December 2019
Racer X Illustrated
December 2019
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Davey Coombs
Reason For Being
By Davey Coombs
Davey Coombs
Reason For Being
By Davey Coombs
W

hen our friends Logan and Jordan Martin decided to team up and race the Kenda Northeast 24 Hour Challenge by Arcadia Bark Busters, they decided to do it aboard an old Honda XR400, Scott Summers-style. It was an odd choice for a grueling race, as those mid-nineties XR thumpers were as heavy as they were hard to start. The Martins, as you will read in their feature “All Night Long” that begins on page 100, found themselves with a whole new appreciation for what Summers managed to accomplish in his AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame career.

RacerX December 2019 Racer holding bike
“It’s really not that heavy for me.”
Even today, any time I think of Summers, the image in my mind’s eye is Scott dead-lifting one of his XR600 race bikes and cradling it for photos as if it were a runaway calf he’d just roped. The first time I saw him do it was down at the Croome Off-Road Riding Park in Florida during preseason training. This was in the pre-Doug Henry days, before the modern four-stroke era, when Summers was usually the only rider in an entire GNCC field racing aboard a thumper. I remember asking Scott why he chose to race a bike that heavy. He replied by pulling the 280-pounds-plus bike off its stand, picking it up (as seen in the photo below), and saying, “It’s really not that heavy for me.”
David Pingree
Electronic Ping
By David Pingree   Racer X Instagram   @DAVIDPINGREE101
David Pingree
Electronic Ping
By David Pingree   Racer X Instagram   @DAVIDPINGREE101
T

here are two things motocross fans don’t like: change . . . and the way things are. That’s a phrase I use about firemen when we sit around the coffee table and complain about things, but it applies perfectly to motocross fans too. We are a fickle group when it comes to how we want the stars of the sport to act, aren’t we? If they’re too reserved and quiet, we call them boring and robotic. If they’re too outspoken and boisterous, we label them loudmouths and arrogant. These guys can’t win! So what are we looking for from these guys? We all have different opinions about how these riders should act, but here’s my two cents.

RacerX Rick Johnson
Go watch anything Rick Johnson used to do; that guy was on another level when it came to bringing personality to the sport.
I think I speak for everybody when I say we’d like to see some genuine personality out of the riders during interviews and fan interaction. When you get asked a question, look the person you’re talking to in the eyes and ANSWER THE QUESTION! Seriously! If I have to watch one more interview where a rider is staring off into the distance speaking to nobody and rambling on about how great his Dunlop tires hooked up off the gate—hey, it’s a metal-grate start pad, and a road slick would hook up on that—and then rolling into a run-on sentence of sponsors, I’m going to walk briskly into my kitchen and smash some plates. For real, just take a deep breath, forget about all the fans in the stadium, and answer the nice lady’s question. Now, if you can add in a little joke or quip or even a mildly amusing anecdote about something that happened during the race, major bonus points! Girls will be throwing their bras at you from the cheap seats! The bar is so unimaginably low right now that even I couldn’t limbo under it.
Jason Weigandt
Voice Box

By JASON WEIGANDT   Racer X Twitter  @JASONWEIGANDT

Jason Weigandt
Voice Box

By JASON WEIGANDT   Racer X Twitter  @JASONWEIGANDT

R

easons versus excuses. That becomes a pitched battle as soon as the FIM Monster Energy Motocross of Nations concludes. Monday-morning quarterbacking is normal for any sport, with fans spouting theories as to why their team lost. The losing coach and players have to give reasons after the game, and that’s understandable. It all looks different under the prism of nationalism, though.

V22#12 RX Voice Box

If Team USA doesn’t win the Motocross of Nations, blaming anything for the loss—luck, conditions, scheduling—is just a jab at the winners and their fans. Lately, in the face of a mounting losing streak, the Team USA riders have taken the high road. Last year at RedBud, Team USA’s Justin Barcia, Eli Tomac, and Aaron Plessinger trudged out of their team trucks for our Best Post-Race Show Ever. Tomac spoke first and quickly went to the magic words: “We got beat.” Barcia, behind him, let out a sigh of relief. “We just got beat” became the mantra. Behind the scenes, all the riders were befuddled by RedBud’s different track prep and feel. Maybe five weeks off of racing hurt too. We wrote an entire magazine feature on the loss last year. And the year before that. Whatever—if you’re the rider, don’t make excuses.

Except the rest of us can’t help ourselves. We want reasons! The American fans and moto industry are still bewildered and confused over this losing streak, spoiled after winning 22 times in 31 years.

The 73rd Motocross of Nations in the Netherlands was once again an untimely test of men and machines—not to mention a lesson in new media
WORDS: DAVEY COOMBS
PHOTOS: JEFF KARDAS
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP MIKE TYSON was once asked about the question of strategy in his fights. Iron Mike just shrugged and said, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face.” For Team USA at the 73rd Annual FIM Motocross of Nations, that punch in the face came early, and it was a devastating blow. After months of controversy and debate about who even wanted to be on the starting gate at the Assen TT circuit in the sandy North Atlantic region of the Netherlands, and then weeks abroad preparing—and even a hot minute of looking like real contenders for a first win in seven years—the jarring punch came in the second corner of the first moto for MX2/Open riders. That’s when teammates Jason Anderson and Justin Cooper somehow found each other in a pack of 40 riders, splashing around in a deluge of cold, steady rain and heavy sand and crashing together in a heap, tearing the clutch perch off Cooper’s bike, smashing his left hand, and leaving both riders in the back of the pack. Less than 15 seconds after the long-awaited race had finally started, even those back home watching the TV feed (which looked like it was being shot through the periscope of a surfacing submarine) knew Team USA was already knocked out.
The 73rd Motocross of Nations in the Netherlands was once again an untimely test of men and machines—not to mention a lesson in new media
WORDS: DAVEY COOMBS
PHOTOS: JEFF KARDAS
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP MIKE TYSON was once asked about the question of strategy in his fights. Iron Mike just shrugged and said, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face.” For Team USA at the 73rd Annual FIM Motocross of Nations, that punch in the face came early, and it was a devastating blow. After months of controversy and debate about who even wanted to be on the starting gate at the Assen TT circuit in the sandy North Atlantic region of the Netherlands, and then weeks abroad preparing—and even a hot minute of looking like real contenders for a first win in seven years—the jarring punch came in the second corner of the first moto for MX2/Open riders. That’s when teammates Jason Anderson and Justin Cooper somehow found each other in a pack of 40 riders, splashing around in a deluge of cold, steady rain and heavy sand and crashing together in a heap, tearing the clutch perch off Cooper’s bike, smashing his left hand, and leaving both riders in the back of the pack. Less than 15 seconds after the long-awaited race had finally started, even those back home watching the TV feed (which looked like it was being shot through the periscope of a surfacing submarine) knew Team USA was already knocked out.
The 73rd Motocross of Nations in the Netherlands was once again an untimely test of men and machines—not to mention a lesson in new media
WORDS: DAVEY COOMBS
PHOTOS: JEFF KARDAS
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP MIKE TYSON was once asked about the question of strategy in his fights. Iron Mike just shrugged and said, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face.” For Team USA at the 73rd Annual FIM Motocross of Nations, that punch in the face came early, and it was a devastating blow. After months of controversy and debate about who even wanted to be on the starting gate at the Assen TT circuit in the sandy North Atlantic region of the Netherlands, and then weeks abroad preparing—and even a hot minute of looking like real contenders for a first win in seven years—the jarring punch came in the second corner of the first moto for MX2/Open riders. That’s when teammates Jason Anderson and Justin Cooper somehow found each other in a pack of 40 riders, splashing around in a deluge of cold, steady rain and heavy sand and crashing together in a heap, tearing the clutch perch off Cooper’s bike, smashing his left hand, and leaving both riders in the back of the pack. Less than 15 seconds after the long-awaited race had finally started, even those back home watching the TV feed (which looked like it was being shot through the periscope of a surfacing submarine) knew Team USA was already knocked out.
The 73rd Motocross of Nations in the Netherlands was once again an untimely test of men and machines—not to mention a lesson in new media
WORDS: DAVEY COOMBS
PHOTOS: JEFF KARDAS
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP MIKE TYSON was once asked about the question of strategy in his fights. Iron Mike just shrugged and said, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face.” For Team USA at the 73rd Annual FIM Motocross of Nations, that punch in the face came early, and it was a devastating blow. After months of controversy and debate about who even wanted to be on the starting gate at the Assen TT circuit in the sandy North Atlantic region of the Netherlands, and then weeks abroad preparing—and even a hot minute of looking like real contenders for a first win in seven years—the jarring punch came in the second corner of the first moto for MX2/Open riders. That’s when teammates Jason Anderson and Justin Cooper somehow found each other in a pack of 40 riders, splashing around in a deluge of cold, steady rain and heavy sand and crashing together in a heap, tearing the clutch perch off Cooper’s bike, smashing his left hand, and leaving both riders in the back of the pack. Less than 15 seconds after the long-awaited race had finally started, even those back home watching the TV feed (which looked like it was being shot through the periscope of a surfacing submarine) knew Team USA was already knocked out.
Electric bikes hold a world of advantages for the future of the sport—but how will racing work?
WORDS: JASON WEIGANDT
KNEEL AT THE ALTAR OF ALTA, which sacrificed itself to alter the path of motocross from the very top. The Alta RedShift line was a made-in-the-USA electric dirt bike designed to go head-to-head with gas-powered bikes. The bikes were there, but before rules could be adopted to allow them to battle gas-powered machines, Alta ran out of money. BRP/Can-Am bought some of Alta’s technology on the scrap heap, but the brand is dead.

The electric-versus-gasoline argument is still going, though. You just have to go and listen at the kids’ table.

Electric bikes hold a world of advantages for the future of the sport—but how will racing work?
WORDS: JASON WEIGANDT
KNEEL AT THE ALTAR OF ALTA, which sacrificed itself to alter the path of motocross from the very top. The Alta RedShift line was a made-in-the-USA electric dirt bike designed to go head-to-head with gas-powered bikes. The bikes were there, but before rules could be adopted to allow them to battle gas-powered machines, Alta ran out of money. BRP/Can-Am bought some of Alta’s technology on the scrap heap, but the brand is dead.

The electric-versus-gasoline argument is still going, though. You just have to go and listen at the kids’ table.

When the MXGP of China went off in Shanghai in September, it opened a whole new world to professional motocross
WORDS: JASON THOMAS
PHOTOS: RAY ARCHER
FRENCH WAR HERO CHARLES DE GAULLE once brilliantly opined “China is a big country, inhabited by many Chinese.” While I can’t disagree with General de Gaulle, I think there might be more to the vast Asian country that currently headlines more news stories than not. For the motocross world, many might not immediately understand China’s relevance. There aren’t any world-class riders emanating from China, and they aren’t big players on the OEM side of motorcycle manufacturing (at least not yet). The cultural and language barriers are omnipresent, much more so than in Japan, which is just across the East China Sea. There are serious challenges to growing motocross visibility in China, many of which are decided by bureaucracy. Still, with an estimated 1.3 billion citizens and a middle class that tops the entire population of Europe, it’s obvious why companies worldwide are salivating at the idea of making motocross a household concept in this part of the world.
When the MXGP of China went off in Shanghai in September, it opened a whole new world to professional motocross
WORDS: JASON THOMAS
PHOTOS: RAY ARCHER
FRENCH WAR HERO CHARLES DE GAULLE once brilliantly opined “China is a big country, inhabited by many Chinese.” While I can’t disagree with General de Gaulle, I think there might be more to the vast Asian country that currently headlines more news stories than not. For the motocross world, many might not immediately understand China’s relevance. There aren’t any world-class riders emanating from China, and they aren’t big players on the OEM side of motorcycle manufacturing (at least not yet). The cultural and language barriers are omnipresent, much more so than in Japan, which is just across the East China Sea. There are serious challenges to growing motocross visibility in China, many of which are decided by bureaucracy. Still, with an estimated 1.3 billion citizens and a middle class that tops the entire population of Europe, it’s obvious why companies worldwide are salivating at the idea of making motocross a household concept in this part of the world.
When the MXGP of China went off in Shanghai in September, it opened a whole new world to professional motocross
WORDS: JASON THOMAS
PHOTOS: RAY ARCHER
FRENCH WAR HERO CHARLES DE GAULLE once brilliantly opined “China is a big country, inhabited by many Chinese.” While I can’t disagree with General de Gaulle, I think there might be more to the vast Asian country that currently headlines more news stories than not. For the motocross world, many might not immediately understand China’s relevance. There aren’t any world-class riders emanating from China, and they aren’t big players on the OEM side of motorcycle manufacturing (at least not yet). The cultural and language barriers are omnipresent, much more so than in Japan, which is just across the East China Sea. There are serious challenges to growing motocross visibility in China, many of which are decided by bureaucracy. Still, with an estimated 1.3 billion citizens and a middle class that tops the entire population of Europe, it’s obvious why companies worldwide are salivating at the idea of making motocross a household concept in this part of the world.
All Night Long
Surviving 24 hours on an ancient Honda XR400 in the upstate New York woods
WORDS: LOGAN & JORDAN MARTIN
PHOTOS: Tiffany Merritt, Michaela & Gina Martin
As kids growing up, the older brother was the mastermind behind a lot of “good” ideas, whether it was a homemade zip line over a pond or a new backyard jump. The younger sibling always played along with the idea, regardless of any possibly disastrous outcomes. This latest idea was no different.

“We should race a 24-hour race,” Logan suggested. Just the idea should have raised alarms. Then he added, “Oh, and let’s go find an old Scott Summers-style Honda XR, fix it up, and ride that the whole 24 hours, full retro-style. I mean, how hard can it be?”

How could little brother Jordan say no?

Long
All Night Long
Surviving 24 hours on an ancient Honda XR400 in the upstate New York woods
WORDS: LOGAN & JORDAN MARTIN
PHOTOS: Tiffany Merritt, Michaela & Gina Martin
As kids growing up, the older brother was the mastermind behind a lot of “good” ideas, whether it was a homemade zip line over a pond or a new backyard jump. The younger sibling always played along with the idea, regardless of any possibly disastrous outcomes. This latest idea was no different.

“We should race a 24-hour race,” Logan suggested. Just the idea should have raised alarms. Then he added, “Oh, and let’s go find an old Scott Summers-style Honda XR, fix it up, and ride that the whole 24 hours, full retro-style. I mean, how hard can it be?”

How could little brother Jordan say no?

Garage Build 1986 HONDACR250R
Garage Build 1986 HONDACR250R
Garage Build
1986 HONDACR250R
BIKE BUILD BY DAVID PINGREE AND BOLT MOTORCYCLE HARDWARE // www.racerxonline.com
WORDS: DAVID PINGREE
PHOTOS: SIMON CUDBY
Retro bike builds are difficult and expensive, and this one was no exception.
VERTEX PISTONS
Replica Piston Kit (Rings, Pin, Clips)
vertexpistons.com
HOT RODS
Rod Rebuild Kit, Main Bearings
hotrodsproducts.com
PRO-TEC RACING
Crank Rebuild
pro-tec.us
PRO CIRCUIT
Exhaust Pipe and Silencer, Full Suspension Rebuild and Setup, Fork Protectors, Hard Anodize of Fork Legs
procircuit.com
MILLENNIUM TECHNOLOGIES
Strip, Repair Damage, and Re-Plate to Stock Size, Painting of Head and Cylinder
www.mt-llc.com
MOTOTASSINARI
V-Force Reed Cage
mototassinari.com
DC PLASTICS
Full Plastic Kit in OEM Color, Front Disc and Fork Guards
dcvmx.com
BOLT MOTORCYCLE HARDWARE
Bolts and Hardware, Restored OEM Fuel Tank, the Original 1986 Honda CR250
boltmotorcyclehardware.com
ALL BALLS
Carb Rebuild Kit, Throttle Cable, Clutch Cable, Fork Rebuild Kit, Shock Rebuild Kit, Linkage Rebuild Kit, Swingarm Rebuild Kit, Front and Rear Wheel Bearing Kits, Steering Stem Bearing Kit
allballsracing.com
SAN DIEGO POWDER COATING
Sandblasting, Powder with Super-Durable Clear, Race Prep Masking of Subframe and Engine Covers
sandiegopowdercoating.com
METALTEK RACING
Welding and Machining
metaltekracing.com
FUEL STAR
Fuel Valve Assembly
fuel-star.com
KLOTZ SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS
R-50 Two-Stroke Premix
klotzlube.com
COMETIC GASKET
Engine Gaskets
cometic.com
SUPERSPROX
Rear Sprocket, Front Sprocket, Gold MX Race Chain G520-MXT-L-120
supersproxusa.com
UNI FILTER
Two-Stage Air Filter
unifilter.com
FASTER USA
Stock Hubs Treated, New Spokes and Excel Rims
fasterusa.com
RENTHAL
971 Bars and Grips
renthal.com
DUNLOP
MX33 Front (80/100-21)
MX33 Rear (110/90-19)
dunlopmotorcycletires.com
WORKS CONNECTION
Elite Clutch Perch Assembly, Master Cylinder Guard, Holeshot Device
worksconnection.com
DECAL WORKS
Custom Graphics and Backgrounds
decalmx.com
MOTOSEAT
Retro Seat Cover
motoseat.com
IMS
Footpegs
imsproducts.com
VP RACING FUELS
C12 Mixed with Pump Fuel
vpracingfuels.com
Retro bike builds are difficult and expensive, and this one was no exception.
VERTEX PISTONS
Replica Piston Kit (Rings, Pin, Clips)
vertexpistons.com
HOT RODS
Rod Rebuild Kit, Main Bearings
hotrodsproducts.com
PRO-TEC RACING
Crank Rebuild
pro-tec.us
PRO CIRCUIT
Exhaust Pipe and Silencer, Full Suspension Rebuild and Setup, Fork Protectors, Hard Anodize of Fork Legs
procircuit.com
MILLENNIUM TECHNOLOGIES
Strip, Repair Damage, and Re-Plate to Stock Size, Painting of Head and Cylinder
www.mt-llc.com
MOTOTASSINARI
V-Force Reed Cage
mototassinari.com
DC PLASTICS
Full Plastic Kit in OEM Color, Front Disc and Fork Guards
dcvmx.com
BOLT MOTORCYCLE HARDWARE
Bolts and Hardware, Restored OEM Fuel Tank, the Original 1986 Honda CR250
boltmotorcyclehardware.com
ALL BALLS
Carb Rebuild Kit, Throttle Cable, Clutch Cable, Fork Rebuild Kit, Shock Rebuild Kit, Linkage Rebuild Kit, Swingarm Rebuild Kit, Front and Rear Wheel Bearing Kits, Steering Stem Bearing Kit
allballsracing.com
SAN DIEGO POWDER COATING
Sandblasting, Powder with Super-Durable Clear, Race Prep Masking of Subframe and Engine Covers
sandiegopowdercoating.com
METALTEK RACING
Welding and Machining
metaltekracing.com
FUEL STAR
Fuel Valve Assembly
fuel-star.com
KLOTZ SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS
R-50 Two-Stroke Premix
klotzlube.com
COMETIC GASKET
Engine Gaskets
cometic.com
SUPERSPROX
Rear Sprocket, Front Sprocket, Gold MX Race Chain G520-MXT-L-120
supersproxusa.com
UNI FILTER
Two-Stage Air Filter
unifilter.com
FASTER USA
Stock Hubs Treated, New Spokes and Excel Rims
fasterusa.com
RENTHAL
971 Bars and Grips
renthal.com
DUNLOP
MX33 Front (80/100-21)
MX33 Rear (110/90-19)
dunlopmotorcycletires.com
WORKS CONNECTION
Elite Clutch Perch Assembly, Master Cylinder Guard, Holeshot Device
worksconnection.com
DECAL WORKS
Custom Graphics and Backgrounds
decalmx.com
MOTOSEAT
Retro Seat Cover
motoseat.com
IMS
Footpegs
imsproducts.com
VP RACING FUELS
C12 Mixed with Pump Fuel
vpracingfuels.com
Hunter Lawrence

Hunter
Lawrence
Brothers always have plenty in common, but Hunter and Jett Lawrence take it to a new level. Both are ridiculously fast on dirt bikes, both are racing in a foreign nation (they’re Australian), and they even both ride for the same team, GEICO Honda. Oh, and they’re both hilarious. Let’s find out what else they have in common in this month’s 2 Tribes.
Jett Lawrence

Jett
Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence

Hunter
Lawrence
Jett Lawrence

Jett
Lawrence
Brothers always have plenty in common, but Hunter and Jett Lawrence take it to a new level. Both are ridiculously fast on dirt bikes, both are racing in a foreign nation (they’re Australian), and they even both ride for the same team, GEICO Honda. Oh, and they’re both hilarious. Let’s find out what else they have in common in this month’s 2 Tribes.

Who would play you in a movie?
HL: Probably Thor.
JL: Zac Efron.

Last person who made you nervous?
HL: Young Asian girls texting while driving on the 91 Freeway.
JL: No one makes me nervous.

Favorite person in the pits?
HL: Have to give it up to the privateers. I respect their hustle and grind to show up at the races every weekend. Without them, we wouldn’t have a full gate!
JL: Jo Shimoda.

Thing you’re looking forward to most about 2020?
HL: Definitely the racing and doing a supercross season. Living in my new house is also going to be wicked.
JL: Kicking Hunter’s ass.

Most common part you break?
HL: After my collarbone performances this past year, I’d say collarbone.
JL: Girls’ hearts.

Worst part of being brothers?
HL: Normal brother dramas and crap.
JL: Seeing his face when I wake up in the morning.

Angriest you’ve ever gotten with each other on the track?
HL: When Jett would blow all the ruts out and just destroy lines. It makes me want to punch him in the face.
JL: We’re pretty chill when we’re on the track, but it’ll change.

Funniest memory of working with Ken Roczen’s dad, Heiko Klepka?
HL: We were making a smoothie and the blender broke, spilling all over the table. We drank it through straws off the table.
JL: His colorful English.

Least favorite competitor?
HL: The knucklehead who tries their absolute hardest to not let you past, then when you pass them, they’re spent and drop four more positions. You’re better off sacrificing one than losing five!
JL: Hunter.

There’s so much opportunity to make something of your life here and to make good money.” —HL

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