MOTOCROSS ACTION MID-WEEK REPORT
#WHIPITWEDNESDAY
Rider: Ken Roczen
Bike: 2023 Suzuki RM-Z450
Race: 2023 Nashville Supercross
TWO-STROKE SPOTLIGHT: SCOTT BEARD’S 2007 HONDA CR250
Often it’s not about taking out a second mortgage to pay for your dream ride. Making smart decisions based off research makes sense. That’s exactly what Scott Beard did when building his 2007 Honda CR250. It has the creature comforts that Beard needs to get the job done, plus a bit of panache to stop looky-loos in their tracks. Scott’s bike build should be inspiring for any rider, regardless if they’re a two- or four-stroke nut.
“I picked this bike up a while ago after riding a buddy’s mint 2007 Honda CR250 he had just bought. I grew up a Suzuki guy and had just got done completely rebuilding a 2006 RM250. After riding his bike, the search began. I was much more comfortable on the Honda compared to the twitchy feel of the late-model Suzuki RM two-strokes. It took a year for me to find a low-hour CR250 that hadn’t been abused. Through a friend, I found one that had been sitting in a garage since 2007 and had maybe 20 hour on it. It was armored out for woods racing. I took it home and tore it down to the frame. I cleaned it, removed the braces and cages, and rebuilt it as best I could. The radiators were a little bent, so I sent them to ICW to have Brett work his magic.
“The previous owner had already installed blue CV4 hoses, so I didn’t have to buy those. I took the Mikuni carburetor off and replaced it with a Keihin off of a 2004 Yamaha YZ250. I had read that the Mikuni could be finicky and the Keihin was easier to tune. I’ve had no problems with the switch and have the jetting perfect for where I ride. I run VP T2 fuel. The bars were replaced with Renthal 997 Twinwalls, and they were fitted with Renthal Kevlar grips. I got rid of the cheap-looking stock killswitch and replaced it with a Fly Racing killswitch. Twin Air is my air filter of choice. Once the stock drivetrain was worn out I replaced it with a Sunstar chain and sprockets, which I have been very impressed with.
“For power, I installed a Wiseco GP top-end kit and added a Pro Circuit Shorty silencer to help boost the low end a little. I’ve read that the stock pipe is really good, so I decided to keep it on. I replaced the stock rear brake rotor with one off from a 2010 CRF250. I think the Wave rotor looks better. The front rotor was replaced with a Galfer 270mm oversize kit. I’ve always liked white bikes, so I switched out all of the red plastic. I used all Cycra plastic, except for the shrouds and side plates. For those areas I used UFO. The front fender and Stadium plate for the 2013 and newer CRF450 are from Cycra. I like the updated look it gives the bike. I designed the graphics and the carbon fiber fork wraps. I loved the team Peak Honda, which is why I always go towards a blue and black color way. Cal Northrop at FTI Suspension handled the suspension revalve. He has always done great work for me. I had the stock hubs powder coated black. I bought the gold Excel rims from Privateer Connection in South Carolina and had them laced at Carolina Cycle Service in North Carolina. BUR Seat Covers, also out of North Carolina, made the awesome gripper seat cover in the color way I requested.
“Even though this bike didn’t get good reviews when it was released, I’ve been very happy with it. I’ve kept the engine stock, because I like where the power is at. I have no other plans for the bike, except for some pretty parts. As my fitness fades with my youth, I’ve grown to appreciate a solid and planted feeling bike.”
Editors Note: Please keep those submissions coming. If you would like your bike to be featured in the “Two-Stroke Spotlight,” please email me at [email protected]. All I ask is that you give a breakdown of your bike and a detailed description of the build. Please also send a few photos of your steed. By submitting your bike for the “Two-Stroke Spotlight,” you agree to release all ownership rights to the images and copy to MXA.
TESTED // 2023 GASGAS MC250F FACTORY EDITION
MOTO | TRIVIA
Who is this rider racing an Ammex bike? Answer at the bottom of the page.
MISSED THE NASHVILLE SUPERCROSS? DON’T WORRY, WE HAVE YOU COVERED
Click here to get more useless Nashville Supercross knowledge than your mind can bear.
FORGOTTEN BIKES: 1998 YAMAHA YZ400F
WE TEST PRO CIRCUIT’S YZ125 BUILD
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: HAIDEN DEEGAN ON NASHVILLE SUPERCROSS
“It was a good day overall. Qualifying was alright, and then the heat race was good. I had good speed and got second. In the main event, I got a bad start and tried to push through, but I just didn’t have enough time at the end. I ended up getting close, which was good. It was the first time I was able to catch the front guys, so I’m happy with that. The track did break down a lot more than I thought it was going to, watching previous videos of this place. It had quite a bit of ruts, and it was hard-packed, dry, and sketchy. So fourth place on the day. We will just keep getting better.”
MXA INTERVIEW // ENZO LOPES
Brazilian-born Enzo Lopes has quietly turned consistent top-five rides into third in points in the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250 West Coast championship. Although he has yet to finish on the podium, the 23-year-old has used his optimistic outlook to make the most of every time he is on the track. No doubt benefitting from the powerful, yet privateer Muc Off FXR Club MX Yamaha team, Lopes has been the team standout. Going into the last West Coast rounds, Lopes has the immediate goal of making the Denver podium, and then the overall West Coast podium. We caught up with Lopes after he dried out after the New Jersey Supercross mudder.
BY JIM KIMBALL
FIRST LET’S BEGIN WITH YOUR LAST RACE, THE 250 EAST/WEST SHOOTOUT IN THE NEW JERSEY MUD. It was completely different from anything I had seen before because we got to practice on a dry track and do the heat race on the dry track. Then we go to the main where since there was lightning, we had to wait for two hours. Then it was a completely different track. I grew up in Brazil riding in the mud because where I lived, it rained a lot, so I was happy. A fifth place in the shootout was good. I felt like if I would have had a little bit of a better start, I could have podiumed. I was seventh around the first lap, and later three seconds off the podium, right behind Maximus Vohland and Hunter Lawrence. Overall, it was a good experience. I had a lot of fun playing in the mud. I did not have too much fun cleaning myself after, but it was nice racing the boys. I had a blast.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WEST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP YOU ARE THIRD IN POINTS, THAT IS INCREDIBLE. It is cool. Obviously, some guys got hurt and injured, but I am still there every weekend doing my best. This season has been really good for me. I still have a few things I would like to do before the season is done, and I have two more races. My only bad race was A2, the Triple Crown, where I crashed a lot, but all the other races, I have been there. Every practice, every qualifying session, I have been up there with the boys. It has been incredible, and I am super happy every race weekend. I am happy and enjoying the moment and to be third in points is amazing. If people realized where I came from in Brazil, they may think it is unbelievable.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM A POINTS POSITION, YOU ARE THE MAIN MAN AT CLUB MX. I don’t know what to say but I guess that I am. Jeremy Martin has been doing well. Phil (Nicoletti) got hurt, unfortunately, and so did Garrett (Marchbanks). Coming into the year, Garret, he was feeling good. I and all the boys get along well. I don’t see myself as the “guy”, because I respect Jeremy a lot for everything he has done. He is building towards outdoors and he is going to surprise a lot of people.
WHILE YOU ARE THIRD IN POINTS, YOU HAVE NOT HAD AN ACTUAL PODIUM FINISH, BUT THERE ARE TWO MORE RACES. It has been like that the whole season; I have been on the edge. At the beginning of the season, like A1 and San Diego, I had my starts dialed but my fitness was not good. I did not really believe that I could be in the position where now, my starts are terrible but once I get going, I know I can be up there. I just must put it together for the last two races, get a good start and ride my own race. You just must put all the pieces of the puzzle together as everyone says. I am literally on the edge, as I got two-fourth places, and three-fifth places, so I am right there.
LAST YEAR, YOU DID REALLY WELL AND FINISHED FIFTH OVERALL, BUT NOW HAVE TAKEN ANOTHER STEP FORWARD. WOULD YOU ATTRIBUTE IT TO BEING ON THE SAME TEAM AS LAST YEAR? Part of it yes. I’m used to the bike, even when I got back from boot camp in October, I told the team “I want the same settings as Salt Lake last year, because that is when I did a really good job in qualifying.” I am not really a picky guy as far as setup-wise, so the team does a good job with that.
I have always had some moments of speed last year, but I was struggling with my am. I had carpal tunnel, so it really cost me when the race time came, because I could not hold on to the bike for more than two laps. After I got surgery, something clicked, especially my confidence knowing that you can race hard for fifteen minutes. Then training at Club with the guys, like Jeremy and Phil I am feeling good about myself. it has been a huge improvement from last year to this year.
WATCHING YOU RIDE, YOU CAN NOTICE THE HUGE IMPROVEMENT. Part of it is also the mindset. You come in feeling so good, then you qualify well, and you start doing well. Your mindset changes and your perspective changes and the guys you compare yourself to changes. So right now, I know I am one of the guys, and it is time to make it happen.
YOU ARE NOT THAT FAR OFF FROM R.J. HAMPSHIRE WHO IS SECOND IN POINTS, IS PASSING HIM A POSSIBILITY? Anything can happen, as we have seen plenty of times in the sport. Obviously, I want to finish third in points, but my focus is still like race-to-race. I just want to focus on the next one which is Denver and after Denver, Salt Lake. and just trying to do my job. I know if I do my best, the result and the outcome is just a consequence. Because if I do my best, I will be happy and the results will come.
IT’S PRETTY COOL THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE TOP YAMAHA RIDERS IN 250 SUPERCROSS RIGHT NOW. BETWEEN MONSTER ENERGY STAR AND CLUB MX ONLY HAIDEN DEEGAN HAS SURPASSED YOU IN RESULTS. It is super cool, but like I said, I don’t really focus on that. For me, if people knew where I came from and how I grew-up racing in Brazil, people, I think would respect more. They don’t know how things are in Brazil and what we must deal with. I did not have Supercross or all this amateur racing and fast kids. It is just completely different. I have sacrificed my whole life, came from Brazil, and to be here now, I just take it like gratitude. I go about just being grateful to be here. My friends in Brazil also love it and hopefully I can do well and keep that third place in points but also get on the box, you know, before the season is done.
WILL YOU DO OUTDOORS THIS YEAR FOR CLUB MX? The last time I did outdoors was 2018 and 2019 with Suzuki but ever since then, I was with teams that did not race outdoors like Club MX in 2020 and then Phoenix, 2021. Last year, I was going to do outdoors for Club but then I had my injury on my wrist, but then this year, I am not doing outdoors. After Salt Lake, I am going to go home to see my family. It has been seven months, so it has been a while.
I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT 2024. WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THAT? I can’t really say much but the thing is, like I told you, I am super transparent. I am just focused on myself and doing what I can because I still have two more races and I don’t want to worry about like where am I going, and what am I doing. I am just focused on Denver right now. I am not too worried about what is going to happen because I know I am doing my best and whatever happens, happens. Whatever is meant to be, it will be. I am talking to Club MX.
WOULD YOU WANT TO RACE OUTDOORS OR WORLD SUPERCROSS IF THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE? Part of me is obviously happy to go home and enjoy my family but I am still talking with Club MX about World Supercross. I have not decided 100% if we are doing it or not, so we are still talking.
HOW ABOUT ANY FINAL THOUGHTS ENZO? The way this year has been going, it has been incredible. I am just super grateful and like I said, knowing where I came from, it is mind blowing and that is why I take it all in and enjoy the moment because you never know tomorrow. I am just super happy to be here right now.
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COOPER WEBB TALKS ABOUT THE CRASH THAT TOOK HIM OUT OF THE SERIES
Cooper Webb: “As many of you saw, I suffered a concussion last night in Nashville. I am thankful everything else has checked out okay. This will unfortunately put an end to my SX season. It hurts to have it end like this, but I can hold my head high knowing that I gave it my all.”
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CLASSIC PHOTO
Moto Trivia Answer: Gary Jones racing an Ammex 250 in Supercross. Gary is the only AMA National Champion to ever invest in building his own motocross brand.
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