Innehållsförteckning för Jan/Feb 2020 från Dirt Action

Fan favourite Dean Wilson has been rewarded by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna with a one-year contract extension that will see the number 15 stay with the team in 2020. “I’m very honoured to be in the position I am now with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team and I am just very thankful and appreciative of this opportunity. I am going to do my best and have fun — looking forward to a good 2020 season,” Wilson said. Bobby Hewitt, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team manager, added: “We’re excited about 2020 and the addition of Dean Wilson to our 450 roster. Dean has been part of our program for many years and is a great asset to the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. We look forward to seeing…

Four-fifty class rookie Adam Cianciarulo has stunned in his 450 supercross debut, defeating his Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate and reigning AMA Supercross Champion Eli Tomac at the 2019 Monster Energy Cup. At the very same venue where his 250SX championship hopes came crumbling down, AC debuted his number (9) and took the fight to his more experienced rivals. After two of the three main events, Cianciarulo, Tomac and Malcolm Stewart were in a three-way tie, setting up the perfect showdown to finish the epic event. In Main Event 1, Cianciarulo proved just what his green machine was capable of, snagging the holeshot to lead the first two laps and forcing the fans on their feet. Tomac started in fifth position but quickly made his way to the front after passing…

It doesn’t get much cooler than carbon-fibre hubs. These Talon Pro Carbon A60 wheel sets are the world’s lightest and the only carbon-fibre hub available on the market. They feature Excel A60 Series rims, Bulldog heavy-duty spokes, nickel-plated heavy-duty nipples and the wheels are customisable with your favourite colour combinations. FEATURES Talon Pro Carbon Hub — world’s lightest and only carbon-fibre hub — 1-year warranty. Excel A60 Series rims — World’s No. 1 rim — made in Japan. Bulldog heavy-duty spokes, made in England. Nickel-plated steel heavy-duty nipples. Free colour heavy-duty oversized alloy nipples — ultimate strength and weight. Customise your wheels with your favourite colour combinations. The above product photos are used for illustration purposes only and may vary slightly.…

The BMW GS needs no introduction. It’s arguably the most recognised name and bike shape in the adventure world. When a non-rider sees a GS roll by, they recognise it — and few bikes have this sort of recognition across the globe. With a clear shift towards dirt-specific adventure models taking place over the last few years with the arrival of the Africa Twin, the Ténéré 700 and KTM’s model line, BMW reacted by sticking to what it knows and then making it sharper. The GS Rallye benefits greatly, as the entire model range did, from the introduction of a new engine which is now 1254cc. The new powerplant runs Shift Cam technology, which allows for two cam profiles depending on the load placed on the engine, so the output…

For me, the details are what really make a factory bike. Any MX fan can look at a factory bike and know it’s something special, most of the time just by looking at the obvious carbon-fibre and titanium parts that stand out. If you look closer and know what to keep an eye out for, you will see many of the small tweaks and modifications that come from hours and hours of testing and racing experience that just can’t be learned any other way. That detail is also reflected when you ride the bike. You don’t hear any rattles or feel any unnecessary vibrations. Nothing is sloppy or worn out. Everything feels new — better than new even — the controls are buttery smooth and easy to operate, while the…

I was swinging off a nail gun on a job site when Matt called. “Are you free to head to Melbourne to test some bikes for me?” I dumped my gear and was ready to start driving my van directly there. “Absolutely,” I replied. Matt had injured himself and was unable to ride and the launch was only a few days away. After some flight changes by the legends at Sherco, I was soon on my way to Melbourne to ride the 2020 Sherco Enduro range at the famed Krusic’s Ride Park in Victoria. I had never been to Krusic’s before but Matt had assured me it would be epic. He was right. Nice sandy soil, awesome tracks and fun trails — the perfect testing ground for the 2020 Sherco…

After a year of epic racing, the 2019 Amcross series has come to an end with an absolutely cracking finale in Cooma, NSW. Some fantastic racing has unfolded in 2019, with riders battling across a varied range of tracks around country NSW. It doesn’t get any better. Seth Burchell piloted his YZ85 to the win in the 12 to 13 yrs 85cc two-stroke class ahead of Taylor Thompson. Jake Greenhalgh did the double, taking the 13 to 15yrs 200 to 250cc class and the 13 to 15yrs 125cc two-stroke class. The A/B class came down to the absolute wire, as DIRT ACTION test rider Dane Thompson suffered an injury and blew the class wide open. Miles Clissold took the overall championship class in a great display of consistency. Paul Grant…

Roll-offs used to be purely for the muddy race days. They had a pissy little window of vision and for many riders they were a complete pain and hassle to use. Based around the Scott Prospect goggles, the WFS roll-off system is starting off with a great pair of motocross goggles. The roll-off system is 50mm in width and has a nice and wide portal for vision. I haven’t had a malfunction with the goggles all season. Despite copping some heavy roost and some wet conditions at one of the rounds, the Scott WFS system has performed flawlessly. I have found that I need to run the goggles tight to seal nicely on my face; they have a flatter feel to them when compared to the Scott Prospect goggles and…

In diabolical conditions, team MXStore Australia has turned heads at the 2019 MXON, which was held in the sandy depths of Assen, the Netherlands. Six-time attendee Dean Ferris led the charge as team captain, flanked by two rookies, Kyle Webster and Regan Duffy. After qualifying, the team that had flown under the radar in the lead-up to the event delivered serious results. Captain Ferris ripped a great start to finish tenth with no goggles against the best MX1 racers in the world. Webster chased American Justin Cooper for the bulk of the race, eventually finishing third — an incredible display by the MXON rookie. Seventeen-year-old Duffy battled into the top three before a tip over set him back. The sand specialist charged back to sixth by the finish. When the…

Ex-professional motocross and supercross racer turned rally racer Andrew Short has piloted his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna to victory in the Rally Du Maroc, with the result helping hime secure second place in the 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. “I can’t believe it — it doesn’t seem real right now,” Short said. “My main goal coming to Morocco was to finish second in the championship, but to take the win feels unreal. I was second at the Silk Way, which was huge for me, but there were a few of the top riders missing. Now all the guys are here at this event getting ready for Dakar and to take the win with such stiff competition is amazing. I couldn’t have done it without the support of the team and…

Despite rumours of an Australian stop on the 2020 MXGP circuit, the talk has been deferred for another year. With such a range of talent heading to Europe from Australia, here’s hoping we land a stop on the tour in 2021. 2020 MXGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR: Rd1 – 1 March – Matterley Basin, Great Britain Rd2 – 8 March – Valkenswaard, the Netherlands Rd3 – 22 March – Neuquen, Argentina Rd4 – 5 April – Trentino, Italy Rd5 – 19 April – TBA, Spain Rd6 – 26 April – Agueda, Portugal Rd7 – 10 May – Saint Jean d’Angely, France Rd8 – 17 May – Maggiora, Italy Rd9 – 24 May – Teutschenthal, Germany Rd10 – 7 June – Orlyonok, Russia Rd11 – 14 June – Kegums, Latvia Rd12 –…

Tyler Bereman is one of the biggest names in freeride motocross. He has made his name not for racing, nor for death-defying backflip combos, but for launching natural jumps and incredible whips. Bereman’s career is reminiscent of the surf or skate industry and one that has attracted support from energy drink giant Red Bull. Aside from competing in best whip and the high jump quarter-pipe events around the world, he teams up with the best photographers to create jaw-dropping images and videos. His recent shoot, “Fundamentals”, is one of the most impressive yet and deserves to be appreciated in print.…

Ignored? Lost relevance? Or more crucial than ever with crashes and injuries coming fast in MXGP? We asked a selection of both past and current athletes to have used neck protection to find out why there aren’t more braces in the Grand Prix start gate. We also then quizzed the FIM about the chances of the hardware joining the homologated list of racing gear and finally sought the inventor of the concept, Dr Chris Leatt, for his own views. BECOMING SCEPTICAL Ben Watson, Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha, MX2: Racing motocross, you are always thinking about protection and how to compete in the fastest and safest way, and I’m interested in new protection or technology to do that. But nothing has really opened my eyes or been put in front of…

It was 1996. The Spokettes swung their pompoms on the tabletop, framed in the two-stroke smog that filled the air. Full grids were bursting with talented racers who fought for supremacy. The crowd was big. I peered through the mesh surrounding Parramatta Speedway — I was just five years old. This was my first taste of motorcycle racing, the Supercross Masters unfolding before me. I still remember that feeling, that excitement. No word of a lie, I got the same feeling sitting in the stands of the AUS-X Open in Sydney 23 years later in 2018. As the intro rolled and the crowd roared, for that one night it seemed as if nothing else mattered in the sport and the industry stopped. The Australian Supercross Championship has ridden a roller…

I have been wearing an Alpinestars 2020 TechStar Venom gear set for a few months now. From sweltering motocross tracks to cold-morning trail rides, I have done what I can to place the gear in a variety of conditions in order to best deliver my feedback. So, what exactly do I think of the new mid-level offering from Alpinestars? Read on to hear my thoughts! Initially, pulling on the pants you notice that they are true to size. For me, the pants have great clearance in the knee area but taper to become quite slim/athletically fitted in the thighs. Although the pants bunched slightly at the top of my knee braces, they are constructed of a stretchy enough material that I didn’t notice any obstruction in mobility while riding. The…

Our latest long-term test is the 2020 KTM 350 EXC-F and we’re a little excited. The three-fiddy has been on our mind since the world launch earlier this year. While it’s always been a favourite, it seems to have stepped up another notch this year and we were stupidly giddy at the prospect of riding it longer than the day of a launch. It was the bike we wanted to go back to then but with so many models to get through, it’s damn near impossible to circle back. But now we have one at DA HQ, there are no excuses not to get filthy! We’ve added a bashplate straight up because protection is every man’s responsibility, and we also ordered an FMF pipe which we love for the extra…

One of Australia’s most successful female racers, Meghan Rutledge has chosen to step away from professional racing. “After an incredible 2019 season that included taking out back-to-back National Women’s Motocross and Queen of MX titles, 2020 holds new opportunities to grow outside of motocross competition. I will be stepping away from competitive racing and focusing on my career with coaching and personal training,” Rutledge explained. Kawasaki will continue to support Meg in an ambassador and coaching role. “I’m eager to focus on my future with my amazing, supportive partner, Aaron. My job as a personal trainer will work in with motocross coaching and we will take some time to enjoy life. I have put my life into racing and training nearly every weekend for the past 10 years and I…

When you get off the plane in Bamaga you enter the simplest airport imaginable, essentially a medium-sized shed on the side of a runway. There was a gaggle of blokes milling around all talking dirtbikes, a language we all instantly recognised. This was the group that preceded us, who did the ride from Cairns to the Tip, and they were clearly pumped from the experience. They shared tales of amazing tracks and a warning about one particularly difficult drop-off which, given we were heading in the opposite direction, would be a climb for us. I’ll point this one out when we get to it. From the airport we took a bus to the Loyalty Beach campground, which faces north-west on the right-side ‘horn’ of Australia, and we were then closer…

The concept of Red Bull Straight Rhythm has been popular since it launched onto the scene six years ago. However, no event, no AMA race, no MXGP event — hell, not even Motocross of Nations — has had the social media exposure, hype and excitement as the 2019 Red Bull Straight Rhythm. Why? Two-strokes only. At times, you could say motocross riders have a lot to learn from other action sports athletes when it comes to building hype and self-promotion. Social media is a godsend for athletes; you can literally create your own exposure without any assistance. For Red Bull Straight Rhythm, the athletes went into absolute overdrive. The theme for 2019 was throwback. Hell, you could expect a few old-school number fonts, maybe a retro set of gear —…

Enduro is in a weird place. We produce the best riders in the world right here, but via a series that’s almost impossible to watch as a spectator (thank the moto gods for 6HD’s awesome video recaps). The enduro GPs are making an effort to bring the racing closer to the people but the majority of riders are far from household names. The World Enduro Super Series has the names and the crowds but is damn near a one-manufacturer race series. But winning is winning, right? Milner, Sanders and Styke each deserve their titles in Australia no matter how many people saw it happen. At the time of writing this, Lettenbichler is topping a long list of amazing riders in the WESS while in the GPs, one manufacturer is doing…

Given a late call-up for the job after some unfortunate events for our content manager Matt Bernard, I was eager to hit the trails on the new models. Waking up before the sun, I packed my gear bag with some fresh threads thanks to the team at Alpinestars and hit the M4 for what was about a two-hour trip down to Berrima from my place in inner Sydney. Following the gentle winds of the Old Hume Highway into Berrima, you can immediately notice that the pace of things is a little slower in the quaint town. In desperate need of a coffee, I strolled into the Magpie Café, which looked to be the only option open at 7:30am on a Tuesday morning. Flat white in hand, I was persuaded by…

I am fussy when it comes to gloves. In my position with the magazine, I am very lucky to end up jumping into different sets of riding gear quite frequently. Some I love, some I don’t. I can deal with pretty much any kind of riding gear and go for a ride; it’s all pretty darn good these days. But gloves — well, that’s a completely different story. Gloves need to be completely comfortable for me to enjoy my riding, I hate riding in gloves that aren’t well-fitting or that have too much protection on the top of the gloves. Recently, my go-to has been the Hostile glove range. I have been bouncing between the Exlusive series, which features a strap, and the Strapless series. Personally, the Strapless series is…

SIZE IT UP Take your time to look at how big the double is. If it’s the first time you’ve attacked one, you might roll it 50 times before you even think about jumping it. Some riders may jump it the first lap they come around to it, but don’t get caught up in peer pressure. It’s all about experience and pros who ride this stuff all the time can judge the majority of obstacles just by looking at them. It doesn’t mean you should also be able to. Once you’re comfortable with the up ramp, start to jump into the middle of the two jumps but be careful as you build confidence that you don’t jump too far and land in the face of the second one — that’s…

This year, I took my racing more seriously than I ever have before. I lost about 15kg, put some time in to get properly comfortable on the bike and for the first time in a long time, was running up front regularly in the Amcross series. That was until I injured by shoulder and my knee, and then was diagnosed with Epstein Barr — smooth sailing got a lot more difficult! But the Honda CRF450R never missed a beat all year. FINAL ROUND I went into the final round with a 19-point lead and a roll of strapping tape holding me together. Thankfully, Pod Active sorted me out with a fresh set of K8 knee braces to help keep me safe. Being the last round, we went for an all-new…