Ask MXperts

Do you really think that racing a 54-horsepower, 14,000-rpm, 350cc race bike is going to be safer or cheaper than racing a 450?
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"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." We didn't know that Greek mathematician Archimedes had ever raced
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Modern four-stroke motocross bikes rely high rpm to make horsepower, but early valve sprins either broke for floated. Italian engineer Fabio Taglioni pioneered the desmo valve train and solved the valbe spring issues
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Two-stroke spark plugs were subject to oil contamination and carbon build, but four-strokes don’t have this problem, but their plugs still wear out
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Clearing up the claims of non-existent Champions who depend on time to cover up their misleading claims
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There is a reason why Yamaha supplies two extra needles with every YZ250 two-stroke –we explain the needle code
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Well, actually it is a melting kind of thing and a lost art in the motocross world. You can get more life out of old rubber with a tire groover
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Basic common sense settings are all you need to make your suspension work better and they are free
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We weren't trying to make the 2023-2024 Yamaha YZ450F faster, it's fas enough, we wanted it to be more manageable
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Famous Jody quote # 327: "The only thing I can afford to break in the middle of a race is the zipper on my leathers."
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Don't obsess on your fork's air pressure. Find the correct setting for your speed, weight and track and stay with that number. From that point on depend on the clickers to fine tune the feel
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"I was surprised to read in an MXA test that Husqvarna makes guns. Is that true?"
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It is a fact of life that engines used for racing are prone to breaking. Every part is stressed and could fail at any time—your job to to keep a close eye on the weak spots before they break
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MXA does run Maxima K2 pre-mix, but we do not run Maxima k2 injector oil as pre-mix—and there is a very good reason
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Slipper clutches are not autos, but auto clutches slip and you can do the same thing with your left hand
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The choice to paint MXA's helmets one color (and one color only) was brainstormed 30 years ago. It was the result of a year-long test to blue, red, green and chrome helmet designs
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I see riders put their right hand over the end of the muffler and blip the throttle, even MXA test riders, why do they do this—it makes no sense.
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Dear MXperts, I hate to admit it, but I got all enthused about Ken Roczen racing a Suzuki RM-Z450 and ran out and bought a leftover 2023 Suzuki RM-Z250. I got a great deal on it ($6000 out the door), and I broke it in by riding it in a…
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Why aren't gas/electric hybrids being looked into for motocross use? And, as a side note, bless your stars that they aren't
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Every hardcore motocross racer hates his fork seals. Of all the things that can go wrong on a motocross bike, fork seals are the most devastating
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Muffler packing is one of the most forgotten maintenance items on your bike
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As rugged as your forks may seem, they do have weak spots that can cause problems
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Over the years, MXA has tested more TM motorcycles than any other magazine or website; however.....
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Forget about emulating Eli Tomac—think of yourself as John Force. Twist the throttle to the stops and leave it on as long as possible, you will go faster
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Sometimes the most recognizable thing about a racer is his helmet. Danny LaPorte had just such a helmet. Do you remember it?
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But, If you “don’t have spark,” there is nothing to light the compressed fuel and air with. Spark is an a major part of the "Fire Triangle."
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Even though there are fuel-injected two-strokes, all the motocross versions require oil to be pre-mixed into the gasoline. When adding gasoline with oil pre-mixed into it, the internal parts of the engine are lubricated as the engine runs.
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It would behoove any KTM, Husqvarna to take the simple step of initializing their ECU any time the weather changes
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Desaxe engines have been around for a long time, even Henry Ford implemented offset cranks on the Ford Flathead V8 in the 1930s. Motocross engines have been adopting offset cranks for the last 15 years.
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