MX Articles
The fastest dirt bike in the world?
Racing homologation births some pretty epic motorcycles. RC30, OW01, various “R” model Ducatis and now this 2012 KTM 450 SX-F Factory. Just 400 units will be sold in America in 2012, the minimum required to allow Ryan Dungey to campaign a similar machine in Supercross. Like any good homologation special, it’s lighter, faster and specialer than standard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjOjl...
Scrambling into the New Year
New Year’s Day has been the beginning of the calendar year dating back to 1751, and before that, to the day when baby Jesus was circumcised. In western culture, it’s a day of hangovers, laying in bed and eating way too much, knowing full well the guilty will compensate with gym time and a new found healthy lifestyle. However, while most are still sleeping happily in their cozy beds, I'm freezi...
Dailies
KTM Freeride E entering production next year, priced below $10,000
He of the Kushitani leathers and Union Jack Arai, Alan Cathcart, just became the first motorcycle journalist to take a KTM Freeride E prototype for a spin. He liked it, but the real news here is word of production dates, prices, configurations and future electric KTMs. E-Duke anyone? “We plan in July or August of 2012 to build 500 pre-production bikes, then gather feedback from non-professiona...
Jamie Robinson does La Baneza
Earlier this summer, I rode out of London on the Yamaha Super Ténéré, down through France, into Spain and to a historic little town in the province of León called La Bañeza. It's far enough away from the Major cities to still be old Spain, the pace is slower, all food is authentic and the town loves motorbikes. So much so that they have there own mini Isle of Man TT every year, this annual st...
Dailies
BRD RedShift MX and SM: as fast as a 250
The first products of fresh Bay Area startup BRD, this motocrosser and supermoto promise equivalent performance to 250cc four-stroke competitors. Making 40bhp and weighing 240lbs without lights, the BRD RedShift MX looks approximately equal to the KTM 250 SX-F, which makes 39bhp and weighs 228lbs. With 5.2kWh in its battery pack, the BRD should be capable of one if not two full motos too. “We ...
2012 Kawasaki KX250 dual fuel injectors explained
While the KX450 might be a little retarded, the 2012 Kawasaki KX250F has gotten a serious engine management upgrade. Until just a few years ago, MX bikes all used carburetors. The Keihin FCR is a complicated piece of highly refined technology that works extremely well and represents the ultimate evolution of carburetor technology. The first MX fuel injection systems were a little bit clunky. They ...
Dailies
Retarded: 2012 Kawasaki KX450 Launch Control
Launch control is a pretty awesome thing. The idea behind it is that at the start of a race, you whack the throttle wide open, dump the clutch, and the computer makes all the hard calls for you. This tech is the reason MotoGP and F1 starts are so drama free and smooth. All the guy behind the controls has to do is keep it pinned wide open and it'll go as fast as the tires will allow. Kawasaki's lau...
Zero's new motorcycles don't ride like bicycles anymore
When I first rode the Zero X two years ago at Glen Helen, I was basically riding a weirdo chassis stuffed with a giant battery box, then fitted with bicycle parts and an electric motor. When we tried out the Zero DS and S models in Brooklyn last year, Zero had just figured out how to get the throttle response to act with the same kind of variable input as an ICE, steady throttle finally equalled s... Bell Moto-9: Bubba Stewart’s helmet
This all-new Bell Moto-9 incorporates more safety features than we’ve ever seen in a motocross helmet before. In addition to the Kevlar/carbon/fiberglass shell and Snell M2010 certification there's magnetic cheekpads which facilitate easy helmet removal by EMTs, who will also be able to use the inflatable bladder of the Eject Helmet Removal System to further reduce the risk of injury. The Moto...
Dailies
Scott Hustle Goggles adjust to fit your face
Featuring two cams in the cheekpads, the Scott Hustle Goggles claim to be the first MX goggles with a customizable fit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_BxBeyXoRMNot only does this cam allow for adjustment to a rider’s individual cheek shape, but it also adjusts the width of the nose bridge, pinching only as tight as you prefer. Those cams are screwdriver-adjusted and should only need to be set... Alpinestars boosts dirt safety
Alpinestars is seriously upgrading its off-road protection equipment for Fall 2010, finally offering real knee braces and integrating its Bionic Neck Support into its armor jackets and chest protection to make it more effective. The safety offered by that chest protector alone has been increased also, with it now incorporating a real back protector for the first time. Details of the new pr... Details: the tiniest steering damper in the world
This tiny adjustable steering damper belongs to the 2011 Honda CRF450R and 250R. Isn't it cute? It's not new, debuting on the 2008 models, but like the rest of the 2011 MX bikes, it's been slightly upgraded, in this case growing its piston size from 20 to 24mm for better control. On off-road bikes like these, steering dampers help keep the bike tracking straight over ruts and while landing jumps a... Dainese MX gloves, a love story
As a fancypants motorcycle journalist, I can have essentially any uber-expensive piece of riding gear I want, for free. But half the time, I end up wearing stuff that's years old and wasn't all that expensive to start with. These Dainese MX gloves are one of those items. They're probably a decade old, they smell like vinegar and, if my girlfriend would let me, I'd never take them off. Believe it o...
Dailies
Drake McElroy: Memo two
Freestyle master and Smoking Seagulls member Drake McElroy has recently been traveling and performing on the Gravity Slashers FMX Tour. We asked him to document his daily grind while on the road and send back reports."On my left is Big Al. His are the balls to blame. To my right, Joe Martin. He is always a good time and gets it on a dirtbike. He lived in Nor Cal but shipped off to TX. This picture...