MXA’S MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ONE: WHO GETS TO BE AN MXA TEST RIDER?

There are three levels of MXA test rider: (1) In house; (2) MXA Race Team; (3) Photo Session.

“In house” test riders have been testing bikes for years. They have ridden virtually every bike made, including factory works bikes and high-dollar exotics. These are the most experienced test riders in the world, because unlike manufacturers test riders, they aren’t bound to one brand or one engine size. No MXA test bike is evaluated by any single rider but will be ridden by Jody Weisel, John Basher, Dennis Stapleton, Alan Olson and Willy Musgrave before it is handed down to the next tier of test riders–the MXA race team.

The “MXA race team” races every week and can normally be found at Glen Helen, Cahuilla Creek, Piru, Gorman or Competitive Edge. MXA race team members get free bikes, parts, clothes, helmets, maintenance and tires. But, they have to race a different bike every week, sometimes a different bike between motos. Their job is to accumulate a vast reservoir of information about each test bike in a short period of time. Its not unusual for one test bike to be ridden in four different classes on the same day.

The “Photo Session” riders ride the bikes for magazine photography. Many famous riders have spent time before the MXA cameras, the best known being Jeremy McGrath, but Mike Craig, Mike Chamberlain, Lance Moorewood, Clark Jones, Larry Brooks, Jeff Ward, Greg Schnell and Phil Lawrence have done the deed.

TWO: HOW CAN I BECOME A TEST RIDER?

It isn’t easy. Because of the information base that a test rider needs it often takes years to be considered for the job. A fast rider isn’t necessarily a good test rider. He has to have ridden a wide range of different bikes, including past models of the one he is currently testing, in order to make valid comparisons. You’ve probably read tests in magazines where they poll five test riders and get five different answers–that is because their test riders foundation is weak and they have little experience with what is possible both from other brands and past machinery.

The answer to this question is that, it’s not only who you know, but what you know that gets a rider the job. Many MXA test riders started out as minicycle test riders and continued to progress as they got older (Larry Brooks, John Minert and Billy Musgrave as classic examples). Several MXA test riders are professional mechanics or have graduated from technical schools (Willy Musgrave, Alan Olson, Ray Pisarski and Bengt Johansson are excellent mechanics). Most have worked in the motorcycle industry, in jobs ranging from factory rider to team mechanic to production manager to technical consultant. Of course, the number one priority is to be an active and full-time motocrosser.

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THREE: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH OLD TEST BIKES?

We give them back to the factory at the end of the test session. We cannot sell them because we don’t own them and legally the factories cannot sell them to a retail customer because it would be in violation of their dealer agreements. Typically, all test bikes are returned, put in lots of ten, and sold at a dealer auction at the end of the model year. The dealers who buy them can sell them or part them out.

FOUR: HOW MUCH EDUCATION DOES IT TAKE TO BE AN MXA EDITOR?

It varies. Jody Weisel is your education junkie with post-graduate degrees in education, sociology and gerontology. John Basher graduated from college in New York, while working for MXA in the summers. Jimmy Mac is a high school graduate who has worked for U.S. Suzuki, Bell Helmets, JT Racing and Troy Lee Designs. Dennis Stapleton is a high school graduate who immediately started racing the Nationals. Zap Espinoza is a college grad, he was going to be a lawyer, before turing to twisting throttles. Alan Olson graduated from high school, was drafted into the Army, took up racing and was the AMA Supercross Mechanic of the Year in 2006. Obviously, to be an MXA editor you have to have a fair understanding of the English language, but most importantly a vast knowledge of the sport motocross.

FIVE: WHY ARE THERE SO MANY ADVERTISEMENTS IN MXA?

MXA often gets letters complaining that MXA is all ads, but in truth, the editorial content of the magazine is never shortchanged for advertising. The number of stories, photos or columns is never reduced to make room for ads, on the contrary it is increased. However, because MXA readers buy more motocross products than anyone on the face of the earth, aftermarket companies want our readers to be exposed to their products–thus they advertise. In truth, the ads enhance the look and feel of the magazine and often contain a potpourri of product info that you couldn’t obtain any place else.

SIX: WHO IS THE GREATEST MOTOCROSSER OF ALL-TIME?

That was a matter of opinion up until the domination of Ricky Carmichael. Old-school fans still say Roger DeCoster, while Jeremy McGrath is by far the Greatest Supercrosser of All-Time. Stefan Everts is the pick of most Euros.

SEVEN: WHAT IS BEST BIKE EVER MADE?

Probably the 1981 Maico 490, but it is in a close battle with the 1973 Honda CR125, 1981 Suzuki RM125, 1987 Honda CR250 and 1996-thru-2000 Yamaha YZ125s.

EIGHT: DO THE FACTORIES CHEAT?

Yes. However, they believe that their interpretation of the rule book is on the legal side of dishonest. The AMA has never been willing to put any teeth into the Production Rule and as a result the gray areas are so great you could go to the starting line with Art Arfons Green Monster rocket car and still fall within the AMAs definitions of production. The factory teams are cheating–at least in the spirit of the law. By the letter of the law they aren’t breaking any rules.

NINE: DO PRIVATEERS CHEAT?

Do they ever! If the AMA tested the gas of privateers they would find that most of it is illegal (if the AMA had an enforceable gas rule). The advent of four-strokes hasn’t eliminated big-bore engine, but it isn’t as common as it was with 125 two-strokes. Yes, privateers cheat–but mostly around mid-pack.

TEN: ARE THE FACTORY STARS NICE GUYS?

Yes. It is the rare exception to find a factory rider that is a fat head (although they do exist). But, at some point in their careers every factory rider goes through the “full of himself” stage. They seem to grow out of this once the aura of everybody laughing at their jokes wears off. It may be surprising to find out that the two of the biggest stars of all-time, Jeremy McGrath and Roger DeCoster, have reps as the nicest guys to deal with.

ELEVEN: DO COMPANIES EVER RETALIATE WHEN MXA GIVES THEIR PRODUCT, BIKES OR EVENT A BAD REVIEW?

You bet. The MXA wrecking crew has been banned from the Supercross series twice. The first ban lasted half a season before the promoters relented. The second and most recent ban lasted a full season. Banning MXA doesn’t work because we have our methods. As far as products and bikes go, its not uncommon for a company to get a bad test and pull all of their advertising. Over the 27 years that MXA has been in business, every major motorcycle manufacturer has stopped talking to us at least once. Currently, we could name a couple motorcycle companies whose mail we open in a bucket of water while wearing Kevlar underwear.

We feel bad when we give a product, rider, race or bike a bad review, but we aren’t in the good news business. We are trying to provide motocrossers with accurate and honest information.

TWELVE: IS THE MOTORCYCLE BUSINESS THE BEST ITS EVER BEEN?

No. There is no doubt that the motorcycle business is doing better than it has in a long time, but it is a mere shadow of what it was in the early 70s. In the early days of motocross, the manufacturers sold almost ten times more motorcycles than they do today. For example. Hodaka sold 10,000 units in a single years (and that was of 100cc trail bikes). Honda sold 94,000 Z50s in one year back in the good old days. Honda was close to selling one million motorcycles a year back in the 70s. Not today. Business is good, but not anywhere near as good as when Gary Jones, Marty Tripes, Marty Smith, Bard Lackey, Roger DeCoster and Mark Blackwell raced.
It should be noted that ATVs have drained off a large number of entry-level motorcycle sales. ATV sales are close to 400,000 units a year. Back in the 70s, there were no ATV sales.

THIRTEEN: IS IT TRUE THAT MXA CENSORS ADVERTISEMENTS?

It is true that we do not want sexually suggestive photos, sexist content, foul language or demeaning advertising in our magazine. So we do not allow it. MXA rejects ads that don’t meet our coffee table standard– which means that we want MXA to be on every coffee table in the USA. We do not want the advertising content to offend small children, parents or readers to the extent that they have to hide the magazine. If you are reading MXA to see photos of partially clad women, you aren’t the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. There are plenty of magazines that specialize in those types of photos. Motocross Action specializes in motocross.
This policy costs us money. We don’t care. Not only do we not accept sexist ads, we also refuse to accept cigarette and alcohol advertising. It is a matter of principle.