TRAINING With Chase Sexton

Jett Lawrence VS Jorge Prado

Jorge Prado is no stranger to speed, with four world championships to his name, including back-to-back MXGP World Championship titles. To earn that, he’s had to beat the fastest riders in the world, including legends like Jeffrey Herlings and Tim Gajser. However, one rider Jorge hasn’t faced for an entire season is Jett Lawrence. Despite this, Jorge remains confident that he can take on the phenom and become a future Pro Motocross champion.

Pit Stop for the Future: Strengthening KTM

In the early 1990s, Austria-based motorcycle maker KTM was a small-scale motorbike producer turning out just 6,000 machines per year from a small workforce. Prospects for the company were dim against competition from a resurgent BMW and other euro bike makers.

Following a large investment from Indian scooter and vehicle maker Bajaj Auto and a few ownership changes, KTM grew to become one of Europe’s most successful motorbike brands, including fielding a team in MotoGP, the top tier of international motorcycle racing. Until recently, the company was producing nearly 1,000 motorcycles per day and is considered a top maker of ultra-popular “adventure” motorcycles preferred by intrepid riders looking to venture far off the beaten path.

With year after year of successful sales and acquisitions of iconic moto brands like MV Agusta, Husqvarna, Husaberg and Gas Gas, it looked as though KTM was poised for even more success under the guidance of Pierer Mobility CEO and enthusiast Stefan Pierer. But in the last several months, the company seems to have suddenly unraveled.

Sales are down 27% compared to the the first half of 2023, and a controversy over a perceived drop in build quality due to a camshaft gremlin and the general drop in sales across the industry has resulted in layoffs, a sudden production pause and a new co-CEO for Pierer.

According to ADVpulse.com, KTM has now entered into “self-administration,” a European market measure that allows for a 90-day effort to reorganize and secure financing to continue operations before the company falls into insolvency. In a video (below), Pierer and new co-CEO Gottfried Neumiester are calling the restructuring window a “pit stop” on the road to recovery.

KTM North America issued a statement for the North American press saying the legal restructuring procedure primarily affects only KTM AG. According to ADVpulse.com, officials said “North America and all other KTM subsidiaries are not included” in the European action, however if KTM AG fails to find a solution, all KTM sellers would most certainly be affected.

ADVpulse.com says efforts in increase involvement (and investment) with longtime partner Bajaj Auto have not materialized as hoped. KTM has also worked closely with energy drink and extreme sports sponsorship company Red Bull for many years, but the $20-billion beverage company has apparently been unwilling to invest in or buy the company outright. Pierer Mobility AG’s share price has fallen from €89.60 in September 2021 to €9.50 as of the most recent trading day, leaving it with a €345 million market cap and €1.4 billion in debt, with another €136 million set to come due in 2025. The company had posted a €53 million profit in mid-2023.

Meanwhile, along with the precipitous drop in sales, the company has laid off nearly 600 workers in two waves this year. At present, production will pause while the executive team looks for backers, and under the statutes of the reorganization, workers will receive “pre-negotiated partial wages” according to ADVpulse.

Adding to the company’s woes is a controversy around different warranty coverage for different models, a backlash against KTM for building engines in China with partner CFMoto, and reports of a camshaft wear issue with popular 790, 890 and 901 models.

Some in the industry have blamed Pierer/KTM’s response to the covid pandemic, which saw motorcycle makers get a big boost while social distancing was in effect, but increased production reportedly left the company with unsold stock as the pandemic waned and sales slowed. Meanwhile, majority stakes in sub-brands like MV Agusta - which was also owned by Harley-Davidson for a short time - has added to the company’s debt load. Some have called for the company to sell its MV Agusta stake and sell off other sub-brands including recently acquired Gas Gas and Husqvarna.

The company has until the end of February to remedy the situation. If it cannot find new sources of funds or a buyer, the company assets could be sold to satisfy creditors.

Tough Choices at KTM, As Temporary Production Halt Planned

Around 1,000 employees won't need to report to work after the New Year.

To say that things haven't been looking great over at KTM for a minute is a bit of an understatement.

Earlier this week, parent company Pierer Mobility released a short notice about restructuring on its investor relations website that spelled out the need to find a "three-digit million" amount of bridge financing (presumably in Euros, though no currency was specified). Since it mentioned ongoing discussions with major shareholder Pierer Bajaj AG, it's reasonable to think that talks of upping its stake in the company, or even buying it out entirely, could be on the table.

But the Pierer Mobility adhoc announcement of November 12, 2024 also stated, "Against the backdrop of a challenging economic environment, an even more far-reaching operational restructuring is being driven forward with the aim of reducing inventories at both KTM AG and the dealer level to an economically sustainable level by significantly reducing production volumes. Furthermore, overheads are also to be significantly reduced once again." The emphasis here is mine, but words are all Pierer's.

Just two days later, Austrian business publication Oberösterreichische Nachrichten spoke to Stefan Pierer himself, and learned more about what steps the company is taking to "significantly reduc[e] production volumes."

Very specifically, it seems that the company will halt production at the Mattighofen factory for two months, running from January to February of 2025.

This will affect approximately 1,000 employees, in addition to the 300 or so who will be laid off entirely as the company switches from having two shifts on the factory floor to one. While additional layoffs were already discussed as early as August 2024, this is the first time the plans for a temporary production halt have been made public.

Now, if you're like me, you probably immediately wondered how those 1,000 employees who will suddenly be sent home for all of January and February feel about not getting paid for two months. Supposedly, the plan is to continue paying those employees for a 30 hour workweek, which represents a reduction in pay rather than no pay at all. 

Presumably, since no group is a monolith, some might welcome extra time to spend doing things outside of work. But while some pay is better than no pay at all, the overall feeling of uncertainty and shifting sand as related to your employer isn't exactly confidence-inspiring.

As anyone who's ever budgeted anything can tell you, expecting one amount but suddenly experiencing a sharp decrease will throw all your careful planning out the window. Maybe you have money saved, but also, maybe you don't.

Sudden family emergencies can happen at any time, to anyone. And the added stress of not knowing how much you're going to be paid for what's supposed to be your full-time job only compounds the stress, no matter whether you're paid in dollars, pounds, or Euros.

Pierer says these moves are intended to right-size the amount of product the company has on hand, and that they're only part of its "far-reaching restructuring plans" intended to right the good ship Pierer Mobility and turn its fortunes around. But beyond that, it's important not to lose sight of the fact that once again, this upheaval will affect the lives of a whole lot of the company's employees.

What other twists and turns does the company have up its sleeve to get itself back on the right track? Stay tuned for future developments as they arise.

KTM's MotoGP Program On Pause

Not the death knell; at least, not yet.

There's always money in the banana stand, or so I hear.

Well, maybe that's true if you're a member of the Bluth family, but that's not the case for KTM. If you're a member of KTM, just substitute "MotoGP program" for "banana stand" and you'll more or less have what's happening here. Relax; I kid because I care. I love MotoGP.

While KTM and Pit Beirer have been adamant that the MotoGP program will continue unabated for 2025, and that all four of its bikes will line up on the grid to start the season, Motorsport.com also says that it "understands that there are doubts in MotoGP promoter Dorna's headquarters about it."

Whether there's anything substantive behind those doubts remains to be seen, but it's not difficult to understand why they might exist. A company isn't a family, but will function similarly in that if the main unit starts to go down financially, it will generally pool resources from its component parts to try to alleviate the situation and hopefully, to steer the ship to calmer waters.

It's not clear how long this pause will last, nor what impact it will have on the team's competitiveness for the coming season. As we've seen repeatedly in recent time, some racers are able to gel so well with machines that aren't on the cutting edge of current MotoGP development that they're impressively competitive.

RJ Talks with MXLarge

 

American legend, Ricky Johnson was without question one of the all-time great American riders and a rider who loved travelling to race. I remember him telling me once, he did enough international races in one off-season, that he made more in the off-season, than his Honda factory contract.

He raced for Team USA in several occasions and won every single time he lined up for the American's and his victories at places like Fastcross, Bercy and all over the World set him apart from many others.

A seven time AMA supercross and motocross champion and without question, and along with Marty Smith, Jeremy McGrath and Jett Lawrence, one of the most charasmatic riders in the sports history.

MXlarge: What races stood out for you in your career?

Johnson: There are so many. I raced with the best racers in the world, and some days I beat them. The Motocross des Nations events really stand out. Also, racing in Texas, where it was over 100 degrees outside, and passing Jeff Ward with two laps to go, was satisfying. Winning the Carlsbad USGP on ABC’s Wide World of Sports program for millions to see was awesome. There were a lot of great moments. And because of a great career, I’m fortunate to be recognized with those racers I hold in such high esteem.

MXlarge: What about countries you visited?

Johnson: I liked every place that I travelled to. I love Italy for a lot of reasons. The food is amazing, and the people are passionate. They don’t pull any punches. If an Italian person doesn’t like you, then you’ll know. If they like you, then they are very welcoming. I love Paris, because it’s so crazy and foreign to me, and also because of the history. I’ve enjoyed going to Belgium and Holland to see all of the castles. England was cool, because it’s like the light version of Europe. They speak English, and though it’s different, it’s not too different from what I’ve known. Japan has such deep history, and the fans are very polite. The fans in America wanted everything from me, but in Japan, the fans actually brought me gifts!

MXLarge: What makes somebody great?

Johnson: That’s a tough question to answer. It all depends on how you measure greatness. For me, you can’t just measure greatness based on duration. The day that Jeff Ward won the Motocross des Nations in Sweden in 1984, everyone that was there still talks about how perfectly he rode that day. I had days, such as Daytona or Seattle, where I felt out of body. Everything felt amazing. No one was going to touch me. To be in the top 10 is great, but I know that I would take on anybody from any time when I was in my prime and healthy. For me, if I’m considered one of the 10 best, then I’m happy.

MXLarge: Is Ricky Carmichael the greatest of all time?

Johnson: I don’t believe that Ricky Carmichael is the greatest of all time. He is awesome. He is a great champion. But to say that he’s the best of all time. I don’t think that he would have survived had he raced in an earlier era. He was too small. He could not ride in the 1960s with Roger DeCoster and Joel Robert, because his style would have broken the bike. He would have been injured. Yes, he’s the greatest of his time, but not all time. I’m not saying that I’m better, but to put that label on him isn’t quite right with me.

MXLarge: What do you think of the current era?

Johnson: Where it’s at now is good, but it should be better. It would be better if the riders cared more about the sport than themselves. Many of the racers might not like what I have to say, but it is their job to make the sport a better place for the next generation. Roger DeCoster, Torsten Hallman, Joel Robert and Brad Lackey worked hard to make motocross a better place so that guys like Danny LaPorte and I could have a better living. The sport started with riders in the backs of vans. It wasn’t about the money. They were good spokesmen and represented their sport. Now a lot of these racers think that they are superstars.

Roczen re-signs for third term with HEP and Suzuki

Image: Octopi Media.

Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki has officially extended Ken Roczen for a third term entering the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season.

Roczen has been with the HEP Motorsports-owned team since 2023 and will continue with the RM-Z450 next season.

“I am very excited to continue my relationship with Suzuki and the team,” said Roczen. “We have had a pretty successful last couple of years and we are eager to continue chasing our dreams of wins and podiums.” 

Dustin Pipes, team principal at HEP Motorsports, added: “Very happy to have Ken back for another year with the team. He is the ultimate professional on and off the racetrack.

“Ken is an exceptional talent, capable of winning any race he shows up to and keeping him on the very capable RM-Z450 brings a sense of excitement to every race day for the team. We will be working hard to once again reach the top step of the podium.”

Jorge Prado on Monster Energy Kawasaki | Full-Time USA Ride

Bear Mountain Hare Scrambles

2024 Polka Dots MC Bare Mountain Hare Scrambles

Magoo 1982 MXDN

 Chandler stuns the Moto world!

A local NorCal legend with a penchant for going absolutely all-out everywhere (and with a catalog of massive crashes to go with it) Chandler was everyone’s favorite underdog in the late 1970s and early ‘80s. Known as something of a wild man, he rode Maicos way past their sell-by dates, and also spent time on a RM125 Suzuki with LOP Racing. After showing real promise in the fall of ’81 during the Trans-USA Series in the 500cc Support class, riding an LOP-backed Honda CR480s, Honda afforded him support for 1982.

At the start of the ’82 season Chandler had never won a major race. After crashing his way out of the AMA Supercross Series, it was starting to look like he may never win. But something remarkable began happening later that summer. It began at the Datsun 500cc U.S. Grand Prix at Carlsbad. Chandler shocked pretty much everyone by winning with 1-5 moto scores, despite being stung by a bee in the second moto, which Chandler was deathly allergic to. One week later (on July 4th, fittingly enough, and at RedBud, coincidentally) Chandler won his first outdoor national, topping Mike “Too Tall” Bell and full Honda factory rider Darrell Shultz to win the 500 class. That span right there—winning the USGP and the RedBud 500 National, back-to-back—seemed like it was as good as it gets for Magoo, especially after he finished 12^th and sixth in the only other races he rode that summer, his season cut short by injuries.

But then things started happening that affected Team USA’s plans for the upcoming Motocross and Trophee des Nations, which they would be defending for the first time, and again with all Honda riders, just like in ’81. First Shultz, the newly crowned 500 National Champion, was so beat up that he had to pull out (and would never race again). Chuck Sun, a member of the winning ’81 team, also had to scratch. And then Donnie Hansen, the ’82 AMA Supercross and 250 Pro Motocross Champion, got a terrible concussion hurt the week before the Nations were to begin. (He too would never race again.)

Team USA manager Roger DeCoster had lost three key riders and only had one man left from the ’81 team—Johnny O’Mara—as Danny Laporte had moved on to Yamaha and a contract in Europe. First, Roger called third-year Honda Support rider Jim Gibson, then came Chandler, and finally David Bailey would be the last-minute substitute for Hansen. Once again, Team USA would go into the Nations as total underdogs, despite the fact that they were the defending champions.

1982 Team USA riders (from left) Jim Gibson, Danny Chandler, Johnny O’Mara and David Bailey.Racer X Archives

The 250cc race in Germany came first, then the 500cc race. The vast majority of the fans at those two tracks (Gairldorf and Wohlen, respectively) had probably never even heard of anyone on Team USA other than O’Mara, and only because of what he had done the year before. By the time the races were over, Danny “Magoo” Chandler was a motocross god. In the first moto in Germany, he overcame early leader O’Mara and ended up winning the 40-minutes-plus-2-laps race by some 10 seconds over British rider David Thorpe, the future multi-time world champion. In the second moto Chandler again overtook O’Mara for the lead, and again rode away from everyone. When it was all over, Chandler was 30 seconds ahead of second-place Andre Vromans of Belgium and Team USA teammate O’Mara. And with all four Americans in the top ten in every moto, Team USA won easily.

The following week in Switzerland was even an even more emphatic statement by Chandler, as he holeshot both motos and simply disappeared, this time on 500cc equipment. And despite an ankle injury for O’Mara, Team USA won again as all four riders again finished in the top ten, Bailey second best with 4-2 finishes.

In the history of the Nations, let alone Team USA, there has never been a single performance as dominant and unexpected as what Magoo did in 1982. Over the course of two weeks, in four motos, on two different sized motorcycles, Chandler swept all four races in what was arguably, the greatest individual performance in all of motocross history—not just Nations history, but the entire sport’s history. Of course, one could argue that future stars like Jeff Stanton, Stefan Everts, Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Villopoto, Antonio Cairoli, Ryan Dungey and Jeffrey Herlings never got a chance to match Magoo since they combined the two races into one, but it doesn’t change what Magoo actually did, and no one else matched, over nearly 25 years.

And while there have been perfect seasons by Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, double- and even triple Grand Prix wins by Stefan Everts, 10-year winning streaks like Roger DeCoster’s in the old Trophee events, 13-straight AMA Supercross wins like Jeremy McGrath and Ricky Carmichael, as remarkable as those accomplishments have all been, Chandler’s performance in 1982 still stands out.

Maybe it’s because of the way the rest of Danny’s career and life played out, first by never again matching the successes of that season, and never being picked for Team USA again after it was opened up to all U.S. riders, and not just Team Honda. Then came the tragic ending to his career, which happened with one of his patented finish-line cross-ups gone-wrong at a European Supercross in late 1985 while he was on a KTM. He would be wheelchair-bound and in pain for the rest of his life, which ended in 2010 when Danny Chandler was still only 50 years old. He will, however, be a motocross legend forever.