Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
With less than two weeks until Christmas Day, the countdown has definitely gone into overdrive. As we sit here today, there are only ten days left to shop for that special gift, and those ten days include this coming weekend. So with limited time, one of your best bets is to go to www.decalmx.com and within minutes you can design and order your very own set of custom DeCal Works graphics. These graphics are the best in the business, and they would make the perfect gift during this holiday season.
As I mentioned above, there are less than two weeks until everyone’s favourite day of the year. Yes, Christmas Day is fast approaching, and for the first time in many years, Canadian riders in almost every region have been getting some late season rides in due to the mild weather. This was also the case for me as on Friday I went for a hike out to my track to see if it was dry enough to ride. This has never happened before as the latest I’ve ever ridden on it is early November, actually it was this past November. So when I realized my track was still ride-able I did the typical crazy moto parent thing and rushed into my son’s school and pulled him out for the rest of the day so he could do some riding. I can remember my Dad doing the same when I was a kid when there was an opportunity to get a little unexpected riding in. Anyway, school is important; I wouldn’t recommend missing it on a regular basis, but when it is 12 degrees in December and the tracks are dry, it’s time to do some riding! Judging by Social Media, we weren’t the only ones who took advantage of these rare conditions. I hope everyone had fun riding in mid-December!
This crew of fast young Ontario kids looked like they enjoyed their rare mid-December ride.
With no real racing events to talk about this week, I’d like to tell you about what I did last week. I’m sure everyone (or at least I hope everyone) has had those days at work, at school, or maybe just in your day to day life when you feel like you’re having the best day ever and you want to pinch yourself. While I’ve been fortunate enough to have a few of those days over the years, last week I was able to experience another one. You see, on Monday I hopped on a plane and headed southwest to sunny and warm California for the media launch of the 2016 KTM Factory Editions. These somewhat rare 250SX-F and 450SX-Fs will be available in Canada soon. To get the first look at them, myself and a few journalists from Europe were brought to California to test them out.
However, before we got to ride these awesome new bikes, we were all brought (along with all of the USA media) to the KTM test track on Tuesday evening for the big introductions of not only the bikes but also the two teams that KTM USA will be fielding in 2016. First, the Troy Lee Designs GoPro KTM Team was introduced and then the moment that everyone in attendance was waiting for, the Red Bull KTM Team was brought onstage and Ryan Dungey, Dean Wilson and Marvin Musquin were greeted with a big round of applause. Then after some interviews where the riders spoke about how their off-seasons have gone and how they feel heading into the 2016 Monster Energy SX Series, it was time for the most unexpected part of the night. All of a sudden the lights came alive on the test track and all of the riders suited up and took to the track for an unexpected 25 minute riding session. There we all were, standing ten feet from the test track watching not only all of the top KTM riders, but also the best rider on the planet ride lap after lap. And I was doing it with five time Canadian Champion and the current Royal Distributing Fox KTM Team Manager, JSR, on one side of me and his rider Cole Thompson on the other side of me. As I said earlier, this was a pretty special moment to be able to be there and witness all of that. All three of us commented on how smooth and precise Ryan Dungey looked on the track. He rides with such momentum and speed that his bike barely makes any noise. Our favourite half Canadian, Dean Wilson, also looked great, and he told me after that he feels ready for Anaheim 1. In fact, Deano has been training with Tyla Rattray. He said it’s really been helping his speed and confidence as he heads into what I believe is his make or break season in the 450 class.
It was great hanging out with Dean Wilson, JSR, Kyle Demmelo and Cole Thompson at last Tuesday’s KTM press launch. Sadly as this photo was being taken there were some jealous USA journalists making some not so funny Canadian jokes in the background.
It was also great to speak with Thompson about his thoughts on racing SX again in 2016. As you know, Cole has signed with the Slaton Racing Team to ride the West Lites class beginning next month, and while his SX preparation is just beginning, Cole said he feels very prepared already after racing in the 2015 Canadian National AX Tour in Canada last month. Even though that series wasn’t SX, Cole said that the racing was intense and the AX Tour series was great for his confidence. I think it was also good for Cole to be able to watch some of his competition ride at the KTM test track, because he’s going to be racing some of them at Anaheim 1. I know he feels like he can compete with them. It’s going to be awesome to have a Canadian rider to cheer for when the Monster Energy SX Series begins at Anaheim in just under four weeks.
After watching the KTM riders rip the SX test track for half an hour, we all sat down and enjoyed a very tasty BBQ dinner. When dinner was complete I joined JSR for a chat with Ryan Dungey where he shared with us that he feels well rested and ready to defend his 2015 SX title. Dungey also mentioned that he’s looking forward to returning to Toronto in 2016 as he loves the city, the stadium and all of the loud Canadian fans. JSR and I definitely agreed with him on that, we can’t wait for the Toronto SX next year. After the evening concluded, JSR and I were driving back to our hotel with up and coming Red Bull sponsored Canadian FMX ride Kyle Demmelo. We all commented on how nice and down to earth Ryan Dungey is as a person. For the highest paid, top athlete in our sport, talking to him is as easy as sitting down and talking to one of your buddies. He is definitely a great role model for everyone in our sport and by the sounds of it, he’s once again ready to race for 2016.
Introducing the brand new 2016 KTM 450SX-F Factory Edition. This bike comes with WP’s new air fork which makes this bike a crazy 4 lbs lighter than a stock 2016 KTM 450SX.
As you can tell it was a great night for all of us and I’d like to thank KTM Canada for the opportunity to experience it. On Wednesday we headed out to the Cahuilla Creek track in Anza, CA to spend the day riding the new Factory Edition KTMs. Again, it was another awesome day; please look for a full report this week on how these new bikes worked. So if anyone out there is wondering what to get your favourite motocross magazine editor for Christmas this year, please don’t bother as I just had the best present possible last week!
Well, that it is for me this week. I hope everyone is enjoying these last few days before Christmas and the final few weeks before we say good-bye to yet another year. These years are just flying by aren’t they? In the latest issue of MXP, our cherished historian, Mike McGill, takes a look back at the famous Hully Gully track in Ontario. Three decades ago this track was a regular on the Ontario and National circuit. It was great to read Mike’s story and think back to the laps I used to race there. Finally, all the best to Jean Christophe Bujold who was injured last week while riding in Florida. JCB suffered a broken femur and will obviously be off the bike for a few months. All the best to him and also to Dylan Kaelin who is still in a BC hospital recovering from serious internal injuries suffered at the recent Chilliwack AX. Heal up boys and all the best to everyone this week right across this great country of ours!
There is nothing quite like riding in California a few weeks before Christmas.
