Throwdown No.244 – 02/07/15

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With reigning Aussie MX1 champ, Matt Moss, basically out of title contention, KTM Motocross Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs has been able to establish a whopping 52-point lead over teammate, Luke Styke in the MX Nationals. Six points back sits NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki rider, Adam Monea, who is trailed closely by DPH Motorsports Yamaha’s Lawson Bopping and CDR Yamaha’s Kade Mosig. The series resumes this weekend at Raymond Terrace after taking its annual halfway break. The man to watch will be CDR Yamaha’s Dan Reardon, who has spent the last month training hard in SoCal. In the MX2 class, Serco Yamaha’s Luke Clout leads teammate, Jay Wilson, and 34-year-old Japanese rider, Takeshi Katsuya, while the MXD (Under 19s) class is lead by GYTR Yamaha young-gun, Wilson Todd.

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Dylan Long will make his official MX1 debut with the NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki squad alongside Adam Monea this weekend at Raymond Terrace, due to Jake Moss breaking his leg (not the same leg he broke earlier this year). Jake will be back on the bike in three weeks after getting a whole bunch of stitches out today, and is expected to return in time for this year’s Australian Supercross Championship.

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Our sport has been looking for the next Ricky Carmichael ever since it stopped looking for the next Jeremy McGrath. When stars make an impact, they leave a mark every star after gets measured against – fair or not. Ryan Villopoto has been the “most Carmichael-like” so far, but who’s next in line? Is it Adam Cianciarulo, who has been gathering hype for years, or reigning 250 champ, Jeremy Martin, who just hired Carmichael’s first ever trainer, Johnny O’Mara? We explore the question in this week’s USA Insider column.

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Following the official closure of TwoTwo Motorsports (and shoulder surgery), Chad Reed won’t line up at RedBud this weekend, the seventh round of the 2015 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. His outdoor season is over, and his next next race may very well be the AUS-X Open events in Sydney on November 28 and 29. What bike will be on board, and who will he be racing for? Who knows…

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After taking a weekend off, the FIM Motocross World Championship will be back on track this weekend in Uddevalla for Round 11 of the series. There is no rider more deserving of the MXGP red plate, at this moment in time, than Yamaha Factory Racing Yamalube’s Romain Febvre. The rookie has completely taken control of what is shaping up to be the craziest championship ever. With three consecutive MXGP round victories to his name, Febvre will head into this weekend’s round in Sweden with a nine-point advantage over Max Nagl who underwent surgery on his ankle last weekend, and is yet to confirm if he will be racing or not. Props to Antonio Cairoli, who continues to race with a broken arm.

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The “reveal” of Aleksandr Tonkov’s 250F race bike three months ago indicated that the 2016 models from Husqvarna would be new-generation machines, and incorporate much of the new frame and engine technology recently released on KTM’s 2016-model MXers. So, were those indications true? Today’s teaser announcement suggests that our extrapolations were correct. The one thing we didn’t make guesses about was the suspension. Unlike the 2016 KTM motocrossers, WP’s 4CS fork will be fitted to both American and European-spec Huskys.

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The entry list for this year’s Battle of the Clubs event at Taupo’s Digger McEwen Park in New Zealand was the strongest it has ever been since its inception, which translated to some great racing. Read all about it in this week’s NZ Insider column.

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The King of the Desert, KTM Enduro Racing Team’s Toby Price, will take to Hattah this weekend to try and back up his recent Finke victory. After securing his fourth Finke title, Pricey is now aiming for his fifth Hattah Desert Race title. Crazy, hey?! If you don’t know what Hattah is all about, check out our image gallery from the 2014 edition of the event.

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Are you keen to follow the making of Motonomad II as Adam Riemann and companions embark on a journey through central Asia? We’ll be keeping you updated with Adam’s blog posts via www.transmoto.com.au over the next couple of months, so check our site for that regularly. In issue #51 of Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine, that goes on sale July 9, we have a Bike Dissected feature on the KTM 500EXC that Riemann is set to complete his journey aboard – be sure to grab a print or digital copy if that interests you.

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How tough is Jess Gardiner?! The Aussie Sherco-mounted girl snapped his wrist just over a month ago, and even though she’s still in a cast, is overseas and hoping to line up at the GP of Belgium next weekend. She sits 14 points behind Laia Sanz in the championship standings, so this is her shot to gain some valuable points before the final round in France. Best of luck, Jess.

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Australia’s Jackson Strong was unable to compete in the 2015 edition of X Games (due to a constructional issue), but his determination wouldn’t let that stop him from doing the trick he has been working on for months. He said he was going back to Brian Deegan’s house to do this trick to dirt and here it is. Jacko’s Quarter Pipe Double Drop!

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Have you got your hands on a copy of Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine‘s special 50th anniversary issue yet? There’s something for everyone inside, so if you don’t already have your slice of history, head on down to your local newsagent and grab it today. Alternatively, purchase a copy on your favourite digital device using the Zinio App.

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Oh, and if you purchase a six-issue print subscription ($50) to Transmoto Dirt Bike Magazine this month, you’ll receive a free Transmoto-branded Mizu drink bottle and multi-tool (a very special gift that came with Transmoto‘s first-ever issue). You can subscribe by clicking here.

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Announcing the imminent arrival of their 2016 motocross models, Husqvarna has offered a first look at what is soon to come from their totally new, next generation line-up of motocross machines. Building on over a century of motorsport heritage and Swedish-inspired design, the new motocross models are claimed to mark a ground breaking milestone in the arrival of premium motocross bikes. Click here and have a squizz before all details are unveiled between August 3-8.

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Shift has released its 2016 collection of racewear, including epic new colourways and fresh designs. Jeff Emig and Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg took to the streets of Chile to film a new video showcasing the new line – in a true Shift, rebel-inspired fashion! Check it.

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Michelin has launched its Starcross 5 range of tyres following an extensive three years of testing. Learn about ’em by clicking this link.

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