
Jan. 23 (Saturday)…Houston, TX
Jan. 30 (Saturday)…Indianapolis, IN
Feb. 2 (Tuesday)….Indianapolis, IN
Feb. 6 (Saturday)…Indianapolis, IN
Feb. 13 (Saturday)…Orlando, FL
Feb. 20 (Saturday)…Orlando, FL
Mar. 6 (Saturday)…Daytona Beach, FL
Mar. 13 (Saturday)…Arlington, TX
Mar. 16 (Tuesday)… Arlington, TX
Mar. 20 (Saturday)…Arlington, TX
Apr.10 (Saturday)…Atlanta, GA
Apr.13 (Tuesday)…Atlanta, GA
Apr.17 (Saturday)…Atlanta, GA
Apr. 24 (Saturday)…Salt Lake City
May 1 (Saturday)…Salt Lake City

2021 PROVISIONAL GRAND PRIX SCHEDULE (UPDATED)
Apr. 3…Muscat, Oman
Apr. 25…TBA, Italy
May 16…Agueda, Portugal
May 23…Oss, Holland,
May 30…Teutschenthal, Germany
Jun. 13…Orlyonok, Russia
Jun. 20…Kegums, Latvia
Jul. 4…Jakarta, Indonesia
Jul. 11…Semarang, Indonesia
Jul. 25…Locket, Czech Republic
Aug. 1…Lommel, Belgium
Aug 8…Uddevall, Sweden
Aug. 22…KimiRing, Finland
Aug. 29…Igora, Russia
Sep. 12…Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
Sep. 19…TBA, China
Oct. 10…St, Jean d’Angely, France
Oct. 17…Intu Xanadu, Spain
Oct. 31…TBA
Nov. 14…Neuquen, Argentina

2021 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Apr. 11…Wonthaggi, VIC
May 2 …Canberra, ACT
May 30…Gillman, SA
Jun. 27…Maitland, NSW
Jul. 25…Wodonga, VIC
Aug. 9…TBA, QLD
Aug. 14….Coolum, QLD
Aug. 14….Coolum, QLD

2021 ADAC GERMAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Apr.18…Dreetz
May 16…Moggers
Jun. 6…Reutlingen
Jul. 3…Bielstein
Jul. 18…Tensfeld
Sep. 5…Princely Drehna
Sep. 9…Gaildorf

2021 MOTOCROSS DES NATIONS
Sep. 26…Imola, Italy

• MXA’S “FIRST RIDE” LIBRARY: PICK YOUR BIKE AND ENJOY

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 KAWASAKI KX250

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 KAWASAKI KX450

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 KAWASAKI KX450X OFF-ROAD BIKE

MXA FIRST RIDE: 2021 KTM 250SXF

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 KTM 350SXF

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 KTM 450SXF

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 YAMAHA YZ250F

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 YAMAHA YZ450F

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 HUSQVARNA FC450

MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 HONDA CRF250