#WHIPITWEDNESDAY

Rider: Austin Forkner

Known for his aggressive riding style and fearless approach to the track, Austin has become a fan favorite. Forkner’s rise through the ranks has been nothing short of impressive. From his early days in amateur racing to becoming a prominent figure in professional Supercross. Despite all the crashes and injuries, Austin makes a healthy return to the 2024 season and we know he’ll be fighting for podium positions.

SUPERCROSS DE PARIS

Jett Lawrence secured victories in all three SX1 main events, demonstrating his raw speed. The brotherly camaraderie was apparent in the second race, where he made an aggressive pass on Hunter in the last turn of the last lap after an amazing battle. Race three had a lead position exchange with Roczen following falls by both riders. With consistent 1-1-1 results, Lawrence won the overall on the evening.

This weekend marked Jo Shimoda’s racing debut with the Factory Honda HRC team, securing the first two victories in the SX2 division. In the third moto, Jo would come back from a poor start where he was scored in eleventh on the first lap. He came through the pack and was able to secure himself into the third position. The 1-1-3 on the night would be enough to end up with the overall.

DUTCH LEGEND OF BAJA 1000

Wouter-Jan Van Dijk was the feel-good story of this year’s Baja 1000 as he raced it by himself with almost zero support until the other teams pitched in to help him. Instagram photo

Wouter-Jan Van Dijk is a Dutch racer who made history over the past week at the Score Baja 1000. Wouter who is from near Holland, Netherlands but lives in Caboolture, Australia flew to the United States and purchased a KTM 500 EXC in San Diego. He then rode the motorcycle with weeks’ worth of supply on his back down to La Paz, Mexico. The initial trip took two and a half weeks and was a major accomplishment on its own, but this was just the beginning. After reaching the starting point for the Baja 1000 he had a list of parts needed in order to pass tech, most of which was worn away on his ride down. After reaching out through Facebook groups he was able to get the parts needed in order to start the race. He lined up as an Ironman and raced with no support team, he did have a friend who made the trip down with him, but as for supplies, food, and fuel to keep moving, Wouter-Jan was on his own. Social media rallied and showed their true support and passion for what this sport is really about. Baja became Wouter-Jan’s pit crew, and many camps took him in along the way. After 48 hours on the course, Wouter-Jan crossed the finish line in Ensenada Mexico, and completed the Baja 1000, even with zip ties holding his front tire to the rim. Because of Wouter-Jan’s willingness to push the impossible many fans from all over the world tuned in to the Baja 1000 for the very first time to check on his progress. This is what the sport is about and one heck of a ride from the “Dutchy”.

MXA PHOTO TRIVIA

Who is this rider? Answer at the bottom of the page!

2024 YAMAHA YZ450F TESTED

IMPORTANT RULES ABOUT USING LOCTITE

Stop putting Loctite (or any other thread lock product) on every bolt on your bike. That is a recipe for disaster. Not every bolt needs to have its hatches battened down. Avoid using thread lock on frequently removed small nuts and bolts, especially on light-duty bolts, such as those used to hold on side panels. As a rule of thumb, try not to use thread lock; instead, rely on the proper torque specs from your owner’s manual. If you must use a thread lock, use the appropriate grade of a removable type. That means either Loctite 220 (on 4mm and smaller threads) or 242 (on 5mm to 19mm threads). Only use a permanent thread lock when specified by the manufacturer or on threads larger than 20mm (and only use a permanent thread lock in an area that can be heated to 300 degrees or higher). Loctite can’t fix a worn-out bolt. You should replace all bolts and nuts that have sloppy threads. For a proper hold, a bolt needs three complete revolutions of threads to be filled with the fluid. Two drops of thread lock are usually enough on 6mm and 8mm threads. More can be used, but it doesn’t necessarily result in more holding force. Read the full article by clicking here.

RIPPING THE SICKEST BACKYARD SUPERCROSS TRACK IN AUSTRALIA

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: JEFF EMIG ON RIDER/MECHANIC RELATIONS