Throwdown No.203 – 28/08/14

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At the final round of the 2014 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the Indiana National, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard went 1-1 to claim his first 450 Class Overall of the season, ahead of Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey (2-2) and GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac (4-3). Dungey’s teammate, Ken Roczen, went 3-4 to secure the 2014 title in his rookie season. In the 250 Class, Yamalube/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin 1-1 ahead of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett (3-3) and teammate, Cooper Webb (2-4), to secure the round Overall, as well as the title. To grab detailed results and check out the official highlights from the event, click here. 

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Want to know how Roczen celebrated winning his first-ever 450 Class Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross title? Hit play on the video below and find out… A true champion, we’d say…

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Earlier this week, Motorcycling Australia (MA) made the official announcement that it will be Chad Reed (MX1), Dean Ferris (MX2) and Matt Moss (MX3) representing Team Australia at this year’s Motocross of Nations in Latvia. Kirk Gibbs and Luke Clout were named as the reserve riders. Where does Brett Metcalfe, the Australian who finished the 2014 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross series in fourth Overall, fit into this equation, we hear you ask? “Brett Metcalfe chose to withdraw his nomination to compete at the MXoN this year due to other issues he needs to attend to around the time of the 2014 MXoN,” said an official member of MA. “MA were naturally very disappointed about the news but respect his call and hope he is in contention to represent us in the future!” The team of Reed, Ferris and Moss is strong, and we’ll be interested to see how they go against the American trio of Ryan Dungey, Eli Tomac and Jeremy Martin, as well as the rest of the world’s best MXers. 

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Motorcycling New Zealand has also confirmed the squad that they will be sending to this year’s MXoN. Top to bottom there’s Hamish Dobbyn in MX1, Hamish Harwood in MX2 and Scott Columb in Open. Read more in this week’s NZ Insider column, penned by Chris Ritchie. 

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At the penultimate round of the 2014 Monster Energy MX Nationals, held at Gladstone, Qld over the weekend, KTM Motocross Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs went 2-3 to finish one-point ahead of CDR Yamaha’s Billy Mackenzie (5-1), and another point clear of NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Monea and Mackenzie’s teammate, Jacob Wright, who won the GoPro Super Pole. Despite Gibbs taking the win, he was only able to shave three points of Team Motul Suzuki’s Matt Moss, who finished in fifth Overall at Gladstone. He sits 37 points ahead of Gibbs heading into the season finale at Coolum this weekend.

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In the MX2 class, SD3 Husqvarna’s Luke Arbon claimed his third Outright round win of the year, going 3-1 to finish ahead of CMR Red Bull KTM’s Hamish Dobbyn (2-4) and Serco Yamaha’s Jay Wilson (1-7). Wilson’s teammate, Luke Clout, finished the round in fourth Overall, and sits 32 points clear of Arbon heading into Coolum’s final round. The MXD (Under 19s) class was taken out by GYTR Yamaha’s Wilson Todd, ahead of Berry Sweet Husqvarna’s Egan Mastin and KTM-mounted Privateer, Jayden Rykers. It’s Mastin who holds the red plate heading into Coolum, 30 points head of KTM-mounted Victorian, Jack Simpson.

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Click here to check out Transmoto‘s 40-image gallery from the ninth round of the 2014 Monster Energy MX Nationals, held at Gladstone in Queensland, August 24, courtesy of Fourohfour. 

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The 2014 East Coast MX series, presented by Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine, has concluded for the Juniors, with the final round taking place at Wollongong MCC on August 16. It’s not over for the Seniors, though, as over 100mm of rain on Sunday, August 17, forced a postponement for the big-boy racing, which has been rescheduled for September 20. Detailed results from the Junior racing categories can be found here.

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Husqvarna Motorcycles has confirmed that Australia’s Dean Ferris will contest the remainder of the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championship, competing in the MXGP class for the Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing team. Stepping in as a temporary replacement for the team’s injured rider, Australia’s Todd Waters, Ferris has scored numerous top ten results in the highly competitive class on board his FC350. At Round 13 of the championship in Finland, Ferris even secured a very impressive sixth Overall after finishing fifth in race two. Looks like we might not see Ferris racing a Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship event in the near future after all, unfortunately.

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KTM’s brand new Desert Racing Team has made its inaugural year of operation a spectacularly successful one, adding the second annual WA Desert Racing Tri-Series to its list of 2014 trophies, that includes the prestigious Finke and Hattah Desert race titles. Once again, it was Toby Price who took the chequered flag on his KTM 500EXC, winning the Indee 500 at Port Hedland to complete a perfect run in his maiden Tri-Series. For winning all three rounds of the series (as his Team Manager, Ben Grabham did last year), Price was awarded with a $20,000 bonus on top of his round and title winnings. Not a bad clean up, eh?!

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Click here to check out an exclusive sneak peek at Pierre Alexandre Renet and Christophe Nambotin’s full-length off-road segment from RIDE: World Elements, the all-new dirt bike film currently being produced by Fourohfour, set to be released on December 6, 2014. Renet and Nambotin are the current respective E2 and E1 EWC champions.

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Speaking of RIDE, check out the Active8 Yamaha squad of Josh Green, Tom McCormack and AJ Roberts in their epic section from the original movie, RIDE: The Film, produced by Fourohfour.

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It was all thrills and spills in Pretoria, South Africa over the weekend at the final round of the 2014 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour. The scene was set for a showdown between Australia’s Josh Sheehan and New Zealand’s Levi Sherwood on the massive course of red dirt. Eventually, Sheehan would storm ahead to claim his first-ever Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour crown. Read more about the event and check out the official highlights reel in this week’s FMX Insider, penned by South Australian FMX rider, Ben Heidrich. 

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Prior to the final round of the 2014 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour taking place over the weekend, riders were invited to head out and shoot a few press images with Red Bull (to be used as promo material). This shot (and the shot used as the cover image for this article) grabbed our attention the most. For more rad MX images, like Red Bull’s official Facebook page.

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Two-strokes are what Travis Pastrana and his close mates grew up on, so one week every year, they gather to pay homage to that by riding any two-stroke they can find – some with wheels, some without. Click here to watch as the team goes from down and dirty to wet and wild.

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Click here to find out what’s inside Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine’s 2015 July-August Issue (#45), and be sure to grab yourself a print or digital edition.

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CHANGE THE DATE! The fifth annual Transmoto 12-Hour, powered by InsureMyRide, will take place at Batemans Bay, NSW on March 7-8, 2015 (not March 14-15 as originally announced). A clash with the final round of the 2014 InsureMyRide Australian Enduro-X series has forced us to bring the event forward one week. Earlier this year, over 400 dirt bike enthusiasts descended on the South Coast of NSW for the 2014 edition, and not one walked away disappointed. We trust that we’ll see many returning and new faces at next year’s event. To be the first to hear about entries opening, be sure to like the official Transmoto 12-Hour Facebook page, and check out the website regularly.

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Transmoto is giving you the opportunity to hang out and ride with multiple Aussie off-road champ, CDR Yamaha’s Chris Hollis, in a relaxed, safe and fun environment. At a private property in Stroud, NSW, on Sunday October 26, be a part of Transmoto’s first-ever “Day In The Vineyard”. No racing, no pressure – just a day of riding arrowed trails and a Hollis-designed grasstrack. Food and drinks included. All ages welcome. Spots will be limited, so if you think you’re going to be keen to secure a place, please email online@transmoto.com.au now!

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MOTONOMAD, the epic off-road film produced by Motology Films‘ Adam Riemann, tells the incredible story of two Aussie mates who endured a 7000km, seven-country extreme motorcycle adventure from the grassy hills of Austria to the political turmoil of the Middle East. Thanks to Transmoto, you’ll be able to check out the amazing movie at the world big-screen premiere, taking place at the Cremorne Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace in Sydney on Thursday, September 11. Meet the stars/producers/directors on the night while you take advantage of the foyer bar prior to the film’s screening at 8:30PM. There will also be some awesome prize giveaways on the night. Advanced tickets are $20, which you can purchase by clicking here, or (if not sold-out) they’ll be available at the cinema for $25 on the night. Click here to check out the official trailers and whet your appetite. 

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Speaking of the 2015 InsureMyRide Australian Enduro-X series, it’s been confirmed that the opening round will take place at Archerfield Speedway in Brisbane, Qld on Saturday, February 27. Round 2 will then take place at Eastern Creek Raceway in Sydney, NSW on Saturday, February 28, before the series concludes at Calder Park Raceway in Melbourne, Vic on Saturday, March 14. For more information, click here.

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Teknik Motorsport’s Nick Dole is currently looking to employ an apprentice motorcycle mechanic, and/or a Junior General Hand (answer the phone, pick, pack and ship orders, unload incoming shipments, take care of stock, etc) with the opportunity to become an apprentice motorcycle mechanic. You’ll need to be enthusiastic with good school reports and references. While no prior experience is required, it’s expected that you’ve had a keen interest in mechanical devices from a young age. You’ll also need to live within 30 minutes of the shop in Penrith, NSW. If you’re interested in either the job, write to Leanne via admin@teknikmotorsport.com and explain in your own words why you’re the right person for the job.

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The Motul Pirelli Troy Bayliss Classic presented by InsureMyRide & Garden Master has been confirmed to return in 2015. The iconic event will be held at Taree Motorcycle Club on Saturday, January 17. The event, which is now in its third year, will see 36 Australian and international all-star motorcycle racers converge on Taree to vie for the coveted crown.

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The latest iteration of the championship-winning Suzuki RM-Z450 has landed in Australian dealerships. For detailed information on the machine (and a ride impression), click here.

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Transmoto, part of one of Australia’s largest sports media groups covering moto, surf and snow, located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, is now seeking a highly creative advertising sales manager. The role requires strong relationship skills with key accounts, an ability to develop and manage creative solutions across media channels, be a self-starter, and be prepared to go the extra mile to ensure client satisfaction. Send CV to Group HR Manager, jmacnaughton@threecrowns.com.au if interested.

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