Local news: ABATE District 4 Toy Run is October 9

For my local readers, just wanted to share this info on the ABATE District 4 Toy Run coming up in October! This is one of my favorite rides, and I’ve missed it the past couple of years. I hope and expect we’ll be able to participate this year! Thanks to Laura Strovers for the info [...]

Torlief Hansen Marcus Hansson Doug Henry Broc Hepler Rob Herring George Holland Jeremy van Horebeek Kent Howerton

Honda World Motocross takes first win with 2012 CRF450R

Competing at the Sugo round of the Japanese National Motocross Championship, Honda World MX team riders Rui Gonçalves and Evgeny Bobryshev had their first opportunity to familiarise themselves with the machinery they will be using to contest the 2012 MX1 World Motocross Championships - and they would start just as they mean to go on, putting their Honda CRF450R machines on the top steps of the podium.

After just a half day with the new bike, prior to the Sugo race, Rui Gonçalves and Evgeny Bobryshev ventured into the competitive environment - the ideal scenario to put the new machine through its paces. Gonçalves would earn overall glory on the day with two solid performances. After finishing third in the first moto, he would go on to win the second in dominant style - earning himself the overall victory. Team-mate Bobryshev would post a consistent performance, finishing second in both heats, despite a few small mistakes. Home star Narita-san would provide the stiffest competition, taking the win in the first moto before both Honda World Motocross riders really found their stride and eclipsed him in the second running.

The Sugo race came at the beginning of a five-day testing programme in Japan for the Honda World Motocross Team. Engineers from the team are working in close unison with engineers from Honda Japan as they evaluate the new prototype Honda CRF450R that will be used in the 2012 MX1 World Championship season.

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross: "It feels good to take the win on my first outing with the new bike. It was the first time I have ridden properly since the Motocross of Nations - as I have only been practicing since then, so I was riding a bit tight at first. But in the second moto I let things flow a bit more and got the result. We are all working really hard out here to evaluate the new package and so far things are going really well."

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross: "Honestly my racing performance was not so good. I got arm-pump in the first race and had a few problems in the second, twisting my knee, twice! The racing schedule is pretty tight in the Japanese championship and you don?t really have time to bed yourself in properly. Despite this it was real important to test the new bike and we are all really happy with what we have; it is something special. Over the next few days we will learn even more about it."

Roger Harvey, Off-road Manager, Honda Motor Europe: "We are pretty happy with the result from this event, but to be honest it was not all about results. We wanted to get some time under our belts with the new bike and we have started things off on the right foot. The next few days of testing will be equally as important and with help from Honda Japan, we are positive that we will find a strong direction with the new package."

Photo credits: Taku Nagami

World Honda Motocross on top at Sugo, Japan MX. Rui Goncalves first, Evgeny Bobryshev second

 

Evgeny Bobryshev on the new 2012 Honda CRF450R

 

The winner in Japan - Rui Goncalves

Supercross.com's Facebook Fan Page (feel free to join)

Follow Supercross.com Twitter!

Joël Robert Ken Roczen Stephane Roncada Gerard Rond Jean Sebastien Roy Alex Salvini Donny Schmit Fritz Schneider

Levi Sherwood injured in Las Vegas

“My bike skipped into neutral on the takeoff — I don’t know how or why, I haven’t really quite figured it — but I came up short and broke two bones in my left wrist, lacerated my liver, bruised my lung, banged my kidney around a bit, and fractured a couple of vertebrae,” said Sherwood, [...]

Eric Geboers Sylvain Geboers Broc Glover Rui Goncalves Josh Grant Billy Grossi Davide Guarneri Thomas Hahn

Ricky Carmichael, 15 Time Supercross and Motocross Champion, Goes for a Ride with Ken Block

Monster Energy Cup track's co-designer, and 15 time motocross and supercross champion, Ricky Carmichael, goes for a ride along with DC's co-founder and rally car driver Ken Block.

Courtesy of DC Shoes, check out Ricky's reaction to see what you think?

Gerard Rond Jean Sebastien Roy Alex Salvini Donny Schmit Fritz Schneider Darrell Schultz Tommy Searle Gary Semics

Freedom Rock ride 2011

Our warm-weather days are numbered here in central Iowa, but October has been a really beautiful month for end-of-season riding. We noted today at brunch that we hadn’t yet visited the Freedom Rock this year, so we decided to head over to Greenfield to take a look at the 2011 mural painted by Ray “Bubba” [...]

Jason Lawrence Ron Lechien Jeff Leisk Victor Leloup Aigar Leok Tanel Leok Billy Liles Ove Lundell

Video Highlights from the Rockstar Energy Freestone Motocross National

MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, present the Rockstar Energy Freestone Highlight Video from Saturday’s Rockstar Energy Freestone National. The second round of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship from Freestone Raceway challenged riders with a difficult track and high temperatures.

Daryl Ecklund Erik Eggens Richard Eierstedt Jimmy Ellis Jeff Emig Harry Everts Stefan Everts Jaroslav Falta