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FIRST LOOK! 2016 AMA NATIONAL SCHEDULE

CLEMENT DESALLE LEAVES SUZUKI FOR KAWASAKI

Clement Desalle will now be green.

Clement Desalle will join Jordi Tixier on the Monster Energy KRT team. Clement has 19 FIM 450 GP wins to his credit and has been the mainstay at Team Suzuki for years. Desalle was sidelined for more than half of the 2015 Grand Prix season. Clement said, “I have spent great years with my previous team, but I think that it was the right moment to change colors, bike and environment. It’s never easy to change, but I’m very happy with my decision and I’m impatient to start testing the new Kawasaki. At the moment I’m still recovering from my shoulder injury; after Lommel I took the decision to undergo surgery to repair it, and two weeks ago I got permission from my doctor to start working with my physiotherapist. Everything is going well so far, and at the end of this month I will have a further check-up to know if I can start riding a bike.”

RED BULL STRAIGHT RHYTHM TO BE SCORCHING…AS IN THE TEMP

Although this past weekend in SoCal was cool and rainy, the weather is expected to rocket from 70 degrees to over 100 degrees by the straight Rhythm weekend. Does that sound familiar? It should because last year’s Red Bull Straight Rhythm event was scorching hot in Pomona.

AS IF VW DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS, SUZUKI CASE IS SETTLED

Everyone has heard how Volkswagen falsified the emission reports on its diesel-powered automobiles and how it led to the resignation of their CEO (not to mention a drop in their stock price). But this hasn’t been a good time for Volkswagen on the Suzuki front either. Volkswagen lost its long-fought battle with Suzuki over VW’s ownership of 19.9% of Suzuki’s stock. Suzuki and Volkswagen formed a joint partnership several years ago, but Suzuki got cold feet and dissolved the deal in 2011. Volkswagen refused to sell the stock back and the case ended up in the London Court of International Arbitration. The verdict? Volkswagen will have to sell its 19.9% stake back to Suzuki. The arbitration ruling allows Suzuki to buy its stock back from VW for roughly $3.8 billion. In what turns out to be not such a bad deal, VW only paid $1.9 billion for the stock. The court also ruled that Suzuki also violated its partnership agreement with Volkswagen, so they may face financial penalties in the future. Also in the future is the fate of the 1.5% of Volkswagen that Suzuki got in the original deal.

DENVER ENDUROCROSS RESULTS

Mike Brown’s hot lap video.

DENVER ENDUROCROSS RESULTS:
1. Colton Haaker …Hus
2. Cody Webb …KTM
3. Taylor Robert …KTM
4. Kyle Redmond …Beta
5. Geoff Aaron …Gas
6. Max Gerston …Beta
7. Mike Brown …Hus
8. Nick Thompson …KTM
9. Eric Rhoten …Yam
10. Destry Abbott …Kaw

MXA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: NIHILO TRICKERY

Press release: “Nihilo Concepts the leader in billet aftermarket parts for motocross and off road motorcycles has released their new line of Aluminum Fasteners and Banjo Bolts.  The factories have long had access to trick light weight parts that just weren’t available to the public, light weight bolts and trick items that made their bikes lighter and stronger than stock.

Two items that fall into this category are fork guard bolts and Brake Line Banjo Bolts. Both of these items are not typically taken on and off the bike often so they are good candidates for light weight alternatives that can do the same job while taking off unwanted weight.

Nihilo is now offering Aluminum Fork Guard Bolts to replace the six heavy steel bolts that come stock on your motorcycle specifically designed to fit your fork guards perfectly and anodized to match your bikes colors.

Nihilo Banjo Bolts are precision-machined to provide maximum flow of brake fluids and are also much lighter than the steel OEM bolts. Banjo bolts are available for all Japanese brands as well as KTM and Husqvarna with their unique thread pitch. Nihilo Banjo Bolts are anodized to match your bikes colors.” For more info go to www.nihiloconcepts.com

THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAY BOYS: BOBBY is 30, RYAN 31, TRAVIS 32

Oct. 5…Danny Chandler 1959
Oct. 5…Johnny Marley

Oct. 5…Ake Jonsson 1942
Oct. 5…Randy Valade

Oct. 6…Brian Gray 1984
Oct. 7…Randy Lawrence
Oct. 7…John Ayers
Oct. 7…Ted Campbell

Oct. 8…Brian Myerscough
Oct. 8…Les Smith 1990

Oct. 8…Travis Pastrana 1983

USED IT, ABUSED IT, TESTED IT: GAERNE SG12 BOOTS

The popular Gaerne SG12 has been updated with a reshaped toebox, more durable wear patches on the top and sides and a record breaking price tag. Thanks to its incredible durability and reputation for long lasting performances, the SG12 may be able to justify its high price.

VERDICT: This is not a cheap boot, but is is a high-quality boot. The interior is plush and inviting. The panels that contact the frame offer exceptional grip and the rubber prevents four-stroke pipes from cooking our legs. Some testers complained about the heel being tall, but this wasn’t a consensus. $619.99  — www.gaerne.com or (800) 426-0213.

MXA PHOTO THE WEEK — IF THIS WAS LAST WEEK

This is one last look at the USGP—American flag and all. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

MXA PHOTO OF THE WEEK — IF THIS WAS 30 YEARS AGO

This is awesome action from 30 years ago. No, wait, this photo was shot at Milestone last Sunday as you can tell by the pickup truck in the background. Photo by Dan Alamangos.

MXA PHOTO OF THE WEEK — IF THIS WAS ROAD RACE ACTION

You don’t see a lot of road racers running MXA decals on their fairings. Harry Leitner at Willow Springs last weekend.

MXA PAINTING OF THE WEEK (WELL, A PHOTO OF THE PAINTING)

Do you remember the partially finished painting we showed you two weeks ago? Well, it’s finished and hanging on the wall. It should behanging  on Ryan Dungey’s living room wall, but instead it is in the studio of artist Jon Ortner.

MXA TECH TIP OF THE WEEK

R&D’s Dean Dickenson was asked to help a young rider dial in his KTM. The kid was too light for any available shock spring rate, so Dean turn the stock spring down, checking it on a spring tester as he went. Now it is the proper spring rate—and pretty cool looking.

MXA WHAZAT OF THE WEEK

Whazat sticking out behind this Husqvarna number plate? It is Stephane Wagner’s System Twin Flex (STF). Behind the number plate are two threaded rods that form an X from the top to the bottom of the clamps. This X provides increased rigidity and can be tightened, via turnbuckles. to provide whatever tension the rider prefers.

MXA TEST BIKE OF THE WEEK: 2016 KAWASAKI KX250F

MXA started on its 2016 Kawasaki KX250F test on Tuesday at Milestone. It is the last of the Big 6 to join the fray, but might be the easiest to test because its list of changes is fairly minuscule. You did notice the green rear fender didn’t you?

MXA AD OF THE WEEK: OFFICIAL 1979 AMA NATIONAL SPONSOR

SUBSCRIBE TO MXA AND MAKE MONEY

If you had subscribed to MXA, the November 2015 issue would be winging its way to your mailbox right now. It’s chock full of good stuff.  Plus, subscribers get a $25 Rocky Mountain gift card that pays for their subscription and then some.

Do you subscribe to MXA? You should. We know that you think that print magazines are dead and that the internet will fill the void, but most of the stuff in the current issue of MXA won’t appear on the web for several months, if at all. Luckily, you can get all of MXA on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or Android by going to the Apple Store, Amazon or Google play, but better yet get the Digital desktop version at https://hi-torque.com/product/motocross-action-digital-edition/ or click on the link below to get the print version delivered to your door for only $19.99 (plus you get a free $25 Gift Card from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC just for subscribing). There is a profit to be made in this deal for you. For the Print magazine go to: http://hi-torque.com/product/subscribe-to-motocross-action-magazine/

USED IT, ABUSED IT, TESTED IT: SKF FORKS SEALS/DUST WIPERS

With one of every motocross bike made in our test fleet, the MXA test crew gets tired of blown forks seals. Which is why we replace the stock seals with SKF seals (they come stock on KTM’s and we rarely blow a KTM fork seal). SKF seal kits consist of a new oil seal and a new dust wiper. SKF’s self-lubricating rubber compound not only enables them to keep the oil in, but to reduce static friction (stiction) by a significant amount. Plus, we blow twice as manyKayaba PSF air fork seals as we do coil spring fork seals.

VERDICT: Nothing is more frustrating than looking down at your fork leg and seeing oil oozing towards your front brake rotor. A modern upside-down fork requires complete disassembly to replace a fork seal. In MXA’s opinion, modern fork seals are lightyears better than seals from a few years ago and SKF is better than any other modern seal. It is highly likely that a 2013-era fork seal would never leak or wear out if dirt wasn’t introduced into the equation. It’s not a matter of keeping the oil in, as much as the dirt out — thus the dust wiper. $35.99 (one seal and wiper)— www.innteck-USA.com or (866) 252-8772.

WHAT’S LEFT TO DO? WHERE TO BE & WHEN TO BE THERE

The REM Octobercross is one week before the 2015 World Veteran Championship.

2015 RED BULL STRAIGHT RHYTHM
Oct. 10………………………..…Pomona, CA

2015 MONSTER ENERGY CUP
Oct. 17………………………..…Las Vegas, NV

2015 REM OCTOBERCROSS
Oct. 31………………………..…Glen Helen, CA

2015 AUSTRALIAN SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Oct. 10…………………………..Bathurst, NSW
Oct. 17……………………………Jimboomba, QLD
Oct. 31……………………………Wayville, SA
Nov. 21…………………………..Sunshine Coast, QLD
Nov. 28…………………………..Homebush, NSW
Dec. 5……………………………..Sunshine, Vic

2015 WORLD VETERAN MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Nov. 7-8……………………….Glen Helen, CA

2016 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Next year, starting on January 9, 2016, there will be two Anaheims and two San Diegos, but only one Atlanta.

2016 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 9…………………….Anaheim, CA
Jan. 16………………….San Diego, CA
Jan. 23………………….Anaheim, CA
Jan. 30………………….Oakland, CA
Feb. 6……………………Glendale, AZ
Feb. 13………………….San Diego, CA
Feb. 20………………….Arlington, TX
Feb. 27………………….Atlanta, GA
March 5………………….Daytona, FL
March 12………………..Toronto, CAN
March 19………………..Detroit, MI
April 2………………..….Santa Clara, CA
April 9………………..….Indianapolis, IN
April 16………………….St. Louis, MO
April 23………………….Foxboro, MA
April 30………………….East Rutherford, NJ
May 7…………………….Las Vegas, NV

2016 FIM WORLD MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

One thing we can promise for the 2016 GP season is that this race schedule will be changed a couple times. How do we know? Italy is only on there one time. The 2016 series starts in Qatar, goes to South Africa and then to Argentina. What? No moon?

2016 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Feb. 27……………………..Losail, Qatar
Mar. 20…………………….Johannesburg, South Africa
April 10…………………….Neuquen, Argentina
April 24…………………….TBA, Italy
May 1……………………….Valkenswaard, Holland
May 15…………………….Teutschenthal, Germany
May 22……………………..Matterly Basin, Great Britain
June 5………………………St Jean d’Angely, France
June 12…………………….Lommel, Belgium
June 26…………………….Kegums, Latvia
July 3……………………….Uddevalla, Sweden
July 10……………………..TBA
July 24………………………Loket, Czech Republic
Aug. 7……………………….Frauenfeld, Switzerland
Aug. 14……………………..Assen, Holland
Aug. 28……………………..TBA
Sept. 4……………………….Leon, Mexico
Sept.11………………………Glen Helen, USA
Sept. 25……………………..Motocross des Nations…Maggiora, Italy

 

Photos by Dan Alamangos,Debbi Tamietti, Mark Chilson, Massimo Zanzani, Pro Circuit, Ray Archer, Honda, Drew Ruiz, Endurocross,  John Basher, KTM, John Ker, Massimo Zanzani and MXA