John “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Desoto came to Southern California from Hawaii and worked his way from shop rides to full factory support. John wanted to race in Europe and got funding from Tommy Smothers (of the Smothers Brothers) and Dan Gurney who had befriended him. Europe was a tough sell, John saying that ‘we’ had much to learn about what ‘fast’ really was. After leaving Europe John signed with CZ. CZ mounted, Desoto finally got the results and recognition of a top racer. He raced for CZ through the early ’70s and was always battling for Top American in the Trans-AMA and Inter-AM motocross series. He represented the United States in the Motocross des Nations along with Mike Hartwig and Jim Pomeroy in 1973.
Billy Bolt’s recap from the primordial lands of the Outliers Hard Enduro. This is a great show!
Great video from the Assoluti Italiano Enduro Championship
Mitas brings extra strength to Enduro discipline with TERRA FORCE-EX tire line launch
Mitas looks to further strengthen its position as a leader in Enduro racing by introducing its entirely new TERRA FORCE-EX tire line. The new line, tested by Enduro racers for performance in all types of terrains, is designed to deliver more power, control, and endurance even under the most extreme conditions.
Specifically designed for Enduro and dual-sports motorcycles, the new TERRA FORCE-EX tire line is classified as ‘street legal’. It comes in four different patterns available in different versions and covering the most popular sizes, including Junior.
Back in 1976, the Supercross buzz was unique and fresh, in a sport that was still very young. Putting a shot of Gaylon Mosier, Jimmy Ellis, Kent Howerton, and half of Tony D was pure adrenaline for the dirt bike junkie. Would we see a cover like this today? Ah…no.
My buddy Billy Berroth sent me this a while back, It’s from 1988, and was our main test zone located out in the high desert. This was a normal gathering mid-week to test and ride. It was Ron Fry’s (RIP) abode and I spy a few friends here. Kevin Hines, Mark Zoller, Doug Johns and Bill Berroth along with my friend and fellow editor Karel ‘The Stormer’ Kramer.
This is from the 1989 Idaho City ISDE Qualifier. It was a rough year for me; I had broken my leg badly the year earlier and had major hardware in my left tibia, which made it hard to ride, which mated to a major pain factor. I had tried to qualify for the ISDE and just didn’t have the necessary tools to get the job done. This bike was one of my favorites, a big-bore-kitted KX250. Team Green’s Mark Johnson helped me set it up and get me to the qualifiers. It made great bottom power and had the best suspension I had ridden with to that point.
Nürburg. The Bulldog Racing Edition is a special model based on the highly equipped MINI John Cooper Works, featuring a 6-speed manual gearbox and an impressive output of 231 hp / 170 kW, with a maximum torque of 320 Nm.
This special model celebrates the best finish for a MINI in a 24-hour race in the brand’s 64-year history. While the engine and many features of the Bulldog Racing Edition are similar to the race car with the starting number #126 from Bulldog Racing, it does not include the safety features required by competition regulations, making it more suitable for everyday use.
“Finishing in second place and achieving the first podium for MINI after a grueling 24 hours was a great accomplishment. As soon as we crossed the finish line, we knew we wanted to share this moment with our fans. Our main challenge in developing the Bulldog Racing Edition was to ensure it closely resembled our race car while remaining road legal,” explains Alexander Schabbach, Managing Director of Bulldog Racing.
The Bulldog Racing Edition offers a true “racing feeling” for the road through the use of various motorsport components that can be customized according to each customer’s preferences.
The KW V3 suspension, which is adjustable in compression and rebound damping, lies at the core of the edition. It enhances grip, improves turn-in behavior, and increases safety at the limit. The suspension setup is individually performed for each vehicle by one of Bulldog Racing’s professional drivers on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The 17-inch OZ HyperGT alloy wheels, in combination with the Remus brand sports exhaust, give the vehicle a subtle yet distinctive appearance. Pirelli provides the P Zero Performance tyres, sized 205/45R17, as they have proven to be reliable racing tires. The rear seat is replaced with a strut and fitting mesh and carpet from the Stern Performance Parts Clubsport set, resulting in weight reduction and improved performance.
An exterior highlight of the Bulldog Racing Edition is the large roof decor foil featuring the Bulldog Racing logo, a traditional adornment on every race car of the team. Inside, each Bulldog Racing edition is equipped with an individual badge that signifies it as a numbered limited edition, documenting the day the suspension was set up on the Nordschleife, among other discreet features.
“To cater to a wide range of individual desires, each car is customized according to the customer’s wishes, making each one unique. Our special model demonstrates the modifications we can make to the MINI, and we are proud to offer this service to customers with older MINIs of the current generation from 2014 onwards,” says Alexander Schabbach.
MINI owners interested in the Bulldog Racing Edition can contact: sales@bulldog-racing.com
In 2023, what would a two-stroke Honda CR300R look like? John Murray, a self-proclaimed “Honda Guy,” is one of the many people who would love to see Honda produce two-stroke competition motorcycles again. Instead of waiting for Honda, Murray took matters into his own hands and built the KTM-powered Honda CR300R. This week’s 2-Stroke Tuesday focuses on his creation.
Using OEM KTM and Honda parts, John Murray built the KTM-powered Honda CR300R. He also added some bolt-on items from companies like FMF, ODI, Race Tech, Dubya, Rekluse, Dunlop, and Decal Works, who topped the project off with a custom set of graphics.
The details of Murray’s build may not be as refined as a factory build, but it gets the job done, and that’s what matters.
The FMF pipe required modifications and custom brackets to fit properly.
The addition of a hydraulic clutch and an electric start is a dream come true for Honda two-stroke enthusiasts.
The 2023 KTM300 SX two-stroke engine fits perfectly in the 2023 Honda CRF450R chassis.
The electric start button is a much-desired feature for two-stroke owners.
While John Murray’s KTM/Honda “Under Construction” project may not appeal to everyone, we appreciate his efforts in building this machine. Stay tuned for more updates.
Last month, we got to test the 2024 KTM 450XCF-W at a media intro in Ohio at the site of the John Penton GNCC. It was just enough to get us excited about the bike and we couldn’t wait to get it to California where we could get more time on it. Last year, this was a bike that very few people seemed to understand. It was a closed-course competition bike that many riders mistook for a green-sticker compliant machine–in other words, people just assumed it was plugged up and overly lean. It wasn’t. It was an extremely capable off-road bike with a six-speed gearbox and excellent power delivery–most definitely not plugged up and overly lean. For 2024 it’s back with the same general personality, but updated with a new chassis, new suspension and a mostly new motor. To clarify, there is a green sticker version of this bike in the KTM line. That one is called the 500XWF.
In stock form, the 450XCF-W is better suited for trail riding than any four-stroke in KTM’s line.
The 450XCF-W takes the 450SX-F motocross platform introduced last year and gives it the off-road treatment as far as suspension, power delivery and equipment. To be fair, the frame is unlike anything else because it uses PDS rear suspension without linkage. The shock is similar to the one on the new motocross bike, but with different internals and, of course, it connects directly to the swingarm–which is new. This year, the PDS rear end uses a straight-rate spring. Up front, there’s an entirely new fork. It’s a coil-spring version of the Xact air fork from the motocross line. No more Xplor fork. The motor has its own mapping with two options on the handlebar switch as well as traction control. And then there’s that six-speed gearbox, which is something that desert riders have been wanting for a long time. As far as equipment goes, the big news is an LED headlight that actually produces decent candle power for riding at night. Racing at night will still require something bigger. The bike also comes with a radiator fan.
The price for the 2023 KTM 450XCF-W is $11,999.
Now that we’ve ridden the bike at home, we’re even more impressed. The suspension is nothing short of excellent. The previous version of the bike (which we already loved) needed substantial fork work for anything except low-speed rock crawling. It was too soft in stock form, and the Xplor fork didn’t respond well to modification. The new fork is still good in rocks, but it doesn’t dive and misbehave in whoops. It’s stiffer than the old fork, so it may give away a little compliance in first gear, but it’s well-suited for anything faster. The PDS rear suspension is great too. There are still a number of hard-core linkage fans who resist the PDS concept, but we believe this bike will convert many of them.
Pete Murray finds a little piece of Erzberg in California.
As far as power goes, the 450XCF-W runs sort of like a heavily modified 500EXC. Dual-sport riders have to speed thousands to get this kind of power out of the 500. It doesn’t have the top-end of the motocross bike, but it’s smooth, torquey and easy to use. Plus, it doesn’t overheat.
This is the most versatile off-road bike in KTM’s entire line. If you’re a trail rider you can leave it stock and be happy. If you’re a dual-sport rider, you might have to figure out registration, but it’s reasonably quiet and has the six-speed gearbox. If you’re a racer, you might have to go mining for a little more power, but again, the six-speed will make it worthwhile and the suspension will be easy to work with. We will be putting a bunch of miles on this bike in upcoming months, so look for a test in the September, 2023 print edition of Dirt Bike.
DUCATI’S FIRST DIRT BIKE
We’ve been hearing rumors that Ducati is in the process of building a motocross bike. This isn’t it, but it’s clearly something new and dirty from the Italian motorcycle manufacturer. The Powerstage RR Limited edition is a high-end electric mountain bike. The special livery designed by Aldo Drudi in collaboration with the Ducati Design Center and inspired by the Desmosedici GP23 (with which the official riders race) in a limited edition of 230 numbered units. It has a full carbon frame with a combination of modern geometrical solutions and high-quality components, such as the new Shimano EP801 drive unit, Öhlins suspension, SRAM GX AXS 12-speed shifter and Crankbrothers Synthesis wheels (29″ front, 27.5″ rear) with carbon rims.
The Powerstage RR Limited Edition can already be ordered from the Ducati network and online at www.ducati.com at a suggested retail price of $11,990 USD (Prices listed are the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices. Prices exclude dealer setup, taxes, freight, title and licensing and are subject to change).
KICKSTART KENNY AT HIGH POINT
BROADCAST TEAM Play by Play: Jason Weigandt Analyst: Ricky Carmichael Reporter: Jason Thomas HOW TO WATCH Saturday, June 17 Pro Motocross Championship: Race Day Live Peacock @ 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET Pro Motocross Championship: High Point National [LIVE] Peacock @ 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET Monday, June 19 Pro Motocross Championship: High Point National Replay CNBC, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports App 11 p.m. PT [Sunday] / 2 a.m. ET
VINTAGE SEATS
If you have vintage bikes, you know that seats are very difficult to get right. MotoSeat has a full line of vintage dirt bike seat covers and seat foam. You can design your seat on line here.
CHAD REED JOINS WORLD SUPERCROSS
With less than a month until the 2023 FIM World Supercross season kicks off with the British Grand Prix in Birmingham, WSX is set to announce that Australian supercross legend, Chad Reed will join the team as a “supercross advisor” and broadcast commentator for the upcoming six-race season. One of the most successful supercross riders of all time and the record holder for competing in most ‘main events,’ Reed has expansive supercross experience and knowledge that he will be bringing to the series and its fans in an advisor role on the broadcast team. Additionally, Reed will host exclusive content on WSX.TV.
How about a little Dick Burleson ‘Pre Husqvarna’? In 1971, John Penton invited Burleson to race on the American Trophy team that was competing in the International Six Days Trial at the Isle of Man. Even though his bike failed, leaving him with a DNF, Burleson was enthused about representing his country in international competition. The next year, Burleson was invited to the ISDT again racing a Penton, this time in Czechoslovakia. That year, Burleson finished with a bronze medal. From 1973 to 1981 Burleson won 8 consecutive Gold Medals!
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My buddy BP’s #299 made it into this post on the specially built Yamaha HL 500. In the USA, the HL500 was only offered as a kit bike. Torsten Hallman Racing had Profab build 100 frame kits of its Hallman “TT500 Aberg Replica.” The Hallman Racing HL500 frame kit with swingarm and necessary hardware sold for $1000 in 1978.
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ERZBERG SOCIAL POSTS
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ERZBERG!!
GREAT GO PRO ACTION WITH JONNY WALKER!
MX GP HERLINGS HURT WHILE LEADING
NEW HIGH-END MOTO CLOTHING BY USWE
After 16 years in the backpack industry as the market leader of hydration packs for Enduro and Off-Road motorcycle riders, USWE is now presenting their first ever Moto Apparel line. This big transformation launch includes premium clothing developed for the core Enduro and Off-Road riders, same group of people that wear USWE’s packs today.
The LERA Off-Road Jacket is a premium heavy-duty jacket that has everything you need to be adaptable to wild terrain. It has large, zippered vents which allow you to manage how much airflow you want on the fly or if you are running super-hot, just remove the sleeves to turn the jacket into a vest. The secure front and rear pockets help keep everything stowed securely away but always within easy reach when needed. A bonded fleece lined body and sleeve retains and regulates heat while riding and extra abrasion resistant outer sleeves protect you from the undergrowth. Ergonomically shaped sleeves and drop tail design eliminates creases and bunching whist in a riding position. Durable rust proof YKK zips throughout to keep all vents and pockets secure and safe.The LERA pant is a premium heavy-duty Dirt Biking pant made to perform in gnarly terrain. It offers an outstanding pre-curved tailored Race-Fit with a large cut on the knees to accommodate knee pads or knee braces. It has full grain leather inner knee panels for optimal protection and durability. The 4 way stretch panels aid your freedom of movement while the pants are protected from wear thanks to the Rip stop nylon high abrasion seat panels. Equipped with two (2) secure zipped cargo pockets to bring your personal stuff such as phone and car keys, and two (2) zippered vents for extra airflow for the leg.The RÖK pants are super lightweight and breathable to keep you comfortable even on the hottest of days. Fast drying fabrics together with great ventilation will keep them feeling light the whole ride. The sublimated graphics marry up to the RÖK jersey for the full race look and feel. Cut large on the knees to accommodate knee pads or knee braces, 4 ways stretch panels aid your freedom of movement. Rip stop nylon high abrasion seat panels keep you protected from wear. Full Grain leather inner knee panels to optimal protection and durability.
One of the best sides of getting a job with Dirt Bike had to be getting on the ground level of championship racing. This is Anaheim SX, 1981 and there is no doubt that I was totally pumped. Shooting is a big part of being an editor, and race coverage was a crash course in my learning curve.
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