INDUSTRY SCUTTLEBUTT THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW

GREAT BRITAIN REQUIRES FRONT AND BACK PROTECTION
Approved chest and back protectors must be worn at all British ACU events from next year. Riders will be given a year to make sure their body protection is up to official standards for 2019. The rule reads, “It is compulsory for riders and passengers to wear Chest and Back Protection that meets an international standard of EN1621-2 (back) and EN1621-3 (chest).” In 2018 all riders must wear chest and back pProtection, but for 2018 the ACU ise allowing them to wear their existing items however in future the specifications will begin to fall in line with the FIM.

BOUNCED BOBBY LANDS IN ENGLAND FOR 2018
Former factory Honda rider and GP winner Evgeny Bobryshev will contest the British Motocross Championship, MX Nationals and UK Arenacross series after failing to get a full-time GP ride. Bobby was the British National Champion back in 2010. It is expected that between the British dates that he will race a few450 GPS to try to get back to the big time in 2019.

250 TWO-STROKES LEGAL IN BRITISH 250 CLASS

Two-strokes 250s will be allowed to race in either the 450 or 250 classes in the British ACU sanctioned events—with the exception of the Maxxis British Championship. The ACU saw that 250 two-strokes were being successfully run in the 250 class in Holland, Canada and Australia and decided to introduce the changes in order to plan for more inclusion in 2019. The British 250 class rules are now; 120cc to 250cc two strokes or 175cc to 250cc four strokes or electric machines with a maximum output of 16kw.

SIGNINGS YOU MIGHT NEVER HAVE NOTICED
Paturel & Tixier: Frenchman Benoit Paturel (above) has signed with the French-based Bos Suspension KTM team. Paturel will move up to the 450 class in 2018, but was bumped when they signed Jeremy Seewer. At Bos Suspension KTM Paturel will team with former 250 World Champion Jordi Tixier.

51Fifty Yamaha: Kyle Chisholm (above) has signed with 51Fifty Yamaha for the 250 West Supercros series and select East Coast rounds of the 450 Class. Chisholm will join Hayden Mellross on the team.

Kemea Yamaha 250 GP team: Kemea Yamaha’s official 250 Grand Prix team in 2018 will be 2017 British 250 Champion Ben Watson, 22-year-old Russian talent Vsevolod Brylyakov (above) and Belgium’s teenage sensation, 17-year-old Jago Geerts.

Todd Waters: Australian Todd Waters plans to race the 2018 AMA Motocross Championship on a Honda CRF450. No team has been revealed.

24MX Team fold: Belgian Grand Prix team 24MX Honda, run by MPL Racing, has shut down. Started in 2015, 24MX had riders like Ken De Dycker (above), Priit Ratsep, Steven Lenoir, Damon Graulus and Matiss Karro ride for them.

Mitchell Harrison to Rockstar Husky: Rockstar Energy Husqvarna and Mitchell Harrison have signed a deal for the 2018 Supercross and AMA National motocross series. Harrison was at Star Yamaha for the past two seasons.

Brian Bogers to HRC: Replacing Evgeny Bobryshev at HRC Honda will be 21-year-old Dutch rider Brian Bogers. Bogers will team with Tim Gajser in the official Honda factory outfit. Bogers immediately broke his foot a week after the deal was announced.

Dave Thorpe’s Buildbase Honda team: With Graeme Irwin and Martin Barr both leaving, Jake Nicholls and Josiah Natzke are joining Dave Thorpe’s team. Jake Nicholls, 27, will race the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship and Michelin MX Nationals on a CRF450, while Kiwi Josiah will go for the British 250 crown and race selected EMX250 rounds.

Martin Barr to Revo Husky: Speaking of Martin Barr (above left), he will ride for the REVO Husqvarna team in 2018. The 30-year-old Irishman will join Mel Pocock, Dylan Woodcock and Ollie Colmer on the Husqvarna-backed team.

Rockwell Racing signs three riders: Rockwell Watches will field Ryan Breece, Bradley Lionnet (above) and A.J. Catanzaro for the 2018 250 West Supercross series.

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