ASK THE MXPERTS: WHY DOESN’T MXA INCLUDE TM IN ITS SHOOTOUTS

YOU CAN’T TEST WHAT DOESN’T EXIST

Dear MXperts,
Why don’t you test TM bikes in MXA? You don’t include them in your shootouts, and I never see any TM tests. Is it because the Japanese brands spend more advertising dollars in your magazine than TM?

First and foremost, the MXA test riders have nothing to do with advertising. We don’t know anything about the ad budgets of any of the manufacturers, and we can assure you that how much money a manufacturer spends on advertising has nothing to do with our bike tests. Over the years, MXA has tested more TM motorcycles than any other magazine or website; however, all of those tests were done when former American TM importers Pete Vetrano and Ralf Schmidt handled the American market. When Ralf Schmidt had a falling out with TM’s Italian management, he moved back to Holland, ending any presence by TM in the USA. To his credit, Ralf tried to arrange a deal between TM and former importer Pete Vetrano, but TM Racing—under the management of Gastone Serafini’s sons—never responded.

We can’t test what we don’t have, and a quick look at TM’s official map showing the location of all the TM dealerships in the United States reveals that there are none. Any TMs currently being sold in the USA are either year-old models or bikes shipped in from Canada or Mexico.