MXGP Insider No.13 presented by KTM – World Domination

Geoff Meyer

Welcome to our new weekly web-exclusive column, Transmoto’s MXGP Insider presented by KTM. Written by World Motocross fanatic, Transmoto’s European correspondent Geoff Meyer. He’s seen more MXGP pit paddocks than most and in his early days use to hitch a ride from event to event. The veteran Aussie runs MX Large and MX Illustrated magazine so he is well versed in the Euro motocross and supercross scene. Get your Euro fix here.

The KTM Factory team has a lot of pressure on their shoulders in 2012. With the FIM World MX2 Championships going to Tyla Rattray in 2008, Marvin Musquin in 2009/2010 and Ken Roczen in 2011, it’s pretty clear KTM are on a roll.

In fact KTM have won seven of the last 12 FIM World MX2 Championships and the big favourite to win this year’s title is teenage sensation, Jeffrey Herlings, of the Red Bull KTM Factory team.

When KTM-mounted Grant Langston claimed the 2000 125cc/MX2 Championship he did so after a season long battle with former AMA 125cc Champion and 2001 125cc World Champion, James Dobb. It was under the Champ KTM awning that the South African came into his own and the always likeable Langston even went onto AMA success when he left Europe for the American dream.

After Langston came KTM titles to Dobb in 2001, Ramon in 2003, Townley in 2004, and then after a lean spell Rattray, Musquin and Roczen in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

It was only the brilliance of Antonio Cairoli in 2005 and 2007 and Christophe Pourcel in 2006 that stopped KTM from totally dominating the noughties.

It’s often been said that KTM has the best 125cc/250cc four-stroke in the world and going by their World Motocross success it might just be the case. Although one place the Austrian brand have struggled to dominate is in America.

Despite Townley, Rattray, Musquin and Roczen all heading to USA it hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for KTM. Rattray signed for Pro Circuit Kawasaki, as did Townley and while Musquin and Roczen have remained with KTM, they too have also felt the wrath of injury as they struggle to come to terms with the sport of Supercross. Only Langston back in 2003 gave KTM big time success in America.

In a couple of weeks’ time Ken Roczen, the 2011 FIM World MX2 Champion will commence his stalled AMA career as he moves to the East Coast Lites class after missing the opening rounds of the West Coast Lites due to an injury.

If Roczen can ride like we all know he can, he might just add to that AMA 125cc Motocross Championship of Langston, and also give KTM the success they deserve worldwide.

Ryan Dungey has already got them their first ever AMA Supercross podium, and their first ever AMA Supercross main event win and as the American season unfolds the European Motorcycle brand will be tested, and it will be riders like Dungey, Roczen and Musquin who will be asked to take the orange army to another level.

While back in Europe Jeffrey Herlings will be asked to do the same and continue the domination of the MX2 class that started more than a decade ago. Ready to race is their company slogan and it’s racing that will take KTM to the threshold of something special in 2012.