Black duck valley reopens but it won’t please everyone
Posted on December 9, 2009
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Black Duck Valley reopened on the 6th December 2009. However it will cost you a one off registration fee of $800 plus an annual fee of $360 dollars to ride there. Camping is $10 per night per card holder.
They are also offering a direct deposit payment plan for the $800 registration fee but the $360 yearly fee must be paid up front.
First Corner Blues
Posted on November 11, 2009
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Down and out
You race into the first corner after getting a great start only to find yourself tangled up in a mess of bikes. You change your line at the last minute and narrowly miss out on taking a soil sample of your very own. Great, you are out of trouble, but because you came in so hot the bike stalls and you are left with the task of firing your bike up again.
With all the adrenalin running through your veins you’re eager to get going so you try to start your four stroke while it’s still in gear in an effort to save time, instead of worrying about finding neutral like you know you should. Finally you give up and click the gear lever a few times rolling the bike to make sure you’ve got it and then kick it over again, even pulling in the hot start lever this time.
Left behind
Now the problem you have is that the rest of the pack has been speeding away the whole time you’ve been trying to get moving. The biggest problem you have is the feeling of failure, there is a huge gap between you and first place and if your in a relatively short moto the tension and disappointment builds quickly.
Choices
So what do you do? Give up, take it easy and save your strength for the next moto or dig deep and chase them down? Ask yourself this question. If you were watching someone in the same situation what would you expect them to do?
A helping hand
Imagine you have seen the guy stall or crash in the first corner and you’ve run over to help, only he’s handed over the bike to you because he thinks its all to hard to catch up. You’ve got nothing to loose so you decide to go for it! Now if you look at it as if someone else caused the problem and your trying to salvage as many points as possible you will most likely have a much better outlook on the race and restored confidence.
Pride and glory
So now the race is over and you gave it everything you had. You chased down a bunch of riders and maybe even got them all. It’s a great feeling to know you can come from behind and still put on a good show.
In the end
It’s times like these that make us better riders. You may have picked up some new lines or more speed because you rode more aggressively. That feeling will stay with you in the future. It’s important not to give up, always ride to your ability and try just that little bit harder sometimes..
Chad Reed No 1 in Motocross
Posted on August 25, 2009
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Chad Reed has wrapped up the 2009 AMA motocross championship in round 10 of the series at Budds Creek. Reed finished 2nd in moto 1 after a late charge but Millsaps hung on for the win. Josh Grant slid out on a corner and didn’t complete the race after aggravating an injury he suffered whilst competing in the X Games.
Moto 2 saw Ivan Tedesco hold on to an early lead until pressure from Chad Reed forced a mistake and Reed lead for the remainder of the moto. Reed threw away his goggles with 2 laps to go after using rolloffs in wet conditions.
Andrew Short, who holds second place points in the championship finished 10th in moto 2 increased the margin by more than 100 points which makes it impossible for anyone else to take the championship with only two rounds remaining and 100 points up for grabs.
Ronnie Renner smashes world record big air
Posted on July 29, 2009
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Renner broke his own world record for the highest jump off a quarter pipe on a motocross bike at Chicago’s Butler field at Grant park. The crowd watched on i anticipation as on his third attempt, Renner launched himself an astounding 63 feet 5 inches above the ground, beating the record he set a year ago.
“It’s been crazy. I’m so pumped to have done it,” said Renner after his jumps. “What a killer vibe! All these people coming out to see me and they were psyched. I could hear the crowd cheering.”
Guinness World Records certified Renner’s highest jump, which was officially measured from the top of the 22-foot-tall quarterpipe, as 41 feet 5 inches from the top of the ramp (63 feet 5 inches high, total).
“I was super excited to come but didn’t really know what to expect,” said Lindsey Marlow, a fan. “I’ve seen a lot of motocross events, but Ronnie’s jump was amazing!”
Renner set his initial world record in 2008 at the Santa Monica Pier when he jumped 59?2? above the ground. After that jump, he knew he could go higher amd he did. When asked what he planned to do next, Renner stated, “Between myself and Red Bull, we’re bound to come up with something crazy.”
Stewart to race Super X in Brisbane 2009
Posted on July 28, 2009
Filed Under SuperX, super x, supercross | Leave a Comment
This will surely give Super X a popularity boost. Global Action Sports has announced that James Stewart will race the Brisbane round of the 2009 Super X series in Australia. Fans will get to see Reed and Stewart go head to head at a pace never before seen on Australian soil on December 5.
Stewart 23, won the 2009 AMA Supercross championship just ahead of Chad Reed with only four points separating them. Stewart also won the 2007 Supercross series while Chad took the title in 2003 and 2008.
“I have a lot of respect for Chad (Reed) and our rivalry only makes us race better and is great for the sport. This year was the toughest I ever had to fight to win a championship, which made the victory even sweeter.
“When the opportunity came up to race in Super X in Australia I didn’t think twice. I have never been or raced there before and I am really looking forward to taking on Chad (Reed) in his country. It will be a great race and we will both be going for it,” said Stewart.
Both Reed and Stewart push each other around a bit towards the end of the 09 Supercross series so they’ll both be out to win.
“It is a testament to the series that James (Stewart) will be competing in a race. He is riding at his best at the moment and had a great season in the USA. This will be my first chance to race against him in my bid to getting back the AMA Championship next year so we will both be giving it our all,” said Reed.
2010 Kawasaki motocross changes announced for 450 and 250 models
Posted on June 19, 2009
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Kawasaki has announced proposed changes to its motocross lineup for the 450 and 250 models. Changes include several features used by its factory racers.
- A “bridged-box bottom piston” which is nine grams lighter and has more power in the high and over rev rpm ranges.
- A wedge-shaped crank web acts as a counterbalance to sooth engine vibrations. Kawasaki says it offsets 60% of the crankshaft’s reciprocating weight.
Changes to the 450 include
- Revised cam timing and ECU settings which Kawasaki says will improve mid to high rev performance while a reinforced cylinder sleeve and right side crankcase offers more durability.
- A new stainless steel exhaust pipe that is 40mm shorter than the 2009 titanium pipe.
- Updated chassis with a new lower-rigidity steering stem shaft and revised suspension tuning that promises added comfort and cushioning when landing jumps.
- The D-shaped aluminum swingarm has been revised with narrower ribs and thinner walls.
- The Uni-Trak rear suspension linkage has also been revised to provide a long rear suspension stroke and to make precise tuning easier.
The KX250F also received several updates, but it didn’t get fuel injection. The KX450F received fuel injection in 2009 but its smaller sibling will have to wait until at least next year to switch from carburetors.
A longer head pipe with a shorter mid-section. The suspension and chassis changes are similar to the KX450F, except with Showa parts.
Super X returns for 2009
Posted on June 19, 2009
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The Super X series will return for a new season in 2009 which promises to be bigger than before. Twice world champion Chad Reed will be back to defend his title against a star-studded international field, including 7 times world champion Jeremy McGrath, who will race in Canberra, Sydney and Geelong.
The best Australian riders will return from the world AMA series in the USA and race in all 7 rounds. Several big-name US rider signings will also be announced in the coming weeks.
The series will go to New Zealand for the first time with Round 6 to be raced in Hamilton on November 21st, where New Zealand legend Ben Townley will represent the Kiwis.
Perth fans will witness the incredible atmosphere of one of the world’s biggest indoor stadiums at Burswood Dome.
Brisbane will once again host the final round of Super X following the huge success of the event in 2008 when 20,000 people descended upon QSAC to witness the first ever Super X champion being crowned
17th October – Aurora Stadium, Launceston
24th October – Skilled Stadium, Geelong
31st October – Burswood Dome, Perth
7th November – Canberra Stadium, Canberra
14th November – Parramatta Stadium, Sydney
21st November – Waikato Stadium, Hamilton NZ
5th December – QSAC, Brisbane
Mike Alessi injured 2009
Posted on June 10, 2009
Filed Under AMA Motocross | 1 Comment
Mike Alessi, who is the current points leader of the 2009 AMA motocross championship has suffered an injury that required surgery and will be out for the majority of the 2009 outdoor season. Alessi won both motos in round 3 at Freestone and took the overall at hang town.
However speedbump has suffered a broken kneecap while practicing in Pennsylvania. Round 4 of 12 of the series will be run without Mike Alessi lining up so it gives other riders like Chad Reed, Andrew Short and Josh Grant an opportunity to prove they are contenders for the championship.
The Rockstar Makita Suzuki team reported that Mike underwent successful left knee surgery and will make a full recovery which will see him back before the end of the season.
“There was no other damage to the knee beyond the broken kneecap,” said team manager, Roger DeCoster. “The outlook is better than expected, as we thought he was out for the year. It appears now that there’s a good chance he will be able to get back out there racing before the end of this season.”
Brian Deegan to take up rally driving
Posted on June 6, 2009
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Seems the in thing these days, get really good on two wheels and then trade them in for four. Brian Deegan has followed the familiar path of other demons on two wheels and headed toward 4 wheels, in Deegans case its rally driving.
Chad Reed set for Hangtown Motocross classic
Posted on May 29, 2009
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Chad Reed put in a strong performance last weekend at the opening round of the 2009 AMA motocross championship. After claiming the fastest lap times in both practice sessions, Reed finished just of the podium claiming 4th place overall.
“It was good to come away with a solid result at Glen Helen. I knew I had the speed and I knew the bike was good, it was just a matter of putting it all together at the same time,” said Reed.
Many people were expecting Chad to put in a much weaker performance after a two year absence from the outdoor motocross championship. You can imagine the surprise when he blitzed them all in practice and looked like he even could walk away with a win. However things didn’t quite go as expected &ellipse;
“I was slow off the line in the first moto and that put me mid-pack for a few laps. I had to go hard out to get back to the front and the leaders had made too much ground.
The track Glen Helen become extremely rough and rutted early in the day which may have contributed to Chad’s performance on the day. So with the Hangtown classic this weekend Chad will need to lift his game.
“I know what I need to work on this weekend, Hangtown isn’t my favourite track so I’ll just get my head down and focus on the job.
Being the consistent racer Chad Reed is, and knowing that they didn’t actually do any testing before the season opener, I’m sure will see a lot more of him this year, maybe even a podium or two.
“We’re looking good for the series, I’m feeling confident and I have a great team behind me, pushing me all the way.
Not to mention Chad has a Supercross only contract, he is racing the outdoors just because he wants to. I guess that’s the way it should be…
“After Glen Helen, I knew the decision to race outdoors again was the right one. Some people out there doubted me, and it will be good to prove them wrong.”