Kit Palmer | September 8, 2021
Cycle News Observation Check
COLUMN
Time Flies
When it became clear that Dylan Ferrandis would win the 2021 450MX Pro Motocross Championship, I did a little research. I wondered: When was the last time Yamaha won an outdoor title in the 450MX class? Surely, it could not have been all that long ago, but why could I not remember? Here’s why—because it was nearly 15 years ago!
For some reason, 15 (okay, 14 to be exact) years seems like a really, really long time to me. Heck, there are kids winning championships at Loretta Lynn’s these days who will be turning pro soon who have never witnessed Yamaha win an outdoor motocross title in the premier (250cc two-stroke or 450cc four-stroke) class until now. That seems crazy to me. The last rider before Ferrandis to give Yamaha a big-bore outdoor championship was Grant Langston in 2007.
Digging a little deeper, I was surprised to see that the last time Yamaha won the outdoor title (again, 250cc two-stroke/450cc four-stroke) before Langston was another nine years further back when Doug Henry won the 250cc title on Yamaha’s YZ400F four-stroke. Jeez, remember that?
I kept digging. I discovered it was another 14 years prior to even that when Yamaha won its last 250cc MX title—at the hands of Rick Johnson—in 1984. However, Broc Glover did win the 500cc title in 1985. I’m not sure which one was considered “premier” back then, but even ’85 is a long time ago. Man, time flies.
Had you asked me just a few weeks ago how many titles Yamaha had ever won in motocross before Ferrandis, let’s just say I would’ve been way off. I would have guessed a lot more.
Okay, want to know something that is perhaps even more surprising? Honda has not won an outdoor title in the premier class since—wait—2004! Even longer than Yamaha. 2004 was the last year Ricky Carmichael rode for the red team before switching to Suzuki. Perhaps Ken Roczen or Chase Sexton will give Honda its long-awaited next title soon. I think one of them will. But which one?
In case you’re wondering, Kawasaki has the most titles with six in the 450cc four-stroke era, starting in 2006. Suzuki has four titles, KTM three, and Husqvarna one.
Anyway, congratulations, Yamaha and Ferrandis.
Speaking Of Langston…
Last week, I was disappointed to learn that Grant Langston was no longer announcing the Nationals alongside Jason Weigandt on television and wasn’t behind the mic when the last rider to win the 450cc championship on a Yamaha (Langston) announced the next rider on a Yamaha (Ferrandis) to win the championship. That would’ve been pretty cool.
I’m not here to question Langston’s reason for leaving NBC’s broadcast team, but I will say that I will miss his outstanding commentary, description and insight on the racing action while covering the Nationals for television. Weigandt and Langston made an exceptional team in the booth, so Langston’s sudden departure after nearly 10 years of announcing motocross was simply a huge bummer in my book.
But all is not lost. Luckily, Langston’s spot has been filled by another very competent “color guy,” former AMA Motocross Champion Jeff Emig who obviously knows a thing or two about motocross and is a pleasure to listen to, as well. Go team.
Generation KLX650
Last week I had the pleasure of joining the folks at Kawasaki in New Mexico, where they introduced the company’s all-new (yes, it is all-new and, you’re right, Instagram, I do know it) KLR650 to a few members of the media. It was a special trip for me because it meant that I’d be attending the introductions of all three generations of the KLX650, the first in 1984, the second in 2012, and now this one.
Kawasaki led us on an approximately 400-plus-mile journey touring some awesome (literally) terrain of northern New Mexico on pavement and dirt roads aboard the KLR650 Adventure. When that was finished, I filled up the KLR’s side bags in Albuquerque and rode the bike back home to Southern California over the next two days, primarily via back roads of Arizona with an overnight stay in Prescott. After all was said and done, the KLR650 and I covered more than 900 miles in just four days. Luckily, I managed to dodge the many thunderstorms out there along the way but not the oppressive heat and crazy winds of the lower desert of Southern California. But the “little” single-cylinder KLR650 never complained. You’ll be able to read my review of the new KLR650 in a future issue of Cycle News, but I can tell you now that I thoroughly enjoyed the bike and hope to make another cross-country journey on it again soon. So glad to see the KLR650 back in Kawasaki’s lineup.
No Motocross Of Nations For Team USA
Well, last Friday, the AMA announced the United States would not be fielding a team in this year’s Motocross of Nations later this month in Mantova, Italy, mostly due to several Covid-19-related issues. No surprise here, really, after the team announcement was already delayed several times and some of our top riders already having said they weren’t in favor of going for various reasons. We’ll try again next year.
But, hey, it was full steam ahead for the U.S. ISDE team, which put in a valiant effort to defend the gold in the premier World Trophy division. Still, a bronze medal is nothing to sneeze at, but after winning gold last time, you know our guys won’t be super thrilled with bronze. Funny how high the bar has been raised lately. Not long ago, there was a time when winning a bronze medal at the ISDE seemed as shiny as gold for Team USA. Not anymore.
However, all was not lost for Team USA, as the American Women’s team came through big-time by winning the gold. Congratulations, Britney Gallegos, Rachel Gutish and Brandy Richards! CN